Ageing is not an exact science, but our physical bodies do undergo significant changes as we get older.“The skin of the elderly is thinner and this makes them more susceptible to sun burn and sun stroke,” said Lauren Grant, matron of Lorraine Rest Home.Ms Grant encourages seniors at the Warwick rest home to be as active and involved as possible. She is a keen proponent of the elderly being encouraged to be as independent and self-sufficient as possible.Yet when Body & Soul asked her if she thought seniors would be all right spending an entire day on the grounds at Cup Match, she said no.“I wouldn’t advise it,” she said.The nurse explained that seniors tend to become dehydrated easily. “Especially in this high humidity we find this happening,” she said.Part of the reason is that temperature-controlling mechanisms in the body don’t function as well in the elderly. This is often exacerbated by medication they are using. Medications that deplete the circulating volume of fluid in the body and/or interfere with the sweating process put users at greater risk for sunstroke.For this reason she believes seniors planning on attending the match should go for only part of the day. “As long as they have their hats on, stay in the shade and stay hydrated, they should be fine,” she said.