Philanthropist, Businessman Mark Sathe - Though legally blind and stricken with cancer, the St. Louis Park resident made it a priority to help others.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minnesota (Star Tribune), October 7, 2007:
Although legally blind since birth, St. Louis Park business owner Mark Sathe believed he was lucky. Sathe, a hard-working civic volunteer and owner of Sathe Executive Search, died this week of malignant melanoma in Brooklyn Center. The longtime St. Louis Park resident was 59.
Sathe attended the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind in Faribault. He grew up among adults who made their living helping people, said his wife, Ginny, of St. Louis Park. "They pushed him to be all he could be," she said. "He never felt like he was disadvantaged."
While growing up in Jackson, Minn., he learned to be a nurturing adult from his father, a funeral director, who taught him how to help people through difficult times.
The result was a life spent helping his employees, the needy and anyone who called. Over the years, he won many awards for his civic activism and philanthropy, including the Boy Scouts of America's highest honor for adults, the Silver Beaver Award, and several awards for volunteerism from the Twin West Chamber of Commerce, as well as its 1987 Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
He helped children at the Academy for the Blind, women who were former prisoners living in halfway housing in St. Louis Park, Boy Scouts with disabilities and a Marine veterans' organization helping the blind in Vietnam.
After graduating from St. Cloud State University, he founded his own company, Sathe Executive Search, in 1974.
Around 2000, he had malignant melanoma diagnosed. Over the next four years, he beat back the cancer.
'No one is this generous'
Greg Albrecht of Eden Prairie, now a senior partner in Sathe's firm, recalled being a new employee and telling his wife, "No one is this generous, this nice, this positive."
Sathe started mornings at the office with, "'What can I do to help you?' And he meant it," Albrecht said.
In the past few years, Sathe transferred some ownership of the firm to his employees.
In 1996, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Minnesota Senate.
Sathe, who could read and walk independently, could not drive but said he didn't mind.
Determined to finish
In 1997, when he ran with a guiding buddy in Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, he fell a few times. He kept getting up until he finished, Albrecht said.
He was a scuba diver and golfer, and performed with barbershop-style singing groups.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by son Jonathan of St. Louis Park; daughter Katharine Goebel of Cambridge, Minn.; mother Ruth of Jackson, Minn.; brothers David of Mankato, John of Jackson and Stephen of Incline, Nev., and one grandson.
By Ben Cohen
Copyright, The Star Tribune
INDIA: You're Never Too Old
LIFE AND LEISURE: Never too old By Rrishi Raote
NEW DELHI (Business Standard), October 7, 2007:
When Dr Sanjogta Sachdeva and a handful of other doctors set about founding the Geriatric Society of India in 1976, to focus professional attention on health care for the elderly, their peers were perplexed. “Have you become old?” they laughed, “We’ll see about getting old when we’re old.”
Geriatric medicine, like many of the elderly, is held in somewhat less than the respect it deserves. After all, we all grow old, and should wish to see specialised doctors available to care for us as our minds and bodies wear out. But geriatrics is not a favoured discipline among medical students, and geriatricians are not among the better-paid doctors.
In part, this is because, as Dr Sachdev observed, geriatrics is the “science and art” of caring for the elderly. Art is required because the problems of the elderly surpass the problem-and-solution model of modern medicine. An old person will have several serious diseases simultaneously, none of which can be cured — such as arthritis, diabetes, a digestive disorder, respiratory and circulatory problems and perhaps even Alzheimer’s disease or cancer.
The real task of geriatric medicine is to manage the various challenges and assure the patient as independent and unrestricted a life as possible. Various specialists are obviously involved, but a geriatrician will ensure that the overall life condition of the patient is given top priority.
The four most important challenges, says Dr Sachdev, are blood pressure, diabetes, joint problems and obesity. None of these comes into being suddenly — they develop over time, so we must catch them in time to prevent them becoming disabling. Another lady geriatrician, who prefers not to be named, adds to this list the risk of fractures, especially at the hips, wrists and spine. If no one is within hearing distance, a fall could be very dangerous.
Both men and women, she goes on, suffer from urinary problems: prostate enlargement in men and, for instance, incontinence in women. Such problems can make it impossible to leave home for any length of time, which severely limits one’s social and mental horizons. Often, “simple measures such as training the bladder, giving drugs, making small lifestyle changes such as drinking less water” can help.
“Rest has killed more people than work,” says Dr G G Mansharmani, a senior geriatrician. He means that regular and sustained physical and mental exercise is the best way to limit and delay the effects of ageing. “There’s no such thing as an old Prime Minister,” says Dr Sachdev, offering an example, “When they become PM, even sick men become well!”
Loneliness is common among India’s elderly, even with our still-strong joint family system. Retirement takes people away from colleagues, and often from mental work; and time hangs heavy. Wives are usually several years younger than their husbands, and live longer, so their last years are spent alone (if their children live elsewhere) or in one of their sons’ households, where their needs may well be given lower priority than those of their grandchildren. The potential for abuse is very great, and every geriatrician has a sizeable collection of hair-raising tales.
But even independent, active old people can be stymied by bad design in our public places. Even homes are not designed to accommodate the old, although such details are taught at architecture school.
Virtually the only sure safeguard for the elderly in India is wealth — so long as you don’t sign everything over to your children before you die, says Dr Mansharmani. There are a few homes for the elderly, most run by religious organisations like the Arya Samaj. Simrita Chaudhry at Vimhans in Delhi heads a programme that trains and places geriatric care workers in homes for reasonable fees.
India’s senior population is growing fast. Why should the skills and experience of such a huge number of Indians be wasted in retirement and slow decay? Nobel laureate Elias Canetti wrote in his 80s, of old age, “To know what no one else knows, to be able to say what no one else can say. There must be enough of this so that it is felt by the others, so that they can clamour for it and refuse to leave us in peace.”
Age has its aches
I have arthritis for 40 years. Some doctors treated me, but there was no result. It came to a point where I couldn’t move, sit, hold a cup of tea. Then this [rheumatologist] came, the first day he gave me an injection in my knees and I was standing and walking. He doesn’t give too much medication. I’ve been taking it since 1995. Pain is there but it is mild. My back, shoulder, neck — I’m so used to it that I don’t even notice. Now my hands are changing shape. But I feel lucky that I can still use my hands and I can walk. I have no fear for the future. Life goes on. One has to go sometime. As long as I can enjoy.
Kushal Lata Kumar, 78, who runs her household
People lose patience with you.
When you go to make a railway booking, even the senior citizens’ queue has only four seats! There are many who can’t stand for long. Sometimes I have to wait for a long time to cross the road. The divider is so high that I have to push myself up. Why can’t they cut a little step? Youngsters on two-wheelers, they zoom! Climbing into a bus is also difficult, and the conductor is impatient. I don’t want to go to any emergency — the treatment meted out to you and your people! I’d rather die at home. I’m very determined about it.
A gynaecologist in her late 60s
Business Standard Ltd. Copyright
NEW DELHI (Business Standard), October 7, 2007:
When Dr Sanjogta Sachdeva and a handful of other doctors set about founding the Geriatric Society of India in 1976, to focus professional attention on health care for the elderly, their peers were perplexed. “Have you become old?” they laughed, “We’ll see about getting old when we’re old.”
Geriatric medicine, like many of the elderly, is held in somewhat less than the respect it deserves. After all, we all grow old, and should wish to see specialised doctors available to care for us as our minds and bodies wear out. But geriatrics is not a favoured discipline among medical students, and geriatricians are not among the better-paid doctors.
In part, this is because, as Dr Sachdev observed, geriatrics is the “science and art” of caring for the elderly. Art is required because the problems of the elderly surpass the problem-and-solution model of modern medicine. An old person will have several serious diseases simultaneously, none of which can be cured — such as arthritis, diabetes, a digestive disorder, respiratory and circulatory problems and perhaps even Alzheimer’s disease or cancer.
The real task of geriatric medicine is to manage the various challenges and assure the patient as independent and unrestricted a life as possible. Various specialists are obviously involved, but a geriatrician will ensure that the overall life condition of the patient is given top priority.
The four most important challenges, says Dr Sachdev, are blood pressure, diabetes, joint problems and obesity. None of these comes into being suddenly — they develop over time, so we must catch them in time to prevent them becoming disabling. Another lady geriatrician, who prefers not to be named, adds to this list the risk of fractures, especially at the hips, wrists and spine. If no one is within hearing distance, a fall could be very dangerous.
Both men and women, she goes on, suffer from urinary problems: prostate enlargement in men and, for instance, incontinence in women. Such problems can make it impossible to leave home for any length of time, which severely limits one’s social and mental horizons. Often, “simple measures such as training the bladder, giving drugs, making small lifestyle changes such as drinking less water” can help.
“Rest has killed more people than work,” says Dr G G Mansharmani, a senior geriatrician. He means that regular and sustained physical and mental exercise is the best way to limit and delay the effects of ageing. “There’s no such thing as an old Prime Minister,” says Dr Sachdev, offering an example, “When they become PM, even sick men become well!”
Loneliness is common among India’s elderly, even with our still-strong joint family system. Retirement takes people away from colleagues, and often from mental work; and time hangs heavy. Wives are usually several years younger than their husbands, and live longer, so their last years are spent alone (if their children live elsewhere) or in one of their sons’ households, where their needs may well be given lower priority than those of their grandchildren. The potential for abuse is very great, and every geriatrician has a sizeable collection of hair-raising tales.
But even independent, active old people can be stymied by bad design in our public places. Even homes are not designed to accommodate the old, although such details are taught at architecture school.
Virtually the only sure safeguard for the elderly in India is wealth — so long as you don’t sign everything over to your children before you die, says Dr Mansharmani. There are a few homes for the elderly, most run by religious organisations like the Arya Samaj. Simrita Chaudhry at Vimhans in Delhi heads a programme that trains and places geriatric care workers in homes for reasonable fees.
India’s senior population is growing fast. Why should the skills and experience of such a huge number of Indians be wasted in retirement and slow decay? Nobel laureate Elias Canetti wrote in his 80s, of old age, “To know what no one else knows, to be able to say what no one else can say. There must be enough of this so that it is felt by the others, so that they can clamour for it and refuse to leave us in peace.”
Age has its aches
I have arthritis for 40 years. Some doctors treated me, but there was no result. It came to a point where I couldn’t move, sit, hold a cup of tea. Then this [rheumatologist] came, the first day he gave me an injection in my knees and I was standing and walking. He doesn’t give too much medication. I’ve been taking it since 1995. Pain is there but it is mild. My back, shoulder, neck — I’m so used to it that I don’t even notice. Now my hands are changing shape. But I feel lucky that I can still use my hands and I can walk. I have no fear for the future. Life goes on. One has to go sometime. As long as I can enjoy.
Kushal Lata Kumar, 78, who runs her household
People lose patience with you.
