The wish that you use in your Compassion/Lovingkindness meditation - we encourage to have a set wish, it's always the same, no matter whoever you wish it towards - so, in that way, you would wish that old person who's very stubborn, very closed, you'd actually wish them exactly the same wish. Now it's probable that most old people who are stubborn and closed are not going to change. It's probable. That doesn't mean it's impossible.
You, sitting on the pillow, your job is just to give a wish to everybody. Your job is not to decide whether or not this person is going to change. In that way, it doesn't matter. Sit down, wish that person that they will grow, wish that they will find Peace of Mind. Part of your wisdom mind knows that it probably won't happen, but that doesn't matter, because it's only a "probably". There's going to be one or two of those people who can change.
Rosemary's mother was 70 years old when she did her first retreat. Seventy! She did fifteen retreats over the course of her life! That's more than almost everybody in the hall, FIFTEEN retreats! She started when she was 70!
So with this old person who's closed up, tight, stubborn, whatever else, there might be something that will change, but your job is just to wish, not to make any decisions whether they will or won't. Just keep giving them the wish, and who knows, maybe they will begin to open.