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.

LET'S PUT AN END TO ELDER ABUSE!

How many of us are guilty of elder abuse? If the truth be told, all of us would admit to some degree of guilt. We shudder with horror and disbelief when we read in the papers about caregivers in nursing homes physically abusing the elderly residents in their care.

We cannot fathom how anyone could cause pain and injury to frail and defenseless old people. We would never do anything like that to hurt the very people we are supposed to look after and care for.

But elder abuse is not just physical. It encompasses financial and psychological abuse as well. Guess who are guilty of such abuse? Who are the usual suspects? The answer - the adult children.

When adult children exploit their elderly parents for their own financial gains, that's abuse too. Examples include compelling their parents to prematurely sign over ownership of the family property to them, or transferring shares to their names.

For whatever reasons, these children can't wait to inherit from their parents. That would take too long. I know of cases where elderly parents have been evicted from their own home by their children. Money over-rules blood ties.

Perhaps the most common abuse is emotional/psychological. Most of the time we are not even aware that we have hurt the feelings of the elderly. In moments of stress, anger or frustration , we lose our patience with them. We chide them, belittle them, even threaten them with the possibility of packing them off to an old folks home.

If we do not want our children to treat us this way, then we should not treat our aged parents this way. Let us set a good example by according our parents and all elderly the respect they deserve. We exist because of them. We are who we are today because of them. We owe them a lifetime of gratitude and love.

Last Sunday, 15 June, we celebrated Father's Day. It was also Elder Abuse Awareness Day - a timely reminder that while we celebrate with joy Father's Day, we should also remember to honor our parents in their old age, and treat them with respect and dignity.

One day, it will be our turn to experience old age. Will we fall victim to elder abuse? Not if we raise awareness of this despicable social disease, not if we raise our children to respect our elders.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

PENSIONS & RETIREMENT FUNDS - A LOOMING CRISIS?

Poster calling attention to four
demands

I have just listened to Roy Ngerng's speech delivered at Hong Lim Park, Singapore, on 7 June, 2014. All 46 minutes of it. For those interested, there is a transcript plus a Chinese translation posted on his blog at The Heart Truths.

This CPF (Central Provident Fund) minimum sum (MS) issue has become such a hot potato of late. While I can understand where Ngerng is coming from, I can also see why the issue is not that straightforward.

The mandatory minimum CPF contribution has been rising steadily over the years to keep up with inflation. According to figures on the CPF Board website, when a CPF contributor reaches the age of 55, say, by 1 July 2014, he should have the minimum sum of S$155,000 in his CPF.

If he doesn't, any property he owns, bought with his CPF savings, will be automatically pledged for up to half of his MS. The Singapore government sees this as making sure Singaporeans have enough in their CPF to support them in their old age.

Protesting against Singapore's CPF Pension Scheme (Photo: Wall Street Journal)

Source: Central Provident Fund Board

If a contributor is nowhere close to having the MS in his CPF, he will be looking at the real possibility of working for as long as his health permits, perhaps till he drops dead.

Many of the elderly in Singapore, the 'pioneer generation', fall outside the CPF scheme. That is why silver-haired cleaners and dishwashers in their 70s and 80s are a common sight in this rich island republic. They have to take whatever jobs are available to survive.

CPF contributors have been earning 2.5% interest on their savings since 1999 (see chart). In Malaysia, the interest EPF (Employees Provident Fund) pays varies depending on how well (or not) their investments have performed. This year, the interest was a relatively high 6.35% (see chart). It is easy to see why Singaporeans are not too happy with the low interest rate of 2.5% on their CPF savings.

While Malaysian EPF contributors are delighted with the high interest of 6.35%, it is doubtful whether this can be sustained in the years ahead. Countries the world over are facing problems with underfunded pension schemes and retirement funds. It is a looming retirement crisis that has already led to street protests across Europe, the US and Asia.

A bit of background history may help to shed some light on how pension / retirement / funds have reached this critical stage of crisis. Back in the 1940s and 50s, governments set up social security schemes to encourage workers to save for their old age. The retirement age was set at 55, based on the assumption at the time that most people wouldn't live beyond 65. While the intention was good, they did not foresee the rapid socio-economic changes that would impact demographics and adversely affect retirement savings, namely:

Source: How a declining birth rate affects you

• longer life expectancy (retirement savings would not be adequate to support a longer period of old age)
• falling birth rate (this means a smaller work force to support a growing older population). In Singapore, for example, the fertility rate has dropped to an all-time low of 1.2
• smaller family size (there are fewer siblings to share medical expenses and financial support for their aged parents)

Most governments facing this dilemma have resorted to raising the retirement age. While some have welcomed this stop-gap measure as it allows them to remain employed longer to support themselves, there have been demonstrations worldwide to protest the rise in retirement age.

In Singapore, for example, the retirement age has crept up from 55 to 60, 65, 67 and now to a proposed 70. Raising the retirement age lessens the government's burden of providing welfare for a rapidly growing older population.

