For a moderately active pensioner, one of the most delightful and suprisingly affordable forms of respite is a cruise - ideally with a companion of the same gender, but this isnt vital. I packed my father in law off to the Med for a fortnight from Greenock, and he loved it. They all have doctors and nurses on board and are used to coping with medical issues, and a cruise is a very sociable way to meet people, plus travel insurance is usually less of an issue. I note you are near Liverpool, and a number of cruises are available from that historic port, see;
http://www.cruiseharbour.co.uk/cruises- ... pool.phtmlCruise - Fjordland Splendour
Cruise & Maritime Voyages: Ocean Countess
5th Aug 2012, 8 nts, departing: Cruise Only
from £766pp
visiting: Liverpool - Lerwick - Stavanger - Ulvik - Eidfjord - Flam - Oban - Liverpool