When you go to make a railway booking, even the senior citizens’ queue has only four seats! There are many who can’t stand for long. Sometimes I have to wait for a long time to cross the road. The divider is so high that I have to push myself up. Why can’t they cut a little step? Youngsters on two-wheelers, they zoom! Climbing into a bus is also difficult, and the conductor is impatient. I don’t want to go to any emergency — the treatment meted out to you and your people! I’d rather die at home. I’m very determined about it.
A gynaecologist in her late 60s
Business Standard Ltd. Copyright
USA: RETIREMENT LIVING: Will Age Bias Hinder Your Later Life Work Plans?
SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones), October 7, 2007:
In these days of longer life spans and smaller nest eggs, more workers say they plan to stay on the job well past normal retirement age, either because they want to keep active or to supplement their paltry savings.
The question is, will workplaces welcome these older workers? Despite progress at some companies, age discrimination appears to be alive and well in the U.S.
Here's a case in point: An appeals court ruled last week that a former Google Inc. (GOOG) executive can move forward with his age-discrimination lawsuit against the tech company. The former employee claims colleagues called him an "old fuddy-duddy" and told him he was fired because he wasn't a "cultural fit," according to court documents.
How common is that situation? It's a question that might resonate for the 24% of current workers who say they'll retire at age 66 or later, and another 27% who plan to retire at 65, according to a study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute in April.
The same EBRI study finds 37% of retirees said they left the work force earlier than planned, with 28% pointing to health problems, 28% citing "changes at their company, such as downsizing or closure" and another 18% citing work- related reasons.
One measure to assess the prevalence of age discrimination is the number of claims filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a number that's held steady in recent years, with 16,500 age-related claims filed in 2006.
That's down from a high of 19,921 in 2002, but that spike may have been due to layoffs sparked by a weaker economy then, said Paul Boymel, senior attorney adviser in the EEOC's office of legal counsel. The EEOC doesn't assess why claims move higher or lower, but surmises that labor-market conditions play a part.
But the EEOC figures don't offer a complete picture of age bias, said Laurie McCann, a senior attorney with AARP who works on age-discrimination cases.
"There are so many reasons why people may choose not to file," she said, including the fear of losing their job or being labeled a troublemaker, or the desire to simply move on.
Meanwhile, job applicants -- who, like employees, are covered by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act if they are 40 years old or over -- often never know why an employer rejects them, and thus are unlikely to file claims.
Perceptions run deep
If you ask workers, plenty will tell you that age discrimination is a significant problem.
About one-fourth of workers 50 and older said they've experienced age discrimination, according to a new report by AARP, the advocacy group, and consulting firm Towers Perrin, that surveyed 8,200 workers in seven countries ( United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan).
In that survey, age discrimination was the most frequently cited barrier to older workers landing a job. Those findings closely match a 2005 report on older workers by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.
"Perceived age discrimination was the second most frequently cited obstacle to working later in life," said Barbara Bovbjerg, director of education, workforce and income security issues at the GAO. (The most frequently cited barrier was workers' own lack of skills.) The report is largely based on focus groups with older workers and retirees.
A good portion of the retirees in focus groups said they retired because they felt "edged out" by their employers. But it's hard to know the degree to which employees' perceptions about age bias are accurate, Bovbjerg said.
"For something to be age discriminatory under the law is really quite different than somebody feeling their employer doesn't want them around," Bovbjerg said.
Others agreed. "People who think that they're discriminated against on the job are less likely to stay working, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there is actually discrimination on the job," said Joanna Lahey, professor of economics at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.
"It's really hard to prove," she said.
Hiring bias
"What we do know is that when older workers leave their jobs it is more difficult for them to find a new job than it is for younger workers to find a job," Lahey said.
Younger job applicants are 40% more likely than older applicants to be called in for an interview, Lahey said, based on a study she conducted in which job applicants ranging in age from 35 to 62 sent 8,000 resumes to 4,000 companies with entry-level job openings.
It could be that employers hesitated to call in the older workers because they assumed the older workers would command higher salaries. But "there wasn't any talk of salaries," Lahey said. "If the firm expects the older workers to expect higher salaries, that's still hurting the older worker. There's definitely some sort of bias against older workers."
Job applicants may never know whether they've been a victim of bias. "When you're looking for a job and you think you're probably not getting one because of your age, you really have no proof of that," the AARP's McCann said.
Costly claims
Still, some say progress against age bias is being made, partly because companies are more aware of the financial risk they face in ignoring the problem.
The largest jury award in a case of age discrimination was almost $64 million to a 62-year-old pilot in 2005, who claimed the private jet company he worked at fired him because of his age, according to Jury Verdict Research, a Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.-based firm that tracks and analyzes nationwide trends in personal- injury litigation. Still, thus far this decade the median award in age- discrimination cases is $254,000.
"Employers now realize that these claims cost them money. They also realize that if they have good policies in place and actually enforce them, they often can avoid corporate liability," the EEOC's Boymel said. "Corporations are much more likely to be watching out for this as a problem" than in the past.
But age bias is often unconscious. "I'm not sure that will ever change, the thought that older workers are less likely to be able to change with the times, they can't keep up with technology," Boymel said.
Those stereotypes are "nonsense and all of the studies have shown that ... but how do you get through to people's latent prejudices? It's tough. I don't think [age discrimination] charges will ever go away completely," Boymel said.
Biases of all stripes
Age bias comes in many forms, from employer policies focusing on a specific age group to ageist comments around the water cooler. There's also the problem of assuming older workers are simply waiting to retire, said Diane Piktialis, research working group and project leader on the mature and multigenerational work force at the Conference Board, a nonprofit research organization.
"Older employees often feel underutilized," Piktialis said, noting that there's a "chicken-and-egg" problem where younger workers often perceive older workers as "biding their time until they retire," while older workers say they're often ignored when they'd rather be challenged.
"Older workers are often overlooked for training and development opportunities," she said. "This notion of kind of checking out and retiring in place is often not what they've chosen to do, but is a result of these misperceptions."
Another oft-cited complaint: Older workers say managers don't consider them for promotional opportunities or even lateral opportunities. "A lot of mature workers often don't want to move up necessarily, but they'd like to move laterally because they want to continue to have challenges," Piktialis said.
Turning the tide
If the age-bias tide will turn, it's likely to be at workplaces noted for their age-friendly policies, including SC Johnson, Scripps Health, Volkswagen of America and the other companies on AARP's "50 best workplaces for workers over 50."
Other useful sites for older workers seeking age-neutral employers include and , where Wells Fargo, Macy's, Robert Half and Quest Diagnostics are among the companies certified as "age-friendly."
And older job seekers should remember that perceptions of age bias aren't always correct, said Bob Skladany, vice president of research at RetirementJobs.com, based near Boston.
For instance, don't worry if you don't hear back from a prospective employer, he said. "Less than 15% to 20% of all job applications are even acknowledged," he said. "When we tell age 50-plus job seekers that they should no longer expect the courtesy of an acknowledgment, they feel relieved."
Meanwhile, older workers on the job might consider learning new skills.
"Workers who are near traditional retirement age, but who need or want to continue working will need to position themselves to take advantage of employment opportunities," the GAO report said. "For instance, they could learn new skills through either on- or off-the-job training, and adapt to new technologies and changes in the workplace."
And don't forget to talk to your employer about your goals. For instance, many of the focus-group participants in the GAO study said they wanted a part-time work option once they reach retirement age, but they never asked for one.
The GAO called on the Labor Department for a public awareness campaign highlighting the fact that employers and employees need to plan better for the future, Bovbjerg said.
"We really felt that older workers don't have these conversations with employers about retirement."
Copyright (c) 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
In these days of longer life spans and smaller nest eggs, more workers say they plan to stay on the job well past normal retirement age, either because they want to keep active or to supplement their paltry savings.
The question is, will workplaces welcome these older workers? Despite progress at some companies, age discrimination appears to be alive and well in the U.S.
Here's a case in point: An appeals court ruled last week that a former Google Inc. (GOOG) executive can move forward with his age-discrimination lawsuit against the tech company. The former employee claims colleagues called him an "old fuddy-duddy" and told him he was fired because he wasn't a "cultural fit," according to court documents.
How common is that situation? It's a question that might resonate for the 24% of current workers who say they'll retire at age 66 or later, and another 27% who plan to retire at 65, according to a study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute in April.
The same EBRI study finds 37% of retirees said they left the work force earlier than planned, with 28% pointing to health problems, 28% citing "changes at their company, such as downsizing or closure" and another 18% citing work- related reasons.
One measure to assess the prevalence of age discrimination is the number of claims filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a number that's held steady in recent years, with 16,500 age-related claims filed in 2006.
That's down from a high of 19,921 in 2002, but that spike may have been due to layoffs sparked by a weaker economy then, said Paul Boymel, senior attorney adviser in the EEOC's office of legal counsel. The EEOC doesn't assess why claims move higher or lower, but surmises that labor-market conditions play a part.
But the EEOC figures don't offer a complete picture of age bias, said Laurie McCann, a senior attorney with AARP who works on age-discrimination cases.
"There are so many reasons why people may choose not to file," she said, including the fear of losing their job or being labeled a troublemaker, or the desire to simply move on.
Meanwhile, job applicants -- who, like employees, are covered by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act if they are 40 years old or over -- often never know why an employer rejects them, and thus are unlikely to file claims.
Perceptions run deep
If you ask workers, plenty will tell you that age discrimination is a significant problem.
About one-fourth of workers 50 and older said they've experienced age discrimination, according to a new report by AARP, the advocacy group, and consulting firm Towers Perrin, that surveyed 8,200 workers in seven countries ( United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan).
In that survey, age discrimination was the most frequently cited barrier to older workers landing a job. Those findings closely match a 2005 report on older workers by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.
"Perceived age discrimination was the second most frequently cited obstacle to working later in life," said Barbara Bovbjerg, director of education, workforce and income security issues at the GAO. (The most frequently cited barrier was workers' own lack of skills.) The report is largely based on focus groups with older workers and retirees.
A good portion of the retirees in focus groups said they retired because they felt "edged out" by their employers. But it's hard to know the degree to which employees' perceptions about age bias are accurate, Bovbjerg said.
"For something to be age discriminatory under the law is really quite different than somebody feeling their employer doesn't want them around," Bovbjerg said.
Others agreed. "People who think that they're discriminated against on the job are less likely to stay working, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there is actually discrimination on the job," said Joanna Lahey, professor of economics at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.
"It's really hard to prove," she said.
Hiring bias
"What we do know is that when older workers leave their jobs it is more difficult for them to find a new job than it is for younger workers to find a job," Lahey said.
Younger job applicants are 40% more likely than older applicants to be called in for an interview, Lahey said, based on a study she conducted in which job applicants ranging in age from 35 to 62 sent 8,000 resumes to 4,000 companies with entry-level job openings.
It could be that employers hesitated to call in the older workers because they assumed the older workers would command higher salaries. But "there wasn't any talk of salaries," Lahey said. "If the firm expects the older workers to expect higher salaries, that's still hurting the older worker. There's definitely some sort of bias against older workers."
Job applicants may never know whether they've been a victim of bias. "When you're looking for a job and you think you're probably not getting one because of your age, you really have no proof of that," the AARP's McCann said.
