Reviving the kampung spirit in our residential neighbourhoods

Fu (left) with Pn Hafsah and Mrs Lim, who often share their harvest of fruit and plants with their neighbours. - LILY FU

 By Lily Fu

Where would you see yourself living in your old age?

Pose this question to a senior citizen. Almost invariably the answer is “at home”. As a senior citizen myself, and speaking on behalf of those in my senior community, of course, we would love to spend our retirement years in one of the upmarket senior living resorts that have sprung up in recent years to cater to the growing ageing population.

The oohs and aahs each time we visit one of these establishments! How we would love to spend our golden years in comfort and have everything done for us – meals, laundry, housekeeping, with access to facilities like karaoke, theatre, gym and pool. And for those who need a little more care or pampering – healthcare and wellness services are available.

But we know that is wishful thinking. Few can afford the RM5,000-RM8,000 monthly fees to enjoy the perks of living in a Club Med style retirement home. It’s a question of affordability, not availability.

There is at least half a dozen such five-star senior residences open for long-term stay. But the take-up has been slow so far.

Given ageing at home as the overwhelming choice, perhaps it’s time we looked at how we can make this option viable and safe for our seniors.

Aside from installing age-friendly facilities in the home, such as easy accessibility, adequate lighting, hand rails, grab bars and non-slip flooring, we also need to provide care and security for elderly residents who choose to live their remaining years in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.

What I am proposing is a new model for community living in urban townships. We need to transplant the kampung spirit in our cities and towns. Today we have the sad situation of neighbours living within the same block of apartments, sharing the same premises for years, yet not know one another.

They are total strangers – no names, no smiles or greetings when their paths cross in the common areas.

The two years of living under Covid SOP restrictions has shown that we need to support one another to get through difficult times.

That’s why reviving the community spirit is so crucial – not just for the elderly but also for all residents regardless of age. When there is an emergency, neighbours are ready to assist.

We need to build that communal environment to support ageing in place.

This would require a new and expanded role for the Residents’ Management Committee (RMC). I have always felt the RMCs should play a much bigger role beyond collecting maintenance fees and supervising the common areas.

Let me take where I live as an example. I moved in when the housing project was completed in 1990. Having lived there for 34 years, and having observed the interaction (or lack of) among the residents, I am convinced it is time for a new model of residential living.

But first, some changes are necessary. Here are some of my proposals:

Start a residents’ service directory

The management office already has all the files. Just add on other info e.g. residents’ field of expertise, work experience, services they can provide e.g. child/elder care, food catering, home tuition.

The RMC can promote this to the residents who can then decide whether they want to be included in this directory or not. It’s on a voluntary basis.

This directory will come in useful to link residents who require certain services with residents who have such services to offer, whether on a gratis basis or as a source of income.

No more anxiety about whether your elderly parent is safe alone at home knowing that a neighbour is helping to look after him.

Consider the convenience of home repair services just doors away, or meals, personal grooming, tailoring as well as physiotherapy delivered at your door-step.

Getting a ride from a neighbour is just a call or a few doors away, inviting some of them over for mahjong or bridge, or sharing some food, watching a football match together on TV or a movie on Netflix. More fun than watching it alone.

The acts of communal living are endless. Not all neighbours are friendly but once we get to know them better, they may turn out to be really nice people.

Community space

The multi-function rooms or community hall could be used for cooking demonstrations, health talks or workshops. I recall years ago we celebrated festivals e.g. Hari Raya, Mooncake festival, Deepavali in the common areas.

Neighbours brought their home-cooked dishes for the pot-luck dinner. The children had a great time running around while their parents chatted. I miss those get-togethers.

They tapered off when the RMC underwent changes over the years with each new committee. The reason given was always lack of funds. I am more inclined to think it was lack of initiative as pot-luck meals do not involve any cost to the RMC.

A community garden

My taman doesn’t have a community garden but those on the ground floor have a small patch that many have converted into a fruit/veg/herbal garden. I love the neighbourly spirit of some of the residents.

One good example is Puan Hafsah who lovingly tends to her herbal and spice garden daily. There is also Mrs Lim who prefers to plant flowers and vegetables.

She has several varieties of orchids in her corner lot garden. Both are happy to share their herbs and veggies with anyone who asks. In the common areas the gardeners hired by the management have planted moringa, tapioca, aloe vera, lemon grass, chilli padi and more.

