Raising An Ageing Population (Part 3)

Vivian	01:00:02:00	Welcome to the SUSS series of podcasts where we explore ideas, solutions, and collaborations that are making a difference in the lives of individuals, families, communities, and beyond.
Vivian	01:00:16:00	This series features guests who will discuss how we can achieve social impact for the greater good, no matter how big or small.
Vivian	01:00:27:00	Previously on the SUSS series of podcast.
Kaiwen	01:00:31:00	I’m also a part-time student doing the Masters of Gerontology programme. Actually, it benefitted me a lot in terms of knowledge. Ageing is not an abstract thing anymore.
Kaiwen	01:00:39:00	It's not just part of your work, but something that you can really empathise with. It actually enhances your knowledge. And you can understand why seniors see things from a certain angle.
Kaiwen	01:00:48:00	And actually, it really helps me through my work - I can also help to influence other agencies, the different stakeholders I’ve worked with. Why is age-friendly design such an important issue?
Kaiwen	01:00:57:00	And it's true with all this knowledge that I have, I can sort of better put up a case for why you do certain things or not. And personally, I’m also a caregiver, and through the knowledge that I gain, I can learn to better manage, understand, how my care recipients are feeling, and all that. And what kind of services that she can access.
Vivian	01:01:19:00	I think the issue of ageing and ageing population is so real, all of us, or you would know friends that would become caregivers, or we would age as well.
Vivian	01:01:30:00	So I think it's about changing our mindset to make these little changes in our day-to-day lives. That can help change the lives of the elderly as well.
Vivian	01:01:38:00	Dr. Kelvin, when we were having a chat earlier, you mentioned this very interesting term called the longevity economy. I've never heard about that. I've heard about the silver economy or Kaiwen was saying, the silver tsunami.
Vivian	01:01:53:00	But not longevity economy. Can you share with us and tell us more about what this is?
Kelvin	01:01:58:00	Well, the longevity economy is really the economy that we are seeing from the benefits that the baby boomers generation, for example. They are probably in their sixties. They have more savings. They have more time on their hands to travel, to spend money, and to also contribute back in terms of the workforce because some of them could be back from retirement and they want flexible hours. What we call gig economy, for example.
Kelvin	01:02:23:00	So all these build up to a very interesting picture where the economy is not dim because we have older adults forming the weaker population. But rather the older adults are the best consumers of new technologies of new products, of anti-ageing medicine for example, of exercise.
Kelvin	01:02:42:00	Right? So there's so much that's happening. It's just that probably, again, it’s about mindset and understanding better the needs of these older adults. So that's really booming, especially in Singapore, by 2030. There's going to be one in four that will be over 65 years old.
Kelvin	01:03:00:00	And in 2050 it's one in two, so you turn left, you turn right, there is going to be someone who is over 65 years old. So why are we missing out on these opportunities and looking at things more optimistically?
Kaiwen	01:03:14:00	Yeah definitely. I totally agree with you. We should actually look at ageing population in a more positive way. It’s for the same reason I really don't like the term silver tsunami. Because it seems to indicate that there’s this disaster coming on us and there's nothing we can do about it. Instead, we should see how we can leverage it. I mean, besides the economic spin-offs, I think there’s also a social value. I think it's just one small step. When we change our mindsets about seniors to make our society more inclusive.
Kaiwen	01:03:38:00	I think, especially in this COVID, that's a lot of thought about all these societal fault lines that are emerging, social issues, mental health issues. Actually, if you look at it, seniors would become a very important demographic. So first of all, we need to see how our society can be more inclusive towards them. Not just in terms of the city, you know, the urban design all that but also in terms of the programming, the services, even the policies themselves.
Kaiwen	01:04:01:00	And actually that would be a very important step to making our society more inclusive and accepting of other people. You know, who are different from us, they could be persons with special needs, with disabilities, etc., etc. And all this will actually help to contribute to making Singapore a more compassionate society in the future as well.
Kaiwen	01:04:18:00	And I think that is something that a lot of us want Singapore to be. I mean, besides having economic growth and all that, I think building that social compact is also very important going forward.
Vivian	01:04:28:00	I like how the whole issue is pivoted from being seen as a challenge or as something that's very negative.
Vivian	01:04:35:00	But instead, I'm hearing from both of you, it's actually something very positive. It's coming. We need to embrace it more positively, looking at all the benefits, looking at the wider ecosystem, and the benefits that it can bring to the rest of the community as well.
Vivian	01:04:50:00	So that's really a very interesting twist instead of changing the world one life at a time. You're looking at changing many, many lives, and also enabling the seniors to help change the lives of the rest of our community as well.
Kelvin	01:05:03:00	I mean, seniors are a form of social capital, right? So that's why we should look at them as a very important asset.
Kelvin	01:05:09:00	To the whole society, to the whole family. The latest that we are talking about is cyber wellness. We talked about digital literacy only for young people or the youths. But actually, seniors can also embrace technology, right? They can be part of the digital nannies at home.
Kelvin	01:05:28:00	For example, when the parents are busy working and the kids are playing with the computers or games, the seniors could be that extra pair of eyes to help with looking after the kids. If they are equipped with some digital literacy knowledge, they could very well be part of that whole process that would look after the kids better and maybe play games with the kids and build bonds between them because we know that the grandparents and kids are usually quite friendly with each other.
