Saturday, December 30, 2017

SENIORSALOUD 2017 IN REVIEW (Part 2: e-Newsletters)


SeniorsAloud started the e-newsletter primarily to reach out to members who do not have an FB account and do not want to have an account. Since our first issue in June 2014, we have emailed the newsletter without fail every month to those who have registered with SeniorsAloud.

However, we have members telling us they have not received any newsletters. We can offer three possible explanations:
  • there was a typing error in their email address
  • their email address is no longer valid - e.g. @pd.jaring.com, @streamyx.com, @tm.net.my and @unifi.my
  • the newsletter went to another email box - e.g. the Promotions box for those using gmail.
We suggest that they re-register. Once they have submitted the online form, they will receive an email to confirm their registration. Our registration form asks only for basic info e.g. name, year of birth, email address and contact number. We do not require your IC number or address. The rest are optional. We take confidentiality of info seriously.   

Here is a look back at our 2017 newsletter announcements, from December to January. They served to alert members to check their email, and also to promote membership drive. We hope the effort is not wasted. 













The January 2018 newsletter will be out soon. Do check your mail box. Happy New Year!

SENIORSALOUD 2017 IN REVIEW (Part 1: Events)


2017 has been a most eventful year for SeniorsAloud. Not only did we see a rise in our community membership, but also more traffic to our FB page. It warms our hearts when strangers recognise us in public places and come up to say "You are from SeniorsAloud? Keep up the good work!" We most certainly will!

This year we collaborated with several organisations like Freedom Film Network (FFN) Malaysia, University of the Third Age (U3A), Petrosains Discovery Centre KLCC, Grab, Third Age Media and Pitstop Community Cafe. We were also fortunate to have experts in various fields come and share their knowledge and expertise with our members at our monthly events. They include image consultant Sheila Wong, TCM specialist Dr Kong Why Hong, Qigong instructor Wan Chee Wing, Nordic Walking founder Mrs Jagjeet Singh and financial consultant Lee Hock Chye.

Thanks to the media, more people now know about SeniorsAloud and what we do. We have been interviewed by BFM89.9, and by monthly health magazine Urban Health.

But most of all, we thank our members, friends and followers of our blog and FB page for staying with us (and spreading the word) and supporting our events. We hope for your continued support in 2018 and beyond.

Here is a look back at SeniorsAloud events in 2017, from January to December:
















As we have mentioned before, 2018 marks our 10th anniversary. Members can expect even more exciting events and activities from SeniorsAloud to celebrate our first decade as arguably the one and only online community in Malaysia/Singapore run by seniors for seniors to promote lifelong learning and active living. Cheers!

Friday, November 17, 2017

AN INVITATION TO A DIALOGUE WITH TIME


Let's face it - all of us are ageing from the day we are born. Each birthday is a reminder of our mortality. But ageing is not all gloom and doom. Ageing is about living each day in ways that will add to our wellbeing. It is about learning and preparing for the future so that we can avoid the comorbidities and disabilities that often accompany old age. Ageing is very much an individual journey and a personal experience. It begins with embracing ageing, knowing how to cope with the challenges of ageing, and what to do to prepare for the future.

32 seniors aged 65 to 85 were selected and trained as exhibition guides. They will explain the activities and share personal stories and memories.

What better way to learn about ageing than at the Dialogue With Time exhibition currently being held at Science Centre Singapore. I spent two hours there recently in an immersive experiential tour of the exhibition, and came away feeling much more optimistic about the future. Dialogue with Time is an excellent platform to promote awareness of what ageing involves, and what we should do to remain healthy and active in our retirement years. Longevity becomes a bane if the extra years are filled with pain, loneliness and suffering.

In one of the activities in the Blue Room, visitors were asked to choose from a stack of photos one that resonated with them most, and explain their choice. My choice - a happy 3-generation family.

The exhibition is for the entire family. The best time to prepare for the future is now. It starts with the importance of laying an early foundation for successful ageing. That way the retirement years will find us enjoying good health, financial security and happy relationships with family and friends.

Here's a quick tour of the exhibition in pictures.

The first stop to watch a video of little Danielle ageing in all of five minutes! You can view the full video here.



In the Blue Room, senior guides Serene, 66, and Ray, 72, share their favourite memories.

Activity: pick any 5 cards and complete the sentence. We all know many older people who still enjoy learning and still retain a spirit of adventure and a sense of fun.
The Yellow Room where some of the challenges of ageing are highlighted e.g. difficulty in walking, climbing stairs, hearing loss and failing vision.
Want to know what it feels like to move around like an old person? Try walking with 4kg weights strapped to your feet!
More challenging activities: listening to and following instructions, inserting a key into a keyhole and testing your hand-eye coordination.
An opportunity to test my eyes. All good. Hope it stays that way.
The Pink Room where visitors can watch videos of five seniors sharing their experiences on work, love and life in general. Inspiring.
Some of the topics include 'Finding Love Online' and 'Re-employment of Seniors'.
The White Room where visitors can view an interactive video and quiz on 'Future of Ageing' in Singapore, e.g. life expectancy of Singaporeans, number of centenarians in Singapore.
Which one would you choose? Are all of the above important to you?
Singapore's action plan for successful ageing
Happy Years Kopitiam - for a good strong cup of coffee and a chat about the good old days.
Just a small sampling of the exhibits in the science and technology zones that span robotics, assistive devices, telemedicine and much more.
Tried this out and was relieved to hear the strong and regular beat of my heart.
A must-try. Quite fascinating (and scary!) to see how we look as we 'age'. Smoking and UV rays make us age faster, so be warned.
Take note of the nine ingredients for healthy ageing
Remember to pick up a complimentary copy of 'I Feel Young' at the Happy Years Kopitiam
Some of the senior guides with June Chen, (far right), Assistant Manager, Exhibition Group, Science Centre. Thanks for the guided tour of the exhibition.
For more info, click HERE to visit the website