Wednesday, April 17, 2013

SEX AND ROMANCE IN THE GOLDEN YEARS PLUS NORDIC WALKING

With Jagjeet, more popularly known as Mrs J
If you were at the Star Health Fair last Sunday morning, you would have been drawn to the music and laughter coming from Hall 3.

What was going on? Senior citizens were doing the macarena led by Mrs J. She was prepping them physically to get in the mood for her talk "Sex and Romance in the Golden Years".

I have known Mrs J since our teaching days back in the 1980s. She and her husband were featured in Seniorsaloud second blog post "Forever Young" in May 2008. Five years on, Mrs J is still looking fabulous at 73, and still as feisty.

"Raise your hands - how many of you sleep in separate beds, or separate rooms?" Mrs J asked her silver-haired audience. I had expected a no-holds barred session, and Mrs J didn't disappoint.

Here are some of the slides from her one-hour presentation to share with those who were unable to make it last Sunday morning because they were attending church services or celebrating Vasakhi, the Sikh New Year.

In general, middle-aged Asian couples have more conservative views about sex and intimacy than their western counterparts.
So true! The changes we go through as we age are mostly physical and external. We are still the same person inside, perhaps a bit more mellow.
Thanks to the little blue pill and personal lubricants, elderly couples can still enjoy sexual intimacy
Mrs J lamented the rise in divorce among older couples. "I don't believe in throwing away a relationship that took 40 years to build. Challenges should strengthen love, not erode it," she told the audience.

Mrs J's message to older couples - "Never too late for intimacy, sex and romance. Go on, do it!"

How does one rekindle romance in the golden years? When a couple has spent more than half a lifetime together, they often take each other for granted. They are so comfortable with each other that they no longer see the need to delight each other with little romantic gestures.

"Go for a vacation together, just the two of you," suggests Mrs J. "Rediscover each other." She also shared personal stories from her 50-year marriage, and recommended that we use the 5 Languages of Love as a guide.

Later that afternoon, Mrs J and her team gave a demonstration on Nordic Walking. She is the only certified coach in Malaysia trained to conduct classes on Nordic Walking.

"A few years ago, my knees gave way. They literally buckled under me. I experienced such excruciating pain each time I took a step. I tried all kinds of treatments, but nothing worked. Then one morning I saw my neighbors exercising. They were walking briskly with a pair of 'sticks'. Their backs were straight, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. They told me they were 'Nordic Walking'. I googled the term, and that's how it all started. I took up Nordic Walking, and the rest is history. It gave me back my active lifestyle. I did a certification course in Australia, and today I conduct Nordic Walking sessions every weekend in my neighborhood, " explained Mrs J.

Mrs J and her team of Nordic walkers
Here's a video demonstration of Nordic Walking that Mrs J shared with the audience. Her talk generated so much interest that many stayed back to ask questions. If you would like to know more about Nordic Walking, you can contact Mrs J at mrsjageetmrsj@gmail.com



1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thank you dear "SENIOR" - you are looking younger than before!Lily, it was indeed a pleasure seeing you there for both talks, for being the professional photographer for both sessions, occupying the front left seat nearest the screen for good photography, for taking notes and for giving full support be it in singing, clapping, swaying, and dancing. We all had fun. I personally put in many hours in the preparation of both these talks as I always do and expected an enthusiastic crowd as it turned out to be - and your presence made that difference!As for your writing skills, what can I say! So well-captured ... strangely hardly had I finished the first talk on SEX & LOVE ... when so many came up to me with, I MISSED YOUR TALK ... please when is the next one ...! This is what always happens. Thank you for the write-up. I enjoyed reading it!Kemmy would be glad you have done this because she really wanted to attend it.