PREPARING FOR AN AGEING POPULATION

TRUE LIES AND FALSE TRUTHS

The Straits Times headlines 15 April

Raja Petra's recent TV3 interview drives home the point that unless one gets the story first-hand, it's best not to believe it's true. 'I got it from a reliable source' is as good as saying I heard it from my trusted friend who heard it from his boss, who is in the inner circle of so-and-so, who is... You get the picture. As long as the reliable source can't be named, as long as the specifics are missing, the story belongs in the realm of fairy tales and fantasy.

Most of us are guilty of some degree of bias and prejudice. We are quick to believe scandalous rumours about people we don't like, and just as quick to defend the misdeeds of those we admire. We choose whom we want to believe and whom we want to condemn, never mind the lack of hard facts and evidence.

What makes some people so gullible they believe every vile story about someone they hate? What makes some people tell a bare-face lie without feeling any guilt? How can two people from opposite camps claim they are both telling the truth? Can there be different shades of truth?

You can take a person to court and have him swear on the Holy Book. But a bona fide liar will just as well lie to God as to anyone else. What's there for a liar to fear especially if he stands to gain with his lies, especially if the powers that be may have promised to protect him?

There's little difference between spreading true lies and propagating false truths. And there are plenty of these on the internet, especially in socio-political blogs, and in anonymous emails forwarded indiscriminately without any attempt to verify the claims and allegations made in the original email.

Better to be called a skeptic than a fool, better to give someone the benefit of the doubt than to deny him a chance to defend himself.

In the end, it is not us who will be the final judge of a man's guilt or innocence. It's the Almighty who gives the verdict and metes out the punishment.

TIME FOR NEW LABELS FOR THE 60+

When I started this blog in May 2008, I had several names in mind for the blog. Unfortunately all of them were already taken. I must have tried at least 20 names in total, with the same result each time - 'not available'. In frustration I gave it one final go with 'SeniorsAloud'. The name had popped into my mind at that last minute. To my surprise, it was accepted.

Both my daughters didn't like the name at all. They probably felt that with a name like SeniorsAloud, the blog would interest only old people. Of course, I went on the defensive. What did they mean by 'old'? I was about to turn 60 at the time, and didn't feel at all a day over 40. Neither was I frail, and definitely nowhere close to being senile.

Let me ask my readers, does the word 'senior' have a negative connotation? What sort of image springs to mind at the mention of 'senior citizen'? I have good friends who would cringe with horror at being referred to as one, even though they are 60+ and retired. To them, that's as good as sounding the death knell!

The problem with labels is they are generic. 'Old' people are painted with the same brush, and in the same grey colour. But there are so many different shades and hues of grey. If the 50+ and 60+ are not quite ready to be called old, how then would you address them? The 'young old'? That doesn't work either. And are the 70+ the 'old old'? What other terms of reference do we have? The pre-war and post war generations? Equally cumbersome and inadequate. (Photo: My cousins - no way would anyone in their right mind call them 'elderly'! Henry is about the coolest dad I know, and Siew Kin is one fabulously gorgeous mom, inside out. Both are in their early 60s.)

Quite often the media is guilty of mislabeling. "Elderly man victim of snatch thief", says one headline. You read the news report and find that the victim was aged 63. I am turning 63 soon. I can deal with being called a senior citizen as that is what I am. But 'elderly'? Not by a mile. But young reporters are incapable of making that age distinction. To someone in their 20s, 63 is practically ancient.

So until we come up with age appropriate labels, I suppose baby boomers like us will have to forgive the young for addressing us as 'old' and 'elderly'.

Postscript: I'm glad I stuck with the name "Seniorsaloud" for this blog. It has garnered a readership that is steadily growing. It has caught the attention of certain policy-makers on ageing issues in Singapore and Malaysia. It has been mentioned in the local media on several occasions. Some of the articles have been published in reputable magazines. Just last month, I received an email from a program producer at CNN asking for my views on a seniors-related topic. That was a real morale booster.

