Author: Terence Seah

      

(Click on the map for a better image)

This Sat, Thais begin a long water festival holiday called Songkran. It is the Thai New Year. During the festival, adults pour water on the palm or back of their parents, as a mark of respect, while children and adults make the event fun by splashing water on the bodies of one another. It’s fun and thousands of foreigners congregate in Thailand to celebrate this occasion. Many thais start the holiday this Sat and ends next Sun, almost 9 days.

I am in Bangkok, and will drive to Surat Thani, which is in Southern Thailand, and will take me 10 hrs, with a number of stops. For those who went to Samui with me for the Full Moon party, you may remember we stopped at Surath Thani.

Starting from Sat, I shall write about my trip, put up some pictures and hope you will enjoy them. I hope you will join me sometime.

I hope to encourage members to share their holidays too. Keep in touch.

Terence Seah

 

    

Calling members who would like to celebrate our 60th Birthday this year. Last year, some of us celebrate our June Birthdays together. This year, I am looking at celebrating 60th birthdays together. And in mid June 2015.

We find a place soon. Please indicate your interest.

Terence Seah

Those Interested:

1. Terence Seah
2. Caroline Gee
3. Joan Ang
4. Wendy Lum (tentative)
5. Lai Fong (tentative)
6. Doris Tan

 

     

   

(Click on the pictures for a bigger and clearer image)

I have always wondered what I will be doing on most days when I have difficulties in walking, when I am lonely and when I grow old.  My time will come.  But, not yet, I can still walk, I can still work, and I like to work for as long as my legs allow me. Of course, soon or later, I cannot work; but I want to keep myself active, and maybe do some volunteer work.  That’s if I have the money to live through my SilverHairs years.

A couple of days ago, I visited a privately-run  daycare centre in Australia. It has a size of about 400 sqm.  It opens Monday to Friday 10.30am to 3.00 pm.  The Daycare is run by some fulltime staff and some volunteers.  It has a good size kitchen that prepares food and drinks for the elderlies that come to the centre.

The Daycare has a program, with different activities each day eg singing, poetry, crafts, games, magic show, indoor golf, …..  The activities are organised by the full time staff.  The elderlies, all of them, require some help in moving around, and thus not bed-ridden.  The daycare accepts elderlies who are not suffering from contagious diseases, dimentia, and mental illnesses.  They live within a certain distance from the day-care and are picked up by a van driver from their residence. They arrive at the daycare at 10.30am each day, in a specially designed van.

The kitchen services the daycare and cooks the meal of the day, as well as prepares hot beverages and biscuits twice a day. The kitchen is run by a full time staff.  Volunteers assist in the kitchen, serves the elderlies and generally clean up the place after lunch.

While at the daycare, elderlies get to play games, learn a craft, enjoy singing, do some gardening and follow the program of the day.  Many elderlies are lonely and they do not want to stay at home.  Their children prefers they go out, keep active and mix with other friends. At the end of the day, the elderlies are happy, and look forward to meeting other elderlies on other days.

I spoke with the staff of the daycare centre.  The daycare employs some full time paid staff who administrates the centre, organises the activities and the daycare operation which includes picking up the elderlies from and to their homes.  The volunteers help with interacting with the elderlies, keeps the place clean and tidy and other odds and ends. The centre is self funded, and it survives based on collections from the elderlies.  At the end of each day, the centre collects between AUD 25 – 30 from the elderlies.  This includes home-daycare centre transfers, a main meal, two tea-breaks, activities and program as per published schedules, plus a healthy day interacting with other elderlies.

I am not sure if the daycare centre is privately owned or rented. But, I see it as located within a quiet residential community. The daycare pays for maintenance, lightings and water tilities and upkeep of the building.

I am not sure how daycare centres are operated in Singapore; but I see some silver linings in a daycare centre.

1. There are opportunities for seniors and elderlies to use the services of a privately daycare centre.
2. Full time seniors get to work and get paid in a daycare centre, not a home or a hospital.
3. Opportunities for seniors to volunteer some time to interact with elderlies who are lonely, chatty, fun and need someone to talk to.

I think each of us has a different vision of what we will do when we have difficulties walking, cannot leave our homes on our own or meet friends without assisted transport or feel lonely while our children are working to earn a living.  Many of our children would hope we can spend some time outside to get some fresh air, meet our regular friends and have our regular lunch.

Will you go to a Daycare centre and join its activities?

