Hope Springs

HopeSpringsA publication of Bethesda Care & Counselling Services Centre

April 2011 MICA (P) 163/04/2011

Being an Active Senior

Editorial NoteWrinkles are not friends. Especially those that appear in places you least want them to. Someone once told me this, that “you don’t wake up one day and discover you look fifty.” This was an advice from a lady in her fifities herself, to remind me to sleep early, eat properly, and cut the late nights, while I am still young.

Yet, no matter the extent we take to care for ourselves, we know we can’t prevent the signs of ageing from creeping up on us. But what we can do, as we’ve heard so often, is to ‘age gracefully’ with time.

More often than not, while we learn to embrace the visible exterior changes that is taking place to our bodies, what tends to be overlooked is the growth of the unseen inner self. I find it extremely important to pause from time to time and ask myself “how is my inner self growing with time?”, especially when the times we are living in gives so much emphasis on the external.

I had a chance to talk to a few senior members in this issue. Despite not having the same level of physical energy, mobility, health and independence as in their younger days, it is remarkable that they are not allowing the quality of life to dull away with time.

They are “ageing actively” - a now familiar household term that was mooted by The Council of Third Age, established more than three years ago by the Ministerial Committee of Ageing. Its goal is to promote the idea of living an active lifestyle, and that seniors can have choices as to how they want to live their golden years. This is definitely an important consideration with Singapore being one of the fastest ageing populations in Asia.

But what exactly does active ageing look like? For some of us, it may be a question that has yet to cross our minds. For me, I drew some clues from the seniors whose stories are written in this issue…

AmberStaff of Bethesda Care & Counselling Services Centre

300 Bedok North Ave 3 Singapore 469717 Tel: 6445 1500 Fax: 6443 0733www.bccsc.org

ContentsThe Cutting Age 04Aunty Rosalind shares how she keeps up with the changing timesUncle Victor Yap is in love with playing the ukulele and singing

The Silent Voices 08Stories of seniors who persevered through the years of pain and hardship

The Active Seniors Group 06The weekly senior group meeting

The Mayor’s Visit 07Mr. Matthias Yao’s visit to BCCSC

Bursary Awards 10Students received bursary awards for their hardwork

300 Bedok North Ave 3 Singapore 469717 Tel: 6445 1500 Fax: 6443 0733www.bccsc.org

CuttingThe

AgeOver 70 and living an active lifestyle, Aunty Rosalind and Uncle Victor share some of their insights to ageing.

Aunty RosalindTalking with Aunty Rosalind reminded me of my Secondary School teacher. Through our hour-long conversation, I soon found out that she has indeed been a teacher for more than 30 years before retirement. The charisma remains in her poised demeanor.

At 76 years old, she is currently living with the youngest of her three daughters, and enjoys spending time playing and interacting with her grandchildren. From indoor activities like board games to outdoor ball games and treasure hunting, she would join in to play with the children as much as she can. That has become a way for her to increase her daily bodily movements.

While age can be a really sensitive issue to some women, Aunty Rosalind seems rather comfortable talking about it. In fact, she shared with me, “I find my post-retirement years very enriching,” she said, “this is the (only) time which I have less restrictions.” She calls this time her “self-time”, which she described as having the flexibility and freedom to engage in meaningful activities, after her children have grown up and are able to take

care of themselves.

So how does she spend the “self-time”?

“I read,” she said, “I spend a lot of time reading and reflecting.” And she reads a large variety of literature everyday.

“I also find that friends are very important,” she continued. “I still meet up with my (teacher) friends whom I worked together with in the past. I am thankful for these relationships.”

“We turn not older with years, but

newer every day.” ~ Emily Dickinson

Aunty Rosalind,

76.

4 Bethesda Care & Counselling Services Centre | Hope Springs

CuttingThe

Age“I travel, too. It is one of the ways of keeping up with the changing times,” she added.

She also shared of her experience volunteering at Orange Valley nursing home in December last year with a group of friends, to help enrich the lives of others who are older and more in need than herself.

“I am thankful my body is still okay, and these are just little ways I can serve,” she admits humbly.

Uncle VictorDressed neatly his shirt and pants, Uncle Victor hovered around the walkway at my office and waited for our interview session. I had just barely finished my lunch when I saw this uncle pacing around with a ukulele in his hands. It was his straw hat that caught my attention actually. After introducing myself, he expressed a kind gesture to buy me coffee.

You can make a fairly good guess of someone’s age by the things he says sometimes. And for Uncle Victor, our conversation started with the unforgettable experiences during the Second World War. “I was really young then, and was forced to be in the sun for long hours,” he said. He remembered the fear-filled days as a young boy, and described some of the memories vividly as we spoke.

