SeniorsAloud

My first chance encounter with The Happy Buskers at Ampang Park LRT station.

I recently spent two days with The Happy Buskers, accompanying them as they moved from one shopping mall to another to busk. If it is a challenge for senior citizens and the elderly to move around in the city via public transport or on foot, think how many times more daunting it is for these buskers - all retired and visually handicapped.

My outing with the group happened by chance. I saw them busking behind the Ampang LRT station on Monday 19 October around lunch time. They looked somewhat lost and were totally unrehearsed for busking. I found out later they had just got together about three months ago.

Yahya trying out the cajun beat box and cymbals. The group testing out the amplifier.

I told them frankly that they couldn't be heard as their voices were drowned out by the noise from the traffic. If passers-by dropped money in their pail, they probably did so out of kindness and sympathy. What would the group need for their busking that perhaps SeniorsAloud could provide, I asked. They took a few minutes to think it over, perhaps wondering if my offer was genuine. "Drums," said Yahya Ahmad, 61, who plays the organ for the group.

"Ok. Let's check out the prices and see if drums are affordable," I told the group. "But first, how about lunch?" Their choice was the food court at Ampang Park across the busy road from the LRT station. We took the underpass, of course. They chose to walk up several flights of steps to the food court rather than take the lift. I found this strange, but didn't ask why.

After lunch and toilet break, it was off to the music shop in Sungei Wang. Their decision again. Imagine what a challenge it was for the eight of us to make our way from Ampang Park to Sungei Wang, only to be told by the sales assistant at the shop that they didn't carry drums. So off we went, in single file along busy Jalan Bukit Bintang, and finally to Bentley near Pavilion. It was follow-the-leader all the way. The heavy traffic and throngs of people didn't faze them one bit. They had learned to entrust their safety to their leader. That role alternated between Long and Ah Ngau both of whom had partial vision.

But in all other matters especially financial, Gordon was the leader by unanimous decision. I was curious to know how he contributed to the group. As far as I could tell, he neither sang nor played any music. But he did have the important task of holding the pail for donations, and was the most smartly attired - always in a long sleeved silk batik shirt despite the heat and dust of the city streets.

It was much later that I found out Gordon, or more appropriately, Dr Gordon Tan, holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Malaya, and Godfrey has a degree in English Literature from the same university. Just goes to show we should never assume anything about anyone.

The Roland Micro Cube GX didn't come cheap, but it was for a worthy cause.

When we arrived at Bentley, Yahya was like a little boy let loose in a candy store. He gleefully tried out various musical instruments. The others sat quietly by, listening to Yahya testing out the instruments. Then the ladies spoke out. No drums, please, not even bongos - too loud. In the end, everyone agreed to getting an amplifier. It was a group decision. I could see how pleased they were with the purchase aka donation of a Roland Micro Cube GX amplifier. It could be used for a guitar, or any other instrument, such as Yahya's organ.

From Bentley, we retraced our steps back to Lot 10. I left the group busking at the Lot 10-Sungei Wang link bridge. I didn't have time to listen to how they sounded with their new acquisition, as I had a meeting to rush off to.

Two days later, I got a call from the group to meet them in Chinatown. They would be busking there from 12-2pm. Would I want to give them a listen? Of course! When I got to Chinatown, I followed the sound of their busking. Yes, this time they could be heard above the din of traffic and street vendors. I spotted the brand new red amplifier rightaway on the ground next to Yahya. The man himself was in his element as he sang and played one popular song after another to draw the crowds.

Here's a video of the group busking in Chinatown, KL. What a difference the amplifier made!

The buskers took a lunch break at 2pm. Where would you like to eat this time, I asked. "Subway," they replied without hesitation. Hmm, good choice but not exactly cheap. Later I found out the reason for their choice. Subway was around the corner, and the management allowed them to take a long rest there without harassing them.

The short walk to Subway was like going on an obstacle course. We had to manoeuvre our way through, avoiding potholes, high kerbs and uneven pavements.

Shocking and appalling condition of our city pavements and sidewalks. High time City Hall gave Kota Raya-Chinatown a much needed clean-up and makeover. This area is one of our top tourist attractions

Note the sharp corners of the steps leading up to the overhead pedestrian bridge. Godfrey cut his forehead on one of the sharp metal edges when he was walking by.

No lifts, so we had to climb three flights
of steps to the top floor at Subway.

(Above) Walking in single file, and carrying their musical instruments and stools. Not easy. I helped carry the stools most of the time except when I was photographing. While I was taking this group photo at the bus-stop in Kota Raya, an elderly lady fell flat on her face, right beside us. She had probably misjudged the height of the kerb. Her daughters assured us that their mother was fine, but I could see she was badly shakened and could have sustained a sprained ankle. The ladies politely declined my offer of help to take their mother to the clinic nearby.

I had expected Subway to be on the ground floor. Not this branch outlet. It occupied the first and second floors. The buskers preferred to eat on the second floor as it was quieter there and there were long cushioned benches they could stretch out on. Oh, did I mention the place had no lifts? So once again, we trooped up several flights of steps for a meal.

Tucking into the sandwiches and cold drinks at Subway.

It must have been such welcome relief for the buskers to finally sit down in air-conditioned comfort to rest their tired feet, enjoy ice-cold drinks to quench their parched throats and tuck into the sandwiches to fill their hungry stomachs.

I take my hat off to these seniors who are out on the streets busking for hours 3-5 days a week to make ends meet. Not once did I hear them complain about anything. Nor did anyone raise their voice in argument or disagreement. Decision was by consensus, and once made, there was no further discussion on the matter.

The Happy Buskers (seated from left) Yahya, 61, Godfrey, 67, Ah Ngau, 56. Standing from left: Leng Kee, 55, Mei Lian, 67, Long Boon Huat, 60, Gordon, 57.

After the hour-long lunch break, it was back to Chinatown again for more busking. Unfortunately, their earlier spot was taken over by a bully of a fruit-seller. Although there was still space for the buskers, the bully shooed them off. The group didn't want to make a scene. They finally ended up at a vacant spot, vacant only because the vendor had not set up his stall yet for the night market.

It was time for me to head home. The sky had turned dark and threatening. But for the Happy Buskers, a few minutes more of busking might mean a few ringgit more towards paying the bills at home. So that was where I left them, busking away with the help of that little red box.

I am now limping a little because I was walking too much, carrying too much and climbing too much. What I went through pales in comparison with what these brave men and women do on a daily basis. I have learned plenty from the Happy Buskers. The heat, the rain, the exhaustion from busking for hours on their feet, the dangers they face on the roads, the intimidation by bullies - they took them all in their stride.

Nor did they grumble or gripe about how tight-fisted some Malaysians were when the day's collection was less than hoped for and they had to split it seven ways.

On a good day, each busker can take home RM100 on average. At their age and with their visual handicap, it is difficult for them to get jobs. They have no other means of income except from busking. Godfrey gets RM350 a month from the Welfare Department (JKM). It has been almost a year since JKM stopped giving out welfare aid to the others. They have not been told why. Godfrey wants me to put on record that he appreciates City Hall's support in allowing the blind to busk in the city streets and other public places.

Spending time with these buskers has taught me to be more resilient, to look at life philosophically, and to remain cheerful whatever the circumstances. It's all about adopting the right attitude to overcome challenges. I also realized that we often underestimate the capabilities of OKUs. The Happy Buskers have been walking the city streets and taking care of themselves long before they even knew me. And they will continue to do so, I am certain.

Thank you, Happy Buskers for the opportunity to learn from all of you. You have my deepest respect.

Similar to the last car I owned. Before that I drove a Volvo 121. Seems like eons ago.

The last time I sat behind the steering wheel of a car was back in 1989. I had a car then, a sky-blue Chrysler Alpine, which cost a bomb to maintain. As soon as both my daughters left for studies overseas, I sold my Chrysler. I had no further reason to own a car. My chauffeuring days were blissfully over.

For the past 26 years I have been relying mostly on public transport and the kindness of friends with cars to get around. Every now and then, I am tempted to get a car, but the mere thought of horrendous traffic jams, parking problems, road bullies, maintenance costs and most of all, the spiralling price of fuel, is enough to deter me from visiting the car dealer.

My friends (all of them drive) tell me they would be totally lost without their car. They wouldn't have a clue how to get from Segambut to Sunway, or from Kampung Attap to Kampung Pandan. They can't imagine how I could survive for so long in the city without a car.

If caught in a jam, I would rather be in an air-conditioned bus reading my book, taking a cat-nap or checking out what car drivers are doing in their vehicles from my higher vantage point. You would be surprised if I told you!

While I can understand where they are coming from, I have to admit there have been vast improvements in our public transport system since SPAD took over the management and administration. Sure, I still have plenty of grouses, but I am glad those terror days of the pink mini-buses are gone forever. They are a menace on the road, and from 1 Dec 2015, I will be just as happy to say goodbye and good riddance to those about-to-fall-apart Metro buses plying the Ampang routes. They should have been despatched to the scrapyard decades ago.

Buses today are air-conditioned, reasonably clean, comfortable and generally reliable. I'm referring to the Rapid KL buses. Senior citizens aged 60 and above travel half fare with the special warga emas card. You can apply for one at the Pasar Seni LRT station. It's free and you get it on the spot. Remember to bring along a photostat copy of your MyKad.

Free shuttle buses take commuters and tourists to the city's landmarks as well as to major shopping malls.