My SeniorsAloud card which I refer to as my 'passion card', rather than my business or name card.

All those hours of writing and researching are finally paying off in terms of recognition. Now if only some big corporation would step in and sponsor a Seniorsaloud event. That would be taking Seniorsaloud to the next level where it can harness the expertise and experience of retirees for projects that would benefit the community of senior citizens. Seniorsaloud has no shortage of ideas to achieve this objective, and we welcome collaborations with organisations and companies to promote active, healthy living for seniors.

STARTING A BUSINESS AFTER RETIREMENT

I confess I get cold feet every time I think about withdrawing a lump sum for investment purposes. My savings are for my old age and for emergencies. My mother's recent surgery and hospitalization, plus her on-going medical expenses are a grim reminder that it's always best to be prepared for possible contingencies.

My well-meaning friends have long given up trying to make me part with my money. "You need to make your money grow," they tell me. They paint rosy pictures of what my money can do for me if I invest in real estate, shares, gold, artworks, etc... They promise me guaranteed returns of 8% or more on my investments.

But I remain unconvinced. I have few needs. I live a simple life. I am frugal by nature and by circumstances. And I am quite happy with the modest interest I'm getting from my retirement funds. For good or bad, I'm adverse to taking risks, especially financial ones.

But starting a business might be a different story altogether. You are in control. You know what you want, and you make all the decisions. If you can channel your expertise, experience and passion into your first business venture after retirement, you might just succeed. Make sure you also pick up the necessary entrepreneurial skills.

That's exactly what these enterprising retirees have done.

Jennifer Chung, 58, and her husband Simon Yuen, 60, sold their chocolate manufacturing business last year. With the six-figure proceeds from the sale, they could have retired comfortably. Instead they started a taichi school in January with an initial student enrolment of 300+. Participating in the recent 50plus Expo boosted their student intake to almost 1000. Their students range in age from 40 to 82. Teaching a healthy lifestyle makes good business sense as the couple have been practising taichi for 12 years.

A desire to help older men and women improve their self-confidence and image led Amy Chua, 72, to start the Age Management and Enrichment College in 2007 after attending a course on entrepreneurship. A retired senior librarian at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Chua has her days full conducting classes on grooming, etiquette and the performing arts. She took a risk when she pumped in S$83,000 of her savings to set up the education centre. But her investment has paid off. The institute will be moving to bigger premises next month to cater to a bigger enrolment of students who are mostly older folks aged 48 to 95.

William Liu, 63, former CEO of an IT and e-commerce company retired in 2007 to a life of leisure playing golf, reading and travelling. Boredom soon set in. "You can't play golf all the time or travel every day,' he says. So when two of his former business associates, aged 45 and 55, approached him to start an IT venture catalyst firm, he saw it as an opportunity to put his years of IT experience to good use. He invested S$100,000 of his savings to start the company with his partners. To date, it has mentored 15 IT start-ups and invested in five of them. "Working keeps me mentally and physically fit, especially now that I enjoy what I am doing. It gives me satisfaction to be able to offer my experience."

Last July Sylvia Lee, 53, and her former colleagues Ms Lee Pak Kheng, 60, and Ms Woon Lai Har, 55, set up a non-profit organization called Lotus Culture. It supports a Cambodian NGO in areas of education, mental health care and employment. All three gave up senior management positions in public-listed companies to do something more meaningful with their corporate skills. They are aiming to raise S$260,000 to support their projects in Agir pour les Femmes en Situation Precaire (Acting For Women In Distressing Situations), an NGO set up by Cambodian human rights advocate Somaly Mam to rehabilitate young girls sold into the sex trade. (Photos: Straits Times)

Retirees who turn entrepreneurs still remain a minority. According to Jim Then, 65, an associate trainer and consultant for retirement planning and financial literacy at the Centre for Seniors, of every 20 seniors he teaches only one shows interest in entrepreneurship.