Kelvin	01:05:55:00	That's my own personal experience, right? Where else the parents are always deemed to be the more serious person in the home, taking the disciplinary approach for their own children. Whereas, grandparents will buy things and talk to the kids and always praise them.
Kelvin	01:06:10:00	So maybe we can do more to strengthen that bond, and therefore, show the shine that social capital can do within the family unit. And then in the community, seniors or older adults helping each other, I think that is also possible. And then at the top level, which is the macro level, we are creating the longevity economy.
Kelvin	01:06:31:00	So really this requires everyone to look at things differently, and, to be, appreciating what's happening in life.
Kaiwen	01:06:38:00	And perhaps the easiest way is to start with yourself on an individual basis. I mean, we will all grow old. So perhaps we need to reflect: okay, what do I want to be when I grow old? What are my aspirations? What are my needs?
Kaiwen	01:06:49:00	How do I want people to treat me? How do I want my society to treat me? And that in a way will provide some answers. You really want something more inclusive, some more welcoming for seniors. So I think starting with the individual is really quite important and I think it's very powerful to think of it that way.
Kelvin	01:07:05:00	Exactly. And in the whole process, we are fostering more people to be empathetic to each other, through the whole process of learning and relearning, and applying.
Vivian	01:07:14:00	I like how the takeaway it's really starting from such a simple, but probably the most difficult solution. Looking at yourself, looking at the individual family unit.
Vivian	01:07:24:00	Looking at the immediate neighbourhood and void decks, like what Kaiwen you were saying. (Kaiwen: Yeah correct) In order to create this wave of change in the field of gerontology for our society to cope with an ageing population. So this is really interesting.
Kelvin	01:07:37:00	Exactly. Actually, the void deck is very uniquely Singapore. There are so many things that we can do in a void deck. Right now we have RC centres there. They are teaching cooking classes, maybe some Tai Chi exercises, maybe a garden plot of land for them to grow some of the plants and vegetables. But beyond that, it could be a place for sharing.
Kelvin	01:07:57:00	So it's not just classes, learning and that's it. But really a place where they can interact with each other more and build trust. I think trust is very important, right? I mean, we learned that from some of the forums that we jointly conducted.
Kaiwen	01:08:11:00	Yes, correct. Actually that really resonates with me. I can share an anecdote. I mean I’ve asked an academic before. He did a presentation on social isolation. I said, “what can we do for seniors in Singapore? To get them out of their homes, to interact with people, with the community.” And he said, “Actually, Kaiwen, our infrastructure is very good. I mean, you have to admit it, Singapore, if you compare to other cities, definitely a good infrastructure, good housing, decent housing, decent amenities.”
Kaiwen	01:08:34:00	But what is lacking is that sense of ownership from seniors. So he raised the example of void decks precisely. He said that if we continue to regulate the void decks the way that we do now, we don’t allow any kind of uses, right. Then that becomes really a void space, but rather you can think of void space as an opportunity as having that kind of potential to build community bonds, not just among seniors, but across generations even.
Kaiwen	01:08:58:00	And there's so much potential there because every HDB block in Singapore has a void deck. You don't really need to invest in more fanciful infrastructure and all that. You don't need that. Just the basic things will do. Just give them a space where they can do their own things, build their community bonds and you have it. You’ve solved the issue...almost there.
Kelvin	01:09:18:00	Yea, actually we're helping them to stay healthy through interaction also. Because for example, they need to take care of their brain. That's very important, right. Because if they feed themselves with the right knowledge, learn continuously. This is the brain gym we are talking about right.
Kelvin	01:09:32:00	The more you use your brain, to interact, to talk, to improve your cognitive behaviours because of this interaction. They will feel much more active and much happier. So we are talking about adding life to the years and not adding years to life. I think this is such an evergreen statement and we should always remind ourselves that we have one life.
Kelvin	01:09:53:00	And in this life we should try to make the best out of it and make as many friends as we can. Because this is the way, the community can be much happier and loving and enjoying one another.
Vivian	01:10:03:00	Yeah, it’s really looking at these small changes, making all these small changes around us and our families, in the communities and the void decks (Kaiwen: Yes) and bringing different stakeholders together, the caregivers, the elderly themselves, and their family members or neighbours, right.
Vivian	01:10:18:00	To develop solutions that can help change the environment. And of course, you know work towards a more inclusive community, not just for the elders, but for everyone that is ageing as well.
Kelvin	01:10:31:00	Yeah. And learning to be tolerant of little things that are not perfect. I think this is also very important because Singaporeans sometimes are so stiff, we expect a hundred percent perfect before we go out and do something.
Kelvin	01:10:42:00	Actually, we should try to embrace imperfection. That little, few percent that is not going to make you score A. Doesn't mean that you are a failure. It actually means that you can have a chance to try it out and improve on it. So, therefore, the aspect of respecting each other, creating a dignified life, and also embracing imperfection, should be part of the whole fun of living.
Vivian	01:11:05:00	Now, as it seems, gerontology is not just social science, right? It’s so deeply embedded in the cultural, psychological aspects of things.It’s beyond just a subject, an academic subject. That’s what I'm hearing from all these insights.
Kelvin	01:11:20:00	That's why we encouraged them to come to SUSS and learn with us.
Vivian	01:11:27:00	And they learn together.
Vivian	01:29:18:00	Thank you so much for both your insights.
Kelvin	01:11:31:00	We hope you can join us in our class.
Vivian	01:11:33:00	For sure. For sure I’ll sneak in to listen to one of your classes. (
Vivian	01:11:38:00	Yeah, so thank you very much Kelvin and Kaiwen.
Voice Over	01:11:43:00	You’ve been listening to the SUSS series of podcasts. To find more episodes, visit suss.edu.sg/podcast.