Trains run on time, and with the MRT (currently under construction) adding to the existing Kelana Jaya line, Ampang line and the monorail line, inner-city connectivity is set to improve tremendously, allowing for seamless travel within the Klang Valley with just one card for all the systems. (I seldom travel on KTM, so I can't comment on that.)

Don't know how to get to your destination by bus or train? Just go to MyRapid portal to plan your journey. That's what I do when I have to go somewhere for the first time. The portal tells me which buses or train to take, and the fares.

An electronic board outside KLCC displaying bus schedules. This photo was taken in June 2015. Waiting time has improved drastically with the addition of more buses.

There are now more buses, including double-deckers, on the roads, so waiting time is much shorter. The best news is the introduction of Go-KL buses. These buses offer complimentary rides on four routes named after colours: green, purple, red and blue lines. Together they cover all the major landmarks and shopping malls in the city like KLCC, Pavilion, Pasar Seni, Sentral, Chow Kit and Kota Raya. Having taken many rides on these buses, I highly recommend them. Waiting time is only 5-10 minutes. PJ also has a fleet of green shuttle buses serving the major residential and business hubs. Free, of course.

For ladies who do not want to share their rides with men.

If you want to avoid traffic jams and save time, take the LRT. They run on schedule and there's one arriving every 3-5 minutes except at night when you may have to wait slightly longer. Connectivity between the different lines has improved immensely. Now you can change lines using the same card. I remember there was a time when I had to queue for tickets each time I changed trains. What a hassle!

My biggest gripe is reserved for our taxi service. The word itself is a misnomer. The drivers don't seem to know the meaning of 'service'. They exploit tourists, they choose their passengers, they don't use the meter and those that do don't issue receipts. The taxis are smelly, the seats dirty and some of the drivers could do with a course on grooming and manners. No wonder in a recent survey, KL has won the dubious honour of having the worst taxi drivers.

Of course there are taxi drivers who are proud of their profession, and take great pride in keeping their taxis in showroom condition. Personally, I have yet to hail a taxi that refuses to take me to my destination. I don't understand this practice of asking the driver first whether he would go to a certain destination. I just get in, and then tell the driver where I want to go.

With MyTeksi and GrabCar coming into the picture, commuters are spoilt for choice. Service provided by these new entrants is good. The taxis are clean and comfortable. Most important of all, you feel safe as the driver's particulars are recorded on your phone. I have not taken Uber taxis so I can't comment on them, but feedback from my friends has been positive.

By the time all my baby boomer friends reach an age when they can no longer drive, moving around in the city will be a breeze. Starting from 1 Dec, 2015, commuters will see even more improvements to the bus network. As you can see, it is possible to move around in the Klang Valley via public transport. I often take a mix of riding the bus, train and taxi to get to my destinations, Of course a bit of walking is involved too. But I consider that as exercise. Good for fitness and health.

An umbrella, a bottle of water and a notebook - these are items I must pack in my bag before I set out for the day's destinations. And my RapidKL card, of course. I never leave home without it. A final glance at my checklist, and I am ready to go.

So do I still want to get a car? What do you think?

Related post:

Can you do without a car?

It's Christmas, the season of giving, not just giving to our family members and friends, but also to those less blessed than us. The best gifts are those that are meaningful, that light up the recipients' face and bring joy to their hearts. Indeed, giving to those in need shouldn't be restricted to festive seasons, but whenever the opportunity arises to help someone.

With Justin Cheah, project director of Kechara Soup Kitchen and Mr Liow Cheng Loon, 69. As a red IC holder, Mr Liow is not eligible for govt welfare aid, so SeniorsAloud will be covering the cost of cataract surgery for both his eyes.

Ever since we featured the latest beneficiary of our 'Grant a Wish for the Elderly' (GWE) on our Facebook page, we have received enquiries for more information about the project. We are only too happy to oblige.

Here are some past GWE recipients. A big THANK YOU to all our members, friends and supporters who have contributed in one way or another in making our community service efforts possible.

SeniorsAloud donated a Roland Micro Cube GX amplifier to The Happy Buskers in November.

We are firm believers in giving back to society. We believe that those who have received blessings in life should extend a helping hand to those who are less fortunate. We also believe in supporting organizations/individuals working for a noble cause.

Our first GWE recipient was widow and hawker, Mdm Lai Hon Yin who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. SeniorsAloud covered Mdm Lai's house rental for 10 months, so that her eldest son could complete his final semester in UM and find a job to support the family.

Volunteerism can come in many forms. Not all of us can afford to donate money, but we can certainly give our time, our energy, our experience, our talents/skills to help the elderly who are in need. We can all make a difference in our own way.

Residents of Phyllis Care Centre in Sec 12, PJ were delighted to receive 14 sets of quality bed-sheets and bath towels to replace their threadbare ones.

As a rule, SeniorsAloud prefers to contribute towards a specific cause rather than donate a lump sum to individuals or organizations for them to use it as they see fit. Here are more of our past community efforts.

SeniorsAloud donated RM2000 worth of food and medical supplies for victims of the East Coast floods in Dec 2014.

The installation of a CCTV costing RM3310 for Tong Sim Home for abandoned elderly enabled the home manager to better supervise the elderly in their care.

We ended the year with a small donation for the upkeep of Kg Hakka Community Centre so that the elderly residents and their families and friends can continue to hold activities at the centre.

If you think as an individual, you can't do much, then do support our events and fund-raising efforts. Together we can achieve more. We organize one charity drive a year. Proceeds are channeled to our community chest, and the funds used to benefit seniors in need.

A common sight in Pasar Seni-Kota Raya as well as in other inner city areas.

Look out for our upcoming community service projects in 2016, and do show your support for our annual fund-raising event next year. More details coming up soon in our January 2016 newsletter. Free subscription for members. Register at http://www.seniorsaloud.com/p/members-registration.html

Do contact us if you know of any senior citizens or welfare homes that require assistance. If we are able to help, we definitely will, regardless of race or religious backgrounds.

2015 ended on a high note for SeniorsAloud with an increase in membership, newsletter subscription and online traffic to our blog and Facebook page. We were interviewed by the print media on several occasions, and had a number of our letters published in The Star, voicing our concerns about issues relating to seniors.

It was also a successful year of community service as highlighted in our previous post. With continued support from our members and friends, we hope to do even more in 2016 for the elderly in need of assistance.

Looking back, 2015 was certainly a busy year for SeniorsAloud. Here's a look at our 2015 calendar of events.

We know seniors enjoy taking family and travel videos, so we organized a workshop for our members in February. We were fortunate to rope in Alan Chai who has vast experience in producing videos to conduct the session for us at Wisma WIM, TTDI. Thank you, Alan!

We collaborated with Janet Xavier in organizing GONG XI VALENTINE Tea Dance to celebrate Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day. Seniors love to dance and listen to 60s-80s songs, so we have included Janet's Sunday Social as a regular feature in our monthly newsletter. Where can you have good food, great music and friendly people at only RM35 (current fee)? Value for money!

Everyone who went for the Ipoh trip will tell you what a fabulous time we had. We had a guided tour of The Hakka Tin Miners Club, listened to a talk on Green Acres Retirement Village and were treated to Ipoh's speciality dishes. A big THANK YOU to our host, Total Investment Sdn Bhd, Ipoh.

Who could forget our second fun(d)-raising event 'GOLDEN MEMORIES'? The pictures above bear testimony to what a memorable night we had. Proceeds go towards helping the elderly in need.

Originaly planned for 27-29 Mar, but due to the 7-day national mourning period for Singapore's Founding Father Lee Kuan Yew who passed away on 23 Mar, Council of the Third Age (C3A) postponed the 50plus Expo to 15-17 May. A total of 38 members from SeniorsAloud and University of the Third Age went on the trip.

These volunteers from SeniorsAloud helped to pack and distribute food packets to the hungry and homeless who came to collect their lunch.

Visit to Farmer's Market at Shangrila Hotel, KL to check out the organic produce on sale.

We invited seniors who wanted to go for the Bersih4 rally but didn't want to go alone, to join us. SeniorsAloud carried two non-political placards to voice our concerns for our future

Members and friends who showed up for our Seniors' Hi-Tea at Citi Cafe, MidValley. Everyone received a copy of PRIME, Singapore's leading magazine for the 45+. Did you know that SeniorsAloud is also represented in Singapore?

Our 2-in-1 event to celebrate UN's International Day of Older Persons - Laughter Yoga session with Karen Sze Tho, and screening of "Memory as Resistance" with an introduction by the film producers Victor Chin and Chan Soong Foong. There was also antioxidant screening for participants conducted by Amy Ong.

We organized a second video workshop by Alan Chai in response to requests for a refresher and hands-on session. This time it was held at Room at the Top, TTDI. Feedback from the participants - two thumbs up!

Our last event for the year was our return visit to Kg Hakka, Mantin. Our group consisted of 18 adults and four children. We car-pooled for the 45-minute drive there. To show our support for Rakan Mantin's efforts to save the 120-year old village from demolition, SeniorsAloud made a small donation during our visit. Click HERE to read the Malay Mail coverage of their story.

The above are events organized by SeniorsAloud. As our members and Facebook regulars will tell you, we also promote and support events organized by other organizations and NGOs if they are of benefit to seniors. So all in all, there were plenty of activities to keep SeniorsAloud members busy the whole year long. We are firm believers in remaining active in our retirement years. That's one of the keys to a long and healthy life.

