EASY RIDERS FOR SENIORS

Talk about coincidence! After writing my previous post on taking my mom around KLCC in a wheelchair, I got a call from Mustapha Kamal of Kuala Lumpur Electric Vehicles Sdn Bhd. It's a company that owns the chain of Ezzyrider retail outlets that sells the imported, locally branded, Ezzyrider mobility products from Taiwan.

I visited their booth at last month's International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition at KLCC. I was completely bowled over by the models of wheelchairs, bicycles and mopeds on display. Just perfect for older adults who may have problems with mobility.

If you are looking for just this type of mobility vehicle for yourself or for a loved one, check out their website at ezzyrider.com. Wide range of models to choose from, and the prices are reasonable. Mention Seniorsaloud, and I'm sure you will get extra special service!

You can check out more mobility products and accessories at their booth at the Golden Years exhibition at MIECC, Level 2 from 19-23 Nov.

TO KLCC IN A WHEELCHAIR

Last week my uncle suggested taking his elder sister (that's my mom) for an outing to KLCC. My mom is 85 years old. Walking long distances tires her out, but she enjoys outings. So my uncle came up with the idea of bringing along the wheelchair. He parked the car in Ampang Park and we took the LRT to KLCC. My uncle's reasoning: too expensive to park at KLCC, too difficult to locate the car later, and too confusing to know which of the many exits to take.

So off we went. Pushing my mom around the mall in the wheelchair proved to be quite challenging. At the end of the outing, I can say that KLCC isn't exactly wheelchair-friendly. The lift from the LRT platform to the upper level was out of order. My mom had to get up and use the escalator. The LRT exit gate was barely wide enough to push the wheelchair through. To operate the special wheelchair lift (see below), you had to look for the attendant who was nowhere to be found. Not that we bothered - the lift looked like it hadn't been in use for some time.

All in all, my mom had to get off the wheelchair at least a dozen times during our two-hour visit to KLCC. There were shops we had to by-pass because there wasn't enough space inside to manoeuvre the wheelchair around. The same story with the food court where we had lunch, and the toilets. The only place with lots of room to spare was the art gallery. Pushing the wheelchair down the winding ramp to the fountain level proved to be an exercise in strength and stamina.

Passing by Kinokuniya, I took the opportunity to pick up a copy of the November issue of Personal Money. I wanted to show my uncle and my mom the interview with me on page 62 about "Retiring Happily". My uncle insisted I posed for a photo with it. I can't say 'no' to my uncle, right?

The outing has shown that the city needs to be much more people-friendly, and that includes providing easy access to public places and facilities for the elderly and the handicapped in wheelchairs.

RETIRED? STAY INSPIRED

Seniorsaloud is casting a vote for this powerpoint presentation by Avalok who is competing in the World's Best Presentation 2010 Contest. Maybe you would like to vote for it too. Voting ends 15 Nov.

BOOKS FOR A HAPPY RETIREMENT

Quite often I come across books that cater specifically to retirees. For many, the transition from employment to retirement isn't as smooth as they would like it to be. How does one fill up those long hours with nothing much to do? Where can one find new friends with common interests? What opportunities are there for re-employment? Where can one find passive sources of income? Questions, questions and more questions confront the newly retired.

Fortunately, there are plenty of books that provide answers to these questions and more. "How to make the rest of your life the best years of your life" is one of my all-time favourites on the subject of retirement. Written by Mark Hansen and Art Linkletter, it offers practical advice on how to manage and enjoy your retirement. I found it very motivating. I got my copy two years ago from Kinokuniya. I'm sure it's still available.

Another book I would recommend is "The Rainbow Years" by Barrie Hopson and Mike Scally. It's actually a workbook that examines the seven major life themes (hence the rainbow) of work, money, relationships, learning, leasure, health and spirituality. There are plenty of exercises and questions to work through, and action plans for each of these themes. My copy came all the way from the UK, through a friend. I am not sure if the book is available here in Malaysia.

The National Library of Singapore has a whole section on retirement topics. I recently spent a pleasant afternoon browsing the shelves of books and finally selected these four below for further reading.

If you think no one here has written a book about the golden years, think again. Here are two that I have in my collection. Both are a joy to read and will certainly put a smile on your face as you recognize all the familiar idiosyncracies of older adults. I bought my copy of "Help! I'm Growing Old" from MPH early this year. The author, Chuah Tong-Ik, is a lecturer and pastor. His book is a delightful read. To order "He Who Laughs, Last", you will have to visit David Tong's website. He is a retired Kirkby-trained teacher and this is his second book.

Support local writers and get a copy of each book.

If you have read any good books on retirement that you would like to share, do let us know. Email us at seniorsaloud@gmail.com

HAPPY DIWALI

HAPPY DIWALI to friends and blog visitors who are celebrating this Festival of Lights. This YouTube video is specially chosen for you. I love the music and the song even though I don't understand a single word of it. Makes one feel happy just listening to it.

INTERVIEW WITH GOD

In case you haven't viewed this video....Much to learn from it.