IS LIFE PASSING US BY?

In response to requests from friends who had missed the recent launch of The Senior magazine at Petrosains KLCC (21 Feb, 2017), I am sharng the slides from my talk on 'Active Ageing'. Here's the first slide (above), and a question for the audience - Do you agree retirement is the best time to enjoy life?

The response would depend very much on whether we have laid the foundation for a successful retirement. If the roots of a sapling do not get enough of the right nutrients, the sapling will not grow into a strong and sturdy tree that will withstand the vagaries of the weather.

Likewise, for our retirement years to be truly golden, we must ensure these six pillars (roots) are firm enough to buttress us against the challenges of our later years. The six pillars: good health, financial security, strong relationships with our family and friends, community service, a belief system to keep us grounded, and lifelong learning to help us grow and improve.

If we do not have all six pillars in place, or if some of these pillars are weak, we need to shore them up. Insufficient savings? Work on a plan to generate some income or cut back on spending. Too old to do the things we have always wanted to do? Says who? Age is just a number that Time has given us. It does not define who we are, or what we want to be. We are the drivers controling the steering wheel of our lives.

Retire from work, but do not retire from life. Live life to the fullest or see it pass us by. The march of time seems merciless as we enter our later years. It is as if the countdown has begun as soon as we hit our 70s, never mind the research studies that show a sharp rise in the number of centenarians worldwide. Do we want to make each moment count, and fill it with happy experiences? Or do we want to withdraw from family, friends and the world outside, and fill our days with regret and remorse, and all the bitterness of a life that could have been. What a sheer waste of precious moments as the clock ticks away.

So get rid of the doldrums and go out. Feel the sunshine and the breeze on your skin. Take time to smell the roses, play with your grandchildren. Recharge. Be grateful that you can get up in the morning to greet another new day. Growing old is a privilege denied to many.

Have fun, travel, explore, discover. This is the time to spend on yourself. Be selfish. The above photo is one of my all-time favorites taken at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore in May 2015. A total of 40 members from SeniorsAloud and U3A (KL and Sgor) went on this 3D2N trip. There was so much to see, do and learn. A truly diverse group of Malaysian seniors spending a fun weekend together.

No need for us to look across the oceans for an inspiring role model of graceful ageing. Right here on our shores we have our former PM's wife, YB Toh Puan Dr Siti Hasmah, 91, to show us how we should live life in our retirement years. We are never too old to pick up new skills. All it takes is a change of mindset and attitude. The world is our oyster if we let it be.

One of the biggest fears of growing old is loneliness and abandonment. This comes from the perception that older people are useless and unproductive. Harbouring such thoughts and feelings can lead to depression, and in some cases, to suicidal tendencies in the elderly. The best way to dispel such negative thoughts and pessimism is to be active. An idle mind is the devil's workshop, right? Join a seniors club or volunteer with an NGO that resonates with you. For a start, why not sign up for courses with University of the Third Age (U3A)? Not only will you widen your circle of friends, you will also enjoy the fun of learning new skills with your peers in a non-threatening environment, without the stress of exams and homework!

The ladies above signed up for U3A acrylic painting course as beginners. They soon discovered they had a flair for painting. The result - an acrylic art exhibition of their masterpieces held in Putrajaya. Goes to show that we are never too old to learn new skills, never too late to unearth our potential. Think of the sense of pride and achievement these ladies must have felt. We can all be like them. Take the initiative to explore new horizons. Be fearless. Never let our age stop us from trying new things that interest us.

When we spend our retirement years living a sedentary lifestyle, our muscles will soon atrophy. We will start complaining of aches and pains all over. And before we even reach our 70s, we become dependent on all kinds of aids, from walking aids to hearing aids and every other aid in between. It's time to get up from our favourite lazy chair and exercise. Don't fancy exercising on your own? Round up some friends for a qigong session, or join a group like Mrs Jagjeet's Nordic Walkers.

There are also groups that organize hiking-camping-cycling trips. Take your pick. Go google, or search Facebook to find out where these groups meet and how you can join them. Making resolutions to lose weight, eat well and exercise regularly produces no results. Translate your resolutions and good intentions into the right action to see results.

Nothing like spending time outdoors in the early mornings or late evenings doing exercises to keep fit. Here are some members of Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society (MHAS) brisk walking in Taman Jaya park a few Sundays ago. In another section of the park was a group of old friends enjoying a quiet board game. Good friends provide a strong support system in our old age. Cherish their friendship.

Don't fancy the physical demands of hiking or cycling? Take up gardening. Mowing the grass, raking dry leaves, carrying flower pots and weeding all help to strengthen our muscles and improve our flexibility. There's also the added joy of eating the fruits of your hard work if you have a garden of fruits, herbs or vegetables. Urban farming is gaining popularity among city residents. U3A also offers short courses on hydroponics, kitchen garden and mushroom cultivation.