The SeniorsAloud Team worked hard behind the scenes to ensure the success of all our events.

SeniorsAloud has already lined up events and activities for 2016. To find out what they are, get a copy of our January e-newsletter. For members only. Not a member? Free registration at http://www.seniorsaloud.com/p/members-registration.html.

What's App chat groups are getting increasingly popular with seniors. It's super easy to start a chat group, and it definitely saves the hassle of communicating with people individually on common topics. But on the downside, being in one too many Whats App groups can be time-wasting and a source of annoyance too.

To ensure all participants derive maximum benefit from Whats App groups, here are some basic etiquette to observe.

DO's and DONT's

For the group administrator:

#1. Choose an appropriate name for the chat group.
Put some thought into it. The same applies to selecting the group image. A ukulele chat group, for example, is meant for posts relating to ukulele, and not for discussion on the latest cancer cure or other topics.

#2. Always ask for permission before adding someone.
Don't assume that your friends have no objection to being included.

#3. Add only people that you know.
Strangers are ok if they share common interests with the group. For example, for a dementia caregivers' chat group, it is alright to add bona fide caregivers even though you may not know them personally.

Limit the size of your chat group to keep it manageable.

#4. Keep the group small
Limit the size to 30 participants. The bigger the number, the tougher it is to manage the group. You may have more problems to deal with, and more alerts interrupting your day too.

#5. Set the rules from the start.
State what content is encouraged or disallowed. Make it clear that anyone who continues to post insensitive or irrelevant content despite being warned, will be removed or blocked from the group.

#6. Delete the chat group.
Once the sole purpose of setting up the chat group is achieved, inform the participants you will be deleting the group.

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For chat group participants:

#1. Participate. Contribute.
Don't be a silent, passive observer. Get involved in the chat or discussion. Otherwise, why remain in the group?

#2. Don't spam.
Don't flood the group with advertisements and sales pitch. Don't ask others to forward a link, or share your post with 12 others. Leave it to them to decide.

#3. Limit your images and videos.
Think twice before you share 20 photos of your company's annual dinner or 100 images of your recent trip to Hawaii. One or two should be enough. More is an overdose and a big turn-off. Remember, all images and videos posted on WhatsApp are automatically stored in your phone gallery or album. They take up enormous storage space. You have to manually delete them to free up space, or change your WhatsApp settings to manually select what you want to save. The best place to post lots of photos and videos is on your own Facebook page.

Always check for credibility of the news item before you post it on your WhatsApp chat groups. Make sure you also read the article first before you share it with others.

#4. Always verify your source of info.
This applies in particular to news items, health remedies and medical claims that you post in the chat group. When an unverified post goes viral, it may cause undue fear or damage. Be known as a source of reliable info than a dispenser of false news.

#5. Agree to disagree.
There's no need to get heated up if others don't agree with your views. You will only upset others if you start calling them names or making sarcastic remarks. For all you know, others may have complained about you to the group administrator.

#6. Be sensitive.
This applies to groups with participants from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. Be mindful that what you think is funny may be offensive to others. Show respect and consideration for others in your choice of postings, whether in words, images or videos.

#7. Post at decent hours.
No one wants to be constantly disturbed by chat alerts. It can be so annoying, especially if the alerts come in the wee hours of the morning. Not everyone can turn off their phone or put it in silent mode when they sleep, as they may have to be on the alert for emergency calls.

#8. Avoid one-to-one chats.
This is a GROUP chat, not a one-to-one exchange. Others may not be interested in your personal conversation or discussion. Take it elsewhere where you have more privacy.

The intention may be good and sincere, but after seeing similar images posted on all your chat groups every day, you start getting that feeling of surfeit.

#9. Limit 'Good Morning' images to one a day.
Preferably the group administrator should do this on behalf of the group. Otherwise there will be a deluge of posts all wishing everyone 'Good Morning'! The same goes for inspirational images. Keep them to a daily minimum, unless your group's main objective is to inspire or support one another.

#10. Abide by the rules of etiquette.
This is important if everyone is to benefit from being in the group. If any participant finds the rules ridiculous or stifling, he can always choose to exit the group voluntarily or face the ignominy of being removed by the group administrator.

There is always the option to exit a group if you are not happy with it, and join another group that may appeal to you more.

NOTE: Before readers give a thumbs down to the above DOs and DONTs, note they are meant for professional, academic and/or official Whats App groups. For informal or family chat groups, anything goes. No rules apply, as the main objective is to keep in touch, share and have FUN!

Crunch time is back again, no thanks to the imposition of a hefty 6% GST and the weak ringgit. With the downturn in the economy, and workers being retrenched in the hundreds and thousands, we need to take a serious look at how to stretch our ringgit.

That's right, folks. It's time to tighten our belts a notch or two. How can we do it without feeling the pinch too much? Is it possible to still enjoy life without sacrificing too much of our creature comforts?

ABSOLUTELY! Here are 10 suggestions:

1. Give luxuries and branded items a miss at least for now
What can we give up without feeling too much pain? Definitely luxuries and branded items. Ladies, do you really need that RM3000 LV bag? Won't a RM150 bag do just as well? Guys, this isn't the time to buy that RM5,000 Tag Heuer watch. Wait till your bank account improves. In the meantime, stick with your current watch which still does a good job of telling time.

2. Do you really need all those expensive health supplements?
Take a good look at your health supplements. Do you really need that many? Seniors spend hundreds of ringgit a month on multi-vitamins, health juices and tonics. We should consider alternatives for maintaining good health like exercise, proper eating habits, adequate sleep and a positive mental attitude, all of which are free. Keep supplements to a minimum, and only those that work for you.

3. Downsize, downsize, downsize
We can't repeat this often enough. If it's just you and your spouse, sell the family-size house and move to a smaller one. Less time and energy spent too on maintaining the place. Consider renting a smaller place if you want to keep the house, and get a tenant for the family home. As for the family car, the sooner you sell off the fuel-gobbling monster for a compact, fuel-saving and reliable Myvi, the better off you will be in terms of savings.

4. No shame in hand-me downs
This applies more to electronic devices like computers, smart phones, and cameras. If your adult children are in the habit of upgrading their electronic devices each time the latest model is on the market, let them know you'll be happy to be the new owner of their discards. We know of retirees whose homes are equipped with second-hand items like TVs, karaoke systems, refrigerators and washing machines all handed down from their children, and all still in pristine working condition.

5. Consider cheaper options
Eat at home, or at food courts when out in the city. We can give ourselves a treat at a nice restaurant every other week. Going for a vacation? Book with budget airlines, and stay at budget hotels. The difference between a 4-star hotel and a 5-star one is just one star, but it could mean a saving of a few thousand ringgit for a 5-day stay. Take public transport and leave the car for places not served by trains or buses, or for when you need to get somewhere in a hurry. You will be surprised how much you can save on fuel.

6. Ask for senior discounts
Nothing to be ashamed of in asking about senior discounts. Many restaurants, cinemas, and retail outlets do offer special rates for seniors aged 60 and above. Apply for a warga emas RapidKL card to get 50% off on train and bus services. Better still, make use of the free Go-KL and PJ City shuttle bus services. If you shop regularly at certain establishments, get a member's privilege card to enjoy discounts or special rates.

7. Less is more
So true when it comes to food, clothes, credit cards, indeed, almost everything. Over-eating can lead to obesity and ill health, over-buying can lead to clutter and hoarding, and over-possession of credit cards can lead to debt and financial ruin. One credit card should suffice to cover your purchases. The same goes for trips abroad - set a limit that is within your means. By the way, ladies, less is also more when it comes to wearing make-up, perfume or jewellery. To look younger, wearing a smile is more effective than getting a face-lift. So much cheaper too.

8. Look out for sales and bargains
Patience is a money-saver when it comes to shopping. You can get fantastic bargains on books at the Big Bad Wolf sale or the annual Popular Bookfest. Shop for clothes when departmental stores are having massive discounts. Shop at discount stores like Mr DIY or convenience stores like 99-Speedmart where prices are kept low and affordable. As for groceries, opt for wet markets, night markets and hypermarkets.

9. Don't try and keep up with the Datuks and Tan Sris
If you don't have a healthy bank balance, you should refrain from living a lavish lifestyle just to keep up appearances. You don't have to celebrate your birthday in grand style if you can't afford it. And you don't need to throw a lavish dinner for your daughter's wedding if it puts you in the red. In short, don't be a kiasu.

10. Count the costs and check your budget
You won't go wrong if you adopt a practical and sensible approach towards managing your finances. Spend only when necessary, and do the math before you part with your money. Go for value. Ask yourself if you can afford it, if you really need it, and if there's a cheaper option that's almost as good as the one you have in mind.

Better to be called a cheapskate than to be declared a bankrupt. Better to sleep soundly with peace of mind, than to be hounded by creditors and re-possessors, or worse by Ah Longs.

Unless you have investments that pay generous dividends, unless you have a business that generates high revenue, unless you have a job that comes with a handsome salary, the best way to ensure your savings will see you through your retirement years is to LIVE A SIMPLE LIFE.

Warren Buffet, one of the wealthiest men in the world, has the last word on why we must learn to spend wisely:

Who can afford to retire these days? With the high cost of living, the slowdown in the economy and the depreciation of the ringgit, our retirement savings will be depleted long before we are gone. It's time for a Plan B, C or D to supplement our retirement funds. It's either back to work, start a small business or invest a portion of our savings.

