HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Four generations here. My 86-year old mother, with me (in green), my elder daughter and my four grandchildren

THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF LONGEVITY

Straits Times May 11

Thanks to better healthcare and medical advances, we now enjoy a longer life span. Unfortunately, not everyone benefits from the longevity bonus. There will be some among us who may suffer from chronic health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and diabetes. Or face varying degrees of functional decline like impaired vision, incontinence, loss of hearing and libido. The list goes on.

According to the research findings presented at the annual Singapore Conference on Ageing held on May 10, there is much we can do to ensure we live to a ripe old age and still enjoy relatively good mental and physical health.

Here are the recommendations based on the research studies:

Slide from Reuben Ng's presentation on "Increase Longevity from Positive Perception of Retirement" . Reuben is a Fulbright scholar currently doing his PhD in Public Health at Yale University.

• Manage your anger. Keep your temper and your impatience under control. Or suffer the risk of high blood pressure which can lead to stroke, and which in turn puts you at higher risk of getting dementia.
• Develop a positive self-perception of ageing. If you do, you get to live several years longer compared to people who have a negative attitude towards retirement and ageing.

Slide from Christine Fock's presentation on "Rise of the Silver Generation - Building a Healthy Population". She is Deputy Director, Ageing Division of the Health Promotion Board, Singapore.

• Drink lots of tea. It lowers the incidence of depression.
• Watch your diet. Go for healthier methods of cooking like steaming and boiling rather than deep frying.

From Health Promotion Board. Plenty of useful tips on their website for healthy ageing. Click on  http://www.hpb.gov.sg/healthyageing/default.aspx .

• Do strength training. It will give you strong bones and reduce the risk of fractures in falls.
• Opt for daily brisk walking to keep fit.

Dr Lee Chong Kau, founder of the Institute of Elders, spoke on the positive effects on mental health of joyful group singing and the camaraderie generated during rehearsals.

• Take up a hobby, especially one that involves social interaction with others e.g. art classes, choral singing, community services, etc.
• Get involved with support groups if you are a caregiver. If you are stressed out, you may a poor caregiver. Know when to take a break and not feel guilty about letting someone else help out.

A/Prof Goh Lee Gan shares the 7 Steps to Mind Your Mind for early prevention of dementia. Find out more from the website at http://mindyourmind.org.au/

To sum up, there's nothing like education, awareness and early preparation to increase our chances of living a long and healthy life. Retirement planning should not focus mainly on financial preparation, but also on the physiological and pyschological aspects as well.

FREE ONLINE COURSES AT HARVARD AND MIT

Straits Times May 4

Now anyone can study. Thanks to free online education provided by some of the world's top universities.

In my blog post of October 6, 2011, I wrote that Stanford and Yale would soon be offering free online courses. The latest to join the bandwagon are Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Any paper qualification awarded by these prestigious institutions of higher learning is guaranteed to open doors to brighter career prospects. Share the news with your children.

According to the New York Times report, M.I.T. and Harvard officials said they would use the new online platform not just to build a global community of online learners, but also to research teaching methods and technologies. "Online education is here to stay, and it’s only going to get better," said Lawrence S. Bacow, a member of the Harvard Corporation.



What's the catch? Students who complete the online course will be given a certificate, but no credit. I doubt this will deter people from signing up. Stanford's free online course on Artificial Intelligence attracted more than 200,000 students last year.

For older adults and retirees keen on going back to school again, this news is heaven-sent. With an empty nest at home and time on their hands, this is a wonderful opportunity for them to acquire new knowledge and prevent the brain from getting rusty.

Dr Allan Stewart

If you think that your age might pose an obstacle to learning, look at Dr Allan Stewart a former dental surgeon from Australia. Last Friday he obtained his fourth degree - Master in Clinical Science (Complementary Medicine) at the ripe old age of 97!!! He currently holds the world record for being the oldest graduate.

Gac Filipaj

If you think that you lack the focus and mental fortitude to last the distance, look at Gac Filipaj, 52, an immigrant from the former Yugoslavia. It took him almost 20 years to get his first degree. He had to go for classes at Columbia University in the morning, toil as a custodian (janitor) at the university from 2.30pm to 11.30pm before going home to study. When he first came to the US, he spoke no English and had to attend English proficiency classes for several years. Now he holds a degree in classics - with honors. He plans to do his Masters next.

I am certainly inspired and motivated by Dr Allan Stewart and Gac Filipaj.  I have always wanted to do a Masters in Gerontology. Can anyone recommend a good university where I can do the course? Let me know.

Postscript: For more free online courses, do check out Coursera. Some friends of mine have already signed up. Pity they don't have any free courses for Gerontology. There will likely be more universities offering FOC courses online in the coming days. Thanks to the internet, opportunities for learning are opening up worldwide, and many free too. What excuses do we have not to embrace lifelong learning?

WHEN YOUR FAMILY HAS NO TIME FOR YOU...

Screen shot from The Sunday Times May 6, 2012

You can be in a room full of people, and still feel lonely. The same can be said of the elderly living in a house full of family members. When your adult children have little time for you, and your grandchildren prefer to spend time with their friends or their electronic gadgets, you are left pretty much with yourself for company, more so if your spouse is no longer around.

This sense of loneliness can engulf the elderly person, and precipitate into bouts of depression. Over time, he is likely to develop thoughts of ending his life. After all, why prolong this life of misery where no one cares about your existence.