Over the years, Uncle Victor worked in a British trading company, till before he retired. He shared openly about his family, his lovely wife and four children.

Now, at 77 years old, Uncle Victor has learnt to build a lifestyle that helps him to sustain his strength and stimulate his mind. To keep himself healthy and refreshed, he wakes up early and starts his day with light exercises in the neighbourhood. Then, at 7am, he would spend some time on personal reading. If he needs to get to places where distance is manageable, he

would consider cycling to the destination.

Uncle Victor also has a passion for music. Twice a week, he joins the ukulele interest group where members play songs together. It was through this class that he was acquainted with and fell in love with the four-string instrument.

And with what he has learnt, he has found a place to share his passion. On a regular basis, Uncle Victor volunteers at the New Horizon Centre, the Alzheimer’s Disease Association, bringing cheer to the patients there through songs.

Though the inevitable failings of physical health and vision do slow him down, he said “I find that the lyrics of songs do help keep my memory going. In fact, I sing because I believe it helps to prevent dementia!”

With such a purpose-filled lifestyle, what is it that keeps him going?

“The opportunity to encourage others and make a difference in their lives,” he said, “helping people makes life meaningful.”

Uncle Victor, 77.

5Bethesda Care & Counselling Services Centre | Hope Springs

The Active Seniors GroupFor twice a week, a group of active seniors will gather for Line Dancing. Started in 2005, the group has grown from 15 members to the current average of 50 attendees weekly.Besides Line Dancing, other interest groups include ukulele-playing, table tennis and Karaoke singing.

If you are keen to find out more about the activities of this group or know someone who might be keen, please contact ____

Photos: Top: The weekly line-dance group session. Below: Seniors enjoying a time of karaoke. Right corner: Food is prepared weekly by various seniors themselves. Left corner: A common sight of members conversing over a meal.

If you are keen to find out more on the activities of the active seniors group, please call BCCSC at 6445 1500. 6 Bethesda Care & Counselling Services Centre | Hope Springs

Mayor’s visit to BCCSCLate last year, Mr Matthias Yao, Deputy Speaker of Parliament & Mayor of South East District, visited BCCSC and a cluster of other social welfare organizations in the east zone. Present together with him were five other staff from the Southeast Community Development Council (CDC). During the friendly two-hour visit, Mr Yao interacted with the children at the Integrated Special Student Care Centre, as well as witnessed the daily behind-the-scenes work of the Meals-On-Wheels Service.

He also took the opportunity to mingle with the active seniors group, who were having their usual weekly karaoke session. Without hesitation, he sportingly joined in and sang a song with the enthusiasts upon invitation. The visit concluded with an engaging time of interaction and discussion on relevent and current issues in the community with the staff members of BCCSC.

BCCSC is delighted to receive the visit of Mr Yao, and we appreciate his time spent interacting with members of the community and staff members. After 20 years in politics and being the Mayor of South East District since 2004, Mr Yao will be stepping down from his role and office. We are truly thankful and appreciative of the warm support he has given us during his term of service.


For Mr Mak, 81, life is not rosy. In 1988, he suffered a stroke which greatly affected his mobility and left him walking with a limp. The effects of the illness also cost him his job as a chef, and a few years passed before he was capable of working again. In 1991, Mr Mak found a job as a janitor at Tanah Merah MRT Station, and worked till he was retrenched in early 1998. He was referred to BCCSC’s Home Help Services when he started to experience difficulties in preparing food for himself and going for medical appointments.

Single and never married, Mr Mak depended on volunteers to deliver meals to his door-step everyday. When he became better two years later, Mr Mak became a volunteer himself to deliver meals to others who were in need, while also working as a general janitor in Bethesda (Bedok-Tampines) Church to help ease his financial burdens.

Mr Mak’s story and struggles is not uncommon amongst the other frail and elderly members under the care of BCCSC. Many face similar challenges in caring for themselves in their old age.

Mr Mak

Silent T h e

VoicesResilience in psychology is defined as the positive capacity of people to cope with life’s stress and adversity. Our next stories are just a snap shot of the bittersweet ordeals that many elderly members are experiencing daily in the community. Here, “active ageing” takes on a different meaning. Yet through the hardship, streaks of commendable resilience shone through the times of trouble.


Despite the hard knocks in life, Senior Social Worker Ms Lim recognises a quiet and resilient strength in him.

“He does not allow himself to become desolate even though life is hard for him,” she says, “in fact, he told me once that ‘as long as I have hands and legs, I will work and make a living.’” The previous employer also commended that he was a hardworking man, and even worked in the rain, until someone told him to stop.

