SOCIAL MEDIA - RESIST IT AT YOUR OWN PERIL

For more on the activities during Social Media Week, click here.

Today was Day 1 of the World Bloggers and Social Media Summit 2012 at PWTC. Learned a lot that I am eager to apply, and made some new friends. Social media is still pretty much dominated by Generation Y. Here's a video that was shared at one of the panel discussions.



The social media revolution is happening all around us. Like it or not, it is here to stay. Resistance is futile. When your adult children and your grandchildren all have Twitter, Facebook and Skype accounts, and you don't, you will be missing out on all the shared news, photos and videos, especially from family members overseas.

And if you own a business, it's imperative that you learn to harness the extensive reach of social media to promote and market your product. The survival and success of your business depends on it.

We are never too old to change and learn new ways of doing things.

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ARE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS KILLING CREATIVITY?

Eric Johansson. Who? He's the Photoshop wiz kid behind all those incredibly realistic photo images that were circulating on the internet last year.

Digital photography has become increasingly popular with retirees. Many of my retired friends have taken up the hobby seriously. They attend classes, and think nothing of spending thousands of ringgit on cameras and photography equipment.

If you would like to know how Eric produces these absolutely awesome photos, watch this TED Talk video. You can also visit Eric's photo gallery to view his portfolio. You will be completely bowled over by his work. To quote Eric, "All the tools are out there, the only thing limiting us is our imagination." So true!



And while on the subject of imagination and creativity, here's another video that explains why our public schools (not just those in the US) are "killing creativity".



If it's been a long time since you had a peek into a typical Malaysian classroom, be my guest:

A class of students in passive learning mode. A picture of UTTER BOREDOM that's stifling creativity. Not the kind of environment that would produce a Steve Jobs or an Eric Johansson.

Parents (and grandparents) will have to take an active interest in what goes on in our schools to ensure that our education system does not kill the natural creativity in our children. When you have a curriculum that does not engage the children, and teachers that do not inspire or motivate them to think and be creative, we will have a future generation of robots who will be running the economy and the country. What a frightful thought!

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Queen Elizabeth II - a lifetime on the throne

If you grew up in the 1950s, you would remember Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1952. As Malaya was still under British rule at the time, the occasion was marked with celebrations in my hometown of Batu Pahat. Up till 1957 when Malaya gained independence, QE's portrait would grace our classrooms and all the government buildings.

Queen E, 86, and Prince Philip, 90
attending a church service on 6 Feb.

Now at age 86, QE is entering her 61st year on the throne. 6 February marked her diamond jubilee. It was celebrated with all the pomp and pageantry deserving of a much-loved monarch. Looking at her latest pictures, one just has to marvel at how gracefully she has aged over the years. I can't help comparing her with my mom. Both women are the same age. While my mom is beginning to show signs of physical frailty and Alzheimer's, QE spent the auspicious day meeting her people and visiting a primary school and a kindergarten. Videos of her show her walking unaided, with 90-year old Prince Philip a step behind her, still looking handsome and regal.

Official photo of the royal couple to mark the diamond jubilee.



A fresh face, young princess at 19. Photo taken in 1945. Ah, we were all young and pretty once upon a time!



King George VI with Princess Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret,
at Windsor Castle July 8, 1946

All photos from the Daily Mail. To view more photos and read the reports, go to http://bit.ly/ybArTg

Official website of the British Monarchy at http://www.royal.gov.uk/

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THE 10 QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR DOCTOR

Banner from Agency for Healthcare and Quality website.

SeniorsAloud regularly receives mail from overseas, especially from the US, UK, Canada and Australia. The latest email that came in this morning had a request to share a link with our community of seniors. I have checked out the website and found the contents educational and of particular relevance to us. Here's the link: http://www.ahrq.gov/. Agency for Healthcare and Quality(AHRQ) is an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services.

The site is full of useful health information, and I recommend that you visit it. For this blog post, I have selected to highlight the article "Questions are the Answer". It addresses an issue that so many of us seniors here in Malaysia and Singapore are familiar with - a reluctance to ask our doctors for more information.

Do watch this 7-minute video above that features patients and clinicians discussing the importance of asking questions and sharing information. You can also access the video at http://www.ahrq.gov/questions/video/waitroom/

Perhaps it's to do with our Asian culture of keeping quiet especially when in the presence of someone of authority like doctors. We put doctors on a high pedestal. We kow-tow to them. So who are we to question them? They are busy people with little time to listen to us. Besides, we don't want to show our ignorance with our questions. Never mind that we don't quite understand their explanations or instructions, or that we have some fears and doubts to raise about our medical condition.