Costly claims
Still, some say progress against age bias is being made, partly because companies are more aware of the financial risk they face in ignoring the problem.
The largest jury award in a case of age discrimination was almost $64 million to a 62-year-old pilot in 2005, who claimed the private jet company he worked at fired him because of his age, according to Jury Verdict Research, a Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.-based firm that tracks and analyzes nationwide trends in personal- injury litigation. Still, thus far this decade the median award in age- discrimination cases is $254,000.
"Employers now realize that these claims cost them money. They also realize that if they have good policies in place and actually enforce them, they often can avoid corporate liability," the EEOC's Boymel said. "Corporations are much more likely to be watching out for this as a problem" than in the past.
But age bias is often unconscious. "I'm not sure that will ever change, the thought that older workers are less likely to be able to change with the times, they can't keep up with technology," Boymel said.
Those stereotypes are "nonsense and all of the studies have shown that ... but how do you get through to people's latent prejudices? It's tough. I don't think [age discrimination] charges will ever go away completely," Boymel said.
Biases of all stripes
Age bias comes in many forms, from employer policies focusing on a specific age group to ageist comments around the water cooler. There's also the problem of assuming older workers are simply waiting to retire, said Diane Piktialis, research working group and project leader on the mature and multigenerational work force at the Conference Board, a nonprofit research organization.
"Older employees often feel underutilized," Piktialis said, noting that there's a "chicken-and-egg" problem where younger workers often perceive older workers as "biding their time until they retire," while older workers say they're often ignored when they'd rather be challenged.
"Older workers are often overlooked for training and development opportunities," she said. "This notion of kind of checking out and retiring in place is often not what they've chosen to do, but is a result of these misperceptions."
Another oft-cited complaint: Older workers say managers don't consider them for promotional opportunities or even lateral opportunities. "A lot of mature workers often don't want to move up necessarily, but they'd like to move laterally because they want to continue to have challenges," Piktialis said.
Turning the tide
If the age-bias tide will turn, it's likely to be at workplaces noted for their age-friendly policies, including SC Johnson, Scripps Health, Volkswagen of America and the other companies on AARP's "50 best workplaces for workers over 50."
Other useful sites for older workers seeking age-neutral employers include and , where Wells Fargo, Macy's, Robert Half and Quest Diagnostics are among the companies certified as "age-friendly."
And older job seekers should remember that perceptions of age bias aren't always correct, said Bob Skladany, vice president of research at RetirementJobs.com, based near Boston.
For instance, don't worry if you don't hear back from a prospective employer, he said. "Less than 15% to 20% of all job applications are even acknowledged," he said. "When we tell age 50-plus job seekers that they should no longer expect the courtesy of an acknowledgment, they feel relieved."
Meanwhile, older workers on the job might consider learning new skills.
"Workers who are near traditional retirement age, but who need or want to continue working will need to position themselves to take advantage of employment opportunities," the GAO report said. "For instance, they could learn new skills through either on- or off-the-job training, and adapt to new technologies and changes in the workplace."
And don't forget to talk to your employer about your goals. For instance, many of the focus-group participants in the GAO study said they wanted a part-time work option once they reach retirement age, but they never asked for one.
The GAO called on the Labor Department for a public awareness campaign highlighting the fact that employers and employees need to plan better for the future, Bovbjerg said.
"We really felt that older workers don't have these conversations with employers about retirement."
Copyright (c) 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
INDIA: IRDA's Report On Health Insurance of Senior Citizens By November 7
KOLKATA (Sify News), October 7, 2007:
The committee on health insurance for senior citizens, set up by Insurance and Regulatory and Development Authority is likely to submit its recommendations by November 7. The committee was formed in May to tackle issues relating to health insurance for the aged who needed special focus as they were more vulnerable and fell in the high risk category. Mr. K. S. Sastry, ex-Chairman of National Housing Bank heads the panel.
"We will submit our report latest by November 7," member of the committee B D Banerjee said on the sidelines of an interactive session on health insurance organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
IRDA has also received representations relating to entry barriers for the senior citizens, refusal of renewals, imposition of harsh terms without justification, sharp increase in premium rates and delay in servicing claims.
Concerns have also been voiced on matters relating to issue of policies as well as claim servicing of the health insurance policies.
Banerjee said IRDA has recommended maximum rise in health premium should be around 50-70 per cent but the tariff had jumped over 200 per cent.
The committee on health insurance for senior citizens, set up by Insurance and Regulatory and Development Authority is likely to submit its recommendations by November 7. The committee was formed in May to tackle issues relating to health insurance for the aged who needed special focus as they were more vulnerable and fell in the high risk category. Mr. K. S. Sastry, ex-Chairman of National Housing Bank heads the panel.
"We will submit our report latest by November 7," member of the committee B D Banerjee said on the sidelines of an interactive session on health insurance organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
IRDA has also received representations relating to entry barriers for the senior citizens, refusal of renewals, imposition of harsh terms without justification, sharp increase in premium rates and delay in servicing claims.
Concerns have also been voiced on matters relating to issue of policies as well as claim servicing of the health insurance policies.
Banerjee said IRDA has recommended maximum rise in health premium should be around 50-70 per cent but the tariff had jumped over 200 per cent.
USA: When You're Pushing 50 ....And 'Absolutely An Iconic Beauty'
Age becomes her: When you’re pushing 50, Hollywood doesn’t want to know – unless, of course, you’re Michelle Pfeiffer. The actress talks to Kate Spicer about beauty, surgery and ageism
LONDON, England (The Sunday Times, London), October 7, 2007:
When casting his latest film, the director Matthew Vaughn wanted his female baddie to be “absolutely an iconic beauty”. He knew exactly who it should be – a woman he had idolised since he was a teenager. So Vaughn got on a plane, flew to San Francisco, drove out to the chic, rural suburb of Palo Alto – all bookshops, alfresco Italian restaurants and expensive modernism – to the home of the woman whom scientists have described as the apotheosis of feminine facial beauty.
She was knocking on the door of 50, taking a long break from work to concentrate on family life – a husband of 14 years and a teenage son and daughter – and keeping horses, miniature donkeys and lots of dogs in the countryside. The role he wanted her to take was that of the evil Lamia, a chillingly powerful witch desperate to find the fallen star (Claire Danes) whose heart holds the key to eternal youth and beauty.
“She’s a universal beauty,” says Vaughn of Pfeiffer. “Now, Angelina Jolie is beautiful, but some people think she isn’t all that. But I have never met anyone who doesn’t think Michelle Pfeiffer is gorgeous.” And I have to agree. Inside a lot of women, there’s a part that is jealous and small, a part that wants Sienna Miller to get fat, Jerry Hall to go bald, supermodels to be stupid and Jolie to take just one bad photograph and keep on with the charity-worker drab. Pfeiffer doesn’t seem to tap this vein, perhaps because she has an elegant indifference to her looks, which has seen her take as many ugly roles as beautiful ones.
We meet in a Palo Alto restaurant, and she is effortlessly pleasant. Slender and chic, she is dressed in a simple dark shirt, slim-fitting jeans (but not skinny – you couldn’t imagine her doing anything so vulgar and try-hard as fashion) and a pair of functional, not statement, sunglasses that she takes off as soon as she meets me. She’s hardly wearing any jewellery; her ears are peppered with homemade holes from a period of rebellious teenage piercing.
So what made her take this role as an ugly, old witch – a part that required her to look like a hag, not to mention pull the horrific visual gag of what time does to a woman’s breasts. For her, the indignity was overridden by “Matthew talking to me about a lot of nuances to the character that weren’t necessarily on the page”.
Because despite being a slapstick, OTT witch, the role of Lamia is actually a wrinkly metaphor for women’s battle against the ageing process. Vaughn says: “This character was inspired by all those women in LA who were once beautiful, and now look like freaks; the fact that the ageing process is scarier than claws and fangs.”
“For women it is!” says Pfeiffer, when I repeat Vaughn’s line to her. “The first time [I saw myself in prosthetic ‘old’ make-up], I literally gasped. I was so distressed, I ran into the bathroom to hide.” She says she looks like a monster, but to be honest, I have seen not dissimilar complexions on those once-beautiful, topless septuagenarians you spot on the beach in St Tropez. The key thing is that while this film deals brilliantly with the magical fantasy realm of Harry Potter, Narnia and its closest relative, the 1980s movie The Princess Bride, the card it deals on ageing is all too real.
“Matthew wanted to shine a light on that and poke fun at it,” Pfeiffer says. “To play with our obsession with youth and the ludicrous degrees to which women will go to reclaim it. Lamia’s desperate quest for youth [in the form of eating Danes’s heart] is a metaphor for the grotesque mutilation taking place in society.
“I don’t think anyone is going to be condemned for a little something done here or there, but people have lost sight of what’s beautiful. There’s a lot that you can do surgically and otherwise to make yourself look younger, yes – but not necessarily better. One of the most beautiful women I have seen in my life – still young and truly a beauty – I hate what I have seen happen to her,” she says of a well-known woman she will not name. “It’s like some weird anorexic disease where people don’t see what’s in the mirror.”
A sort of body dysmorphia, something that
used to be a mental illness? “Right,”
she says, “and now it is a disease of our
culture. It just keeps growing. We have less
and less to compare it to for our idea of
normal. In fact, it’s really hard to even
remember what normal is.”
Vaughn’s prosthetics people based Lamia’s ancient body on pictures of 90-year-olds doing yoga naked. “I looked at them and, well, we don’t look good when we get old,” says Vaughn. According to him, women who have seen the movie have “gone bananas” for the ageing horror-comedy played out by Pfeiffer’s character. “They say, ‘At least someone is addressing how we all feel.’ ” Ageing is the new bogeyman. “Look at all the stuff my wife promotes [Claudia Schiffer, who is the face of L’Oreal, I can’t believe it works.”
Pfeiffer says: “I found all this very interesting coming from a man who is married to a young, beautiful model. Someone who I would not imagine is feeling all those age issues yet, but who knows what plays out in the model world.”
Pfeiffer seems remarkably serene about the human body’s inevitable decline, but then she looks astonishing for a 49-year-old. Her eyes have natural creases around them, her nose is her own and there is none of waxy appearance of an overly lasered epidermis. “I don’t do that much to preserve. I used to worship the sun when I was younger – I’m a southern Californian girl, it was all baby oil and beach life – but now I get white spots, so I stay out of the sun. I really have to. And, you know, I read about some miracle product and think, ‘I should try that, it’s going to be great. I’m going to get that cream,’ and sometimes I go out and buy it, but I forget to use it after two weeks, or I get a rash.”
She shows me her nails, and they are all random lengths, a couple of them a bit grubby, no polish. “I can go months, years without a mani. I never pluck my eyebrows. The make-up artists shape them only when I am doing publicity. I don’t get my hair cut between films, just when I work and I have to. As far as body maintenance goes, I do eat well and I exercise. I go at it hardcore in my gym, but that’s it.”
