'The Zimmers'

We watched the half-hour TV programme last night about the rock band made up of 4O senior citizens: Zimmers by name and in some cases zimmer frames by necessity. The group was the brainchild of the documentary producer, Tim Samuels. ‘This is about old people sticking it back to the society that has cast them aside", he says. So he brought together pensioners, some of whom were tired of life and of being marginalised by the rest of society, and got them into the recording studios where The Beatles had made many of their discs. There they recorded their version of The Who’s ‘My Generation’. You can hear the result on U Tube. Three of the group ended up in the U.S.A. and were interviewed on a popular TV programme which also featured George Clooney. We saw a bit of that, and whilst there were strong hints of the singers being patronised, they seemed to enjoy the experience and were flattered rather than intimidated by it.

We saw how some of the group normally live. One woman of 99 has moved homes 16 times, trying to find an old people’s home ‘that keeps me stimulated’. ‘I feel like the whole experience has brought me back to life’ said the lead singer who is 90, ‘ I was stuck in a rut and now I feel alive again’. Watching the programme I feared they were being used for yet another ‘virtual reality’ slot, especially when they were encouraged to indulge in the sort of destructive behaviour expected of rock groups, but hardly typical of the way their generation would behave. I find it a little sad that the needs of older people can only be brought to the attention of others by them pretending to be what they are not.

But the exercise had a serious intention, and I have to admit that everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves hugely. The producer, Mike Hedges, who has worked with U2, and the Manic Street Preachers has said 'My grandmother died when she was in her nineties and my mother in her late seventies and I miss them. Old people are highly entertaining to talk to. Their experiences, the things they talk about are just fantastic - really, really exciting. People forget that they know a lot and they've been through a lot.’ Geoff Wonfor, who shot the video, says he is a passionate champion of senior citizens. ‘I did this because it's a really great cause and very close to my heart.’

I see one reviewer of the programme this morning, says that The Zimmers have made a persuasive case against the insidious rise of ageism. But, he concludes, will the message linger longer than 15 minutes?’

B.R.

That Frog Again

As I mentioned on May 2nd, I have this niggling problem of over-producing catarrh, particularly annoying when I have to keep clearing my throat. My doctor felt there was nothing that he could advise about getting rid of it, so I thought alternative medicine was perhaps worth a try. I am sceptical about that whole area because it is so open to charlatans, but then I am also critical of the medical profession's reliance on drugs for every ailment. The idea of holistic medicine as an alternative to a departmental view of the body – each hospital specialist dealing with one bit of the body instead of all of it, is an interesting proposition which I take seriously. So today I have been to the local Chinese Medical Centre.

The first thing I noticed in the consultation was that I was asked many questions that were not – it seemed to me – related to the problem that had brought me there. ‘Holistic’ in practice, it seemed, which was encouraging. The blank piece of A4 the doctor was writing on – in Chinese- was soon full of information and analysis. I was then advised that a four week course of acupuncture and herbal capsules might do the trick. It might not, and perhaps a further course would be helpful. Treatment could be started now if I wished. That was unexpected – I had thought I would leave with some herbs and that would be that. But now here I was, lying on a bed with various bits of me exposed, about to be punctured.

It wouldn’t hurt, I was told, but if it did I should say so and he would stop. He was using smaller needles than the ones in China, he told me, which I suppose was a sort of comfort – things could be worse. Thereupon he began to swab various bits of me with an antiseptic. Feet, lower legs, arms, even stomach I could cope with but then became a little anxious when he began to do the same on my head, face and neck.

It wasn’t too bad, and I remembered that many people who have had this treatment say that the needles are more prick than stab. The twenty minutes ‘relaxation’ that followed was not very pleasant however, though the face massage that followed was.

I am back in a week’s time. Meanwhile I am told to watch my diet. One glass of wine only each day and no garlic or ginger and plenty of oranges and pears, turnips and radishes. Apparently I am over-heated and all of this is hopefully going to cool me down. I shall wait and see, and for this month suspend my natural scepticism.

B.R.