If you have no head for business or investment, the best option, arguably, is to get a job. However this is easier said than done. Jobs that are suitable for older workers are limited. But a bigger challenge facing retirees planning to return to full or part time employment is age discrimination. With multinational corporations, SMEs and retail businesses laying off staff in the hundreds and thousands, retirees have better luck striking a 4-D lottery than getting re-employed.

Freddie Yap

That is why Mayflower Tours deserves two thumbs up for giving two of its employees, Ivan Ho Eng Kiang, 67, and Mohd Shapiei bin Zakaria, 68, the opportunity to continue working with the company. Both had already reached retirement age.

Says Freddie Yap, Head of Coach Operations with Mayflower, "The Gardens Mall had approached us to provide a shuttle service from Mont Kiara to The Gardens Mall, including a conductor and a driver. We immediately thought of Ivan and Shapiei. Both men had just the right qualifications and qualities for the job.

Ivan, a former tour guide, knew exactly what the job entailed. As for Shapiei, his vast experience as a former driver with a tour and travel company made him an obvious shoo-in for the job."

Billy Pih

Fortunately for Ivan and Shapiei, The Gardens Mall had no issue with having two senior citizens running the shuttle bus service.

"To us, what matters most is excellent customer service and good work ethics," explains Billy Pih, The Gardens Mall Customer Service Manager. "As the passengers are mostly expats and locals residing in Mont Kiara, we needed someone who could speak good English, is familar with the needs and expectations of the passengers, and upholds professionalism in his work. Ivan fits the bill. The same with Shapiei. It would be hard to find a more reliable, responsible and patient driver than Shapiei. He is very careful on the road. The safety of the passengers is paramount to him.

What do both Ivan and Shapiei have to say about their work?

Ivan Ho

Both men take their job responsibilities seriously. "I enjoy my work. I would be bored stiff doing nothing, just sitting around at home," says Shapiei.

"Me too," chips in Ivan. "My children have no objections to my returning to work. In fact, they say it's good for me. Keeps me physically and mentally active. And self-supporting too."

As part of his daily work routine, Ivan welcomes the passengers on board, reminds them of the schedule for the day and even throws in suggestions on what activities they can enjoy while at The Gardens Mall and MidValley City. No other shuttle service provides a conductor quite like Ivan.

Shapiei, on the other hand, prefers to focus on his driving. Soft-spoken and mild-mannered, he is a direct contrast to Ivan, but together they make a great team.

Now eight years down the road, Shapiei still enjoys driving the shuttle, and Ivan still relishes taking good care of everyone on the shuttle. He finds seats for the elderly, helps young mothers with their strollers, and others with their shopping bags. Mont Kiara residents who use the service have nothing but high praise for both men.

Mohd Shapiei Zakaria

Retired school administrator, Chan Ng Moi, has been taking the shuttle for the past three years. "The service is excellent. The bus is clean and comfortable. Ivan is friendly and courteous. He connects well with the passengers. As for Encik Shapiei, I feel safe knowing he is behind the wheel. He is such a cautious driver. I have never seen him speed or lose his temper. This is very important as there are elderly people and children taking the shuttle daily."

Indonesian expat, Lovi, echoes the same sentiment. She uses the service regularly with her husband. "It's so convenient. This morning we took the 10.00am shuttle, did our grocery shopping at the supermarket in The Gardens Mall, and returned to Mont Kiara on the 11.35am shuttle. We are able to plan our shopping trips according to the schedule because we know the shuttle is always on time."

When pressed about the company's hiring policy, Pih has this to say: " We don't discriminate on age. As long as the candidate possesses the right work experience, is in good health and willing to work hard, we will recruit him. The right person for the job must also be well-groomed."

Adds Yap, "Having the right attitude is equally important. Older workers must be willing to learn, adapt to change and accept instructions from younger management staff."

Orderly queuing to board the shuttle at The Gardens Mall.

To sum up, here's the take-home message from my interview with the four gentlemen. Seniors who are contemplating rejoining the work force should take note of these tips. They will stand you in good stead the next time you apply for a job.

be flexible
learn to keep up with technology
upgrade your skills
stay relevant to the changing times
respect your bosses regardless of their age
uphold work ethics
don't make unreasonable demands
be a team member

Footnote:
Other shopping malls in the Klang Valley also provide shuttle bus services. But The Gardens Mall shuttle service stands out in terms of safety, reliability and customer satisfaction. It deserves a 5-star rating. I should know as I use the service regularly.

For those new to the service, here's some info regarding The Gardens Mall shuttle service. It is complimentary. The route covers Mont Kiara, The Gardens Mall at MidValley City and KLSentral, with three trips a day, 365 days a year. Pick-up and drop-off point is next to Jeeves Dry-Cleaners in the Isetan wing of The Gardens Mall.

(Article by Lily Fu)

Shojiro Shindo and his wife Kimiko on
a trip to Nagasaki Prefecture in 2013

I learned a new word today - 'sotsukon'. It's a Japanese word that means 'graduation from marriage'. (Read the interview with Shojiro, 71. He and his wife Kimiko, 69, are happy with their 'sotsukon'. The Japan News)

When the children have grown and flown the family nest, longtime married couples go through a period of re-adjustment. It's make-or-break time for the relationship. The marriage either strengthens as the couple have more time for each other, or crumble as they constantly bicker and get on each other's nerves.

Blessed are couples that have remained loving, caring and committed to their marriage vows. Unfortunately, marital break-ups among older couples seem to be the norm these days. In the US, more than half of all gray divorces are to couples in first marriages. Indeed, 55 percent of gray divorces are between couples who’d been married for more than 20 years. (Washington Post)

Gray divorce on the rise in S.Korea

Gray divorces are on the rise, even in Asia. And it's usually the women who initiate the divorce. (AARP). As late as the 1980s, it was unthinkable for a woman to seek a divorce. How would she support herself? Besides, a divorce meant telling the world that her marriage was a failure. That would be such a loss of face.

Today, Asian women are no longer afraid to seek a divorce as they are able to fend for themselves financially. Society has also become more accepting of divorce.

For those who do not want to go through a messy and often expensive divorce, there is 'sotsukon'. This is not the same as 'estranged' which implies the couple living separately on unfriendly terms. In 'sotsukon', the couple lead separate lives but remain in touch, and still enjoy activities together.

'Sotsukon' is gaining popularity in Japan, and why not. It's the perfect compromise for couples who still have some affection for each other, but want to have the freedom to pursue their own interests and lifestyle.

Expect 'sotsukon' to catch on too in Malaysia and Singapore.

When was the last time you approached any of your adult children with a question regarding your smartphone, tablet or computer? And what was their usual response? "Sorry, mom, dad. No time. I have work deadlines to meet."

So you turn to your grandchildren. After all, they grew up in the internet age and are wiz kids when it comes to electronic devices. They are happy to teach you. Unfortunately their enthusiasm and patience don't last long enough for you to grasp their explanation. After a few minutes, they run off to play or do their own thing.

It's true - family members often make the worst teachers and also the most difficult students, whether it's about learning to drive, play a musical instrument or use multi-media.

So you can imagine how excited we were when Dr Teh Pei Lee agreed to collaborate with SeniorsAloud to organize a workshop on smartphone usage specially for our members. Dr Teh is Associate Prof from the Dept of Management, School of Business at Monash University Malaysia. She is also Head of the Gerontechnology Lab, as well as Chair for IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society (TEMS) Malaysia Chapter which would be sponsoring the workshop.The facilitators for the workshop would be her students from the School of Business.

The workshop would be the first inter-generational event for SeniorsAloud. And who better to teach our members about smartphones than a team of young students who are also research assistants at the Gerontechnology Lab that we would be visiting after the workshop.

Early birds at the registration counter getting their goody bags and workshop manuals from facilitator Venise Lam Chi Ying and Chong Kaixiang.

Dr Teh Pei Lee welcoming the participants

Presenting certificates of appreciation to facilitators Chong Kaixiang and Yip Wai Luen, and a memento to Dr Teh

The workshop took place last Sat 23 April, 2016 at Monash University Malaysia, School of Business. A total of 60 SeniorsAloud members had registered for the free workshop. Everyone was given a goody bag of door gifts as well workshop manuals.

The event turned out to be of mutual learning benefit to both generations. The student facilitators discovered that teaching seniors was more challenging than they had initially thought. The manuals had to be printed in large font size, with easy-to-understand instructions.

Brought up in the analog age, the seniors had plenty of questions to ask. Some had problems following the explanations. But Jeffery Yeow Teh Thiry, Jonathan Shakesh Kee, Venise Lam Chi Ying, Chong Kaixiang and Yip Wai Luen rose to the challenge. They proved to be excellent facilitators handling the participants' numerous questions with lots of patience and tact.

(Left) The facilitators for IOS iPhone users: Jonathan Shakesh Kee and Yip Wai Luen;
(Right) The facilitators for Android users: Chong Kaixiang and Jeffery Yeow Teh Thiry.

Both IOS and Android sessions ran concurrently. It was interesting to note that Android users outnumbered iPhone users 3 to 1.

Participants were separated into two groups, one for iPhone users, the other for Androids. They were shown step by step how to perform basic tasks on their smartphones. Each was given a manual covering topics such as:

how to edit settings
how to use the phone camera
how to edit photos
how to set up chat groups
how to share images and videos
how to download and install applications
how to access websites
how to use search engines
how to create Facebook accounts

Listening attentively to the facilitators, and following the instructions in the manual

Those who were already familiar with the above tasks took the opportunity to build on their existing knowledge of smartphone usage. The facilitators were there to guide them and answer their questions.