Terence Seah

   

 

   

Some of us are still working in companies that employ us.  We get paid a salary; Very often, we are in the best position to hear of available job opportunities, full time or part-time, in our department or another division in the group.

If your company has a job opportunity and you think that some SilverHairsClub members may be able to apply, feel free to announce the job opportunity here. You may be giving fellow members an opportunity.  Blue Helmet announcements has some simple guidelines.

1. The job opening should be from your company only.  Positions from other companies are not allowed. This will be treated as paid advertising.
2. The job should clearly target seniors or is open to seniors over 45.
3. Feel free to announce the job responsibility, the job location, and any other criteria.
4. Feel free to put down yours or your company’s email or tel contacts.
5. Job opportunities relating to politics, sex, race, religion and MLM are not permitted.
6. Comments or announcements unrelated to Job announcements will be deleted by admin.

So, help your fellow members who are looking for a job.

Terence Seah

 

     

1st and 2nd pic – turtle soup

3rd pic ~crocodile meat satay

AndrewK and myself have been considering setting up an exotic food group for some time. We noticed that so far we had only men participants. So, now, we decide to take the group meeting further. We would like to start a “Men’s group” and we will call this group the “Turtle Soup Group”.

Both Andrew and TerenceS will be the group co-administrators. Turtle Soup Group will be open to all SilverHairsClub men, who have Whatsapp in their mobile application. This group has the objective to hunt for exotic food anywhere, meet when we find an accepted place at an agreed date and time.

We will try not to have many detours in our objectives. Essentially, it will be a men’s group.

To keep the group alive and meaningful, all participants must participate and not remain silent for the whole calendar month. Turtle soup members who are not active will be delisted. Participants can also delist themselves from “Turtle Soup Group” anytime.

Participants who have intentions to sell health products, discuss MLM, political issues, are advised to seek other discussion groups. However during “Turtle Soup Group” outings, we will let our hairs down as long as general participants accept.

To join “Turtle Soup Group”, please whatsapp +65 9489 4360 and type “Turtle Soup Group”. Strictly for SilverHairsClub Men members only. This may sound sexists, but we think this may be one way to bring the men out, up and together, via “Turtle Soup”. Of course, we will go out for Bak Kut Teh, crocodile meat or something exotic across the causeway.

Thank you partner AndrewK. Let’s give this a go. And welcome to the “Turtle Soup Group”

Terence Seah and Andrew Koh

 

    This online flea mart site is up again, and available to members with extra items or unwanted stuffs in the house.  Now that CNY is over, maybe we do not have a lot of stuffs at home.  But, if you do, you can sell or give away your stuffs here.

Guidelines

1. Each advertisement not longer than 10 lines.
2. Can be stuffs from your wardrobe or your personal skills.  No Corporate items.
3. MLM and Email address collecting for other purposes not permitted.
4. If you are looking for something which you think some members may have, please ask for it here.
5. Pictures of item and services are allowed.  Simply start a comment here, and insert your pictures.  URLs are not permitted.
6. If unsure, please whatsapp +6594894360 or email admin@silverhairsclub.com.

Terence Seah

   

Gatherings are a great way to make friends. We chat with one another, and sometimes we find our old schoolmates, members who had worked in similar industries and someone whom we may be interested to know further.

    I like to introduce another way for all members to meet new and more friends. Each month, we will start a new Post titled “Share with us your last 30 years”. Under this Post, all members can share what you have been doing in the last 30 years. Approx 5-10 paragraphs. You can share your working history, your hobbies, your loves, your overseas postings, your school, college and university life, your promotions, etc.

I am sure other members may be able or want to link up with you.

Political, sexual, religious, racial and MLM content may be moderated.

Let start this activity with a posting for Mar 2015.

Terence Seah

   

We have a Calendar which EOs and ECs can use to link their events to.  However, few members use it.  Once in a while, we have members asking where and when are the coming events.

I have asked Susan CH Tan to man the calendar, so that we can keep it updated for use by members.  On your own, EOs and ECs can put in their activities in the Calendar, and link it to the Post;.

Susan has kindly agreed, and she will man the Calendar.  EOs and ECs who do not know, unable to or forgot how to use the calendar can contact Susan for help. As a guide, if your event is NOT LINKED to the calendar within 24 hours, Susan will come in to help, and place the link for the Event organiser EO or Event Cordinator EC.  Ask her, if you want to know more about the Calendar.