And so we let pass the opportunity to ask questions while in the doctor's room, only to go home and berate ourselves for not asking what all these prescription drugs are for, if it's okay to take them together with traditional medicines, or what the side effects are, if any. We call up the clinic. We would be lucky if our call gets through. And if it does, chances are the nurse will inform us the doctor is with a patient and can't take our call.

So the next time you see your doctor, bring up any questions that are troubling you. Better communication between you and your doctor leads to better care for you.

Here are the 10 questions you might want to ask your doctor, as suggested by AHRQ. The list is by no means exhaustive.

1. What is the test for?
2. How many times have you done this procedure?
3. When will I get the results?
4. Why do I need this treatment?
5. Are there any alternatives?
6. What are the possible complications?
7. Which hospital is best for my needs?
8. How do you spell the name of that drug?
9. Are there any side effects?
10. Will this medicine interact with medicines that I'm already taking?

The site also features other tips and tools. Healthcare workers will find plenty of free downloads and printouts to share with their patients and clients.

20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors 

What Preventive Tests Do Men Need?

Be More Involved in Your Healthcare

Thank you, Sarah Mars, for pointing SeniorsAloud to this great website.

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AM I JUST FORGETFUL OR DO I HAVE DEMENTIA?

Me, my mom, my elder daughter and my
mom's four great-grandkids at Dementia
Homecare Centre during a recent CNY visit,

When the doctor told me last March that my mother had dementia, the news wasn't exactly a shock. My mother had become increasingly forgetful over the past months, and acting peculiar. Initially I put it down as part of ageing. After all, she was 85 at the time. Moreover, she could answer all three questions I asked her. This was a tip from my neighbour, a retired registered nurse. If my mom could give her age, full name and the names of all her children, she was okay.

My mom passed this simple test, and so I let the matter rest. Everything changed after she fell and broke her hip on 6 March 2011. During her 10-day stay at the hospital after the hip surgery, the doctors and nurses noticed signs of dementia in my mother. One of her doctors recommended that she see a geriatrician. To cut the story short, Dr Philip Poi of UMSC confirmed my mom had dementia.

My mother was subjected to several tests. One of them was the clock test. It's simple and can be done at home. If you suspect your elderly parent might have AD, ask him to draw a clock and fill in all the numbers. You may be surprised at the result.

If you have noticed certain signs of absent-mindedness, but you are not quite sure of these are early signs of Alzheimer's, you can take this test below. A ‘yes’ is given a score of one or two and a ‘no’ always scores zero, giving a maximum possible score of 27.

A score of less than five suggests there is no cause for concern, five to 14 suggests mild cognitive impairment or early stages of Alzheimer's, and a score higher than 14 could denote the person may already have AD.

21-question test for Alzheimer's. Click on Daily Mail for a bigger and clearer image.

By the way, what's the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's Disease? Dementia refers to symptoms of forgetfulness that may impact a person's daily functioning (see table above). AD is a specific type of dementia. It is the most common and affects mainly people aged 65 and above.

In my mom's case, she was constantly checking the calendar and the clock, wandering around the house even in the middle of the night and repeating stories umpteen times to the extent I had to rescue whoever she happened to be chatting with. She couldn't remember if she had taken her pills, showered or washed her hair. She forgot where she kept her things and often blamed the maid for stealing them. Fortunately the maid took her accusations as a symptom of dementia. These were some of the changes I noticed in my mom as her dementia progressed.

AD is incurable. But there are ways to slow down the advance. Do a Google or Youtube search, and you will be inundated by the number of links and videos that show up. The challenge is finding the most reliable recommendation. I can only share what the doctors have recommended for my mother.

You can check out the daycare centre where my mom spent three months last year at the link below. Lots of pictures of the place. If you have a loved one who has dementia, I highly recommend this centre in PJ. It is in Section 11, across the road from Universiti Hospital. Email me at seniorsaloud@gmail.com if you want to know more about the facilities and the caregiving services there.

The centre is holding a talk by a caregiver this Saturday at its premises. It is a good opportunity to learn more about dementia and AD, and also check out the place.

Related articles:

A DAYCARE CENTRE THAT'S LIKE A SECOND HOME

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THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR RETIREMENT HOMES

The special report in Saturday's Straits Times is of interest to retirees. The report which spreads over eight broadsheet pages centres on retirement living, and gives readers an insight into the advances made in retirement living in the Netherlands, the US and the UK.

