DEAR SON, DEAR DAUGHTER

This touching video has been around for quite a while, but just in case your adult children haven't seen it, perhaps you would like to share it with them.

WHEN ADULT CHILDREN ABUSE THEIR PARENTS...

NOT AGAIN! Another case of elder abuse was reported in the papers yesterday. An elderly couple in Singapore had given their duplex house to their son as a wedding gift two years ago. They thought they could move in and live with the newly-weds. But the son soon sold off the house and bought a condominium. Citing lack of living space as a reason, he shunted his parents off to his sister. After a year the couple’s daughter had enough of them. She changed all the locks in the house. Her parents could not enter the house and had to make the staircase of a nearby school their home.

Homeless and abandoned by his children?

Reports like this and others make one cringe with horror and disgust. Elder abuse is on the rise, and it is happening everywhere in developed and developing countries. What is the world coming to when children can chase their parents out into the streets, siphon off their savings or isolate them from their friends?

Is this a failure of our education system or a breakdown of the family system, or both?

Related articles:
Keep that roof over your head at all cost.
Elder Abuse - How guilty are we?

ARE WE BORN LOSERS???!!!

(Thanks, Bulbir for sharing this. How absolutely true! But that's life....sigh...)


We have 3 stages of life………..

Teenage:
Have Time + Energy …but No Money!


Working Age:
Have Money + Energy …but No Time!



Old age:
Have Time + Money …but no Energy!

AND A JOLLY GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL

The creme de la creme of Elvis impersonators from East Malaysia. From left: Wilfred Vincent aka Elvince, Eskandar Eyaw, Reynolds Gregory, El Sunny Tai, John Sia aka Shakin' John. 

The King of Rock and Roll left his legions of fans on August 16, 1977. Now 32 years later, his presence was still felt, at least in spirit and in song at the Elvis Celebration yesterday. I was there from 5.45pm to 12.30am. Thanks to extensive pre-event publicity in the local media, Ol' Skool Bistro, the venue for the event, was packed to overflowing capacity.

From left: Wilfred Vincent, Aziz Daud, Frankie Fong.

Seeing double, triple or more? Just can't get enough of Elvis!

A section of die-hard Elvis fans taking a trip down memory lane with Elvis' hits of the 60s and 70s.

Grooving and jiving to Elvis' ballads and movie soundtracks. 

Birthday boys Philip (72) and Joe Rozario (58).

I've never seen so many Elvis wannabes gathered in one single place. They came from all over Malaysia - from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur, from Penang to Johor Baru. From the oldest and 'paunchiest' to the youngest helluva hunk, from the professional to the amateur, every one of these Elvis clones sparkled and dazzled, not only with their impersonations of EP, but also from the giant rhinestones adorning their outfit.

Left: Alfred Ho with a medley of Elvis song requests. Right: Sunny of the VW Club of Malaysia launching the Elvis Fan Club

Left: Just gotta try Elvis' favourite snack - peanut butter banana sandwich. Right: Spotted in the audience - Mr & Mrs E. Presley of Malaysia. 

Peter Lee (left) with Wan Zahar on lead guitar working the crowd into a frenzy with their scorching rendition of "Little Sister".

No "Green Green Grass of Home" tonight from resident band Thomas (Tom Jones) Williams and the Small Stones.

Time for bistro owner, Calvin Guneratne (second from left), to thank the sponsors for making possible the Elvis Celebration.

Based on the huge turnout and the fun everyone had, expect more events like this at Ol' Skool.

THE KING OF ROCK 'N ROLL LIVES ON....

The giant banner outside Ol' Skool promoting the Elvis celebration this Sunday. Click on the image for a clearer view of the week's line-up of bands.

In case you haven't read the media articles about the event, now you know. For more details, check out the announcement on the right-hand column.

I've got my tickets and am ready to enjoy an evening of rock and roll from some of the best musicians in the country.

If you recognize me from my blog picture, do come over and say hello. I'll be delighted to meet my blog visitors in person!

A NEW IMAGE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS CLUBS

Putting their best foot forward in line-dancing.

Don't be put off by the word "seniors". Some of them can put many juniors to shame with their energy and sense of fun and adventure. I have found this to be the case time and time again over the past year and a half since starting this blog.

A case in point is the dinner and dance I attended last night (Friday 14 August) at the Royal Lake Club. Organized by the Happy Senior Citizens Club, it was a semi-annual get-together for the members and also to celebrate the club president Dr Cheong Weng Hoon's 78th birthday.