As Vaughn says: “She’s ageing gracefully. People who age gracefully look so much better.” He says that he loved working with Pfeiffer, having admired her since her two breakthrough films of the early 1980s. “I loved Grease 2 when I was a pent-up teenager; I loved Scarface,” he says. “I was obsessed with her as a kid. She’s one of my top two all-time great beauties. No 1 being my wife, obviously – I have to say that.”
In the past, Pfeiffer has been quoted, like every other actress of her generation, complaining about the lack of decent parts for older actresses. Demi Moore, five years her junior, is rumoured to have spent £250,000 on youth-preserving surgical procedures and still says she struggles to get good roles in a youth-obsessed Hollywood. Post The Devil Wears Prada, Meryl Streep, 58, threatened to retire if the industry didn’t start producing better, more complex roles for women than the “dragons or gorgons” she describes as the norm.
“The whole idea of [Lamia] ageing as she loses her magic powers is an obvious allegory for not just the Hollywood system, but how women’s power is tied in with their appearance,” says Pfeiffer. In the days of Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice, things may change – Pfeiffer acknowledges that as more women rise to power in the movie business, more interesting female roles are emerging. “I’ve defied the obsession with looks in this industry and not allowed it to shape me,” she says. “I’ve always known beauty is fleeting; I have a fear of living in the past. I don’t have awards I’ve won anywhere in the house, I don’t pine for some moment when I was at the top of my career, or a way I used to look. I try to live in the present. It’s a real trap in our industry – women who have the same hairstyle as when they were at their so-called peak. People get stuck in their time. I’ve spent most of my life not thinking about my looks and it has served me really well.”
© Copyright 2007 Times Newspapers Ltd.
CANADA: Seniors Who Keep Active Can Be Stronger Longer
Anne Skuba walks with her husband Walter in Winnipeg. The couple is among a new breed of seniors embracing the idea of staying active to remain healthy.WINNIPEG, Manitoba
(Guelph Mercury, Ontario/Canadian Press),
October 6, 2007: Anne Skuba refuses to spend her golden years resting in a rocking chair. At 77, the Winnipegger still wants to roll, rarely stopping for too long. "I don't sit down a lot," says the retired nurse, who spends at least 90 minutes every day moving her body.
Her to-do list of activities includes: Walking around the block, cycling to the home of one of her daughters, gardening, housecleaning, dancing and lifting weights in the fitness room of her downtown apartment complex.
"Sometimes I talk to older people in my building who say sitting and knitting is the only thing they want to do,'' says Skuba, who -- along with her husband Walter, 84 -tries to convince them otherwise.
"It's very, very important to be physically active. It keeps you mentally active and spiritually active.
"And it keeps you stronger and independent longer."
That's the core message of Be Active, Be Healthy, a campaign launched recently by the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults in Manitoba (ALCOA). ALCOA is an umbrella group linked to more than 40 organizations dedicated to promoting physical fitness to seniors.
The group plans to get seniors out of their rocking chairs and excited about just-for-seniors active-living programs such as mall walks, low-impact aerobics classes and fitness leader workshops.
Moira Horgan-Jones, ALCOA healthy aging co-ordinator, wants to make it clear that getting active isn't necessarily about competing in a sport or running a marathon. Her goal is more gentle.
"What we want is to get older adults to do a little more a little often," she says. "As long as they do a little more."
According to Horgan-Jones, 60 per cent of older adults are not active enough to maintain good health. That's alarming, considering that Manitoba has one of the highest senior populations in the country, second only to Saskatchewan.
One obstacle to getting seniors active, says Horgan-Jones, is the myth that they have "earned" their rest. She says it's a fallacy spread not only by seniors, but also by younger family members who are protective of their older parents and grandparents.
"They don't want them to be hurt during activity," says Horgan-Jones, noting that if done properly, exercise has just the opposite effect in seniors -- lowering blood pressure, decreasing cholesterol and reducing weight.
Exercise also improves strength, flexibility and balance, thereby preventing falls. And because weight-bearing activity increases bone mass, exercisers who happen to fall are less likely to break a wrist, ankle or hip.
The key, says Horgan-Jones, is doing activity that is effective but not hard on the body.
Fitness mavericks Sonja Lundstrom, a community nurse, and Eleanor Stelmack, an occupational therapist, are already doing their part by inducing seniors in their neighbourhood to pound the pavement, plant vegetables in the community garden and water walk in the area's public pools.
The two-woman team -- who happen to be seniors themselves -- run the River East Seniors' Health Resource Team, a project funded by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
They provide outreach services to seniors in the community, many of whom live alone and get by on a meagre income. That means going into seniors' complexes to make sure that residents are connected to each other -- exercising together, going to community health workshops together and socializing.
Stelmack and Lundstrom often orchestrate physical activities that involve River East seniors and area elementary school kids having fun together.
The dynamic duo's passion for good health has turned the once sleepy neighbourhood upside down, converting it into a bustling hub of activity and spirit.
"We teach them how they can walk with an aging body and have fun without getting injured," says Lundstrom. "Being in touch with your body means you have control over it."
Lundstrom says even people who are confined to a bed or a chair can get a daily dose of exercise.
"I had a lady who I taught to do sit-ups in her chair and range-of-motion stretching in her bed," she says.
"Exercise helps everything -- it improves appetite, your mood changes. I've even had people tell me it makes their sex life better," says Lundstrom.
Walter Skuba understands why some older people may be hesitant to start an exercise program. When the 84-year-old retired hairdresser was injured in a car accident over a decade ago, his injuries left him feeling a bit defeated.
While daily cycling is more his wife's speed, Walter enjoys walking and working out at the gym.
"If you can't run five miles, that's OK," says Skuba. "But I'm not going to give up to aging."
© Copyright 2007 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
USA: Early Disease Detection Could Aid Economy
CHICAGO (Chicago Tribune), October 7, 2007:
The rapid rise in preventable chronic diseases -- such as obesity and heart disease -- over the past 20 years is hurting U.S. economic productivity, escalating treatment costs and causing unnecessary suffering, a report released last week says.
That's the bad news.
The good news, according to the report by the Santa Monica, Calif.-based Milken Institute, is that the trend can be turned around with healthy doses of prevention and early detection.
The report comes amid a national debate over health care, what it should include and who should pay for it -- including government, private insurers, individuals and employers.
It also could add pressure to allocate more health dollars for prevention and early detection -- rather than just treatment.
Currently, Medicare, the government's health insurance program for seniors, and private insurers tend to pay more for surgeries and treatment procedures than for prevention counseling in a physician's office. Such payment schemes are rooted in the health-care needs of the population when the payment plans began decades ago.
The Milken Institute, a private economic think tank, joins a growing chorus of researchers and public health experts arguing that such a system no longer serves the nation because the population is aging and because the incidence of obesity and preventable diseases among Americans of all ages, including children, has risen alarmingly in recent years.
The Milken report is one of the most ambitious attempts to quantify what is at stake in economic terms. It says that a reorientation toward prevention could avert 40 million cases of seven chronic diseases -- cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders and pulmonary conditions -- in the year 2023.
That would reduce anticipated treatment expenses associated with those diseases and improve productivity by $1.1 trillion that year, it said.
The report does not put a price tag on prevention and early detection efforts. But the authors suggest that the economic gains and reduced treatment costs would more than pay for such efforts.
"Good health is an investment in economic growth," said Ross DeVol, director of the Milken Institute's Center for Health Economics and the lead author of the report titled "An Unhealthy America: The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease."
The report recommends making rewards for prevention a part of any health-care overhaul, and it urges a renewed commitment by policymakers to achieving a "healthy body weight."
Reducing obesity to reasonable and achievable levels, the report says, could trim the incidence of disease by 14.8 million cases in 2023, saving $60 billion in treatment costs and improving the nation's economic output by $254 billion.
Institute founder Michael Milken said the nation has made great strides in improving cancer death rates but was failing to avert preventable diseases.
Milken, a cancer survivor, pointed the finger at high-calorie, high-fat foods, and he noted the rapid advance of obesity, which is linked to many escalating diseases, including diabetes and hypertension.
He called for a moon launch-type mission to fight disease through prevention efforts, such as diet and exercise, and to improve outcomes with early detection.
"We have not contained the containable," Milken said at a Washington, D.C., news conference.
"[This] doesn't take new medical breakthroughs or new Nobel prizes to solve."
The report was released at a conference hosted by the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. Former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, who chairs the coalition, said the report helped by identifying the "cost burden" of chronic disease.
Public health experts said the report should help focus the attention of presidential candidates and policymakers to the need to emphasize and encourage prevention, early detection and effective disease management.
_____________________________________________________________
Cost savings through prevention
The cost of treating seven common chronic diseases -- cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders and pulmonary conditions -- in the United States reached $277 billion in 2003, with a loss of worker productivity totaling more than $1 trillion. According to a study by the Milken Institute, if reasonable improvements in preventing and managing chronic diseases are made, future economic costs can be reduced by 27 percent, or $1.1 trillion, by 2023.
Avoidable costs in 2023
In billions
______________________________________________________________
..................Treatment...Lost Productivity....Total costs
______________________________________________________________
Current scenario...$790.........$3,363................ $4,153
______________________________________________________________
Scenario with more money for prevention, early detention
______________________________________________________________
-------------------$572.........$2,458.................$3,030
______________________________________________________________
Costs avoided......$218.........$ 905.................$1,123
------------------(28%)..........(27%).................(27%)
______________________________________________________________
Source: Milken Institute
By Lisa Girion
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
The rapid rise in preventable chronic diseases -- such as obesity and heart disease -- over the past 20 years is hurting U.S. economic productivity, escalating treatment costs and causing unnecessary suffering, a report released last week says.
That's the bad news.
The good news, according to the report by the Santa Monica, Calif.-based Milken Institute, is that the trend can be turned around with healthy doses of prevention and early detection.
The report comes amid a national debate over health care, what it should include and who should pay for it -- including government, private insurers, individuals and employers.
It also could add pressure to allocate more health dollars for prevention and early detection -- rather than just treatment.
Currently, Medicare, the government's health insurance program for seniors, and private insurers tend to pay more for surgeries and treatment procedures than for prevention counseling in a physician's office. Such payment schemes are rooted in the health-care needs of the population when the payment plans began decades ago.
The Milken Institute, a private economic think tank, joins a growing chorus of researchers and public health experts arguing that such a system no longer serves the nation because the population is aging and because the incidence of obesity and preventable diseases among Americans of all ages, including children, has risen alarmingly in recent years.
The Milken report is one of the most ambitious attempts to quantify what is at stake in economic terms. It says that a reorientation toward prevention could avert 40 million cases of seven chronic diseases -- cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders and pulmonary conditions -- in the year 2023.
That would reduce anticipated treatment expenses associated with those diseases and improve productivity by $1.1 trillion that year, it said.
The report does not put a price tag on prevention and early detection efforts. But the authors suggest that the economic gains and reduced treatment costs would more than pay for such efforts.
"Good health is an investment in economic growth," said Ross DeVol, director of the Milken Institute's Center for Health Economics and the lead author of the report titled "An Unhealthy America: The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease."
