Last week, I was at Hougang Mall, near my home. While sitting around to have some fish balls with my son, I was approached by a young girl conducting a survey.
She asked, "Sir, can I do a survey about the shopping mall?". I said "sure". She then started to ask me if I live around the mall, and if I shop regularly here. I replied "yes" to all.
Then, she started to ask me for my profile. To make it easy, she then showed me the survey form, and asked me to tick the age profile. I chose "50 – 55". She then replied "Sir, I am sorry as I have reached the quota for this age group". I glanced briefly at the tallied results, and indeed, the highest group surveyed was "50 – 55".
She then walked away, and started to approach other passer-bys.
Terence Seah
Well…. It signifies one thing. There are too many of them in this age category that have nothing better to do but to hang around shopping mall in order not to get involves in quarrel with their family. Not funny but sad cases, that what is life can be if you do not plan properly in earlier days.
Ronald Lee
well we need not feel sad (though there will be such moments just do not dwell in it), society is so, it just goes round. I feel so long we keep ourselves healthy, doing things we like at this age {smile} and keep our heads up. ENJOY!
Nowadays, they also have surveys targeted at U-grads…
Let’s cheer each other onwards & forwards!
I definitely look forward to my SilverHairs years. It’s just the same feeling when I was called “Uncle” some few years back, by another guy whom I thought was the same age as me.
Great Ha ha to myself.
“when I was called “Uncle” by Terence”.
A good suggestion is that before the someone (the one whom you think is of the same age or otherwise) greet you the next time, dont give him any chance. Simple address him as “brother”. He will definitely feel different and call you the same.
When they call me “uncle”, I will correct them immediately. I m just one of those with very thick skin.
ST Forum , 3 rd Oct – Homeless Elderly .
On my journey, I saw other elderly people, who should have been enjoying their retirement, sweeping roads, selling tissues beside the MRT station, and even searching in filthy trash bins (that most people would not want to touch) for discarded tin cans to add to their heavy and newspaper-laden carts, that they could then sell for a measly amount of money.
Singapore, as it is now, was not built in a day, but rather on the backs of our grandparents, many who slaved with brick and stone to build our beautiful island nation. We are reaping the bountiful fruits of our elders’ labour, and should not repay them with disregard and ignorance, in a situation in which some elderly folk have to collect and sell unwanted cardboard boxes just to eat their three, or even just two meals a day.
This is not a hasty generalisation that all elderly people are in this dire situation. There are many filial families who provide the best they can to ensure their elders can rightfully enjoy their old age. However, there are some elderly Singaporeans, many of whom do not have or have been rejected by their own family, who live below the poverty line and have to do jobs that most of us reject as ‘low class’.
Something must be done to rectify this problem. I strongly feel that every elderly citizen should be allowed to make the best of his old age, whether he ha has a family to support him or not, because it is only right that we pay them back what they have sacrificed for this country.
Perhaps we can implement some sort of pension fund for the elderly who do not have any money, and give them more financial benefits. Whatever works, it is apparent that this has to be solved ASAP.
For a start, we can ensure that all elderly people at least have a home, so they are not forced to sleep on benches with newspapers for a blanket, with some of the ‘lucky’ ones pitching a tent and calling it home.
Chiew Kok Weng
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I wonder, 20 years from now, after the IR has made all its profits from everyone, how many homeless elderly there may out there ( may not be due to their actions solely , but other family members). I think the Government has to lease a piece of land in Johore to create a refugee centre (at the very least) to house the increasing number of Homeless Elderlies of the Concrete Jungle of Singapore, with the huge reserve as a token appreciation of our elderlies which our society has forgotten.
Hopefully people will still call me Uncle , 20 years from now and not something else.
ha…ha… that’s funny. I’ve learnt something.
Don’t worry about age or look, as long as we feel young and stay healthy, we can still consider good for our age.
Hi Ronald Wi,
I think elsewhere the same, huh.
If you can solve the elderly problem. We can make you the world governor to resolve this issue.
Ha…ha….
Hi Terence,
The reason why the survey have reached the quota for 50-55 is highly likely that many of these person are jobless. Latest survey indicated we had the best employment rate in 15 years!! – and especially those in age group 55-60. This likely imply that many able bodied are jobless. Those in age group 55-60 most likely are in jobs like KFC chicken fryer, Macdonald outlets, hawker centre cleaning… Many of these aged folks especially those above the age of 60 should be really retiring but the situation is so bad that they have no choice to get the family going while the younger and abled is searching for job relevant to their education and experience. We should be reading more into statistics.
Thank you everybody for the positive words. We should look forward to our SilverHairs years.
I guess complaining about the lack of opportunities and the cost of living through our retirement is not going to help us.
By now, I hope you will see that the SilverHairsClub can be an opportunity to make our SilverHairs years more vibrant and meaningful. So, if you have got something you want to do, share it with us. There are many other SilverHairs reading this website, and waiting on the sidelines to join you too.
I was at my niece’s place last Saturday. She showed me some of the craft she has learnt and done plus books on these topics.
Not only can one be kept busy doing something you like – these pieces of craftwork can be given to friends as gifts, decorate your home or even provide you with some income by selling them.
There is much life after retirement if we are mentally, physically fit and finances planned. Life can be fulfilling and happy if you can be content with what you have and live within your means.
Right now, I am happy that I have made new friends, try out new things like cycling, (thanks to Yew Kwong and the 1)cycling group for their patience and encouragement) 2)going on a no frill trip to Chiangmai – apprehensive, yet very excited about it (thanks to Terence and Sompho for organising this trip) 3)learning about investment (thanks to “Ronalds” [Wi&Lee] & others) 4)yet to start lesson on Net selling (yew Kwong)and photography (Benson).
Am also glad to have the opportunity to enjoy walks to different parts of Singapore and also meeting up at monthly gathering. There will be more activities to make me happier. Life is exciting isn’t it?
Cheers
There are life, enjoyment, funs and opportunities for people in our age group.
Being able to open up ourselves to get to know and learn one from one another is important. Being able to step forward and take up new challenges is even more important.
As long as we dont nail ourselves to keep out of this world better, life is always full of good meanings and rare opportunities to explore and discover.
It is not how long or short we should live but it just about how we are going to live it meaningfully.
cheers