Most older folks are adverse to risk-taking, especially if it means dipping into their retirement savings. There's always the fear of failure and of losing all the money that they have sunk into the business venture.

Then's advice for those who want to start a business: "Decide on how much funds to set aside for your lifestyle needs. Whatever is excess is what you can afford to lose. The capital outlay should not eat into one's retirement nest egg."

In other words, to generate more money, one needs spare cash to start with. No wonder, the poor remain poor, while the rich have it easy - they have the means to become even richer.

Fortunately, banks in Singapore are willing to approve capital loans to retirees planning to start a business provided they can convince the banks that their idea or product has commercial potential.

There are infinite opportunties for enterprising retirees to tap into the rapidly growing silver-haired market in Singapore. The challenge is to know the needs of this niche market and to meet these needs.

Time to do some serious research and brain-storming. You might want to check out this link for some tips on starting a small business after retirement.

BABY BOOMERS = THE ALZHEIMER GENERATION

What diseases do doctors fear most for themselves? I posed this question to my mom's cardiologist at his clinic last week. Without hesitation he said "Stroke and dementia."

I don't have direct experience taking care of a stroke patient. But caring for my mother who has dementia has given me a first-hand look at what the disease does to a person. I agree with the doctor. I too pray I won't suffer this debilitating disease in my old age. A family member went as far as to say (and I quote from his text message) "Wouldn't wannna stay in body if brain functions impaired".

One of the most common forms of dementia is Alzheimer's Disease. It is a progressively degenerating disease that has no known cure at the moment. In Singapore, dementia is a time bomb that is waiting to explode. By 2020, an estimated 50,000 Singaporeans will have some form of dementia.

Several days ago I received an email from Diana Wright of Alzheimer's Association. Here's what she wrote:

"The good news is that death rates for many major diseases - HIV, stroke, heart disease, prostate cancer, and breast cancer - are declining. Sadly, we can't yet say the same about Alzheimer's. This year, the first of the Boomer Generation turns 65. To bring urgently-needed attention to the risk facing the Boomers, Alzheimer's Association recently released a groundbreaking study - Generation Alzheimer's: The Defining Disease of the Baby Boomers.

We'd love your help in getting the word out on SeniorsAloud about the important information in Generation Alzheimer's, so we can make sure the public understands what can be done to conquer this devastating disease."

While Alzheimer’s is not normal aging, age is the greatest risk factor for the disease. This report conveys the burden of Alzheimer's and dementia on individuals, families, government and the nation's healthcare system.

Do check out the related videos and links. Knowledge empowers, so please pass on the information to others. Let us help make a difference.

"Alzheimer’s Is Devastating, Deteriorating and Debilitating. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's."

AGE-DEFYING ROLE MODELS

I am always on the lookout for inspiring role models among older adults. The six men and women listed below represent an increasing number of senior citizens who are rediscovering the joie de vivre as they advance into their golden years.

At 98, Briton Fauja Singh is probably the world's oldest marathon runner. He completed his first marathon at the age of 89! Since then he's done four more in London, one in Toronto and one in New York, all to help raise funds for charity. Still sprightly and weighing only 52kg, he says God helps him to finish every race. He holds 12 records for running. His philosopy of life: "I do not consider myself to be old. From the moment I do that, I would lose everything, because age is a state of mind - as long as you're positive you can do anything."

The world's oldest woman marathon runner, Gadys Burrill, was 92 when she completed the Honolulu Marathon in December 2010 in nine hours and 53 minutes. Her advice for others wanting to live a long and healthy lifestyle? 'Just get out there and walk or run,' she said on Monday. 'I like walking because you can stop and smell the roses, but it's a rarity that I stop.' Gadys ran her first marathon in 2004 at the age of 86. She had been an aircraft pilot, mountain climber, desert hiker and horseback rider before she developed a passion for running.

Nepalese Min Bahadur Sherchan is the oldest man to climb Mt Everest. He achieved this feat in 2008 when he was 77. Now 81, he plans to ascen7d Mt Everest again. When he was in Kuala Lumpur recently, he was asked the secret of his stamina. His answer: "For a strong and healthy body, I think consistency in your life is very important. You have to eat and sleep on time. You also need to consistently do light exercises."