The report recommends making rewards for prevention a part of any health-care overhaul, and it urges a renewed commitment by policymakers to achieving a "healthy body weight."
Reducing obesity to reasonable and achievable levels, the report says, could trim the incidence of disease by 14.8 million cases in 2023, saving $60 billion in treatment costs and improving the nation's economic output by $254 billion.
Institute founder Michael Milken said the nation has made great strides in improving cancer death rates but was failing to avert preventable diseases.
Milken, a cancer survivor, pointed the finger at high-calorie, high-fat foods, and he noted the rapid advance of obesity, which is linked to many escalating diseases, including diabetes and hypertension.
He called for a moon launch-type mission to fight disease through prevention efforts, such as diet and exercise, and to improve outcomes with early detection.
"We have not contained the containable," Milken said at a Washington, D.C., news conference.
"[This] doesn't take new medical breakthroughs or new Nobel prizes to solve."
The report was released at a conference hosted by the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. Former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, who chairs the coalition, said the report helped by identifying the "cost burden" of chronic disease.
Public health experts said the report should help focus the attention of presidential candidates and policymakers to the need to emphasize and encourage prevention, early detection and effective disease management.
_____________________________________________________________
Cost savings through prevention
The cost of treating seven common chronic diseases -- cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders and pulmonary conditions -- in the United States reached $277 billion in 2003, with a loss of worker productivity totaling more than $1 trillion. According to a study by the Milken Institute, if reasonable improvements in preventing and managing chronic diseases are made, future economic costs can be reduced by 27 percent, or $1.1 trillion, by 2023.
Avoidable costs in 2023
In billions
______________________________________________________________
..................Treatment...Lost Productivity....Total costs
______________________________________________________________
Current scenario...$790.........$3,363................ $4,153
______________________________________________________________
Scenario with more money for prevention, early detention
______________________________________________________________
-------------------$572.........$2,458.................$3,030
______________________________________________________________
Costs avoided......$218.........$ 905.................$1,123
------------------(28%)..........(27%).................(27%)
______________________________________________________________
Source: Milken Institute
By Lisa Girion
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
CUBA: Super-Centenarians A Growing Crowd
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP), October 6, 2007:
Cuba now has some 2,500 centenarians -- in a population that just tops 11 million, state media reported Friday.
Cuba's life expectancy is 77.
And gerontologist Roberto Dieguez told the Communist Party newspaper Granma the centenarian census had now hit about 2,500.
Most of the super-seniors are women. And there could be genetic, gender and emotional factors in the longevity trends, said another gerontologist Alberto Fernandez.
"Of the 270 centenarians interviewed (in the Havana area), 210 were women and that could have to do with (protective effects of) estrogen, or loss of iron through menstrual periods," said Katy Hind, another researcher.
Authorities did not give an exact percentage of female centenarians. Hind said that in the Havana area 55 percent of the centenarians were children of parents who lived to be at least 80.
Cuba's oldest person is a woman in Granma province aged 122, authorities said. They have never given her name.
Copyright © 2003-2007 Caribbean Net News
Cuba now has some 2,500 centenarians -- in a population that just tops 11 million, state media reported Friday.
Cuba's life expectancy is 77.
And gerontologist Roberto Dieguez told the Communist Party newspaper Granma the centenarian census had now hit about 2,500.
Most of the super-seniors are women. And there could be genetic, gender and emotional factors in the longevity trends, said another gerontologist Alberto Fernandez.
"Of the 270 centenarians interviewed (in the Havana area), 210 were women and that could have to do with (protective effects of) estrogen, or loss of iron through menstrual periods," said Katy Hind, another researcher.
Authorities did not give an exact percentage of female centenarians. Hind said that in the Havana area 55 percent of the centenarians were children of parents who lived to be at least 80.
Cuba's oldest person is a woman in Granma province aged 122, authorities said. They have never given her name.
Copyright © 2003-2007 Caribbean Net News
U.K.: Kids Taxed As Not Named First In Jt Savings Accounts With Parents/GPs
Grandparents, Parents Furious As Legal Loophole Cost 88,000 Youngsters £40 of £200 Credit
LONDON, England (The Guardian), October 6, 2007:
Portman building society customers, who opened junior saver accounts for their children and grandchildren, are furious that they have lost part of their Nationwide merger bonus windfalls. Over the past month, windfall cheques have gone out to around 1.1 million Portman members. But around 88,000 youngsters have each lost £40 of their £200 payments to the taxman because of a legal loophole.
Although accounts were taken out in their names, with parents and grandparents as signatories, it is their guardians' names that appear first on passbooks.
Under building society law, the member on an account eligible for a bonus is the first named, so young savers' parents and grandparents have been paid the windfall and have therefore been taxed. Had the childrens' names appeared first they would have been paid the bonus, tax-free.
Many of those Portman customers who invested in their youngsters' future, say they have been robbed because of a legal technicality of which they were unaware.
"The money belongs to the children and they should get it," complained granddad Keith Bloodworth, from New Milton in Hampshire.
"It's their account not mine and they should not lose out; after all it was the Portman who made up the passbooks. Parents and grandparents simply filled in application forms and because it was the childrens' accounts, the passbooks should have been in their names. Is there no goodwill at the Nationwide? Especially when they claim to 'believe in treating people fairly', it's not fair that the youngsters should be penalised because of an administrative procedure".
A Nationwide spokesman said: "Of the approximate 1.1m shareholding members who qualified for a bonus, around 8% were under 18 (88,000). Under building society law, the member on an account eligible for a bonus is the first named member. Therefore, if the first named on the account was the child, then the bonus will have been paid to the child.
"Any bonus will have been paid to the first named on the account. If members also have other qualifying savings accounts in their name, then the balances held in the child's account and their other account(s) will be added together to calculate the bonus entitlement.
"The bonus will then have been paid after deduction of lower rate tax unless the appropriate HMRC form(s) were received by 31 July 2007."
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
LONDON, England (The Guardian), October 6, 2007:
Portman building society customers, who opened junior saver accounts for their children and grandchildren, are furious that they have lost part of their Nationwide merger bonus windfalls. Over the past month, windfall cheques have gone out to around 1.1 million Portman members. But around 88,000 youngsters have each lost £40 of their £200 payments to the taxman because of a legal loophole.
Although accounts were taken out in their names, with parents and grandparents as signatories, it is their guardians' names that appear first on passbooks.
Under building society law, the member on an account eligible for a bonus is the first named, so young savers' parents and grandparents have been paid the windfall and have therefore been taxed. Had the childrens' names appeared first they would have been paid the bonus, tax-free.
Many of those Portman customers who invested in their youngsters' future, say they have been robbed because of a legal technicality of which they were unaware.
"The money belongs to the children and they should get it," complained granddad Keith Bloodworth, from New Milton in Hampshire.
"It's their account not mine and they should not lose out; after all it was the Portman who made up the passbooks. Parents and grandparents simply filled in application forms and because it was the childrens' accounts, the passbooks should have been in their names. Is there no goodwill at the Nationwide? Especially when they claim to 'believe in treating people fairly', it's not fair that the youngsters should be penalised because of an administrative procedure".
A Nationwide spokesman said: "Of the approximate 1.1m shareholding members who qualified for a bonus, around 8% were under 18 (88,000). Under building society law, the member on an account eligible for a bonus is the first named member. Therefore, if the first named on the account was the child, then the bonus will have been paid to the child.
"Any bonus will have been paid to the first named on the account. If members also have other qualifying savings accounts in their name, then the balances held in the child's account and their other account(s) will be added together to calculate the bonus entitlement.
"The bonus will then have been paid after deduction of lower rate tax unless the appropriate HMRC form(s) were received by 31 July 2007."
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
INDIA: Old IS Gold!
NEW DELHI (Zee News), October 7, 2007: It has been aptly remarked:‘Those who respect the elderly pave the way for their own greatness’.
Respecting them means taking adequate care of their needs. When a man is in the evening of his life, then that is the time to take stock of the life he has lived so far and that is also the time to pursue those hobbies that he could not take up while being lost in the hum drum of his youth and middle age.
Therefore creating a conducive environment for them to help them live with dignity would also entail respecting them.
October 1 is International Day for Elders. As a mark of respect to the elderly citizens of the world, let us delve on the problems they face so that corrective measures can be taken to solve them.
On December 14 1990, the United Nations General Assembly had designated October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons, by following up on initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing, adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed later that year by the UNGA.
This year`s theme revolves around the challenges and opportunities of ageing.
Various international organisations have been established to take care of the people who are in the prime of their lives. Help the Aged is one such foundation. The work of this center revolves around helping the elderly counter poverty, isolation and neglect in the countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia.
Even a developed country like the United States of America is not devoid of the social and health-related issues affecting its elderly. To quote figures, in Latin America alone more than 50% old people live in poverty while a large percentage has no steady supply of income. In Bolivia, 59% of older people live on less than a dollar a day. In Peru, 63% of older people are steeped in poverty. In Colombia, several poor old people are living on the streets as government-run centers fall drastically short of the number of such deprived lot.
In the American society where the thrust is more on individualism and less on family, many old people are often led to fend for themselves. Though the system of social security is often enough to take care of their finances, yet the fact that at that age when one of the spouses passes away the other partner is left alone to cope up with health problems and loneliness further aggravates their troubles and pushes them into a depression. Research found that at least 5 million of the 31 million Americans over 65 were clinically depressed, while a million had major depression.
Britain is not far behind. Elder abuse here has now reached alarming proportions. Over 300,000 old people have gone through abuse in the last year. A report has disclosed that the elderly people in England are mistreated by the country’s health system which many times ignores their plight. An NHS (National Health Service) report this year found that old people were not treated with dignity in the sense that their minimum income needs were almost 50% more than the UK state pension.
One can well imagine the situation in the third world countries after getting apprised of the same in the developed western society.
In Pakistan where there are no clear records on the number of the homeless old people, an assessment has established that nearly 70 per cent elders in the country were unhealthy while close to 60 per cent had multiple medical problems. In an age of weak family ties, old people bear a major brunt of it by suffering economically, socially, and psychologically.
Recently a newspaper report stated that an old couple in India was thrown out of their home by their son even though the house was legally in the old father’s name. This led to the couple seeking legal help for the restoration of their dignity- unheard of in a country like India where parents often do not resort to legal measures against their own children.
Also in India there are rampant cases of the elderly staying alone in their homes being robbed and at times even getting murdered in the process. Security for the old people, who are living alone in countries such as India, Pakistan, etc is a major concern.
In a fast-developing Asian state like China, things are not bright either. 11% of the Chinese populace is above 60. Out of this, 9 out of 10 worry about monetary needs at the time of retirement. Their dissatisfaction with the government is imminent in the survey that concluded that a mere 20% opined that it was okay to rely partially on the government pension scheme while 50% stated that they planned to be self-dependent. China has entered an aging society as 11% of its population is currently aged 60 or above. The callousness of the Chinese government is evident from the recently uttered words of its ex-Vice Minister for Foreign Trade Long Yongtu, that elderly people mustn’t rely on government to fund their retirement.
