The city can be an unfriendly place at the best of times.At my favorite make-up counter, where the assistant usually laughs and jokes with me, she looked as if she couldn't wait to get rid of me. Later, in a music store, my request for some CDs was met with laughter from sales assistants who couldn't believe an 80-year-old was interested in the latest chart hits!...an elderly lady by Tracy Bond

Turning 25-year-old me into an 80-year-old was no easy task; with the help of a make-up artist, I had to be covered with layers of prosthetic make-up....a homeless man

by Sam Browne

Carrying a sleeping bag and wearing scruffy clothes, I headed for the spacious store doorways where the homeless spend their nights.After putting on a shabby coat and holding tightly onto a walking stick, my transformation was complete and very convincing!As I finally took my make-up off, I couldn't help wondering how I would have treated 80-year-old me. Over the next 50 years, the number of elderly people in society will triple.I got into my sleeping bag in the large, well-lit doorway of a boutique, but I couldn't sleep.It wasn't just the biting cold, but I was constantly aware of people walking close to my head and the hard stone floor dug into my shoulder and hip.I finally dozed off, only to be woken up at about 5 a.m. by the cleaners who arrived to wash the steps.At the public toilets I couldn't believe the reflection I saw in the mirror.My eyes were red and puffy, my skin pale and my hair was frizzy.As I walked, people avoided looking at me and crossed the road.