How some seniors embrace active ageing
SINGAPORE — He took his first plunge as a skydiver in Cairns, Australia, when he was 71, an act which earned Mr Tan Kok Sing a place in the Singapore Book of Records.
Since then, the 89-year-old retiree has skydived two more times, and has also gone white-water rafting twice.
If all goes well in October, Mr Tan will see his name a second time in the Singapore Book of Records — as part of the first three-generation family to skydive at the same time.
A former manager of an import-export company, Mr Tan first started exercising regularly after taking up a desk-bound job which left his knees “stiff and painful at the end of each work day”.
He also started jogging and basketball clubs in Tiong Bahru in his late 40s, and used to lead a group of youths for weekly morning runs at the Botanic Gardens. Although knee problems have hampered his daily running routine, Mr Tan still exercises for at least one hour daily.
A well-known exercise advocate in his Tiong Bahru neighbourhood, Mr Tan said he also “challenges” his friends to set exercise milestones, such as doing 30 sit-ups in a minute.
“I used to treat my jogging partners to tea and breakfast after our 12-km Sunday runs. It costs about S$100 a month, but I am happy to do it so we can keep fit together,” he told TODAY in Mandarin.
While exercise keeps Mr Tan going strong in retirement, Madam Simone Lim, in her late 60s, has gone back to school not just to keep herself occupied, but also to realise her dream of getting a degree. Mdm Lim, who is pursuing a general studies degree at SIM University, said: “There was no opportunity to further my education when I was young. So, this is a form of self-achievement too.”
The retiree, who used to work as a flight stewardess and passenger relations officer with the Singapore Airlines (SIA), finds video creation and digital skills as the most interesting subjects in her course as they help her to “communicate better with the young people”.
While academia may not be for everyone, it is important to keep mentally and physically active through various ways, she said. “Some learn from books, others are good with their hands. The key is to stay interested, stay relevant and connected, and also to be current and in touch with our younger generation.” KELLY NG