The senior citizens of the globe must not feel alienated in a society that they too developed. The thrust here should be on treating them on an equal footing and not making them feel an isolated lot. Also laws should be made more stringent and the legal system must formulate a mechanism to be elderly-friendly to ensure their safety and security needs.
With due respect to celebrated novelist, Mark Twain, let us not quote him out of context here and kill the belief as far as the worries of yesterday’s generation are concerned that: Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don`t mind, it doesn`t matter. It definitely should and it most certainly does matter.
Comment by Ritam Banati
Copyright © Zee News Limited.
USA: Finances Aren’t Just Personal – They Are Generational
FORT WORTH, Texas (Business Press), October 7, 2007:
For those coming from the baby boom generation, discussions about money were taught to be private. Outside of providing details to a financial adviser, accountant or tax preparer, boomers generally felt they should not share it with any one else, including parents and children. Today’s changing financial landscape may require a different approach when it comes to money. This is particularly true for those “sandwiched” between financially supporting elderly parents and adult children, writes Derrick Kinney, financial adviser.
A generational opportunity
Boomers belong to what historically may be the most prosperous generation in history. At the same time, boomers may face greater financial upheaval due to the demands of older and younger generations for monetary support. A recent survey conducted for Ameriprise Financial shows that close to 90 percent of baby boomers are providing at least some form of financial help to their adult children. The generosity doesn’t stop there. A considerable number also contribute dollars to support their aging parents, ranging from buying groceries to paying for long-term care.
This puts boomers squarely in the middle, or “sandwiched” between older and younger generations. While some may have thought the years approaching retirement would be focused on building a nest egg, the reality for many is that both parents and adult children are placing financial demands that can hamper the ability to save for their own needs.
Keeping your priorities straight
According to the recent study, most boomer-aged parents who provide financial support for adult children say that they are able to do so without jeopardizing their own retirement savings. Only 6 percent claim to use money that would otherwise be targeted for retirement to help fund the current needs of one of their offspring.
That does not diminish the fact that offering such help places an extra burden on boomers if faced with this situation. Only 9 percent of boomers surveyed believe providing assistance to their parents has had a negative impact on their own retirement savings, while 29 percent expressed a concern that the financial help they provide to adult children has detracted from their retirement plan.
Are you being stretched too far?
The challenge of the “sandwich generation” of boomers who provide financial support for other generations in their family is whether they can meet their retirement goals. According to The 2007 Retirement Confidence Survey by the Employee Benefit Retirement Institute, one in four boomers has saved less than $10,000 for retirement while another 45 percent have saved only $50,000.
While no one questions the generosity of parents willing to help even their adult children through difficult financial times, most boomer-aged parents recognize the need to protect their retirement. The Ameriprise study shows that about two-thirds of boomers said if given the choice between saving money for their own retirement or helping adult children with money to purchase a car or pay off credit card debt, they would favor their own retirement needs.
Time to open up
Now may be a good time to talk more openly with your children about financial matters. If you have been lending them a helping hand, make sure they understand why you did it and the expectations you have for them. If you are struggling to meet your own retirement savings goals, share that with them so they understand that they can play a helpful role by putting fewer demands on you for financial help.
Generational discussions can be a healthy exercise, especially if you are feeling at all financially constrained by providing financial support for other family members. The greatest risk is letting your own financial goals such as saving for retirement take a backseat to the current demands of parents or children.
By Derrick Kinney
© Copyright 2007 - The Fort Worth Business Press
For those coming from the baby boom generation, discussions about money were taught to be private. Outside of providing details to a financial adviser, accountant or tax preparer, boomers generally felt they should not share it with any one else, including parents and children. Today’s changing financial landscape may require a different approach when it comes to money. This is particularly true for those “sandwiched” between financially supporting elderly parents and adult children, writes Derrick Kinney, financial adviser.A generational opportunity
Boomers belong to what historically may be the most prosperous generation in history. At the same time, boomers may face greater financial upheaval due to the demands of older and younger generations for monetary support. A recent survey conducted for Ameriprise Financial shows that close to 90 percent of baby boomers are providing at least some form of financial help to their adult children. The generosity doesn’t stop there. A considerable number also contribute dollars to support their aging parents, ranging from buying groceries to paying for long-term care.
This puts boomers squarely in the middle, or “sandwiched” between older and younger generations. While some may have thought the years approaching retirement would be focused on building a nest egg, the reality for many is that both parents and adult children are placing financial demands that can hamper the ability to save for their own needs.
Keeping your priorities straight
According to the recent study, most boomer-aged parents who provide financial support for adult children say that they are able to do so without jeopardizing their own retirement savings. Only 6 percent claim to use money that would otherwise be targeted for retirement to help fund the current needs of one of their offspring.
That does not diminish the fact that offering such help places an extra burden on boomers if faced with this situation. Only 9 percent of boomers surveyed believe providing assistance to their parents has had a negative impact on their own retirement savings, while 29 percent expressed a concern that the financial help they provide to adult children has detracted from their retirement plan.
Are you being stretched too far?
The challenge of the “sandwich generation” of boomers who provide financial support for other generations in their family is whether they can meet their retirement goals. According to The 2007 Retirement Confidence Survey by the Employee Benefit Retirement Institute, one in four boomers has saved less than $10,000 for retirement while another 45 percent have saved only $50,000.
While no one questions the generosity of parents willing to help even their adult children through difficult financial times, most boomer-aged parents recognize the need to protect their retirement. The Ameriprise study shows that about two-thirds of boomers said if given the choice between saving money for their own retirement or helping adult children with money to purchase a car or pay off credit card debt, they would favor their own retirement needs.
Time to open up
Now may be a good time to talk more openly with your children about financial matters. If you have been lending them a helping hand, make sure they understand why you did it and the expectations you have for them. If you are struggling to meet your own retirement savings goals, share that with them so they understand that they can play a helpful role by putting fewer demands on you for financial help.
Generational discussions can be a healthy exercise, especially if you are feeling at all financially constrained by providing financial support for other family members. The greatest risk is letting your own financial goals such as saving for retirement take a backseat to the current demands of parents or children.
By Derrick Kinney
© Copyright 2007 - The Fort Worth Business Press
SRI LANKA: Elders' Home Celebrates International Day of Older Persons
KANDY, Sri Lanka(Kandy Times - The Sunday Times), October 7, 2007:
International Elders’ Day was celebrated on October 4 at Mahaiyawa Elders’ Home.
Among those present were the District Secretary, Assistant Parish Priest Fr. Charles, the Director of Social Services and Sister Superior.
There was a concert which was followed by a tea party sponsored by Kandy Rotary Club President Joe Paiva.
Copyright 2006 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka.
INDIA: Detariffing Will Speed Up Growth of Health Insurance Business
MUMBAI (The Economic Times), October 6, 2007:
India's insurance regulator expects health insurance to become the second-largest premium earner for insurance companies, after motor insurance within the next three years. According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), health insurance in India is expected to grow larger than fire insurance business after complete detariffing.
“Removal of tariff on other lines of business is likely to give a boost to health insurance,” said IRDA chairman, Mr. C.S. Rao, speaking at the CII Health Insurance Summit in Mumbai on October 5.
Mr Rao said that although health insurance was not governed by tariffs, the removal of cross-subsidy has made the health insurance business much more viable. With the removal of tariffs on property, insurers no longer have to offer discounts on group mediclaim to get fire insurance from corporates.
At the same time, premium from fire insurance was expected to shrink, following removal of floor limits on fire insurance rates with effect from November 2007.
Insurers expect fire premium rates to fall by another 20%, post-detariffing. “We have asked insurers to file with us the new rates that they plan to charge when floor limits are removed. Based on this, we will decide whether to remove the floor rate from November” said Mr Rao.
Mr Rao said that in 2001-02, health insurance premium from all companies amounted to only Rs 675 crore, while the industry generated a premium of Rs 3,200 crore in 2006-07.
Mr Rao said the regulator has recommended a separate legislation to govern health insurance when the Insurance Act was amended. “At present, there is no definition of a health insurance company and health insurers are covered by the definition of non-life insurance. We have suggested that there should be a definition of a separate health insurance company” said Mr Rao.
The IRDA chief indicated that the authority was looking at easing the capital requirement for health insurance companies. “At present, the solvency of a health insurance company is measured by using the normal solvency method. We could look at a risk-based capital approach for health insurance, considering that many other countries have moved towards a risk-based approach for most insurance businesses” said Mr Rao.
While the health insurance business offered significant potential for insurers, it was also an area where the regulator received the maximum number of complaints. Mr Rao said considering the large number of complaints received from senior citizens with regard to non-availability and high cost of health insurance, the IRDA has constituted a committee to look into the issues faced by senior citizens in buying health insurance.
Speaking at same event, Jean-Michel Chatagny, managing director, Asia Swiss Re, said the world spent $4.1 trillion on health in 2004. Of this, 19% came from private health insurance, with the government and social insurance accounting for bulk of the expenditure.
Mr Chatagny pointed out that out-of-pocket expenditure as a percentage of total health spend was highest in Asia with health insurance penetration at less than 1%.
Copyright © 2007 Times Internet Limited
India's insurance regulator expects health insurance to become the second-largest premium earner for insurance companies, after motor insurance within the next three years. According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), health insurance in India is expected to grow larger than fire insurance business after complete detariffing.
“Removal of tariff on other lines of business is likely to give a boost to health insurance,” said IRDA chairman, Mr. C.S. Rao, speaking at the CII Health Insurance Summit in Mumbai on October 5.
Mr Rao said that although health insurance was not governed by tariffs, the removal of cross-subsidy has made the health insurance business much more viable. With the removal of tariffs on property, insurers no longer have to offer discounts on group mediclaim to get fire insurance from corporates.
At the same time, premium from fire insurance was expected to shrink, following removal of floor limits on fire insurance rates with effect from November 2007.
Insurers expect fire premium rates to fall by another 20%, post-detariffing. “We have asked insurers to file with us the new rates that they plan to charge when floor limits are removed. Based on this, we will decide whether to remove the floor rate from November” said Mr Rao.
Mr Rao said that in 2001-02, health insurance premium from all companies amounted to only Rs 675 crore, while the industry generated a premium of Rs 3,200 crore in 2006-07.
Mr Rao said the regulator has recommended a separate legislation to govern health insurance when the Insurance Act was amended. “At present, there is no definition of a health insurance company and health insurers are covered by the definition of non-life insurance. We have suggested that there should be a definition of a separate health insurance company” said Mr Rao.
The IRDA chief indicated that the authority was looking at easing the capital requirement for health insurance companies. “At present, the solvency of a health insurance company is measured by using the normal solvency method. We could look at a risk-based capital approach for health insurance, considering that many other countries have moved towards a risk-based approach for most insurance businesses” said Mr Rao.
While the health insurance business offered significant potential for insurers, it was also an area where the regulator received the maximum number of complaints. Mr Rao said considering the large number of complaints received from senior citizens with regard to non-availability and high cost of health insurance, the IRDA has constituted a committee to look into the issues faced by senior citizens in buying health insurance.