Residents can help themselves to these.

Activities and services

When the kampung spirit is there, it’s easy to organise early morning walks or exercises e.g. tai chi, led by a volunteer resident. Every morning some of my neighbours go brisk walking or slow jogging around the gated premises.

We greet one another with a smile and “Selamat Pagi”. As there are nine blocks of apartments, going three to four rounds within the compound is sufficient for a good workout.

In my taman, we may not have a pool, but we have a small convenience store that serves the residents with basic essentials, including cooking gas.

There is also a small shelter for short-term stay for cats when their owners are away. A section is partitioned off as a sick bay to isolate the sick ones.

The management office staff helps to look after the cats. There is an outdoor gym and a children’s playground. I love to sit at my balcony in the evenings and watch the boys come out to play football or rounders, while the little children enjoy themselves at the playground with their mothers keeping a watchful eye on them.

It is an opportunity for the mothers to socialise with other parents. There used to be a library/reading room where the children could go to read or do their homework.

I hope the recently elected committee will revive this.

Such a concept can be easily implemented and supported by social media platforms like Facebook, Telegram and WhatsApp. Getting all residents to come on board in a WhatsApp chat group would help to foster a community spirit. Really, there’s no excuse for not trying out this model.

When residents see the benefits, more will come on board to offer their services and earn some income. The seniors themselves must stay active and in good health, so they can remain independent and mobile for as long as possible.

Only then can they opt for ageing-in-place. Otherwise, the only option is to move to an aged care facility or a nursing home.

With Malaysia’s population moving towards aged nation status by 2030, and with the number of older adults living alone rising, reviving the kampung spirit makes a lot of sense.

I hope more residents’ management committees will take up this model of community living. It can be easily adopted in condos, apartment blocks, PPR flats and housing gardens. There is nothing to lose but so much to gain when neighbours come together in the kampung spirit of cooperation or gotong royong.

The above article was first published in the print edition of The Star under the column 'Grey Matters' on Wed 3 July 2024. The online version can be accessed at 

https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/family/2024/07/04/reviving-the-kampung-spirit-in-our-residential-neighbourhoods

(Lily Fu is a gerontologist who advocates for seniors. She is founder of SeniorsAloud, an online platform for seniors to get connected and enjoy social activities for ageing well.)

THINKING OF GETTING A JOB? GOOD LUCK IF YOU ARE OVER 50!

If you are seriously contemplating getting back into the work force, especially if you have not worked for 10-20 years, not only will you face stiff competition from younger job applicants, but there is also the question of qualifications, says Fu. - 123rf

Just like the younger generation, older folks need jobs too. The longer life expectancy of 73.8 years (71.5 years for males and 76.3 for females) is both a boon and a bane. EPF savings and pensions are simply not enough to see recently retired workers through.

There are housing and car loans to pay off, insurance premiums and credit card debts to settle. Many still have to support their elderly family members and cover the latter’s medical expenses. As it is, we are already complaining about escalating prices and soaring expenses. With inflation eating into our nest egg, we just have to rethink our options – full retirement or reemployment?

Financial experts say that we would need to have at least RM1mil in retirement savings to enjoy the level of lifestyle we were accustomed to before retirement. EPF says contributors should have least RM240,000 in basic savings by the time they retire. As of 2023, only 33% of EPF contributors have achieved this target.

Not surprising there is a clear shift for countries to raise the retirement age or do away with it altogether to enable more workers to continue working and save more. Singapore allows for contractual employment till 67. Taxi drivers there can work up to age 75. Malaysia raised the retirement age from 55 to 60 in 2013.

The initial protest from EPF contributors was not unexpected as many were eagerly waiting to withdraw lump sums for the plans they had made. But since then, most have come to accept the reality of the need to work for as long as they are able and save as much as possible.

Raising the retirement age makes sense on several fronts. It eases the government’s burden to provide welfare assistance for our senior citizens. Having working parents relieves adult children of financial support for them. Finally, keeping busy at the workplace helps older workers remain active both physically, mentally and socially. All of which contributes to ageing well.

