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Jeanette Pieper does not mind being classified as an older person, although she is many other things first.

She is a campaigner who recently led a group fighting a housing development in Calder Glen Country Park in Lanarkshire. More than 9000 objections to the plans were lodged with South Lanarkshire Council.

She also likes to travel. Last year she and three girlfriends flew to New York for the St Patrick's Day parade and shopping. A highlight for Jeanette, the youngest of the trio at 68, was visiting Strawberry Fields in Central Park - an area adopted by John Lennon and Yoko Ono as their favourite oasis.

She is also a grandmother and willing child-sitter. Looking after Erin, aged two, twice a week allows her daughter-in-law to go out to work.

"I think the image of older people is out of date," Jeanette says. "I think we are much younger than that. On the whole I think we are much more adventurous."

But she agrees there are a number of issues that unite her generation on the eve of polling day. The first is council tax. "I think that's top of older people's lists," she says. "It is a big burden."

Next comes Scotland's landmark package for the frail - free personal care. Jeanette explains: "It seems to vary from council to council and there are concerns that older people are waiting for it and it is not forthcoming."

There are also issues about the health service. "Older people feel, because they are older, they are not as important in the scheme of things when they go into hospital," she says.

"The standard of food is not as it should be. I know the nurses are really busy but some older people, they need encouragement to eat, and I do not think the nursing staff have got time for that." Ensuring support is in place when pensioners are discharged from hospital can also be a problem. Jeanette, from East Kilbride, says she has heard of people who need equipment to help them cope at home, arriving to find it is not in place.

Working to ensure such problems are addressed keeps Jeanette busy in her role with the West of Scotland Seniors Forum, a non-party-political action group that campaigns for better rights and services.

"I'm very much enjoying retirement," she says. "I do not know how I found time to work."

12:01am Wednesday 2nd May 2007

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