Here is our Calendar.  https://silverhairsclub.com/?page_id=12691

Thank you Susan for helping up in the club.

Terence Seah

 

Wef this month, Yoon Chin (Ms) will be managing SilverHairsClub’s new members registration and passwords. I had been looking for volunteers, and finally we found Yoon Chin who has accepted this role. Thank you very much.

A.  New Members:

To join as a new member, the applicant needs to read https://silverhairsclub.com/?page_id=1746, and email the applicantion to admin@silverhairsclub.com.

Upon successful application, admin will approve and send a welcome email to the applicant, copy Yoon Chin.

She uses the email address clubadmin@SilverHairsClub.com and will create a new user, based on the info in the application. You will get a temp password, by email to enter SilverHairsClub.com.

(Please note only admin@SilverHairsClub.com can approve the membership. Yoon Chin (Clubadmin@SilverHairsClub.com will help you with username and password).

   

B. Existing members (with lost passwords):

On your own, members can get a temp password by clicking https://silverhairsclub.com/wp-login.php?action=lostpassword.

But, if you had tried numerous times, checked that your email address is correct and still cannot sign in with your username and password, you can contact Yoon Chin at clubadmin@silverhairsclub.com.

You may be required to register NEW again, if you have forgotten username, password and email address.

Thank you Yoon Chin.

Terence Seah

 

 

Many members have been with SilverHairsClub for many years; and, of course, some of us are younger and some of us are …..  Unlike many Clubs in Singapore, SHC is a club for SilverHairs, where the age of everybody is 45 and up.

Let’s take this festivity to wish one another a Happy and Healthy New year.  My best wishes to all members.

Terence Seah

 

This online flea mart site is up again, and available to members with extra items or unwanted stuffs in the house.  Do make full use of it.   Chinese New Year is here.  The earlier you indicate what you dont want, the earlier someone might want to pick it up.

 Guidelines

1. Each advertisement not longer than 10 lines.

2.  Members can advertise your furniture, especially when you have just bought a new one. Maybe some pots and pans, a TV or music hifi, a floor mat, a fan, a clock, a dress or pair of pants, since you have noticed it no longer fits you. Perhaps, a mattress, some handbags, a guitar, or an unused bicycle. You can sell or you can give away free.

3. Members can advertise dress alteration, plumbing, cooking, new year goodies, cake making, bak chang sale, care services, apartment for rent, car for sale, etc.  Aiyoh, up to your imagination.  Personal skills like dressmaking, clothes alteration,  repairing / mending/fixing… Personal items from your storeroom, below your bed, they are all welcome.

4. MLM and Email address collecting for other purposes not permitted.

5.  Corporate items and services cannot be advertised here, on this online fleamart.  Please contact admin@silverhairsclub.com for corporate membership.

6.  If you are looking for something which you think some members may have, please ask for it here.

7.  Pictures of item and services are allowed.  Simply start a comment here, and insert your pictures.  URLs are not permitted.

Terence Seah

    

SHC needs a few members to help with support functions.  Here, I like to highlight membership, registration, approval and lost passwords.  Due to my travelling patterns, I am unable to access my desktop, thus slowly down the registration, approval and loss passwords process from 1-2 days to sometimes a few months.

The job of managing registration, approvals and lost passwords is straight forward, but it requires a desktop or notebood.  The person has to be patient, and able to communicate with members via emails.

The most important criteria is the person must maintain confidentiality, and cannot release ANY information about another member to any other members, even if the skies turn red or there is an emergency.  This person cannot use the membership information for any purpose, other than for the task itself.

Obviously, the member has to be aware of club happenings and policies. If you can volunteer with this support function and if you have been a member for at least 3 years, please write to me.   I hope you will appreciate that I reserve the right to turn down any application, altho I will inform the applicant accordingly if I do turn down the applicant.

Closing date: end Feb 2015.

Terence Seah

 

   

This has been a long awaited trip to Kerala, located at the Southern most tip of India.  Here are some pictures to tempt you to come. It’s very countryside, coconut trees, beaches, boats, winding roads, bananas, mangoes, massages, herbs, fishing villages, and Kerala food which is very unlikely the Indian food we get in Little India.

Pictures: Click here.