Speaking at same event, Jean-Michel Chatagny, managing director, Asia Swiss Re, said the world spent $4.1 trillion on health in 2004. Of this, 19% came from private health insurance, with the government and social insurance accounting for bulk of the expenditure.
Mr Chatagny pointed out that out-of-pocket expenditure as a percentage of total health spend was highest in Asia with health insurance penetration at less than 1%.
Copyright © 2007 Times Internet Limited
USA: It's Seniors' Smiles Day in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (PDA Press Release), October 5, 2007:
Governor Edward G. Rendell today joined the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) and the Alliance of the Pennsylvania Dental Association (APDA) in recognizing October 5, 2007, as Senior Smiles Day in Pennsylvania.
In his proclamation on Senior Smiles Day, Rendall said:
"More than two million adults over the age of sixty-five reside in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and many of them do not see a dentist on a regular basis and would benefit from receiving educational materials concerning oral health."
"I encourage all Pennsylvania senior citizens to seek out ways to improve their own personal oral hygiene," and smiles.
The PDA and the APDA are collaborating today to reach as many senior citizens as possible with information on oral health care. They will provide 1,300 Senior Smiles dental kits to senior citizens residing in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Season Rose, President of the Lehigh Valley Dental Society Alliance, will be visiting nursing homes in Allentown and the YWCA Adult Day Care program in Bethlehem. The message for seniors is that, at any age, you need to take care of your teeth and mouth.
Many Pennsylvania Dental Association member dentists offer dental care at a reduced cost to senior citizens on low or fixed incomes through the Senior Dental Care Program. More than 1,000 dentists have participated in this voluntary program, which enables many seniors obtain affordable dental care and helps them enjoy good health and well-being.
Participating referral dentists offer a minimum discount of 15 percent off their usual fees for patients who meet the program’s basic requirements. In order to be eligible, a patient must be a Pennsylvania resident of age 65 or older, not be receiving federal, state or other dental health assistance, not have private dental insurance, have a total annual household income of less than $14,500 for a single person or less than $17,700 for a married couple.
Source: PDA
Governor Edward G. Rendell today joined the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) and the Alliance of the Pennsylvania Dental Association (APDA) in recognizing October 5, 2007, as Senior Smiles Day in Pennsylvania.
In his proclamation on Senior Smiles Day, Rendall said:
"More than two million adults over the age of sixty-five reside in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and many of them do not see a dentist on a regular basis and would benefit from receiving educational materials concerning oral health."
"I encourage all Pennsylvania senior citizens to seek out ways to improve their own personal oral hygiene," and smiles.
The PDA and the APDA are collaborating today to reach as many senior citizens as possible with information on oral health care. They will provide 1,300 Senior Smiles dental kits to senior citizens residing in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Season Rose, President of the Lehigh Valley Dental Society Alliance, will be visiting nursing homes in Allentown and the YWCA Adult Day Care program in Bethlehem. The message for seniors is that, at any age, you need to take care of your teeth and mouth.
Many Pennsylvania Dental Association member dentists offer dental care at a reduced cost to senior citizens on low or fixed incomes through the Senior Dental Care Program. More than 1,000 dentists have participated in this voluntary program, which enables many seniors obtain affordable dental care and helps them enjoy good health and well-being.
Participating referral dentists offer a minimum discount of 15 percent off their usual fees for patients who meet the program’s basic requirements. In order to be eligible, a patient must be a Pennsylvania resident of age 65 or older, not be receiving federal, state or other dental health assistance, not have private dental insurance, have a total annual household income of less than $14,500 for a single person or less than $17,700 for a married couple.
Source: PDA
JAPAN: Traditionally Insular Society, A Rare Experiment in Diversity
School Fills a Gap for Immigrants Returning to Ancestral Homeland
HAMAMATSU, Japan (Washington Post), October 6, 2007:
Five years ago, in this coastal city southwest of Tokyo, Mari Matsumoto sank her life savings into building a school for the children and grandchildren of immigrants coming to Japan. But at Mundo de Alegr¿a (World of Happiness), the students aren't what one might expect: Children with Japanese faces and names like Haruo and Tomiko dart around the two-story building chattering in Spanish and Portuguese.
The school is the result of an unusual social experiment. Faced with labor shortages, the Japanese government opened the doors in 1990 to allow immigrants to come to the country -- so long as they were of Japanese descent. Government officials thought they would blend into the country's notoriously insular society more easily than people from other ethnic backgrounds.
But many found they didn't quite fit. Their names and faces were Japanese, but they didn't speak the language. They didn't understand local customs, such as the country's stringent system for sorting garbage into multicolored containers. In cities such as Hamamatsu, where many settled, government officials and Japanese neighbors didn't know what to make of newcomers who seemed familiar but foreign at the same time.
Despite the frictions here and in other communities, pressure is building in Japan to take in more immigrants, forcing the country to reconsider its traditional bias against outsiders. Its population is aging and shrinking. Analysts say Japan must find new sources of labor if it is to preserve its economic power and support its retirees.
The Castle of Hamamatsu
Hamamatsu was a natural magnet for the newcomers because its many factories offered entry-level employment and required virtually no language skills. Officials here like to brag that their community became the most "international" of Japan's cities.
About 30,000 of its residents, or 4 percent, are foreign-born. That's almost twice the proportion of foreign-born residents in Japan as a whole. (About 13 percent of the U.S. population is foreign-born.)
Most newcomers are from Brazil and Peru. They are offspring of Japanese who immigrated to South America in the early 1900s to work in coffee fields and take other jobs.
The new arrivals here brought Latin culture with them. In Hamamatsu's downtown, billboards in Portuguese advertise cellphones and air conditioners. In a popular market, Brazilians who long for a taste of home can buy a platter of bolinho de queijo -- cheese croquettes -- fresh from the fryer or rent DVDs of popular Brazilian shows.
Other parts of the city have Brazilian and Peruvian churches. One enterprising woman has built a small catering business making box lunches for homesick Peruvians.
But even as officials here tout their international credentials, they struggle to manage the diversity. That's where Matsumoto, her life savings and the school come in.
For years, Matsumoto, a Japanese who learned Spanish and Portuguese in college, worked for Suzuki Motor, where she trained foreign workers from South America.
She soon grew alarmed by the number of immigrant children who were dropping out of Japanese public schools. Because many didn't understand Japanese, they were falling behind in their studies. Others were bullied because they didn't look Japanese (some of them are biracial, having Latin parents). Even though some schools hired aides to help the children, many were left to flounder, she said.
The parents urged Matsumoto to open a school for their children. Unable to get funding from government or school officials, she sank her savings into the enterprise. She began recruiting teachers willing to work for very little pay.
One recent day, as she watched her spirited charges dash around the makeshift classrooms in an office building on the city's south side, Matsumoto said she wouldn't have had to do this if the government had made an adequate effort to accommodate immigrant children. "That's the root of the problem," she said.
Problems in schools were just one sign the newcomers weren't going to simply "blend in." Those who lacked health insurance began turning up in local emergency rooms when they got sick. Since many depended on employers for housing, they ended up homeless if they lost their jobs.
Hidehiro Imanaka, director of Hamamatsu's International Affairs Division, shook his head recalling angry citizens who would call city hall to tattle on foreign-born neighbors who didn't sort the garbage properly or parked in the wrong places.
Some newcomers threw all-day barbecues with large crowds and loud music -- just as they had back home. Their Japanese neighbors were horrified. At one point, tensions were so high that some merchants banned certain groups from their stores, until a lawsuit prompted them to stop.
But many immigrants say the struggle is worth it.
Roberto Yamashiro, who came to Japan from Peru when he was 15, said the adjustment was difficult. He didn't know the language and didn't like the food. He worked in a factory that made ice chests for several years. Now 24, he is one of a handful of immigrant students at Hamamatsu University. "I like it here a lot," he said. "There is much more opportunity if you work hard."
Officials in Hamamatsu say they never expected the outsiders to live in Japan for more than a few years. But now they realize they're here to stay and must be helped along.
At city hall, officials have moved the foreign registration desk to a prominent spot on the first floor. Signs and forms are printed in Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese and English. The International Affairs Division, which used to focus on foreign exchange programs, now concentrates on the needs of the immigrant community. In an attempt to quell disputes over garbage, instructions on how to sort it are now available in four languages.
Shizuoka University of Art and Culture
But the broader question of Japan's traditional reluctance to accept outsiders remains.
Eunice Ishikawa, who was born in Brazil, teaches cultural policy and management in the Department of International Culture at Shizuoka University of Art and Culture in Hamamatsu. She said that when people learn where she was born, they can't believe she's a college professor.
For many of the immigrants from South America, "it's almost impossible to assimilate because people have such negative images" of outsiders, she said. Sometimes her husband, a Japanese American who was born in San Diego, complains that people look down on him because they see him as an American.
Ishikawa said the Japanese may have no choice but to learn to live with outsiders, because their numbers are growing, not only in Hamamatsu, but in the country as a whole.
In 1990, about 1 million registered foreign residents lived in Japan; by 2004, that figure had nearly doubled, to just below 2 million. Most say the actual numbers are probably higher because not all foreigners register.
The pressure to let in more immigrants is building. Population experts project that by 2050, Japan's population, about 128 million in 2005, will shrink to 95 million, about 40 percent of whom will be 65 or older. By some estimates, Japan will lose more than 4 million workers.
"With the age of globalization, these borders are going to open up," said Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies at Pennsylvania State University. "Unless they don't want to see their economy grow as rapidly, they're going to have to do something about it."
Recently, the country struck an agreement with the Philippines to bring in qualified nurses and certified care workers. "In the near future, Japan must make a decision to receive immigrants into this country," said Kazuaki Tezuka, professor of labor and social law at the University of Chiba, who has studied immigration policy around the world.
Joao Toshiei Masuko, a Brazilian immigrant of Japanese ancestry who opened the first Brazilian Japanese restaurant in Hamamatsu and then expanded his business to include a bakery and supermarket, predicted that immigrants will be accepted.
As he strolled through the aisle of his shiny new supermarket next to the downtown branch of Japan's Entetsu department store, he noted that his customers are both Japanese and non-Japanese. Pointing to aisles that stock U.S., Peruvian and Brazilian products, he said his market -- decorated in green and yellow, the colors on the Brazilian flag -- has an "international flair" that he's certain will translate in his adopted country.
"I opened my market to sell to Brazilians," he said. "But now everyone comes."
By Lori Aratani
Washington Post Staff Writer
© 2007 The Washington Post Company
HAMAMATSU, Japan (Washington Post), October 6, 2007:
Five years ago, in this coastal city southwest of Tokyo, Mari Matsumoto sank her life savings into building a school for the children and grandchildren of immigrants coming to Japan. But at Mundo de Alegr¿a (World of Happiness), the students aren't what one might expect: Children with Japanese faces and names like Haruo and Tomiko dart around the two-story building chattering in Spanish and Portuguese.