After the smartphone workshop session was over, participants enjoyed a tea break before making their way to the Gerontechnology Lab, the first and only one in Malaysia to date. For SeniorsAloud members, it was certainly an honour and a privilege to be the first group of senior citizens to visit the lab.

Visit to the Gerontechnology Lab

The Gerontechnology Lab was launched on February 18 to conduct research into developing technology that would help the elderly remain independent in their home. It is a collaborative effort between the schools of Business, IT, Health Sciences, Medicine, Arts, Social Sciences and Engineering, and jointly funded by Khind Starfish Foundation, Monash University Malaysia and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).

Final year Business and Psychology student Jeffrey Yeow Teh Thiry briefing participants in the lab.

Jeffery demonstrating the appliances on display at the stations. PhD student Tang Tiong Yew explaining his project - the emotionally intelligent robot.

The Age Simulation Suit that enables the wearer to experience what it feels like to be an old person. The Emotionally Intelligent Robot is designed to interact with the elderly living on their own.

A close-up of some of the assistive devices at the kitchen station and a customized walking stick that gives the elderly a firmer grip and better balance when walking.

Dr Teh speaking with one of the participants. On the table are the various components of the smartphone home system that the research team is currently working on.

Group photo to commemorate the success of the first inter-generational collaboration between SeniorsAloud and Monash University Malaysia Gerontechnology Lab

The organizing team comprising team members from SeniorsAloud, and research assistants from the Gerontechnology Lab. (Not in the photo: Jonathan Shakesh Kee from the research team)

Footnote:
The Gerontechnology Lab research team led by Associate Prof Dr Teh Pei Lee is currently conducting a multi-discipline study on developing a smartphone home system for the elderly. They are inviting volunteers aged 50 and above to participate in a questionnaire and interview session. The session will take about 40 minutes and will be held on weekdays at Alzheimer's Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) at 6, Lorong 11/8E, PJ. As a token of appreciation, each volunteer will receive a AEON voucher worth RM10.

If you would like to volunteer for this meaningful research study, please contact Jenny at 016-608 2513 or 03-7931 5850 to arrange for a suitable date and time.

SeniorsAloud members get together for a game of Maths Magic

The retirement years are great for making new friends. You now have the time and leisure to take up activities you are interested in, be it sports, gardening, travel, cooking, painting, photography, music, dance, qigong or board games.

With more seniors owning smart phones, getting connected has never been easier. So there really is no reason why anyone should complain about the difficulty in finding new friends and new activities to keep them happily occupied.

SeniorsAloud regularly receives emails from Gen Xers asking if we could recommend clubs that their parents could join. They would like to see their parents go out a bit more, and enjoy social activities with new friends.

This is our response to such requests: If your parents are happy being at home, pottering around the house, looking after the grandchildren and spending time with family members and close friends, let them be. They are enjoying their golden years their own way. A busy active life may not be every retiree's cup of tea.

But if your parents feel lonely and depressed, then it is good to get them involved in social or community activities where they get to connect with people who share the same interests.

Here is one Senior Citizens Club that we are delighted to recommend.

HAPPY SENIOR CITIZENS ASSOCIATION (HSCA)
Balai Raya, Jalan 17/1A, PJ

HSCA has been around for ages, since 1988. While most senior citizens club complain about barely meeting the quorum at their AGM, this is certainly not the case with HSCA. Its popularity stems from the variety of activities it organizes and the dedication of its exco members. The exco has been returned time and time again because the members are pleased with the excellent job it is doing. The activities are similar to those organized by senior citizens clubs, but the difference lies in the strong cameraderie among the members who come from a variety of backgrounds, race and religion, with English as the common language uniting all.

Here are some photos of HSCA's activities taken over the years:

A recent outing to Putrajaya to catch the Fantasy Rainforest show. Group photo taken with the performers.

The men of HSCA are ever so sporting. Here is the winning team in the Dressing Santa contest at last year's Christmas party

Queuing at the food truck for their pre-ordered lunch pack

Listening to a health talk on hair loss at the Balai Raya

Club members love to dance. The weekly dance classes are very popular. They are conducted by excellent instructors who are also club members like Jan Ghani, the club's secretary.

The lovely ladies of HSCA in their elegant baju kebaya.at the 25th anniversary dinner.

The HSCA men enjoying a chat over drinks outside the Balai Raya

Every year at the annual dinner, the club honours members aged 80 and above.. The line-up keeps getting longer each year - a clear indication that HSCA members know how to stay fit and healthy. The oldest member is over 90!

HSCA regularly organizes outings as well as overseas trips. The above images were taken during their trip to the Old Silk Route. Coming up is a day trip to Titi Eco Farm Resort in July and a proposed trip to Jiuzhaigo, China in October.

(Left) HSCA's Time-table. (Right) I joined HSCA in 2008, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that my former neighbour and university mate is also a member. We make it a point to take a photo together every year to show my younger daughter how her former History teacher is doing.

If you are looking to join a senior citizens' club, be selective in your choice. Find one that is active and growing in terms of membership, The charges should be reasonable. HSCA charges RM40 a month for classes, and annual fee is only RM20, and registration for new members is RM7.

The Balai Raya in section 17 is nothing to shout about. The facilities are basic and minimal. Parking is a perennial problem and there is no air-conditioning. But the members remain with the club because of the strong bond of friendship built over the years, and also because they are familiar with the neighbourhood

If you know of other active clubs, do let us know so we can share the info with others.

Ask young people what they think of old people. You can bet they will come up with a long list of adjectives, all negative.

"Cranky, senile, grouchy, grumpy, frail, smelly, nagging, long-winded, useless, stubborn, unproductive, dictatorial, burdensome, ..." You get the picture.

But how did old people get to be this way? Why do they always complain? Why do they insist they are always right, that everyone should listen to them? How did they become such poor company to be with?

We will all grow old one day. So let's try and understand why old people are the way they are. They may have valid reasons for their grouses. Maybe we can learn from them, and when the time comes, we can age gracefully, and with dignity, loved and respected by all.

Let's put ourselves in the shoes of an 80-year old man. He has limited funds and no source of steady income, so he complains about soaring prices. He recalls the old days when a cup of kopitiam coffee cost only 40 cents. Now it's RM1.60 at the mamak stall.

There was a time when he could travel and enjoy an active social life. These days he is mostly at home, unable to venture out alone because he no longer drives and there's no one free to take him out. His perennially busy adult children have little time for him.

Once upon a time he lived to eat. Now he eats to live. His diet is restricted to low-fat, no sugar and cholesterol-free foods. No more of his favorite hawker food, no more culinary indulgences, all because he has a host of health problems to deal with.

His old hobbies no longer interest him. He can't read because of poor vision. He has little interest in watching tv as the programs don't appeal to him. He can't explore the rich diversity of information on the internet as he is computer-illiterate, and refuses to learn.

As a young man, he was blessed with good health and vitality. Now the passage of time has reduced him to a frail shadow of his former self, with all the accompanying aches and pain of old age.

Few friends drop by to see him, as they are in the same boat as he is. So he sits in his arm-chair or lies in bed the whole day long with only his memories of the good old days to keep him company.

It is no wonder old people are bitter and grouchy. They have all the time in the world to gripe about everything under the sun, from GST and high prices to corrupt politicians and uncaring children.

What a horrible way to grow old! We can't stop growing old, but we can certainly choose how we want to grow old. It all boils down to attitude.

We can choose to grow old complaining about things from A to Z. Or we can choose to focus our attention on the things that make us happy, like our grandchildren, like being able to look back at happy times with nostalgia, and not compare them with the present.

There is little point in harping on things that can't be changed. We should learn to accept whatever unfortunate circumstances we are dealt with and make the best of the situation. Let's embrace our twilight years with joie de vivre and fill each day with love and gratitude, not bitterness or regret.

Now you know why SeniorsAloud loves to feature inspiring seniors on our Facebook. They are our role models to show us that we can live to 80, 90, even 100 and still enjoy life to the fullest. It's never too late to start laying the foundation of good health and developing a positive attitude to life.

(The above is an updated version of "Why Do Old People Love To Complain?"first posted on SeniorsAloud blog on 1 July 2012.)

My new-found hobby, gardening, was on my bucket list when I retired. The timing was perfect because my gardener decided to throw in the towel as his health was deteriorating, so I stepped into his shoes. I soon found that gardening is highly recommended for seniors, especially retirees.

At the back of my house, on a small piece of land, is my garden of treasures.

At the far end of the garden sits a bush of pandan leaves or screw pine. The leaves are well used when I cook nasi lemak. At other times, I use them for my weekly barley drinks or home-made soya bean.

Recently, I learnt that if I tie a bundle of pandan leaves and put it in my kitchen cabinet, it keeps cockroaches at bay. I put some leaves in the car and the car always smells nice. I save on buying air fresheners. Oh, the wonders of the pandan plant.

Next to the pandan bush is my lemongrass plant. I use lemongrass for cooking but now I make a drink out of it after reading on the Internet that lemongrass has anti-cancer properties. So once a week, the family is treated to a few rounds of lemongrass drinks. I cut five stalks of lemongrass, wash them, and cut into smaller pieces or bruise the stalks and put them in a teapot. I pour boiling water and let it steep for a while. You can add honey to vary the taste. The drink is cheap and health-giving.