Raising An Ageing Population (Part 3)

TranscriptSpeakers Names: Dr. Kelvin Tan, Wong Kai Wen, Vivian LimClick here for Part 1.Click here for Part 2.

Vivian

01:00:02:00

Welcome to the SUSS series of podcasts where we explore ideas, solutions, and collaborations that are making a difference in the lives of individuals, families, communities, and beyond.

Vivian

01:00:16:00

This series features guests who will discuss how we can achieve social impact for the greater good, no matter how big or small.

Vivian

01:00:27:00

Previously on the SUSS series of podcast.

Kaiwen

01:00:31:00

I’m also a part-time student doing the Masters of Gerontology programme. Actually, it benefitted me a lot in terms of knowledge. Ageing is not an abstract thing anymore.

Kaiwen

01:00:39:00

It's not just part of your work, but something that you can really empathise with. It actually enhances your knowledge. And you can understand why seniors see things from a certain angle.

Kaiwen

01:00:48:00

And actually, it really helps me through my work - I can also help to influence other agencies, the different stakeholders I’ve worked with. Why is age-friendly design such an important issue?

Kaiwen

01:00:57:00

Vivian

01:01:19:00

I think the issue of ageing and ageing population is so real, all of us, or you would know friends that would become caregivers, or we would age as well.

Vivian

01:01:30:00

So I think it's about changing our mindset to make these little changes in our day-to-day lives. That can help change the lives of the elderly as well.

Vivian

01:01:38:00

Dr. Kelvin, when we were having a chat earlier, you mentioned this very interesting term called the longevity economy. I've never heard about that. I've heard about the silver economy or Kaiwen was saying, the silver tsunami.

Vivian

01:01:53:00

But not longevity economy. Can you share with us and tell us more about what this is?

Kelvin

01:01:58:00

Kelvin

01:02:23:00

So all these build up to a very interesting picture where the economy is not dim because we have older adults forming the weaker population. But rather the older adults are the best consumers of new technologies of new products, of anti-ageing medicine for example, of exercise.

Kelvin

01:02:42:00

Right? So there's so much that's happening. It's just that probably, again, it’s about mindset and understanding better the needs of these older adults. So that's really booming, especially in Singapore, by 2030. There's going to be one in four that will be over 65 years old.

Kelvin

01:03:00:00

And in 2050 it's one in two, so you turn left, you turn right, there is going to be someone who is over 65 years old. So why are we missing out on these opportunities and looking at things more optimistically?

Kaiwen

01:03:14:00

Kaiwen

01:03:38:00

Kaiwen

01:04:01:00

Kaiwen

01:04:18:00

And I think that is something that a lot of us want Singapore to be. I mean, besides having economic growth and all that, I think building that social compact is also very important going forward.

Vivian

01:04:28:00

I like how the whole issue is pivoted from being seen as a challenge or as something that's very negative.

Vivian

01:04:35:00

But instead, I'm hearing from both of you, it's actually something very positive. It's coming. We need to embrace it more positively, looking at all the benefits, looking at the wider ecosystem, and the benefits that it can bring to the rest of the community as well.

Vivian

01:04:50:00

So that's really a very interesting twist instead of changing the world one life at a time. You're looking at changing many, many lives, and also enabling the seniors to help change the lives of the rest of our community as well.

Kelvin

01:05:03:00

I mean, seniors are a form of social capital, right? So that's why we should look at them as a very important asset.

Kelvin

01:05:09:00

To the whole society, to the whole family. The latest that we are talking about is cyber wellness. We talked about digital literacy only for young people or the youths. But actually, seniors can also embrace technology, right? They can be part of the digital nannies at home.

Kelvin

01:05:28:00

Kelvin

01:05:55:00

That's my own personal experience, right? Where else the parents are always deemed to be the more serious person in the home, taking the disciplinary approach for their own children. Whereas, grandparents will buy things and talk to the kids and always praise them.

Kelvin

01:06:10:00

Kelvin

01:06:31:00

So really this requires everyone to look at things differently, and, to be, appreciating what's happening in life.

Kaiwen

Transcript

Speakers Names: Dr. Kelvin Tan, Wong Kai Wen, Vivian Lim

Click here for Part 1.
Click here for Part 2.