Cold comforts
Sir: I read Dr Gerard Bulger's article (19/26 December) on 'Hypothermia Hyped to Death', with interest and at times a wry smile, if that was not out of place when reading of the plight of some elderly people.
It is true that, despite their best endea- vours and the frailty (with already two million people aged 80 in the UK) that must be inevitable, some will fall prey to the disabilities of old age and hypothermia. Dr Bulger's estimate of 400 deaths caused by the latter is probably accurate. The burden of his article, however, is that `Care' can kill as effectively. This under- lines the value of prevention as being better than either care or cure.
Happily, attitudes in society are chang- ing so that the value of activity, both physical and mental after so-called 'retire- ment' is being increasingly recognised. If a better understanding of the many disabili- ties (which still increasingly result in in- activity and in becoming housebound) can lead to their prevention, the quality of life of many thousands will be immeasurably improved.
This will only stem from carefully orga- nised research, which is now being carried out increasingly in the private sector and with private donations from companies and individuals. Thus a solution, as the cold months approach, lies in the generous hands of most of us who will be old one day.
John Allfrey
Director, Foundation for Age Research, 49 Queen Victoria Steet, London EC4
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