The food, the music and the company made for an enjoyable night out for all who turned up. I met Katrina, my former neighbour and UM coursemate at the event. What a lovely surprise! The only downside was the glaring gender imbalance. The crowd was overwhelmingly female. The few guys who were there really knew how to work the dance floor with their slick moves.

Hey, guys, fun aside, did you know that dancing keeps you youthful and fit? Know why women live longer than men, and why they can handle stress better? You might want to change your mind and put on those dancing shoes. Your wives are in need of partners.

The lovely ladies from the Sentral Senior Citizens Association all ready to perform the traditional fan dance.

Senior citizens clubs are shedding off their image as clubs for foggies. Besides regular karaoke and dance sessions, members can sign up for tai-chi classes and computer classes. These clubs also organize overseas trips and outings to local resorts, participate in charity events and help raise funds for the needy.

Members of the Damansara Jaya Merrymakers at their weekly singalong session.

Providing music to sing along with.

If you enjoy networking socially with other like-minded seniors, and at the same time want to give back to the community, consider joining a senior citizens club or any club for that matter like the Kiwanis Club, the Lions Club or the Rotary Club.

This is what living life to the full is all about.

PRODUCTS TO HELP SENIORS LIVE INDEPENDENTLY

(Click on the image for an enlargement.)

According to estimates released by the US Census Bureau, by 2050, one in six people in the world will be 65 and above. This is in large due to declining birth rates and medical advances that have extended lifespans.

Already websites offering products and services for seniors have mushroomed over the last decade to cater to the needs of ageing baby boomers. Click on the links below to view some of the elderly-friendly products already in the market.

Elder Gadgets

Senior Friendly Products

Mobility Products and Aids

Independent Care Products

Independent Living Aids

Avalon’s EZC Low Vision One Button Talking Watch.

This beautifully crafted timepiece features a loud female voice that tells time with the push of a button. The watch also features large, contrasting black numbers with bold hands, making it easier to tell time. Just the right gift for grandpa's birthday!

The Tek Pal™ from Hy-Tek

I would love to get this remote control for my mom. I can't think of a simpler design than this for older folks who are confused by too many buttons. The Tek Pal was designed specifically for people with vision problems who need a simple remote that's easy to see and even easier to program.

Here is a look at some of the products that are coming onstream.

GPS shoes for the elderly with AD

Shoe-maker Aetrex Worldwide and a technology company GTX Corp. are teaming up to develop footwear with a built-in GPS device that could help track down "wandering" seniors suffering from Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Sure beats wearing a cow bell!

The Smart Personal Advisor

To give older consumers more real-time, personalized information on such everyday matters as the nutritional content of groceries, MIT's AgeLab has teamed with Procter & Gamble to develop the Smart Personal Advisor. This portable device can be attached to a shopping cart or incorporated into a cell phone or personal digital assistant. It then reads information contained in barcodes and analyzes how the item fits with a senior's personalized dietary needs. Similar technology is already in use in Germany and other countries, and could be adopted in the U.S. in the next five years. This is definitely one gadget I want on my wish list!

The Aware Car

The prototype Aware Car is equipped with warning systems to help control speed and monitor oncoming traffic. It boasts night-vision capabilities, assists with difficult activities like left-hand turns, and tailors airbag deployment and steering wheel placement for smaller-sized drivers and those with osteoporosis. If I had a car like this, I would seriously consider dusting off my driving license and getting behind the wheel again.

Opportunity Knocks

Another product that uses GPS technology is this cell phone or PDA. Developed by Henry Kautz, University of Rochester Computer Science Dept.Kautz, with former colleague Don Patterson, the device helps keep the user from wandering off course during, say, a daily walk through the park. The user's typical commuting patterns is programmed into the system. An alert would be given if the user wanders off into the park in the evening.

The Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) is among the leading players in the race to develop and deploy technologies that can improve the aging experience in America. Established in 2003, CAST has become a national coalition of more than 400 technology companies, aging services organizations, research universities, and government representatives.

In Asia, similar initiatives are underway. One such example is Singapore's Silver Community Test-Bed Programme. The Singapore government offers generous grants to companies that develop products which cater to the elderly.

With all these products and many more coming into the market, seniors can certainly look forward to an active and independent lifestyle in their golden years.