However, CPF contributors are understandably unhappy. They have been waiting to retire and withdraw all their CPF savings. After all, it is their hard-earned money, and they have made plans for what they want to do with the lump sum. 

Source: The Star

A word of caution here. Retirement savings are meant to support you in your old age. It is not intended to help you pay for home renovations, your children's weddings, or holiday trips abroad., unless you have enough set aside for these expenses. Before you know it, all the CPF/EPF money is gone, and you will have no choice but to seek re-employment to support your remaining years.

Source: The Online Citizen

With the silver tsunami set to hit countries across the globe, governments will have to come up with innovative measures to ensure they have enough in their employees provident funds or social security funds to pay out to contributors.

A case in point - will the Malaysian government be able to continue forking out massive sums in monthly pensions to retired civil servants? At 1.4 million, it has the largest civil service in the world relative to its population, and it is still hiring in large numbers. The country has a population of 28 million and there are approximately 12 million people in the workforce, but only 1.7 million pay taxes. (The Star). Ponder on that.

Source: Bloomberg

Ngerng is right in demanding transparency and accountability from the government. Workers want to know how their government is investing their retirement contributions. What are the ROIs?

(See update below.)

Source: The Star 12 June, 2014

All governments have a moral responsibility to provide for their citizens, especially the elderly. But are they able to? That is the burning question that begs an answer. FAST.

Do watch this series of videos below to get a better understanding of why we might have to say Goodbye to Retirement as we know it.

CELEBRATING THE 60S - WHAT A NIGHT IT WAS!

SeniorsAloud's major social event of the year "Celebrating the 60s" on 31 May, 2014, turned out way beyond our expectations. The ballroom at the Royal Selangor Club was filled to capacity with seniors (and juniors) all eager to enjoy a fun-filled evening of good food, good music and good company. Awesome might be a better word.

Everyone received a generous goody bag filled with 15 packets of Indocafe coffee mix, plus a red coffee mug, also samples of Oat B22 and a complimentary copy of the latest edition of The Heat newsmagazine.

Some came dressed in the fashion trends of the 60s, complete with A-Go-Go boots and beehive hair styles. Others were more formally attired in coats and ties. We had an on-the-spot contest for the best 60s look. The two eventual winners won bouquets of flowers donated by Kats Florist.

Dinner was a feast of 25 dishes, including one table for vegetarians. Live music was provided by Alfred Ho and The Small Stones. Alfred also took song requests for charity. His music was so infectious he had the dance floor packed to capacity with happy feet and happy voices singing along to hit songs from our teenage years.




Everyone waited eagerly for the lucky draw to see who would win one of the 40 attractive prizes. The top three prizes were two return tickets to Bali, a beautifully hand-crafted didgeridoo flown in all the way from Melbourne, and a ukulele that some folks were hoping to win for their ukulele class.

General Manager of Regal Marketing & Trading Sdn Bhd presenting an Indocafe hamper to a lucky winner. The company sponsored 350 Indocafe goody bags plus five hampers.

Only one regret for me - I was too busy to take photos. So if you have captured happy moments of the event, please send them to me for sharing on SeniorsAloud website and Facebook page. You can email me at seniorsaloud@gmail.com. Thanks.

We have more exciting events coming up, but for members only. Details will be announced soon. Do register for membership at our registration page. It is free and open to anyone aged 50 and above.

SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS SHORTENS LIFE

Source: Straits Times

Feeling lonely? Look up your friends. Or get them to come over for a beer or mahjong. Don't fancy being at home? Take the car for a spin. Catch a movie. Have a meet-up over lunch. Join a club. The options are endless...if you are young, active and mobile.

But when you are in your 70s or 80s, and living alone either by choice or circumstance, social isolation and loneliness becomes a very real and serious issue. You realize many of your friends are no longer around. They have moved away or have passed on. Those that remain may be house-bound due to failing health, or have given up driving and can no longer drop by for a visit. Even your best buddy has become a social recluse. Soon you will be one too.

This is happening not just in Bangladesh, but in every country. Click here to read the full article.

Many from the older generation enter their twilight years lonely and alone. Where are their adult children? They have flown the nest and set up home elsewhere. If they are still living in the country, they may visit regularly. But if they have settled overseas, their parents will be lucky to get annual visits from them.

If you (or your elderly parents) are experiencing social isolation and loneliness, here are some suggestions:

1. Get familiar with the public transport system. Learn how to use apps to book a cab. Or arrange for someone to provide transport for you.
2. Adopt a pet or take up gardening. Looking after a dog or a plant helps to reduce the sense of loneliness.
3. Join social or religious groups that organize regular activities to promote fellowship among the members.
4. Learn to use the internet for social networking and staying in touch with family and friends.
5. Above all, have a sense of purpose. It could be learning something new, volunteering for community service, or embarking on a project. 