Serai pandan and banana

Sometimes I use two stalks of lemongrass, bruise them and add a small knob of ginger, five pandan leaves and a small piece of rock sugar. Boil this and voila, you get a very refreshing drink.

Being a chilli padi queen, I have two pots of chilli padi plants. I do not have to run to the market for my daily needs as I have an ample supply in my garden. Sometimes the harvest is bountiful and I distribute the organic chilli padi to friends.

Nearby stand my two banana plants. Recently, I harvested the pisang mas and they were the sweetest ever. The banana leaves come in handy for grilling fish or making nyonya kuih.

So far my papaya tree has not borne any fruit, but my Indonesian maid eats the leaves for detoxification. The other day, some friends came over to pluck some leaves because papaya leaf juice has been shown to increase blood platelet count and assist in the recovery of dengue patients.

Pineapple lime (limau purut) and banana

In another pot is my daun kesom (polygonum). This is so useful in making assam fish. I used to run to the market to buy this herb but now I have it at my doorstep. I grow my own spring onions, too. Just put a few small onions in the pot and you can get a constant supply. How convenient!

In the far corner of my garden of treasures is the lengkuas or galangal plant. This is also a very useful plant as it is used in cooking certain dishes. My curry leaf tree is a hot favourite with neighbours. Whenever they need curry leaves, they know where to get them.

The limau purut plant (kaffir lime) sits in a pot and this is an essential for cooking certain dishes like tom yam soup. The fragrant leaves also enhance the taste of other dishes.

But my favourite is the aloe vera plant. The leaves are thick and huge. It can be made into a healthful drink but I have not tried it myself. Instead, I use the gel from the leaves as a facial mask. Cheap and effective. The gel is also very effective for treating cuts and burns. When I accidentally cut myself, I apply the gel on the wound and it heals well.

Mint and mempedu

The latest addition to the garden is the mint. I bought one ringgit’s worth of mint from the market and planted it in a pot. Now I have a fresh supply of mint. It needs a lot of water, but it is easy to grow.

I tend to my garden daily. The plants need to be watered, the weeds pulled out, and the snails removed. I do not use any pesticides so the herbs are organic.

Gardening is therapeutic; it is a pleasure to watch the plants grow. Nothing is more satisfying than being able to run to the garden for your supply of herbs instead of lamenting that you forgot to buy a particular item at the market.

I have made new friends along the way. My neighbours drop by to get their supply of herbs; in turn, they pass me their home-grown tapioca, four-angled beans, passion fruit, and a pineapple or two.

Not only do we exchange produce and gardening tips, we also swap notes on the health-giving properties of plants.

Gardening is cheap, non-strenuous, enjoyable and above all, eco-friendly.

Which reminds me, I must go to the nursery and get a misai kucing plant. This medicinal plant is said to be good for sore throat and diabetes. Yet another plant to add to my collection.

(The above article by Linda Lim was published in Star2 on July 15, 2016 as 'You can grow a herb garden in your backyard'. It is re-printed here with her permission.

Footnote: You will also enjoy reading Linda Lim's earlier article in SeniorsAloud blog:

I LOVE MY AGE

Coping with the grief of losing a loved one is not easy. At our age, many of us would have experienced the pain of bereavement, whether it is the loss of a spouse, a child, a parent, a sibling or a friend. With the passage of time, most of us find the strength to get on with life. But there are some who are so consumed with grief they are unable to function on a day-to-day basis. If unresolved, their grief may result in poor health, depression and even suicidal tendencies.

I first heard about Dr Edmund Ng back in 2009 from a newspaper announcement of a talk on grief counselling that he was giving at Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club. Having lost my beloved sister three years earlier, and still hadn't quite fully got over my loss, I decided to attend Dr Ng's talk.

I was glad I did. I could relate to everything Dr Ng said - the guilt, the blame, the bitterness and regret that a grieving person experiences when he loses a loved one.

Dr Ng delivering a talk on "Helping Your Children Grieve Properly".

Dr Edmund Ng is the founder of GGP Outreach. Its tagline is "Grace to Grieving Persons". Having gone through personal loss himself, Dr Ng spoke with conviction and credibility. His audience comprised mostly grieving spouses.

Since 2009, Dr Ng has been reaching out to bereaved families with his talks as well as providing financial assistance to help those in need, especially widows.

Here is a summary of Dr Ng's Do's and Don'ts for the grieving person based on the talk that I attended.

Allow yourself time and space to rest after the funeral activities are over.
Accept help from your friends and relatives.
Acknowledge that it takes time to heal the pain.
Find an outlet to channel your thoughts away from reliving the loss.
Take charge of your emotions.
Be patient with your children. They are trying their best to cope too.
Look after your health.
Know that you are not alone. Seek a support group or a counsellor.
Re-connect with other people.
Remain active.
Maintain a well-balanced diet.
Don't fall prey to temptations like drinking and taking drugs.
Don't make hasty decisions.
Find strength and comfort in God.
Keep a journal and record your thoughts and feelings.

If you have recently experienced a loss in the family and would like some counselling to help you get through your loss, Dr Ng will be giving a talk "Beyond Grief: A Guide for Recovering from the Loss of a Loved One" at Menara Star this Saturday 6 August, 2016 from 10.30am to 12.00pm. Free admission. Register at http://bit.ly/2ajMy34

For more about the event, click on this link.

I am often asked why there are few articles on health and medicine on SeniorsAloud blog and SeniorsAloud FB. Surely, at our age health issues are uppermost in our minds. In our daily sourcing for news and info to share with our readers, we often come across articles on miracle cures and quick-fix health tips. We read all the articles, but hesitate to re-post or share them. The same with similar info that comes to us via Whatsapp chat groups.

Cures like this are shared on WhatsApp
& FB. Where's the source of reference?

Why? It is so easy to share info via social media. So why do we think twice before we click on 'Publish', 'Post' or 'Send'?

The reason is simple. We are mindful of our responsibility to share only health and medical info that is backed by credible sources, and/or supported by reliable research data. We triple-check so-called miracle cures, test out certain health claims and refer to medical professionals before we share the info. If in doubt, we don't. A simple rule but one that we adhere to strictly. We do not want anyone to take our advice, and later inform us that it doesn't work. Or worse, that they suffered terrible side effects!

A case in point. Many of you would have seen the video that has gone viral recently of this lady demonstrating tongue exercises. Apparently doing this daily will prevent Alzheimer's Disease. Is this based on scientific fact? Where is the research data? How come there is no mention of it from world-renown cancer research universities like Johns Hopkins or from Azheimer's Disease Organizations? For sure, you won't see this video posted on our SeniorsAloud blog or FB.

This cancer update keeps re-surfacing and circulating on the internet. It's a hoax!

When in doubt, always check the source to see if a claim is a fact or a hoax. With Google search, we can verify almost anything. Having said that, the internet is also often the source of much misinformation and untruths. We just have to broaden our search coverage, do some investigative work and apply a bit of common sense to conclude whether this piece of info is genuine, or not.

Now that we have made our stand clear, allow us to offer some advice to well-meaning folks out there who routinely share info on health and nutrition, and remedies for all kinds of ailments and diseases. For all your good intentions, you may be doing more harm than good. Take the example of bananas. It is recommended for a multitude of medical conditions. But for people with diabetes, it is advisable as a precautionary measure to know how much to take, as bananas have high sugar content.

The claims may have some basis, but be suspicious of any single food or wonder medicine that is a cure-all.

Here are some questions to reflect on before we circulate info on the health benefits and curative effects of certain foods:

Do we have any medical qualifications that allow us to share medical advice with others?
Do we have any background training or experience in healthcare?
Have we checked out if a miracle cure is genuine or a hoax?
Have we personally tried out a natural cure, or know someone who has?
Some of us may have underlying health issues that could cause complications if we take unverified miracle cures or wonder drugs. What works for one person may not work for another. We are all different. Are we ready to offer advice based on hearsay and claims?

By circulating medical or dietary advice that is forwarded to us by friends or that is sourced from dubious websites, we are no better than armchair travellers who have never ventured beyond the comfort of their homes, but who would readily dish out travel tips to back-packers travelling to India for the first time, or to retirees on their maiden holiday cruise to the Caribbean.

This blogger did the right thing by inserting a disclaimer, so readers are forewarned.

Are you prepared to be held responsible if someone suffers adverse effects from following the advice that you share? At least put in a disclaimer that anyone who follows the advice does so at his own risk.

It's been a long while since I wrote about grandparenting ("Grandparenting - Pleasure or Pressure?"). Given the changing role of women in the last two to three decades, it is inevitable that the role of grandparents will also undergo change. The switch from full time mothers to full time career women has left grandparents increasingly taking on the role of child-minder and ersatz parents.

On a family vacation in Phuket with Max, 6, and Reiya, 6 months. Photo taken in 2006.

Where the extended family used to live under one roof, today's nuclear family structure means there is no one to care for the children when both parents are out at work. So who do young married couples turn to to look after their little ones? Their parents, of course, especially if they are still active, in good health and, most important, retired.

I recall when my first grandchild was born on 28 August 2000, my younger daughter was at the time helping her husband build his company. After three months maternity leave, she had to return to work. She had no choice but to approach me for help with the baby. Fortunately for her, it was the start of the Nov-Dec school holidays. I had two months to enjoy re-living my parenting days, this time as a brand new grandma.