For many years, Mdm Soh Ah Eng suffered from a basal ganglia bleeding, a condition where bleeding occurs in an area of the brain responsible for body movements, sensation, speech and personality. The infirmity caused her to be wheel-chair bound and dependent on medication, and the stroke took away her ability to talk and communicate. In October 2007, her husband passed away when he went out to buy food for the family, leaving her and their only child to provide for themselves. Her daughter was only 17 then, and was struggling to cope with her ‘O’ Levels examinations.

Needing help in such adversity and stress, Mdm Soh was referred to BCCSC for the Meals-on-Wheels service by The Salvation Army, while attending the day rehabilitation service there. The meals helped to meet the basic needs while the family grieved and adjusted to the circumstances.

When she was first admitted to the rehab service in 2007, she was wheel-chair bound and not able to talk. But Mdm Soh continued to receive therapy from the service, six hours a day for five days a week. She held on to the hope of recovering. Now, even though she is still dependent on the wheel-chair for movement, the social worker in-charge observed that she is now able to lift her own body slightly. “She can talk now,” says the social worker in-charge, “she wasn’t able to do that in the past. I told her it is such a big progress she has made.”

“As long as I have hands and legs, I will work and

make a living.”- Mr Mak

Mdm Soh

To find out more on BCCSC’s Home Help Services, please call 6445 1500 or visit www.bccsc.org.


On 9th December 2010, 101 primary school students and 78 secondary school students received their bursary awards from our Guest-of-Honor, Mr Rick Adams, Director and Senior Vice President of Conocophillips International Inc., as well as Dr Peng Chung Mien, Vice Chairman of BCCSC. Graciously present were also Mrs Marcia Adams, and the team of staff from Conocophillips. As eager parents waited eagerly to take a snap shot of their child receiving the award for their hard work in school through the year, the recepients adjusted their uniforms, hoping to look their best for the occasion. They were selected not based solely on financial considerations but also by merit in good academic achievements.

A total amount of $51,400 were awarded to these students from 34 different schools located mainly in the eastern district of Singapore. We saw the highest number of applicants for the awards compared to previous years. These bursary awards help to ease the burdens of the costs of education for the low-income families, and also encouraged the students to continue to purse good academic achievements. Part of the awards were supported by a generous donation from Conocophillips International Inc. BCCSC is thankful for their partnership and contribution to the bursaries for the students.

Bursary Awards

A student receiving his bursary from Mr Rick Adams, Director and Senior VP of ConocoPhillips International Inc.


Do-na-

tion PageTo: Bethesda Care & Counselling Services Centre c/o: Admin Officer Fax: 6443 0733 Address: 300 Bedok North Ave 3 Singapore 469717

Y My gift for BCCSC is c $200 c $100 c $50 c $______________

Y I enclose my cheque made payable to Bethesda Care & Counselling Services Centre Bank ________________ Cheque No. ________________

Y I would like to help out with the services for: c Children c Elderly c Family

c Others _________________________ (please indicate)

Plea

se fi

ll in

your

par

ticul

ars Dr / Mr / Ms / Mdm / Mrs___________________________________

IC No. ____________________ Contact No.__________________

Address ________________________________________________

_______________________________ Postal Code _______________

Email __________________________________________________

Every $50 you give goes towards a bag

of basic monthly rations for a family.

Every $120 you give goes towards two

meals for an elderly for a month.

Every $200 you give goes towards an annual bursary

award for a primary school student.

I Want To Help!


Thingswith the elderly members at home

you can do 107Plant a seed or start gardening! It has been shown that gardening has many health and therapeutic benefits for seniors and elderly members. It helps to increase level of physical activity,engages motor skills and promotes relaxation.

5If walks are appropriate, regular strolls can be fun and refreshing. If the senior has been inactive, you may seek advice from a physical therapist for appropriate exercise suggestions.

10 Volunteer to do community work! Volunteering is one of the activity ideas that brings the most personal satisfaction to some elderly members. If possible, ad hoc projects over a weekend can also foster family relationships.

If language permits, set up a facebook account and teach them how to use it!

1

8 Learn a new musical instrument or sing oldies! Show them Grandma Mary’s website (www.grandmamaryrockscom/) to inspire them!

2 For the frail seniors, figurine-making with soft clay or Play-Doh can help to strengthen their hands. 3

Games can help to stimulate the minds of elderly members. Some enjoy playing Scrabble, Rummikub or card games.

4Talk to them. A research institution found that 10 minutes of conversation with a friend worked just as well as elderly activities involving brain games, like crossword puzzles to strengthen the memory.

6Introduce a new gadget! Ipads, iphones, and digital cameras are not just a novelty to young people. It may open new avenues to foster conversations and sharing.

9 Remind them that learning never stops! Select TV programmes that can help to widen their horizon, such as Discovery Channel, Travel Channel or Animal Planet.


Hope Springs

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