Watching telly (or dozing off) in an.old folks home.

The very mention of retirement homes here in Malaysia and Singapore invariably conjures up a picture of an old bungalow cramped with elderly people in various stages of mental decline and physical decrepitude, and requiring nursing care. Certainly there are old folks homes, welfare homes, nursing homes and hospices, each offering different services, and each catering to a different group of people.

However, the distinction must be made between these establishments and retirement homes. The latter, as these pictures below show (taken by Radha Basu of Straits Times), are for retirees who are still active and independent. It is an example of communal living with all the comforts of home.

GROUP LUNCH: Residents in Hampstead House, an Abbeyfield Society home, tucking into a meal prepared by an in-house cook.

In a small home outside Rotterdam. Nothing beats having your own room
surrounded by your favourite things. (Photo: Radha Basu of Straits Times)

In the communal living room. The cosy ambience makes group homes in the Netherlands feel just like home. (Photo: Radha Basu of Straits Times)

Residents at Humanitas facilities enjoy amenities such as a hair salon, gym and supermarket. They can also take part in 40 different activities spread out across the week. (Photo: Straits Times)

For a myriad of personal reasons, there are elderly parents who would rather live on their own than move in with their adult children. But living on their own at that age puts them at risk. What if something happens to them?

Communal living offers the ideal solution. It can be in an apartment block, in a housing enclave, or in a huge bungalow. The residents enjoy the comfort and privacy of their own room. And if they want some company, there are friends in the next room or on the same floor. There are activities to keep them engaged, if they are interested. Or they can choose to go out alone or with friends. They have the freedom to come and go, to mingle with others or be left alone.

Putrajaya is an ideal location for a retirement home.
But getting the land for it is an impossible dream.

Sure, retirement living such as the above comes with a certain price tag. Not everyone can afford it. But an increasing number of baby boomers now in their 60s, have enough put aside to invest in spending the rest of their days in a retirement home.

Unfortunately, housing developers in Singapore and Malaysia are hesitant about investing billions in such ventures. They still hold to the view that Asian culture and values do not encourage such living arrangements, and therefore, there is no market for such independent housing for the elderly.

So the wait for a retirement home here continues...


Related articles:

A Retirement Home Or A Retirement Village?

Housing Options for the Retirement Years

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DOWN MEMORY LANE AT THE STAR'S PRESS PHOTO EXHIBITION

Today I spent the entire afternoon checking out two press photo exhibitions. First up was the Star's "Capturing Malaysia Through the Years" press photo exhibition at Galeri Petronas. The selection of photos covers the categories Newsmakers, Arts and Society, Sports, and Conflicts and Disasters.

If you are into photography, or enjoy a bit of nostalgia, head downtown for the exhibition. Here are four photos that should get you interested in checking out the rest.



Enjoying the simple life in his twilight years. Our first PM Tunku pictured here in his favourite rocking chair in his Penang home.(Photo: Lim Hong Leong 1986)

PM Najib (then the Defence Minister) and his wife singing at a dinner to raise funds for charity. (Photo: Michael Goh 1981)

The old Cathay cinema in Bukit Bintang. Queues like this were common for popular movies. We didn't mind the hours of waiting just to get those hot tickets, especially for blockbusters and X-rated movies! (Photo captured from TV screen at the photo exhibition.)

The older ones among us will remember the 1970s when X-rated movies were regularly screened. Those were liberal times. (Photo: Gary Leong)

As the World Press Photo Exhibition was just a stone's throw away at the KL Convention Centre, I decided to check it out too. It was well worth the extra hour I spent there.

This exhibition runs till 12 Feb. Admission is free. It's not often Malaysians get an opportunity to view award-winning photos selected from over 108,059 entries in the world press photography contest 2011. There are nine categories ranging from News to Nature.

I have one complaint though, and I made it known to the staff on duty. Visitors who wanted to watch the recorded interviews with some of the photojournalists had to stand for half an hour in front of the TV set. How difficult is it for the organizers to place a couple of benches there so that visitors, especially senior citizens, can enjoy the interviews in comfort?


Nowhere to rest those tired legs. Certainly not a people-friendly viewing experience.



Jodi Beiber's iconic photo of Bibi Aisha, 18, from Afghanistan. It won the World Press Photo of the Year award. Read more about the story behind the photo at
http://www.worldpressphoto.org/photo/2011jodibieberyear#fullcontext

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