1. Date:  19 – 24 Feb 2015.
2. Flights:  we shall fly Sin/Cochin and Travandrum/Sin.  Altho there are many combinations.
3. Mode of transport (internal):  Jeep or mini coach.
4. Schedule:  We wont have a schedule, as this is not peak period. But we will travel from town to cities.  We start at Cochin and ends at Travandrum, capital city of Kerala.  We will only travel at night.
5. What not to expect:  Kerala is not Singapore. It’s all about culture, traditions and scenary.  With me, you are not likely to enjoy 4-5 star dining.  Most nights, we will stay in 3-4 star hotels.  The only thing that may be comfortable is transport, altho you are likely to hit your head against the roof of the jeap with bumpy roads.  Cockcroaches are about to mature, and they are now 2 months old.
6. Food – you bet most of it will be Indian and Kerala food, altho most of what you see locally in Singapore will be available. Please do not expect Chinese food, Bring some packets of instant noods, if you are really unable to eat Indian food, which is not chilly hot, but have a lot of spices.  Water – Kerala is one of the cleanest state in terms of hygience. Bottled water is easily available. But, we shall keep our eyes open for fresh vegetable salads and some street food.  Maybe the last day, we can have a down pour.
7. Visa – Now, Singapore need a visa.
8. Cost:  I cannot firm a number, altho I know it will not cost a bomb. Hotels, food, transport, driver, tips.  I would ask you budget USD 80 a day, altho I think it will be more like USD 60 per day.  Flight excluded.
9. Language – Kerala has one of the best English speaking population. In fact, many speak British English.
10. Trip is confirmed.  Please keep these dates if you are able to go. Please have +6594894360 in your Whatsapp. I am in Bkk for almost two weeks. Communication via Whatsapp in our group will start Monday.  If you like to join the Whatsapp group, please register here.

Register here.

1. Terence Seah
2. Ann Giri (keen to go)
3. Moon (very keen to go)
4. Freda Lim (join chat grp only)
5. Maria Tan (join chat grp only)

 

 

 

This week, we shall give some time to help members who have lost their passwords, and are unable to retrieve them.

If you or your friends do not have a password, please write to admin@silverhairsclub.com before 17 Jan 2015.  After this date, your membership will be removed if you cannot remember your registered email address.

For members who register for their friends for events, please ask them to get their own passwords to enter the club now.  Once their membership is removed, they would have to apply new, as members.

Terence Seah

 

          SilverHairsClub will be 10 years  in Oct 2015.  During all this while, we had observed our objective; and that is to provide a platform for SilverHairs to meet new friends.  This has worked very well, and many members have found their own circle of new friends.

Last few months, I have been reviewing our objective and plans for 2015.  The idea of providing a platform for members to meet, and then letting them find other SilverHairs with similar interests, hobbies and thinking has worked well.  So, I intend to stick to this route.  Yes, many succeeded; but many have not succeeded.  We have not been able to individually pair or group member interests yet.  It is kind of difficult to read members’ minds.

This year, in 2015, we are working on expanding members’ gatherings to outside Singapore.  Same idea on providing the same platform.Stay flexible, to gather to various size groups, eg from 20 to 200 pax, if the venue is flexible.  Stay close to Singapore, and desaru has been identified; thanks to the thinkers and support from fellow members.

It is important to keep cost low, to encourage retirees and semi-retirees to participate. We have many rich and fairly rich members in the club, as well as those who are still working, and able to afford 4-5 star outdoor activities.  But, for many members, maintaining a group of friends during our SilverHairs years is important.

Lotus Desaru Hotel has been identified to provide retreats for members.  A new idea is now to offer opportunities for members and other Singaporean/PR to participate in this retreat.  This opens the possibility of a wider membership, and expanding what we currently offer to members to Singapore as a whole.  I do not have all the ideas and plans, but you can help to add ideas by giving your feedback.  If you wish to be part of this direction, have your say.

Current info suggests that there are a few ways to get to Desaru ie public bus to desaru, a ferry ride from Changi and then a short land ride to Desaru.  Driving is a common option but this requires organising. and finally a coach ride from woodlands MRT to Desaru.

Inndications suggest the price will be about SGD 100, to cover shared hotel room, breakfast, uncomplicated lunch and dinner, transport from JB to Desaru.  Not sure what it cost for the ferry; and the timing.

We can invite activities from our own members, and new corporate members.  May a good 2D1N to get to know one another and new ones too.

