organised, one of America's leading spokesmen for older persons told a Bermuda conference yesterday.

Dr. Arthur Flemming, 86, who has served under every president from Roosevelt to Reagan, was keynote speaker at a public seminar on "Future Prospects for Older Adults.'' "If we get organised, Government is bound to listen,'' said Dr. Flemming, who had Cabinet rank under Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy as Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

"The effective argument of older persons can have a tremendous influence on Government in terms of introducing new programmes that are responsive to older persons,'' he told the meeting, which was held by Age Concern as part of Senior Citizens' Week.

Other posts Dr. Flemming has held include those of US Commissioner on Ageing, chairman of the US Civil Rights Commission and President of the National Council on Ageing.

He told the Cathedral Hall meeting that he preferred the term "older persons'' because it emphasised people were still individuals, no matter how old they were. "Everybody is engaged in the process of getting older, whether they're 20 or 80,'' he said.

He endorsed one of the themes of the seminar -- that seniors should take every opportunity of travel, exercise and education.

"I'm still travelling and still having new experiences,'' he said, adding that despite a recent illness which has affected his mobility, he still walks for an hour every day.

Dr. Flemming praised continuing education for seniors, and paid tribute to the Bermuda College's seniors learning centre for consulting students on what courses to offer.

Earlier, Age Concern board member Mrs. Joan McPhee told the seminar the future prospects for seniors were good. "But we have to get involved,'' she said.

"We have to take control of our lives, because if we don't other people will.

Don't be too passive -- get motivated and get involved. There is nothing you can't do if you really want to do it.'' Older citizens should help with community projects and join the seniors learning centre, she said.

Mrs. Pearl Adderley, of Adderley Bros. Travel, urged seniors to see the world and take advantage of special low rates. "Most people say `I'm too old or it's too late,' but you are never too old to travel as long as you have health and strength,'' she said.

And health promotion coordinator Ms. Ivena Laurenceo stressed the importance of exercise for older citizens. "Exercise helps people look and feel better,'' she said. "With the older population increasing, there will be a greater demand for health care. With the increasing cost that means it's very, very important that we try to maintain independent and healthy lifestyles for as long as possible.''