This is confirmed by Senior Consultant Psychiatrist from the National University Health System (NUHS), Professor Kua Ee Heok. He says, "The big concern is that a rise in elderly depression could cause suicide rates to spike too." Previous studies have shown that those who live alone tend to be more depressed than those who do not. But a new study conducted by NUHS shows that those living with others may also experience loneliness and depression.

About 25% of the 412 elderly respondents in the study showed signs of depression. All were aged 75 and above, and living at home with their family.

The good news is that, unlike dementia, depression can be prevented and treated more effectively. Family members should not dismiss signs of depression in their elderly parents as part and parcel of ageing.

What are these signs of depression? How would you know if you are at risk? You can take this simple test at the link below.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_795891.html

How can we prevent depression?

Studies have shown that those who remain employed longer or who volunteer to help with community service organizations enjoy better mental health. "Talk to people, stay engaged," advises Prof Kua.

The choice is ours to make. No point wallowing in self-pity. If our family members are too busy to take us out or spend time at home with us, it's up to us to look up our own friends and organize activities. We have to be pro-active. If we are house-bound, we can invite our friends over. There is always a solution if we care enough to seek it.

Join the Befrienders. Not only will you be bringing some cheer to the elderly who are lonely, but also helping yourself by keeping depression at bay. 

LIFE MATTERS - AN EVENT FOR ACTIVE AGERS

It's Sunday morning as I am writing this. If you are in Singapore and have no plans for today, you might want to drop by at Suntec Convention Centre and check out "LIFE MATTERS" on Level 4. It's an event for active agers. I was curious enough to drop by yesterday.

Here are some photos I took to help you decide if it's worth spending a couple of hours there. Admission is free, and there are lots of free gifts and special offers if you bring along the coupons published in the Friday papers.

Some of the highlights include talks by medical professionals, estate planners and cooking demonstrations by master chefs.

Long queues for free health checks by practitioners of traditional Chinese health therapies..

A wide range of Chinese herbs to choose from for healing common ailments.

There's also a "Shoot for Life" photography competition...

as well as a "Fill this space" art competition for the best coffin design aka how you would want your casket decorated!

On my wish wish - a motorized bicycle. More models of motorized vehicles for the elderly at this e-bike booth. To view the complete range, go to http://www.ebike.sg/

One of the finalists in the "Golden Voices" singing competition. Some of these old-timers can really sing! There's also a beauty pageant, K-pop dances and an open line dance session.

Nirvana Memorial Garden presented a documentary promoting their columbarium services. I must say it was an 8-minute visual experience that was both informative and impressive. I hesitated to ask about the cost - probably beyond the means of the average family. For more info, go to http://www.nirvana.sg/

After visiting "Life Matters", you can opt for a 180-degree change in mood at the adjacent venue where there's an electronic expo and a food fair. A 3-in-1 Sunday outing at Suntec Convention Centre. Well worth the three hours I spent there yesterday.

A FAREWELL PARTY TO SAY THE LAST GOODBYE

We have all been to farewell parties where we bade a fond goodbye to a colleague who is leaving for better job prospects elsewhere, or to a family member or a friend about to emigrate to greener pastures overseas. We experience mixed emotions - we celebrate the occasion but at the same time feel a sense of loss not knowing when we will see that person again.

The same mixed emotions were probably felt at Joyce Ho's farewell party yesterday. I had seen the announcement in the Straits Times while browsing the papers a day earlier.

My first thought was "That's the way we should say goodbye when our time is up. If we have lived a good life, we should celebrate reaching the finishing line with oomph, not gloom.

I do not know Joyce or her family but she is certainly an inspiration to those among us who may be battling terminal illness. Death is not a taboo subject, and there is no need to fear death. We should count our many blessings and welcome the eternal rest that awaits us.

And to our dearly loved ones, when we bid our final adieu, please celebrate our crossing over to the other side with our favorite music, our favorite things and our favorite people.

And know that, just like Joyce, we too will rest in peace.

(All screen-shots from Straits Times.)

SINGAPORE'S SENIORS MAKE IT TO OPRAH'S BLOG

Screen-shot from Sunday Times 22 April

Who would have believed that old friends Thng Wan Kow, 70, Tan Kok Sing, 87, and Teo Kee Huat, 68, have made it to Oprah's blog. "Oprah who?" they would probably ask, wondering what all the fuss was about.

While most of us are still struggling to get out of bed in the morning, the trio are already on the basketball court at Block 95, Henderson Road, shooting three-pointers. They have been doing this every day for the past few years.

Thng and Tan had both suffered a stroke some years ago, while Teo had his colon and rectum removed in 2008 because of cancer. Theirs is a story of courage in the face of adversity. They never once gave up on themselves. The Singapore Sports Council has featured the three men in a video to spread the message of the importance of keeping fit and active.

Writes Oprah in her blog, "We love these guys - we're calling them the Singapore Globeshufflers - for reminding us that it's not about how many miles you can travel throughout your life, but how many three-point shots you can sink along the way."

Tan has the last word, "I have met some (colorectal cancer) patients who still cannot get over their ordeal. I tell them that it is in the past and they have to move on, because if you don't do anything, then you are really just waiting for death. The body is old, but the heart is not."

Click here to read the full article.