Terence Seah

 

   

Dear fellow SHC members,

As the year draws to a close, and a new year begins, let’s take this occasion to wish one another a “Happy New Year”.

In particular, I wish you have met new friends in SilverHairsClub; and that you will also bring your other friends and family members to join the Club next year.

Thank you to all the Event Organisers EOs and Event Cordinators ECs who have played a role in bringing SilverHairsClub together. And to the other members who have silently worked in the background to bring more activities to our fellow members.

Have a meaningful and healthy year in 2015.

Terence Seah

 

   

Dear members,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all members and families.

To many of us, this is the joyous time of the year. Weather is nicer, the mood is good, there is plenty of festivities around, bonuses if you are stil working and a new year to look forward to. Let’s look forward to our SilverHairs years.

Among some of us, we may be having a tough time, and may feel there is nothing to enjoy or feel good about. Perhaps, a loved one not joining us, a job lost, a sick family member or an exhausting retirement time.

Some of us may be looking forward to grand children running around, a move to another place to stay or… Aiyah, so many scenarios ahead of us.

Whatever, look forward, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Share with us, so our friends will know to.

Terence Seah

 

    

The Lunar New Year comes late next year.  But we have 2 weeks to enjoy this festive season.  We are now a few weeks away.  Let’s do some brainstorm on a big occasion to celebrate Chinese New Year.  Keep the ideas broad and Chinese,  No bad ideas.  Think of an event for at least 100 members.  Dont brush aside other members’ ideas and suggestions.

In the past, we had lunches, Dim Sum sets, buffet at a Jurong condo, ….   The more points you raise, the wider the ideas.  A Chingay show, a house party with majong and prata, an overnight somewhere, an overseas trip, a room at MBS.  Keep going.

Let’s use Dec 2014 to do some brainstorm work.  Be the first to raise your hand.

Terence Seah

 

   

Update 1:
In response to members request to allow for membership to the SilverHairsClub for those who do not have access to a computer, internet and email address, the Club will now accept membership as follows:

* Send a photocopy of the IC to an address which will be provided soon. A mobile tel number will be used to link to the membership.

Update 2:
Corporate membership will no longer be free wef 31 Dec 2014.

Inactive corporate members with no activities for members, for a stretch of 6 months, will revert to our regular membership. As with regular individual membership, promotion of corporate events or advertising will be disallowed.

Please take note.

Terence Seah

 

Dear members,

Last Thurs, SilverHairsClub.com was down, and members were not able to access the Club.  The IT engineers, the software suppliers and our hosting company believed our website had been hacked.  A few files which were key to getting the forum running were deleted.

Every week, our system and data files are automatically backup while we sleep. Over the last week, we had worked with various groups, and finally last night, the software guys restored the full database, accurate as of the last backup.  Whew!

When our system and database were down, we had broadcast to members via Whatgsapps what had happened.  However, some members did not received the announcements, and were lost as to what had happened.  Please check that you have +65 94894360 in your Whatsapp contact list.  My understanding is if we have your mobile tel number and you have ours, you should have received the Whatsapp messages from us.  Did you?

Other members resorted to Facebook to keep contact.  SilverHairsClub facebook is available at https://www.facebook.com/silverhairsclub.singapore.

And finally, some members have asked me for the contact telephone numbers of other fellow members.  The Club maintains the same policy since 2005 that contact details are confidential, and will not be released by the Club to any member. Sorry, I cannot make any exception for anybody, even if the rain fails to stop.

Please help check if anything has been lost.

My apology for the breakdown.  Normal transmission can now resume.

Terence Seah

SilverHairsClub developed its main objective to provide a platform for SilverHairs, over 45, to meet new and more friends. Over the last 9 years, we get to understand our objective better, and whether it has served our efforts.

The Council of Third Age recent survey revealed that many Singaporeans who have left full time work are not able to fulfil their leisure interests because they need to look after their family duties first.

Grand children to look after, keeping the house clean, get ready homecooked food and caring after an ageing family member.  Are you one of those who are unable to participate in SHC activities because you have family duties to do?  What percentage of your SHC friends do you know fall under this category?

Or are you within the 36-45% surveyed that say your reasons for non-participation in leisure activities are due to lack of money or because of age?  The survey added that most seniors prefer to keep to themselvces after they retired and may lack the courage to proactively intereact with others?

Come share your thoughts, even if you have been inactive?  What do you think?  What about you?  Make an effort to share your thots.

Terence Seah