Not only should we take care of our physical health, but also our mental health. Use it or lose it applies to our brain as well. Board games are great as mental exercises, so are doing crossword puzzles, sudoku and playing mahjong. All these help us to maintain our mental acuity and hopefully keep Alzheimer's at bay. Here are members of SeniorsAloud enjoying a mentally-stimulating game of Math Magic. The board game was invented by Malaysian Jimmy Yeoh.

The ladies of senior citizens clubs love to dance. We just wish the guys shared the same interest. No matter, as long as the ladies are having fun, the guys are content to sit and watch. Dancing is an enjoyable way to exercise the body. It is liberating as well. The above photo was taken at SeniorsAloud 'Golden Memories' dinner and dance in 2015.

Passion and Compassion - these two values have been at the core of SeniorsAloud's existence from its very beginning in May 2008. Working hard to extend SeniorsAloud's reach and promote an active lifestyle for seniors has become my passion. I am blessed to have a dedicated team of volunteers to support me for our events and projects. Our passion spills over into compassion for others that need a helping hand. We believe firmly that volunteerism adds meaning and purpose to life. There are so many ways we can contribute to community service. Just find the one you are comfortable with, and that works best for you.

For SeniorsAloud we have chosen to help by setting up a small initiative to look into appeals for assistance from the elderly or from NGOs that serve the elderly. Here are some of our past community service efforts made possible with funds raised at our annual dinners.

Given the platform to speak on active ageing to an audience of senior citizens, I could not pass up the opportunity to promote SeniorsAloud and U3A at the launch. I have been told these are the most active senior citizens groups on social media in Malaysia, and possibly in the region. So it should be easy for anyone interested to get in touch with SeniorsAloud or U3A to join their activities. Just google.

These are the 20 slides from my 30-min talk, with some added notes. If you qould like to know more about any of the groups mentioned here, contact SeniorsAloud. We are committed to promoting active living for senior citizens, and will put you in touch with the respective groups.

Delivering my slide presentation on 'Active Ageing' at the launch of The Senior magazine at Petrosains KLCC on 21 Feb 2017. 

(Update on 21 Feb 2021: The Senior Magazine published by Third Age Media is available at major bookstores.)

GRANT A WISH FOR THE ELDERLY THIS FESTIVE SEASON

It's Christmas, the season of giving, not just giving to our family members and friends, but also to those less blessed than us. The best gifts are those that are meaningful, that light up the recipients' face and bring joy to their hearts. Indeed, giving to those in need shouldn't be restricted to festive seasons, but whenever the opportunity arises to help someone.

With Justin Cheah, project director of Kechara Soup Kitchen and Mr Liow Cheng Loon, 69. As a red IC holder, Mr Liow is not eligible for govt welfare aid, so SeniorsAloud will be covering the cost of cataract surgery for both his eyes.

Ever since we featured the latest beneficiary of our 'Grant a Wish for the Elderly' (GWE) on our Facebook page, we have received enquiries for more information about the project. We are only too happy to oblige.

Here are some past GWE recipients. A big THANK YOU to all our members, friends and supporters who have contributed in one way or another in making our community service efforts possible.

SeniorsAloud donated a Roland Micro Cube GX amplifier to The Happy Buskers in November.

We are firm believers in giving back to society. We believe that those who have received blessings in life should extend a helping hand to those who are less fortunate. We also believe in supporting organizations/individuals working for a noble cause.

Our first GWE recipient was widow and hawker, Mdm Lai Hon Yin who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. SeniorsAloud covered Mdm Lai's house rental for 10 months, so that her eldest son could complete his final semester in UM and find a job to support the family.  

Volunteerism can come in many forms. Not all of us can afford to donate money, but we can certainly give our time, our energy, our experience, our talents/skills to help the elderly who are in need. We can all make a difference in our own way.

Residents of Phyllis Care Centre in Sec 12, PJ were delighted to receive 14 sets of quality bed-sheets and bath towels to replace their threadbare ones. 

As a rule, SeniorsAloud prefers to contribute towards a specific cause rather than donate a lump sum to individuals or organizations for them to use it as they see fit. Here are more of our past community efforts.

SeniorsAloud donated RM2000 worth of food and medical supplies for victims of the East Coast floods in Dec 2014.

The installation of a CCTV costing RM3310 for Tong Sim Home for abandoned elderly enabled the home manager to better supervise the elderly in their care.

We ended the year with a small donation for the upkeep of Kg Hakka Community Centre so that the elderly residents and their families and friends can continue to hold activities at the centre.

If you think as an individual, you can't do much, then do support our events and fund-raising efforts. Together we can achieve more. We organize one charity drive a year. Proceeds are channeled to our community chest, and the funds used to benefit seniors in need.

A common sight in Pasar Seni-Kota Raya as well as in other inner city areas.

Look out for our upcoming community service projects in 2016, and do show your support for our annual fund-raising event next year. More details coming up soon in our January 2016 newsletter. Free subscription for members. Register at http://www.seniorsaloud.com/p/members-registration.html

Do contact us if you know of any senior citizens or welfare homes that require assistance. If we are able to help, we definitely will, regardless of race or religious backgrounds.

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.

