With an ever-growing number of pensioners, people are gradually waking up to the fact that a demographic crisis is looming in the not too distant future.
Within two decades, this will be a country with millions of old people with many hours of time on our hands, living off a social care system that may struggle to cope, with less earning and innovative potential in the economy.
Why don't we start thinking about how we can develop local activities that will help keep people fit, with their minds stimulated, while providing opportunities for older people to spend time with - and contribute to the community around - younger friends, family, and children, in an integrated multigenerational society.
Play areas that provide not only children's equipment, but also play activities to suit older people could easily be developed.
Games such as giant chess and draughts, jumbo Connect4, noughts and crosses and other traditional games could be available alongside quieter areas for card-playing, art and crafts, reminiscence and other social activities. For the more adventurous, running tracks, tennis or badminton courts could be provided for summertime and indoor halls for Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi during cold and wet times.
In fact, these places already exist - they're called schools. Apart from school time, when old and young could play together at the beginning or end of the day, the weekends - a time when many elderly people feel at their most lonely and isolated, and school holidays, offer a somewhat quieter environment for at least 160 days a year.
So what's stopping us developing the idea?
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