# Kick-Ass Elders Seniors Stepping Up Their Self-Defense Game By Katie Cordrey | Published 2008-12-25 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kick-ass-elders-not-taking-any-crap References: [online.wsj](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121582129325447667.html?mod=hpp_us_inside_today) & [surecruise](http://www.surecruise.com/blog/2007/02/senior-citizens-from-cruise-fight-off.htm) Today’s elders aren’t as ready to be docile little old people as elders may have been in the past. They certainly aren’t about to take any guff from would-be attackers, human or beast. It’s all in the headlines: 97-Year-Old Woman Fights Off Robbery Suspect; Woman, 83, Fights off robber; 74-Year-Old Man Fights Off Mugger With Tire Iron; and, Woman, 65, Saves Husband From Mountain Lion. These are just a few of the many reports in the news that lead me to advise, *don’t mess with old people.* Take Nell Hamm, for example. She beat a mountain lion over the head with a log when it nabbed her husband during a hike. She also tried poking it in the eye with a pen from her hubby’s pocket, but the pen bent, so she went back to clubbing it until it gave up and walked away. Nell is just a youngster compared to 97-year-old Dorothy Buckingham who fought off a [would-be purse snatcher](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unsnatchable-phone-case) who was 50 years younger than she. The robber was arrested a short time after the failed attempt. One group of senior citizens on a Caribbean cruise gave three armed attackers a surprise when they fought back. Two of the attackers ran away and a third was delivered to the police dead. This is serious stuff. Seniors are taking it seriously too. More and more senior centers have traded-in the Bingo tables for [self-defense classes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/karate-kid-training-simulator). Students learn how to defend themselves using what is most likely to be at hand - a cane. Canes can be very effective as you’ll realize when you see the story in the video above. One super-spy senior recommends, “[Stay fit, eat well, and exercise](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sunello).” I don’t think I’ll argue with her. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.5/10 - Popularity: 40% | Activity: 88% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Senior Self-defense:** Senior citizens are trading in Bingo for self-defense classes, signaling a growing trend towards empowering seniors with self-defense skills. - **Older Adults as Protectors:** Older adults are increasingly proving their abilities as protectors and fighters, with numerous examples of seniors fending off and defeating attackers. - **Cane as Self-defense Weapon:** The cane is becoming recognized as a powerful and effective self-defense tool for seniors, with more and more self-defense classes incorporating its use. ### Who This Affects Most - **Senior Care Facilities:** Senior care facilities can take advantage of the trend towards senior self-defense by offering self-defense classes to their residents, enhancing their quality of life. - **Self-defense Products Industry:** The self-defense products industry can tap into the growing demand for effective self-defense tools for seniors, such as canes and other assistive devices. - **Fitness and Exercise Industry:** The fitness and exercise industry can seize the opportunity to offer specialized self-defense classes and exercise routines for seniors, emphasizing the importance of staying fit and active as we age. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Fraud-Fighting Elderly AIs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-granny.md) - [Modern Aging Fitness Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/boost-camp.md) - [Elder Athlete-Supported Serum Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/longevity-serum.md) - [Pro-Aging Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/give-us-the-finger.md) - [Preparedness-Inspired Fitness Classes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/preparedness-inspired-fitness-classes.md) - [Fall Prevention Fitness Classes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/intuition-robotics.md) - [Empowering Walking Sticks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/walking-sticks.md) - [Elderly Cannabis Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/im-high-right-now-campaign.md) - [Boomer-Targeted Superfoods](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/superfoods-for-over-50s.md)