A LITTLE HELP THAT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Yesterday, 5 December was International Volunteers Day (IVD), a day set aside each year by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 1985 to celebrate the contributions made by volunteers, non-profit organizations and community groups to promote global peace and improve the quality of life.

Volunteerism is something that was instilled in us back in school. We joined various uniformed groups of our choice and learned about helping the needy and the less fortunate. As a girl guide and later a member of the school's Interact Club, I found community service to be rewarding in terms of the joy and personal satisfaction I derived from knowing that I had contributed in a small way to helping others.

It is sad to visit a nursing home and see frail elderly residents, bed-ridden, moaning in pain and waiting for their final days to come quickly.

Now as a retiree, I am happy to say that the spirit of volunteerism is still alive and thriving in me. And that is what led me to start Seniorsaloud - the realization that my friends and I, all newly retired, were now in a position to give back to society. We had the time, the energy and some money to do so. Since the majority of NGOs and volunteer groups preferred to support children and animal rights, and environmental causes, and hardly any NGO was interested in working with senior citizens' groups, Seniorsaloud would take up the challenge. It would be Seniorsaloud's raison d'etre to promote active ageing and lifelong learning for senior citizens. This would be the starting point towards preparing baby boomers like us for the retirement years.

Not an uncommon sight
- an elderly begging for alms in the city streets 

It is really not surprising that few NGOs and companies are interested in improving the welfare of the less fortunate elderly. Old folks are remembered only during the festive season, when companies pay visits as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. Usually these are one-off visits, and the old folks are forgotten for the rest of the calendar year.

I may sound cynical, but this is the sad truth. Children and animals are far cuter and more cuddly than old wrinkled people, hands down. And there is a world of difference between changing the soiled diaper of an infant and that of a frail elderly person. There are two Children's Make A Wish Foundation in Malaysia, but no Elderly Persons' Make A Wish Foundation. Companies sponsor computer classes for children, but none even think of doing the same for senior citizens who are IT-illiterate.

Most old folks homes do not accept the elderly who have children, as their children are supposed to take care of their parents. The homes give priority to single and widowed elderly, and rightly so. But filial piety is in short supply these days, hence the growing problem of the homeless elderly.

Seniorsaloud is fortunate to have a small team of dedicated seniors who volunteer their time, energy and money to help organize events and activities for the seniors community. Whatever small amount we raise from these events is channeled towards helping less fortunate elderly.

For instance, last year Seniorsaloud was able to make two donations in kind, thanks to proceeds raised from our events. We bought provisions for the Tong Sim Old Folks Home in Old Airport Road. A big thank you to all the participants who made the donations possible.

Some of the provisions donated to Tong Sim Old Folks Home purchased with money raised from Seniorsaloud events.

Tong Sim Old Folks Home occupies the floor above a funeral parlour. The owner, Mr Cheong, is generous in offering shelter to the elderly who have been abandoned by their families. The more able among them look after the less able as there is no paid staff, only volunteers.

Seniorsaloud will continue to work towards raising money through our activities, and contributing our services and support to other charitable organizations who share the same mission and goals. We believe in encouraging seniors to keep themselves physically fit, financially secure and mentally sharp through living an active lifestyle and developing the right attitude towards life and all its challenges. In turn, they will be in a better position to help less fortunate seniors. Of course, we welcome any assistance across the board from any corporations and NGOs.

Seniorsaloud has volunteered at the NGOs listed below, and supported them either through promoting their activities and causes, or participating in their events. We encourage you to volunteer your services too.

• AUTORR Foundation
• Tong Sim Old Folks Home
• ADFM National Alzheimer's Caregivers Network Malaysia
• Kechara Soup Kitchen

(Top) Volunteers at Kechara Soup Kitchen in Imbi Road helping to dish out free lunch to the elderly and the needy.(Above) Packing food, raincoats and blankets to distribute to the homeless in the city.

(Left) Donations to help the elderly; (Right) Some members of Seniorsaloud team who volunteered at the official opening of the AUTORR Centre in Ampang.

If you are already an active volunteer with an NGO, but would like some help with recruiting more volunteers, do check out Do Good Volunteer (DGV). According to the website, DGV is a 'social initiative set up by The Star and Leaderonomics to serve as a meeting point for volunteers and organisations to find their match in the pursuit of doing good. On 1 August this year, the Do Good Academy was launched with the aim of helping NGOs run their organisation more effectively with a series of workshops conducted by experts on topics ranging from how to write effective proposals for grants to how to PR your organization. SeniorsAloud members have participated in and gained much from the workshops.

Do register for the above event if you would like to network with other NGOs and benefit from the workshops conducted specially to help NGOs function more effectively and sustainably. To register, click here.

Related articles:

The kitchen that feeds all who come (KECHARA SOUP KITCHEN)

A rest and recreation centre for our aged parents (AUTORR FOUNDATION)

A daycare centre that's like a second home (ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE FOUNDATION MALAYSIA)

Old and abandoned by their children (TONG SIM OLD FOLKS HOME)