Oftentimes older people decline invitations to go out, not because they prefer to remain alone at home, but more so because they may have a health problem that makes it inconvenient for them to go out. For example, they may suffer from incontinence, failing memory or poor hearing, all of which can cause some awkwardness in a social setting. Soon they develop a reluctance to go out and socialize.

Prolonged loneliness can result in depression, declining health, or worse, suicidal tendencies. If the signs are there, seek counselling. Help is always at hand  if we take the initiative to ask for it.

Blessed are couples that have each other in their old age. But there will come a time when one will go first before the other. When that day comes, loneliness will set in. Their children should be alert to this. They should ensure their surviving parent gets extra care and attention to prevent the onset of loneliness and social isolation.

Related articles:

Growing old and lonely

When your family has no time for you

CAN'T GET A JOB? BE YOUR OWN BOSS

In my previous post, I wrote about age discrimination in the job market. Reality bites you hard when employers pass you over for someone younger and cheaper. But having said that, a day will come when employers will have no alternative but to hire older workers due to demographic changes. The young labor force will continue to shrink while the number of older workers will see a surge as life expectancy increases, and birth rate declines.

That scenario is not too far off. In the meantime, age discrimination remains an issue for those aged 50 and above seeking re-employment.

Source: New York Times, Feb 7, 2014

If no employer wants to hire you, hire yourself. Be your own boss. Start a small business with your retirement savings. Be an entrepreneur. This is your chance to realize your dream, to pursue what you enjoy doing as a hobby. Start with your passion, your skills, your wealth of experience. What drives you? What are you good at? That should give you an idea of what business or enterprise you want to get into.

Money should not be the sole driving force. Equally if not more important is the service or product you provide. You can't go wrong if you offer quality and customer care. Differentiate your business from your competitors so that your brand, your company is the preferred choice. Always think of how you can bring value to your customers for the money they pay you. That should be your business philosophy.

Home-based businesses are hugely popular with retirees. I know of lady friends who turn their love of baking into a profitable business. They operate from their kitchen, and promote their cakes and cookies through social media. During festive seasons, they can barely cope with the deluge of orders.

Source: Older Entrepreneurs Are Better Than Younger Ones in Forbes.

Some of my retired men friends put their years of work experience to good use by starting a consultancy. Many are financial or IT consultants. I daresay this is the most popular of all business ventures for retirees - setting up your own consultancy or online business. Capital outlay is small, and overheads are minimal if it is just you and one staff in the office, which could also be your home.

Find a niche market. If you love teaching, offer computer classes for seniors. Teach them to use social media for social networking and for promoting their businesses. Seniors learn at a slower pace, and will welcome classes on any subject that cater specially to them.

More and more people are starting a business later in life. Source: The Guardian

You could also brand yourself as a professional speaker in your area of expertise. Or a trainer. Conducting workshops can be a viable business. One word of caution. Do not put your money into a business you know next to nothing about just because you have attended a seminar, for example, on "How to reap $million in forex trading".

The more ambitious among my friends have bought land with their retirement savings and started home-stays in the countryside. Those with more funds (and energy) to invest have taken up organic farming.

HS Wong (centre) started DQ Farm in 1991. Today his farm supplies organic vegetables, fruits and chicken to health foods outlets in the Klang Valley. Photo: visitors enjoying organic fruits grown on DQ farm. Click here for more images.

Avoid going into any venture that is capital or labour intensive, unless you have an appetite for risk-taking. Restaurants are a good example. If people like your food, you will have long queues outside your restaurant. Your cash registers will go ka-ching all day long. If your food sucks, even flies see no reason to patronize your restaurant. And your business (or lack of) will bleed you dry.

If start-up funds is not an issue, and you love a challenge, you might want to go where few dare to venture. I am referring to businesses that target older adults as their market. What do we need that we can't find easily? Satisfy that demand, and you stand to profit from it.

Good friends who have created a niche in the retail
business of fashion and food. Click here to read more.

Retail businesses are another example. Older adults have a hard time shopping for clothes. Most fashion retailers cater mainly to the younger age groups. Other examples - we love to travel, and it is only in the last decade that travel agencies have started special tour packages for seniors.

In the fitness industry, gyms that offer work-out sessions for seniors will likely see their membership numbers going up. What about cafes with book clubs? Seniors love reading, but there are few such cafes where they can meet and discuss books they have read.

Retirement resorts and retirement homes are lucrative businesses if managed well. The market for such residences is expanding rapidly. Setting up a retirement home is not that difficult. Already many retirees have jumped on the bandwagon and converted old bungalows into retirement homes for active and independent retirees who do not want to live alone.

A bungalow converted into a cozy retirement home.

So if you can't find a decent job because you are considered too old to be employed, it is not the end of the world. You can always BE YOUR OWN BOSS. Where there is a will to be successful, there will always be a way. You just have to find it.

For tips on deciding which business is right for you, and to read some success stories, click on the links below:

Deciding on a Business

Rise of the grey entrepreneur: meet the over-50s starting their own businesses