Britain's oldest model, Daphne Selfe, now 83, has appeared in Vogue and Marie Claire. She is still much sought after by modelling agencies and has done campaigns for Dolce and Gabbana. Going grey actually helped her modelling career blossom again. "My hair is my fortune, it made me more striking," she said. "I don't feel a day over 60. It's fantastic. I'll continue modelling until they stop asking. I love it. It's fun and keeps me young. I was never one for wild parties and I've never had any need to get drunk." She still maintains the same svelte figure that she had in 1950 when she started modelling.

In 2009, Taiwanese Chau Mu-he became the world's oldest graduate when he received his Masters degree in Philosophy at the age of 96. He never skipped classes during the two years of study, commuting daily by bus. His thesis advisor described him as diligent, with a sense of humour, and a desire to learn. Asked about the secret to his health, he said there was none, but added that he never quarrels with anyone.

Closer to home, there is Teresa Hsu, Singapore's most celebrated centenarian and my role model of how I want to age. At 113, Teresa still packs a busy schedule giving motivational talks and doing charity work. Last month she was in Penang to attend the launch of her biography. An avid reader, Teresa is fluent in six languages and retains an infectious sense of humour. She attributes her longevity to a healthy dose of ‘ha ha ha’, and a strict vegetarian diet.

So there we have it - gems of wisdom from those who have travelled the road to longevity, and still show no signs of packing up just yet. All six share several commonalities that we can adopt.

1. None of them are obese.
2. They are careful about their diet.
3. They live simple lives.
4. They follow a regime of daily exercise.
5. They have a positive outlook on life.
6. They have a desire to learn.
7. They harbour no ill feelings towards anyone.
8. They have a purpose, a passion that drives them.
9. They do not think of themselves as 'old'.
10. All of them enjoy the company of family and friends.

Here's to good health, good cheer and good company in our retirement years.

(Above: With another inspiring role model - Henry Lim, 85, founder of the Gerontological Society of Singapore. The photo was taken at the Asia-Pacific Conference on Ageing held on 25-26 March 2011.)

TAKE HEED, DURIAN LOVERS

Six-time Mr Asia Datuk Abdul Malek Noor, 54, suffered a heart attack last Wednesday while participating in a charity football match in Ipoh. There was speculation that the durian he consumed before the match could have triggered off the heart attack. The man himself denied that the fruit had anything to do with his clogged arteries. How would he know for sure?

Last July, Sibuti MP Ahmad Lai Bujang was hospitalized when he collapsed after consuming a feast of mutton and durian. His medical records revealed he has hypertension.

Three days ago, my mother who is on medication for her heart threw up in bed. She had eaten durian for dessert after dinner. On hindsight we should have not have allowed her to help herself to the fruit. This is a lesson learned. Ignorance is certainly not bliss in this case.

I brought the matter up with my mom's cardiologist at his clinic yesterday morning. He had done an angioplasty on her on 8 March. He was horrified that I had allowed her to take durian. He said although no research has been done on the link between durian and heart attacks, he had seen several patients who had complained of acute cardiac discomfort after consuming durian.

A scary durian episode for all three who, fortunately, are none the worse for the experience. (Top four photos: The Star & The New Straits Times)

My Google search revealed that people who have high blood pressure, hypertension and diabetes should avoid taking durian. The Chinese believe that one should not eat durian with alcohol or mutton or other “heaty” food. The traditional practice is to eat durian with mangosteen which is cooling, and wash it down with Chinese tea.

Most of these claims are not backed by scientific studies, so how much to eat, and what should or shouldn't you combine durian with, is a matter of individual choice. The bottom line is this: are you prepared to take risks with your health?

My personal experience with eating durian is I get a bloated feeling if I eat more than 10 seeds. I suppose one has to know one's limits.