However, herein lies the problem. While older workers may want to continue working, companies are reluctant to hire them. Employers will give 101 reasons why they can’t or won’t hire applicants above age 50. They say older workers are too expensive, they take too many days off on medical leave, they are not as productive as younger ones, they lack the required skills, etc.

Some companies have cut salaries of rehired older workers by as much as 30%, reduced medical benefits, and in some cases, taken away bonuses. It all boils down to “take it or leave it”, with the employer having the upper hand. Unless they have skills or expertise that is much sought after, older workers are in a weak position to negotiate for better terms.

It’s sad really that one day you are drawing a salary of X ringgit. The very next day your value to the company depreciates for no reason other than you’ve just hit 60. If you continue to do the same work, it’s only fair that you continue to receive the same pay. Anything less is clearly a case of discrimination against older workers.

But having said that, retirees and retrenched mature workers seeking to rejoin the workforce should not be too picky about job offers and make demands like asking to be paid the same as their last drawn salary. Both parties can work out mutually beneficial terms.

Some advice

If you are seriously contemplating getting back into the work force, especially if you have not worked for 10-20 years, not only will you face stiff competition from younger job applicants, but there is also the question of qualifications.

University degrees obtained in the 1970s-80s cannot compare with those obtained today which are so much more specialised and more relevant to the particular job specifications.

Fields of study were limited then. Today one could select from a myriad of courses. It’s the same with professional qualifications. A diploma in secretarial studies awarded in the 1980s would probably not equip you with the skills needed in the modern office of today. So much has changed since.

What this means is you need to upgrade your skills so that you will remain current and relevant. Knowing how to use the latest office software programs is a necessity. Keeping up to date with industry news and trends is vital if you want to ace the interview.

As for your CV, do update it, and keep it to one A4 size page. Omit mention of anything that is older than 10 years unless it is relevant to the job specifications. As for your personal photo, make sure it is less than a year old. Avoid digitalised photos. You don’t want your interviewers to do a double-take when you show up looking nothing like the young man or woman in the photo.

This brings us next to your interview attire. It is safest to dress casual but smart. Ladies, avoid fashion trends. Don’t show up in frumpy auntie clothes either. No chunky jewelry, heavy make-up and badly coloured hair. Guys, the same rule of casual smart applies. A neck- tie is fine, but a coat is too formal, unless you are applying for a top senior management position. You might even make the interviewers feel under-dressed if none of them are wearing a coat! No jeans or T-shirts, please. Make sure your shoes shine. Look confident and poised. Have a firm handshake. Older people love to talk and share their stories, but keep that to social gatherings, not at job interviews. Keep your answers to the point, and if asked to elaborate, stay within the topic. Don’t bore them with irrelevant anecdotes of your past achievements.

Having said that, you do have some pluses that might clinch you the job. Your wealth of experience is one of them, that is, provided you are seeking re-employment in the same industry that you retired from.

Older workers are known to be generally more committed, more patient and more loyal than younger workers. They don’t job-hop, ask for emergency leave frequently or indulge in office politics.

Be prepared to make some adjustments. For one, be prepared to take a slightly lower pay than your last drawn salary. Also, be prepared to swallow your pride as you may be working under a much younger boss. Three, don’t expect the same employee benefits you enjoyed previously. This is a different company, and you are considered a new staff recruit. So don’t make the mistake of demanding this and that when you haven’t even got a toe in the door yet!

Most important of all, ask yourself if this job is really what you want. You must enjoy your work, whether it is full time or part time. Remember, at age 50+, you don’t want to stress yourself out by dragging your feet to work. Your take-home pay may boost your retirement savings and provide for your daily essentials, but it should not put your mental and emotional health at risk. It is not worth it. There are other options to explore if you need to grow your nest egg.

Like it or not, with countries experiencing declining birth rates and declining mortality rate, companies will soon have to face the inevitable. The young working population is shrinking. Companies will have no choice but to draw on older workers for their staff recruitment. Just make sure you are employment-ready.

(The above article was first published in the print edition of The Star under the column 'Grey Matters' on Wed 5 June 2024. The online version can be accessed at https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/family/2024/06/07/thinking-of-getting-a-job-good-luck-if-you-are-over-50)

Lily Fu is a gerontologist who advocates for seniors. She is founder of SeniorsAloud, an online platform for seniors to get connected and enjoy social activities for ageing well.