My four grandchildren taken in 2006.

But it was a different story when the new school term began in January 2001. I had to start teaching again. My daughter and I didn't trust a maid or anyone else to look after four-month old Max. In the end, to my daughter's relief, I decided to take care of Max full time. The school principal was understanding enough when I requested to teach part-time. I asked for three hours of classes from 7.30am to 10.30am, Mondays to Fridays. My request was approved, and thus began my first year of grandparenting which would continue till today, albeit in a different capacity.

For Reiya, Max is the best big brother a sister could ask for, very caring and loving. Of course, like most siblings they do bicker every now and then. Picture taken in October 2012.

My weekday routine for that whole year began with the alarm clock going off at 6.20am. I had to be in school by 7.25am in time for the first class. As soon as the bell rang for the first recess, I would hurry over to my daughter's place so she could leave for work. On most days she would return home with her husband after 8pm. There were times when there was so much work in the office she would be back well after 10pm. By the time I was back in my own home and in my own bed, it would be close to midnight.

Max today, a towering 6-footer and still growing. He is among the
top triathletes in his age group, regularly competing in regional triathlons.

I was often tired and stressed out from teaching in the morning and looking after Max the rest of the day. Changing Max's diapers, feeding him, bathing him and taking him out for walks in the stroller became the order of the day. In between I had to find time to mark assignments and prepare lesson plans. Whenever she could, my younger sister would drop by in the afternoon to help out. I remember looking forward to her visits. They were the highlight of each day.

A 2011 picture of my other two grandchildren, sisters Hana and Allie.
They are now 12 and 13.

In 2003 and 2004 my elder daughter gave me two grand-daughters, Allie and Hana. As they were both born outside Malaysia, I wasn't able to help take care of them. My daughter had to quit her job to be a stay-at-home mom for Allie's first few years. When she had her second child, the family had settled in Singapore. She was fortunate to hire a very capable maid who doubled up as a nanny for both the girls. In 2006, my family welcomed baby Reiya, sister to Max. Reiya made me a happy grandma for the fourth time.

Allie and I enjoy playing the ukulele

Looking back on those years of babysitting, I can honestly say I wouldn't trade a single day of it for anything. Of course, now that my grandchildren are of school-going age, my time with them is spent mostly on fun stuff. It's a different kind of bonding altogether. I make it a point to attend their school functions, to support them in competitions and to help with their homework. I make sure I am available to babysit should the need arise.

Feeding Ryder. Photo taken in 2015.

Children grow up so fast. Max celebrated his 16th birthday two days ago on 28 August. At 6 feet, he towers over everyone in the family. Allie is 13 and Hana will no longer enjoy children's privileges when she turns 12 next month in October. Now 10+, Reiya has another year and a half to enjoy her pre-teen status. Then there is Ryder, who is two and a half years old. He still has a long way to go to catch up with his older siblings. But he is a sprinter as far as IQ goes. Very smart for his age.

There will come a time when all my grandchildren will prefer to hang out with their friends than with their grandma. Indeed, it is already the case now. I will miss hearing the pitter-patter of little feet, of hearing my grandchildren squeal with delight and run to hug me when they see me at the front door. I will miss their excited cries of "Grandma is here!" It's the sweetest music to my ears.

So back to the question - "Are grandparents being taken for granted as child-minders?" Put another way, are grandparents being exploited to care for the grandchildren? I can't answer for other grandparents. For me, my answer is obvious. It makes me feel good to know I had an important part to play in my grandchildren's growing up years. My two daughters have shown their appreciation many times over, in a thousand and one ways.

Allie, Ryder, Reiya, me and Hana. Max was away at boarding school. Photo taken late 2015.

Would I do it all over again if either of my daughters decided to have another child? In a heart beat. I would be in my 70s. I might not be able to run after my sixth grandchild like I used to with Max. But I would have enough love to give in equal amounts to each and every one of my grandchildren. They are truly my joy and my blessings.

(This article is an update of an earlier one posted in 2012.)

I find it quite grating that our local journalists and reporters often use the terms 'old' and 'elderly' to refer to people who are still vey much alive and kicking, and far from approaching the end-of-life phase. I suppose to these young media folks, anyone aged above 40 is definitely old and elderly.

The above newspaper clippings remind me of one of the earliest letters I sent to The Star in October 2012 on the topic of new labels for 'old' people. The Star had changed the original title to "The World At Our Feet". Frankly, I don't think it's appropriate. The online version has a different title "When Does Old Age Begin?" You can read the original version below.

When I started my community blog in May 2008, I had come up with several tentative names for the blog. Unfortunately all of them were rejected when I signed up for an account with Blogger. Every single one of the names I keyed in had already been taken. I must have tried at least 20 names. 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 available!

Both my daughters didn't like the name at all. They felt that with a name like Seniorsaloud, the blog would attract 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 and decrepit.

The new 'old' - Prof Emeritus, Dr Khairuddin Yusof, 76,
enjoys extreme sports. He spoke at our Seniorsaloud
event on "Retire Healthy" in July 2012.

Let me ask my readers, does the word 'senior' have a negative connotation? What sort of image comes 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 of grey. Author E.L.James will give you 50! If the 50+ and 60+ are not quite ready to be called old, how 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.

Dr Yusof's book on active ageing

Quite often the media is guilty of mislabelling. "Elderly man falls victim to snatch thief", says one headline. You read the news report and find that the victim is only 60! I turned 68 in June this year. I can deal with being called a senior citizen as that is what I am. But 'elderly'? Not by a mile. The problem is, young reporters are incapable of making that age distinction. To people in their 20s, 64 is practically ancient, if not pre-historic!

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'.

If numbers don't matter, and chronological age is not an accurate indicator of physiological age, what are we left with? How would you like to be referred to? 'Older people' seems to be the least disparaging and most neutral. With people now living much longer, there is a need to come up with new labels for the old (pun intended) that do not smack of ageism, and that is acceptable to all.

Photo taken in 2014 when my mom was 88, and I was 66. A generation apart but young reporters would lump us together as 'the elderly'.

If the 60s is the new 40s, you can understand why labels like 'old', 'elderly', 'frail' no longer describe the active, independent and fun-loving baby boomers of today. By the time we reach our 70s, 80s and 90s, we will be re-defining the face of ageing.

There is a world of difference between growing old and growing older. And it's a lot to do with how we look at ageing - positively or negatively, with anticipation or dread. To take it one step further, by changing how we view ourselves, we can change how society look at us.

Adnan Osman, 70, cycled all the way to London for the 2012 Olympics. Inspiring role models like him show us that growing older doesn't have to mean the end of fun and adventure. The world is still there for us to explore. There are new things to learn, and new friends to make. Indeed, growing older can be an exciting new chapter of life.

Postscript: I have always wanted to have a column in the newspaper to write about topics and issues of interest and relevance to senior citizens. If that ever happened, it would be a dream come true for me. Maybe I would call it 'Silver Threads'. It would also be a channel to share information and personal insights on matters that involve this demographic. Our numbers are growing. Other than writing letters to the newspapers, we don't have an avenue to voice our concerns about a host of issues that affect us, including healthcare, cost of living, public transport, affordable housing, re-employment, age-friendly public facilities, retirement planning and end-of-life issues.

It's about time to speak out and be heard. And that's why I have a new tag line for SeniorsAloud's FB profile picture: 'A Voice for Seniors'.

Negative stereotyping of older adults often leads to discrimination against them.

If you are 60 and above, you are likely to have encountered instances of ageism at one time or another. Not only are older people discriminated against by banks and other financial institutions, but also at the work-place and in the job market. Indeed, older people face age discrimination on a daily basis. Bus drivers yell at them, shop assistants ignore them, medical professionals don't take their pains and aches seriously, EPF stops giving you interest on your retirement funds when you reach 75, ...the list goes on. Even at home, elderly parents find that no one listens to them. Their advice is often not sought for family decisions. They are head of the family only in name.

All this is based on negative perceptions and stereotyping of older people as frail, senile and unproductive, and a drain on the nation's welfare resources.

The New 80s - still active and certainly still able to contribute to society. What more those in their 60s and 70s?! Don't write off older adults as useless and past their productive shelf life.

And this is despite the fact that people are now living longer and healthier, thanks to advances made in medicine, science and technology. 60 is the new 40, and 80 is the new 60. They may have reached retirement age, but are still capable of contributing to society if given the opportunity to work or serve.

POWER and MONEY speak louder than age. Older people in positions of influence and authority, and have vast financial resources at their disposal can still command respect everywhere they go. These are the blessed ones. They can take care of themselves in their old age. It's the rest of the ageing populace that we should make a stand for. They are the voiceless ones, the silent majority who feel disadvantaged and powerless to fight against ageism.

But change is inevitable. The number of older persons is growing and this silver wave can't be stopped. (I am loath to use the word 'tsunami' as it gives a negative connotation to the rise in the elderly population.)

By 2035, the number of people aged 60 and above will have accounted for 15% of the total population in Malaysia. The country is heading towards ageing country status. The government is aware of what needs to be done to meet the demands and challenges of an ageing population, but implementation is painfully slow. The private sector has yet to fully acknowledge the impact this shift in demographics will have on the work force and on the economy.

The time will come when all of us will have to wake up to the reality that global ageing is here to stay. It is in the interest of everyone, especially the younger generation, to ensure that discriminatory practices against older people be removed. Any policies that uphold the rights of older people will ultimately benefit the young of today as they too will grow old one day. To take this one step further, when a country takes good care of its elderly population, everyone benefits.

