The population is getting older.

The number of people aged over 75 is likely to double over the next 50 years, according to Age Concern.

The number of people aged 90 and over will probably increase fivefold.Responding to the increasing demand from older people for legal services, the Law Society has organised a series of four seminars exploring both the opportunities and the problems faced by solicitors who advise elderly clients.

The first two seminars, at Nottingham and Bristol, have already taken place.

The remaining ones, at Lytham St Anne's and Eastbourne, will be held on 9 May and 22 May respectively.Speaking at the Nottingham seminar, District Judge Gordon Ashton, a member of the Law Society's mental health and disability sub-committee and author of the Elderly Client Handbook, told delegates: 'There are four ages of man rather than three.

The third age is active, healthy retirement, the fourth identified by mental and physical disability.

Many die without reaching the fourth age and the medical profession strives to keep it short by extending the third age.

Some individuals seek to keep the fourth age short by ending it prematurely, and choosing the time or manner of dying by refusing medical treatment has become an issue.'Judge Ashton then considered elderly clients who might have surplus assets to transfer to the family, or who become financially dependent on state benefits or the family.

He suggested that solicitors should offer them 'packages', including a package of a will, an enduring power of attorney and, where desired, a 'living will'.

Another important service could be completing the client's annual tax return with a review of investments.'Acting for older people is a growth area requiring the combination of services, independence and integrity that only the legal profession offers,' Judge Ashton said.

'We should not let other businesses steal the work from under our noses.

We can offer a comprehensive service while others merely seek to make a profit from this particular area and then leave the individual stranded when there are problems.'Commercial pressures and consumerism have largely destroyed the role of the family solicitor, but older people still need that approach.

It may not suit larger firms with high overheads but it is natural for the small firm with a local reputation.'Nottingham Law Society has responded to the potential growth in work relating to older people by setting up a special sub-committee under its new president, Rupert Bear.

It has since heard representations from Nottinghamshire County Council Social Services, Age Concern and Help The Aged.

Mr Bear said that he and his colleagues now operated a rota for 'blitzing' doctors' surgeries in one postal area of Nottingham and in nearby Newark with leaflets about the services which solicitors can offer elderly clients.'It is working, gradually,' Mr Bear said.

'We have been surprised to get a number of referrals from other areas of Nottingham, which suggests it is not only the elderly who are picking these leaflets up, but their sons and daughters, who read them and then pass on the details to their parents.'Another idea which the sub-committee has considered is setting up a flying squad of retired solicitors to vet initial enquiries which come into the Law Society and to help potential clients clarify the issues.

The flying squad is not yet up and running, but Nottingham Law Society is sending its 740 members questionnaires to see what support exists for this and other ideas.The importance of those people who look after the elderly is also beginning to be recognised and reflected in new legislation.

While not all carers look afte r elderly people, 79% of carers look after those aged 65 or over, and 20% look after those aged 85 or over -- a 5% increase in this category since 1985.

More than 60% of carers surveyed by the Carers National Association (CNA) say their own health has suffered as a result of the work they do.

The CNA estimates that carers save the nation between £30 and £40 billion per year.

The new Carers (Recognition and Services) Act, which came into force on 1 April this year (see [1996] Gazette, 27 March, 21), gives carers the right to ask social services authorities to carry out a separate assessment of the carer's ability to provide and to continue to provide care.

The CNA will be publishing leaflets and booklets alerting people to the new Act.This week is national carers week.

It was launched to coincide with the publication of a survey carried out by Boots the chemists for the CNA.

This revealed that only four in ten adults -- aged from 18 upwards -- had given any thought to the question of who would care for them if they could not manage because of illness, age or disability.

More than 75% had made no financial provision for their future care.

Although most families were willing to provide care for relatives, six out of ten expected some financial support from the state.