SENIORSALOUD'S RAISON D'ETRE

Every now and then we get asked about how SeniorsAloud came about. How did a humble little blog that started in May 2008 grow to be the country's best-known go-to source for news and issues concerning older adults? Since 2010, US-based Seniors Homes has nominated SeniorsAloud for the annual Best Senior Living Awards in the category of Best Blogs by Organizations. It is an honor that we have kept silent about... till now.

SeniorsAloud has come a long way since its first media coverage in The Malay Mail in 2008 (see below). Much of what was written in the full-page article still holds true today. However, SeniorsAloud has expanded so much in the intervening years that an update is necessary at this point.

SeniorsAloud's first media interview in The Malay Mail published in Aug 2008. Click here to read the full article.

With countries worldwide expressing concern over the rise in their ageing population and the problems associated with it, SeniorsAloud saw a need to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by the older generation in the hope that the government would step in and help this often-neglected segment of the population.

(Left) This blog post written in 2008 was later published in the Asian Beacon. Click here to read. (Right) The Heat newsweekly carried the above interview with SeniorsAloud in 2013. You can read more here.

SeniorsAloud's raison de'etre is to help senior citizens be better prepared for their retirement years so that they can enjoy quality of life in their old age. We have to take charge of our own future, and not rely solely on the government or our adult children to provide for us in our old age. We see lifelong learning and social networking as two of the best ways to achieve this objective.

On radio: Presenting our views on the proposal to introduce the Maintenance of Parents Act

To this end, we regularly organize talks and workshops and invite well-known professionals and specialists to share their expertise on how to plan effectively for a happy retirement. Click here for a list of some past events we have organized. We place special focus on information technology for seniors so that they will not be left behind as the rest of the world advances. Indeed, the ability to use online resources is vital to keeping seniors mentally engaged and socially connected.

We work closely with U3A (KL & Selangor) to help promote livelong learning to older adults.

To date we have worked with academic institutions such as the Institute of Gerontology, UPM Serdang and with Universiti Malaya in their MElor Project. We have also been invited to participate in PEMANDU's Seniors Living / Aged Care Lab, and to conduct a session at the Nursing Workshop on Geriatric Care organized by KPJ.

SeniorsAloud founder speaking at the opening of PEMANDU's Senior Living /Aged Care Lab

Conducting a session at the nursing update workshop on geriatric care at KPJ Tawakkal Specialist Hospital

As staunch supporters of volunteerism, we believe firmly that as seniors, we have a duty to help other seniors in whatever way we can. If we can't donate money, we can contribute our time and energy to help raise funds for them. Within our SeniorsAloud community, we have members with vast working experience and skills that we can draw upon to train other seniors looking to set up a home-based business or learn about social media. We also have a wealth of life experiences that we can share with others going through similar experiences. Our credo is 'Seniors helping seniors to succeed'.

We have volunteered with various NGOs to support their cause, among them U3A (University of the Third Age), AUTORR, Kechara Soup Kitchen and ADFM (Alzheimer's Disease Foundation Malaysia). We encourage you to take up volunteerism too. You will be surprised at the health benefits of volunteerism. If you would like to know more about these NGOs, drop us a line at info@seniorsaloud.com

We have often spoken out on issues that affect older adults here in Malaysia, for example, the lack of well-run nursing homes and retirement homes for the elderly, the escalating cost of healthcare and medical treatment, and the need for better public transport facilities for senior citizens. SeniorsAloud was invited to participate in the National Forum on Public Transportation, and met with SPAD officers to present our views on behalf of the seniors community.

SeniorsAloud team - photo taken at the recent "Celebrating the 60s" dinner and dance on 31 May, 2014, to raise funds for the homeless elderly.

SeniorsAloud owes its rapid growth to strong support from the seniors community, and also to a small team of dedicated volunteers without whom none of our events would have seen the light of day. We are grateful too to the many kind seniors out there who have taken the trouble to send us articles, jokes, and videos to share on our blog.

We have started a monthly newsletter for members only, to keep them informed about upcoming activities. Membership remains free and is open to anyone aged 50 and above. To register, go to our members registration page. For daily updates, visit our SeniorsAloud Facebook page. 'LIKE' the page to receive the latest news and announcements directly.

SeniorsAloud will continue to speak out aloud on issues that affect older adults. The louder our voice, the better our chances of being heard by the relevant authorities, and for them to implement measures to improve the quality of life for all senior citizens in the country.

'LIKE' us on Facebook to receive our daily postings. To view our FB page, click here.