The government wants to encourage active, independent and healthy ageing. So do all older people. For this to be successful, any form of discrimination against older people must be removed, and every bit of help be given to enable them to continue working and supporting themselves for as long as possible.

So kudos to the United Nations for taking a stand against ageism and making it the theme for International Day of Older Persons 2016.

For more voices against ageism, go to HelpAge International

Coming up the driveway to Little Sisters of the Poor / St Francis Xavier Home for the Elderly in Cheras, KL

It was back in the 1970s that I first heard of Little Sisters of the Poor (LSP). I had imagined it to be a place where the elderly poor would spend their final years looked after by caring nuns who had dedicated their lives to God and to charity work. Being young then, I had little interest and absolutely no reason at all to visit the place.

Near impossible to find an aged care facility in the city centre with so much greenery and open spaces.

Decades later and now the founder of a seniors community, I had good reasons to pay a visit. Over the years LSP had gained a solid reputation as the 'gold standard' for aged care facilities. It has become the yardstick to measure other similar facilities.

So when the opportunity came last August to visit LSP with a group of academicians from UPM, I grabbed it. The visit was certainly an eye-opener. To say I was impressed by what I saw is putting it mildly. I was awestruck!

Let me take you on a virtual tour of LSP.

The dining hall. Great idea to use cut-out tennis balls to protect against scratching the floor.

The reading room.

The hair salon. Notice the gleaming floors at LSP. Unbelievable!

The physiotherapy room.

The sewing room. Note also the natural lighting in all the rooms.

The shop where items made by the residents and volunteers are sold.

Lounges are everywhere for residents and visitors to rest their tired feet or simply to sit down and relax.

The tea room.

The kitchen - spick and span and spotlessly clean.

The laundry room. Adjacent to it is where clothes are sorted and folded.

There are hand rails all along the corridors, and in the lifts. Note too the wall phones on every level.

A peek into one of the rooms with attached bathroom and toilet.

Benches on every level. Facilities at LSP are without doubt elderly-centred.

At the cafeteria listening to Sister share about LSP.

The main hall where the residents were enjoying some performances when we dropped in.

Colour drawings by the residents.

Fun activities to keep the residents happily occupied.

Daily programme of activities for the month.

Group photo in the garden at the end of our visit.

It would be a challenge for most existing aged care centres to come close to LSP in terms of size, facilities and dedicated staff. Throw in cleanliness, efficiency and integrity, and you can understand why there is a long waiting list for admission to LSP.

Little Sisters of the Poor celebrated its golden anniversary last Deccember 2015. What a remarkable achievement! Pope Francis sent a special apostolic blessing to mark the auspicious occasion.

With the proposed Aged Healthcare Act to be introduced next year, the elderly in old folks home and nursing homes in Malaysia can look forward to better care and better facilities. Aged care centres that fail to meet the stipulated standards will face stiff penalties. They will also have to be licensed and registered.

I can almost see the elderly clapping their hands with glee and jumping for joy! It's been a long time coming.

2016 - what a year it was! A great year for some, an 'annus horribilis' for others. But everyone would agree that it ended with more deaths than we cared to read about. A timely reminder that we should pay more attention to our health in the coming new year and beyond. We would rather read about birthdays and wedding anniversaries than obituaries.

For SeniorsAloud, 2016 was another eventful year, with further growth in membership, more events organized and wider reach on social media.

Here's a look back at the year that was for SeniorsAloud.

We started the year with a get-together for members at Penchala Hills. It was a pleasant evening spent chatting and playing Math Magic, an engrossing board game created by Jimmy Yeoh.

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In April, our members attended a free workshop organised by IEEE, TEMS, Gerontechnology Lab of Monash University and SeniorsAloud to learn more about the features and uses of smartphones. It was followed by a very interesting and informative tour of the lab, the first in Malaysia. Thank you, Associate Prof Dr Teh Pei Lee and your team of very knowledgeable facilitators.

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The highlight of the year has to be our 3D-2N Belum trip in June. We had such a great time in the outdoors. The trip was certainly a welcomed getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city, and an excellent opportunity for members to get to know one another better amidst the pristine backdrop of the Belum Valley. A video of the trip, courtesy of Alex Chin, is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTj16ShUufY

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SeniorsAloud and AUTORR Foundation co-organized a workshop in July to raise awareness of the prevalence of scams targeting seniors. Speaker Andrew Chia shared his list of the top 10 scams that we should be on the alert for.

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Our third visit to Kg Hakka was to join Victor Chin and Rakan Mantin group in celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival in September. We paid Grandma Kong a visit and watched as she offered prayers outside her house. It was a throwback to the old days when we held feasts, ate mooncakes and carried lanterns in the parade around the kampung.

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SeniorsAloud held its 3rd annual fund-raising 'Reunion Party' dinner and dance on 1 October which was also United Nations International Day of Older Persons. As in previous years, we had an excellent turnout. All tables were taken. Thanks to generous sponsors and donors, we were able to invite 19 guests from several NGOs, and give away more than 60 attractive prizes to lucky draw winners.

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While SeniorsAloud continues to remain non-political and non-religious, we do support human rights and calls for justice and transparency. For these reasons we participated in Bersih5 on 19 Nov as well as 'Walk 4 Maria' on 23 Nov. We are glad to have added our voice for these causes.

Community Service
Thanks to funds raised from our annual dinners, SeniorsAloud is able to help senior citizens and the elderly in need under our 'Grant a Wish for the Elderly' project. In January we covered the cost of cataract surgery for Mr Liow Cheng Loon, 69. As a red IC holder, he was not eligible for govt welfare aid. His plight was brought to us by Justin Cheah of Kechara Soup Kitchen. The surgery was carried out in January. We are glad that Mr Liew is now enjoying clear vision.

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We were happy to oblige when Keats Makandu, founder of Mums Sew With Love (MSWL) approached us for help to purchase an electric sewing machine so that the single mothers could sew more and earn more to support their children. On 12 May, SeniorsAloud team members Choke Ling, Kim and Lily were present at MSWL to hand over the machine. We hope it will make a difference and enable the moms to cope with the increase in orders for their high quality home-sewn products.

It was our pleasure to invite five of the single mothers out to celebrate Mothers Day with a concert and a buffet at VSQ @ PJ City Centre. It was a real treat for them and for us too to see their smiling faces.

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We ended the year with distribution of rubber gloves and face masks to two NGOs and a nursing home. The items were donated by Cranberry. Do contact us if you know of any NGOs or old folks homes that will welcome these items.

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11 March marked the launch of our Friday Room for Improvement Day. Smartphones have made it so easy for us to snap photos of anything we see around us that should be improved. We can all be vigilant and help make our city clean and safe for all, regardless of age. Send the photos to SeniorsAloud for posting on our FB page. Please provide info of the date and place where the photos were taken. We have seen corrective action taken by the relevant authorities in response to some of the hazards that we have highlighted.

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SeniorsAloud Newsletter
As not all members check their email regularly, we have made it a point to announce on our FB page when our monthly newsletter is out. To date we have not missed a single issue since June 2014 when we started sending out monthly newsletters. It is a challenge to organize events and activities that will appeal to seniors as they have such diverse interests. But we hope we have succeeded to some extent. To receive our free newsletters, just click on the link and submit:
http://www.seniorsaloud.com/p/members-registration.html

Apart from the above list of events and activities, SeniorsAloud has also helped to promote (and participate) in many events organized by NGOs, and other organizations such as:

Alzheimer's Foundation of Malaysia (ADFM)
AUTORR Foundation
University of the Third Age (U3A), KL and Selangor
Kechara Soup Kitchen
Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society (MHAS)
Science for Healthy Living (S4H)

We look forward to doing more in 2017 to promote active ageing, lifelong learning and reach out to more seniors through our blog and FB page. Do help us to spread the word.

Finally we would like to thank all our members, FB friends and sponsors who have supported us through another successful year. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! And deepest appreciation to SeniorsAloud team members who have been most generous with their time and energy in helping to organize the many events and activities held throughout 2016. Here's to a happy, healthy NEW YOU (and NEW US) in 2017!

LIFE LESSONS FROM THE HAPPY BUSKERS

DOING WITHOUT A CAR IN THE CITY

GRANT A WISH FOR THE ELDERLY THIS FESTIVE SEASON

SENIORSALOUD 2015 YEAR IN REVIEW

HOW TO AVOID WHATSAPP CHAT GROUP FATIGUE

GONG XI FA CAI - HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

TIME TO TIGHTEN OUR BELTS

OLDER WORKERS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

NOT DIVORCED BUT GRADUATING FROM MARRIAGE

AGE IS NO BARRIER IN BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

THIS SENIOR CITIZENS CLUB GETS OUR VOTE

WHY ARE OLD PEOPLE SO GROUCHY AND GRUMPY?

MY LITTLE GARDEN OF TREASURES

GRIEVING FOR THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE

MIRACLE CURES AND REMEDIES - MYTH OR FACT?

ARE GRANDPARENTS BEING TAKEN FOR GRANTED AS CHILD-MINDERS?

THE NEW 'OLD' AND THE NEW 'ELDERLY'

TAKE A STAND AGAINST AGEISM

SETTING THE STANDARD FOR OLD FOLKS HOMES

SENIORSALOUD 2016 YEAR IN REVIEW