ENCORE CAREERS AT CHATTERS

I had lunch yesterday at a cozy, homely cafe tucked away in an obscure corner of the garden outside Parkview Square in North Bridge Road, Singapore.

What makes Chatters special is that it is run by staff all aged 50 and above with the exception of barista Kenster Yu, 31. "They need me to move heavy things around," he explains with a smile.

Chatters is managed by Silver Springs, a social enterprise founded by Helen Lim, 65, and her partner, Rowena Chin, 68. It opened its doors to the first customers in December 2009. Today, there are three Chatters outlets, including Chatters@Silver Circle that serves healthy food to the elderly at the Fenshan and Dakota Eldercare Centres and the latest Chatters@Ren Ci near Novena MRT.

Says Helen, a former human resource director and now a personal coach on encore careers, "We want Chatters to be a hub for seniors, a place where they can gather to network with other like-minded seniors. Silver Spring acts as a springboard for ideas that will bring meaning and fulfillment to seniors in their golden years."

Members of Silver Horizon were having a meeting when I dropped by yesterday.

Already one such idea has sprung into fruition. The newly registered Silver Horizon is the result of brainstorming sessions at Chatters. It is a cooperative founded by 19 seniors that seeks to promote active living and learning through customized travel programs for seniors. Membership is open to all Singaporeans and PR aged 40 and above. For more information, please email silverhorizon28@gmail.com.

From left: Charles, 62, Margarita, 64, Juanita 55, and Kenster, 31. Service with a smile, and a chat.

The next time you are in Singapore and looking for a place to eat, think of Chatters. You can be assured of good food, and friendly staff like Juanita and Margarita. It is obvious they enjoy working at Chatters. They find their days fulfilling and it makes them feel great to be productive at their age. "It's teamwork in action," says Juanita, "and PMA too - positive mental attitude", adds Margarita.

The outdoor garden. The staff may be seniors, but the customers come from all age groups.

The exterior of Chatters. The menu for the day is displayed on the board.

Seniors supporting seniors - if this theme resonates with you, do drop by for a meal at Chatters cafe.

• Chatters@Parkview Square, 600 North Bridge Road (opp Bugis MRT). Tel: 6297 5703
• Chatters@Ren Ci, 71, Irrawaddy Road, (near Novena MRT). Tel: 6254 9838
• Chatters@Silver Circle, Fengshan and Dakota NTUC Eldercare Centers

SENIORS HELPING SENIORS

Seniors donating provisions to seniors in need.

Community activism - that's the new name for giving back to the community. An increasing number of senior citizens are turning community activists in volunteering their time and services to help their peers.

Instead of waiting for the government to launch initiatives, these senior activists are taking the lead in offering assistance to other seniors. It makes sense, for who would understand the problems of senior citizens better than their own kind? Who would communicate better with the elderly than members of their peer group?

Problem gambling prevention ambassadors helping to spread the antigambling
message to a punter at a betting centre. Photo: Straits Times

In Singapore, community activism among seniors is blossoming. Senior citizens are signing up for programmes that train them to help other seniors. One example is the Problem Gambling Prevention Programme run by the Young-at-Heart! Community College. Senior volunteers who sign up are trained as gambling prevention ambassadors. They visit betting centres and gambling joints to spread the message about the pitfalls of gambling, and also counsel gambling addicts.


Young-At-Heart! community health ambassadors visiting Mr Foong Keng Sung
in his two-room rental flat. Photo: Straits Times

Other groups of seniors visit the elderly at their homes and spend some time with them so they do not feel so lonely. Mr Chow Kong Wee, 72, is one such volunteer. Every week, he drops in at the rental flats of senior citizens who are suffering from problems such as dementia. He brings along pictures of places and objects from the distant past, such as old sewing machines and irons. These pictures act as memory triggers to start conversations.

The programmes have received positive feedback, with many of the elderly expressing a preference for peer group assistance. As they speak the same language, there is no communication barrier.

Senior citizens attending a computer class at the Young-At- Heart! Community College.
Photo: Straits Times

Another group helping out is RSVP (Organization of Senior Volunteers). This non-profit organization has trained 80 senior volunteers in information technology skills over the past five years, and they, in turn, have coached 7,282 senior citizens last year through IT courses held at the organisation's office.

Elsewhere, senior citizens are doing their bit on their own, volunteering their services at daycare centres for the elderly, and community centres for seniors. Click here to read the Straits Times report.

Volunteering to help others not only makes us feel useful, but also benefits us in many ways. Studies show a strong correlation between volunteering and health: those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. Older volunteers benefit the most. Volunteering provides them with physical and social activity and a sense of purpose. It gives them an opportunity to be a contributing member of their community.