The school is the result of an unusual social experiment. Faced with labor shortages, the Japanese government opened the doors in 1990 to allow immigrants to come to the country -- so long as they were of Japanese descent. Government officials thought they would blend into the country's notoriously insular society more easily than people from other ethnic backgrounds.
But many found they didn't quite fit. Their names and faces were Japanese, but they didn't speak the language. They didn't understand local customs, such as the country's stringent system for sorting garbage into multicolored containers. In cities such as Hamamatsu, where many settled, government officials and Japanese neighbors didn't know what to make of newcomers who seemed familiar but foreign at the same time.
Despite the frictions here and in other communities, pressure is building in Japan to take in more immigrants, forcing the country to reconsider its traditional bias against outsiders. Its population is aging and shrinking. Analysts say Japan must find new sources of labor if it is to preserve its economic power and support its retirees.
The Castle of HamamatsuHamamatsu was a natural magnet for the newcomers because its many factories offered entry-level employment and required virtually no language skills. Officials here like to brag that their community became the most "international" of Japan's cities.
About 30,000 of its residents, or 4 percent, are foreign-born. That's almost twice the proportion of foreign-born residents in Japan as a whole. (About 13 percent of the U.S. population is foreign-born.)
Most newcomers are from Brazil and Peru. They are offspring of Japanese who immigrated to South America in the early 1900s to work in coffee fields and take other jobs.
The new arrivals here brought Latin culture with them. In Hamamatsu's downtown, billboards in Portuguese advertise cellphones and air conditioners. In a popular market, Brazilians who long for a taste of home can buy a platter of bolinho de queijo -- cheese croquettes -- fresh from the fryer or rent DVDs of popular Brazilian shows.
Other parts of the city have Brazilian and Peruvian churches. One enterprising woman has built a small catering business making box lunches for homesick Peruvians.
But even as officials here tout their international credentials, they struggle to manage the diversity. That's where Matsumoto, her life savings and the school come in.
For years, Matsumoto, a Japanese who learned Spanish and Portuguese in college, worked for Suzuki Motor, where she trained foreign workers from South America.
She soon grew alarmed by the number of immigrant children who were dropping out of Japanese public schools. Because many didn't understand Japanese, they were falling behind in their studies. Others were bullied because they didn't look Japanese (some of them are biracial, having Latin parents). Even though some schools hired aides to help the children, many were left to flounder, she said.
The parents urged Matsumoto to open a school for their children. Unable to get funding from government or school officials, she sank her savings into the enterprise. She began recruiting teachers willing to work for very little pay.
One recent day, as she watched her spirited charges dash around the makeshift classrooms in an office building on the city's south side, Matsumoto said she wouldn't have had to do this if the government had made an adequate effort to accommodate immigrant children. "That's the root of the problem," she said.
Problems in schools were just one sign the newcomers weren't going to simply "blend in." Those who lacked health insurance began turning up in local emergency rooms when they got sick. Since many depended on employers for housing, they ended up homeless if they lost their jobs.
Hidehiro Imanaka, director of Hamamatsu's International Affairs Division, shook his head recalling angry citizens who would call city hall to tattle on foreign-born neighbors who didn't sort the garbage properly or parked in the wrong places.
Some newcomers threw all-day barbecues with large crowds and loud music -- just as they had back home. Their Japanese neighbors were horrified. At one point, tensions were so high that some merchants banned certain groups from their stores, until a lawsuit prompted them to stop.
But many immigrants say the struggle is worth it.
Roberto Yamashiro, who came to Japan from Peru when he was 15, said the adjustment was difficult. He didn't know the language and didn't like the food. He worked in a factory that made ice chests for several years. Now 24, he is one of a handful of immigrant students at Hamamatsu University. "I like it here a lot," he said. "There is much more opportunity if you work hard."
Officials in Hamamatsu say they never expected the outsiders to live in Japan for more than a few years. But now they realize they're here to stay and must be helped along.
At city hall, officials have moved the foreign registration desk to a prominent spot on the first floor. Signs and forms are printed in Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese and English. The International Affairs Division, which used to focus on foreign exchange programs, now concentrates on the needs of the immigrant community. In an attempt to quell disputes over garbage, instructions on how to sort it are now available in four languages.
Shizuoka University of Art and Culture But the broader question of Japan's traditional reluctance to accept outsiders remains.
Eunice Ishikawa, who was born in Brazil, teaches cultural policy and management in the Department of International Culture at Shizuoka University of Art and Culture in Hamamatsu. She said that when people learn where she was born, they can't believe she's a college professor.
For many of the immigrants from South America, "it's almost impossible to assimilate because people have such negative images" of outsiders, she said. Sometimes her husband, a Japanese American who was born in San Diego, complains that people look down on him because they see him as an American.
Ishikawa said the Japanese may have no choice but to learn to live with outsiders, because their numbers are growing, not only in Hamamatsu, but in the country as a whole.
In 1990, about 1 million registered foreign residents lived in Japan; by 2004, that figure had nearly doubled, to just below 2 million. Most say the actual numbers are probably higher because not all foreigners register.
The pressure to let in more immigrants is building. Population experts project that by 2050, Japan's population, about 128 million in 2005, will shrink to 95 million, about 40 percent of whom will be 65 or older. By some estimates, Japan will lose more than 4 million workers.
"With the age of globalization, these borders are going to open up," said Fariborz Ghadar, director of the Center for Global Business Studies at Pennsylvania State University. "Unless they don't want to see their economy grow as rapidly, they're going to have to do something about it."
Recently, the country struck an agreement with the Philippines to bring in qualified nurses and certified care workers. "In the near future, Japan must make a decision to receive immigrants into this country," said Kazuaki Tezuka, professor of labor and social law at the University of Chiba, who has studied immigration policy around the world.
Joao Toshiei Masuko, a Brazilian immigrant of Japanese ancestry who opened the first Brazilian Japanese restaurant in Hamamatsu and then expanded his business to include a bakery and supermarket, predicted that immigrants will be accepted.
As he strolled through the aisle of his shiny new supermarket next to the downtown branch of Japan's Entetsu department store, he noted that his customers are both Japanese and non-Japanese. Pointing to aisles that stock U.S., Peruvian and Brazilian products, he said his market -- decorated in green and yellow, the colors on the Brazilian flag -- has an "international flair" that he's certain will translate in his adopted country.
"I opened my market to sell to Brazilians," he said. "But now everyone comes."
By Lori Aratani
Washington Post Staff Writer
© 2007 The Washington Post Company
INDIA: Little Children, Incredible Deeds
PUNE, Maharashtra (The Indian Express), October 6, 2007:
These children like most others are naughty, fun-loving, and love pizza and cold drinks. Yet, they are compassionate and aware of their social obligations. Indeed, students of St Mary’s School and The Bishop’s School proved why they are so different when they celebrated Gandhi Jayanti in an innovative way.
Rather than just preaching Gandhiji’s messages of truth, this group of nine children drew and painted the pictures of life in general before selling them for a handsome sum that was donated to Sandhya Old Age Home near Quarter Gate.
They put up the exhibition with their pocket money and invited noted painter Vishwajeet Naik as the chief guest. “We used all our colours — be it poster colours and water colours for the exhibition,” one mother said. “The children even woke up at 4 am on the D-Day to give the finishing touches.”
Apparently, the exhibition was held at their homes for an entry fee of Rs five, even for family members. Handmade tickets were made and sold to neighbours and friends.
Most of the paintings were those of nature, birds and animals, while others featured human characters that included flag hoisting and Holi. Nearly 30 paintings were exhibited, of which most were sold. They collected Rs 500 from the tickets and Rs 1,130 from the auctioning.
So what rally inspired this bunch?
“Unlike a lot of other children, we have all the facilities at our disposal. So we wanted to help those who didn’t have the luxury I enjoy,” Perrian Mehta said. Yohan Mehta, the eldest in the group of three to 12 year olds, said they didn’t stop at making the donations. “We also some spent time with the elders at the old age home,” he said. “After all, they need our love and time the most.”
By Manasi Saraf-Joshi
© 2007 Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd.
These children like most others are naughty, fun-loving, and love pizza and cold drinks. Yet, they are compassionate and aware of their social obligations. Indeed, students of St Mary’s School and The Bishop’s School proved why they are so different when they celebrated Gandhi Jayanti in an innovative way.
Rather than just preaching Gandhiji’s messages of truth, this group of nine children drew and painted the pictures of life in general before selling them for a handsome sum that was donated to Sandhya Old Age Home near Quarter Gate.
They put up the exhibition with their pocket money and invited noted painter Vishwajeet Naik as the chief guest. “We used all our colours — be it poster colours and water colours for the exhibition,” one mother said. “The children even woke up at 4 am on the D-Day to give the finishing touches.”
Apparently, the exhibition was held at their homes for an entry fee of Rs five, even for family members. Handmade tickets were made and sold to neighbours and friends.
Most of the paintings were those of nature, birds and animals, while others featured human characters that included flag hoisting and Holi. Nearly 30 paintings were exhibited, of which most were sold. They collected Rs 500 from the tickets and Rs 1,130 from the auctioning.
So what rally inspired this bunch?
“Unlike a lot of other children, we have all the facilities at our disposal. So we wanted to help those who didn’t have the luxury I enjoy,” Perrian Mehta said. Yohan Mehta, the eldest in the group of three to 12 year olds, said they didn’t stop at making the donations. “We also some spent time with the elders at the old age home,” he said. “After all, they need our love and time the most.”
By Manasi Saraf-Joshi
© 2007 Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd.
IRAN: How We Got To 90
There are more centenarians then ever, according to new estimates. But those who turn 100 must first make it into their 90s - a landmark age that was all but unimaginable when they were born.
Ninety is the new 80, it seems, and the increasing number of people reaching that milestone has contributed to a record number of 100-year-olds.
There were an estimated 9,000 centenarians in England and Wales last year, an increase of 7.5% on the previous year.
The major factors, says an Office of National Statistics report, are increased survival rates between 80 and 100 due to improvements in hygiene and sanitation, improved food, housing and living standards and medical treatment.
Reaching 90 in the post-war period was a rare event but now many lead fit and active lives. Here some of them talk about life at 90.
""Good old days? What good old days?"" says Rose Butt, 93, after outlining a childhood that included a four-mile walk to school, the cane, bed at 6.30pm every night and a father held in a German POW camp.
The prospect of being ""skivvy"" to a farmer's wife in rural Essex propelled a 14-year-old Rose to London and a job in domestic help, followed by a 60-year marriage to Reg that she describes as unhappy. Despite such a hard life, Rose remains, chirpy, mischievous and twinkly-eyed. Cheerfulness, it seems, has been a key ingredient in her recipe for longevity.
""I'm inclined to be a happy-go-lucky person,"" she says. ""I've always looked after myself except for smoking, which I regret. People always say 'you're always smiling', but I have my moments when I get depressed and have a cry.""
Her friends don't phone any more because they've all died, she says. And angina, arthritis, inflamed legs and an irregular heartbeat mean she has to take nine tablets every morning.
But she still gets out on her mobility scooter - despite an accident last year that broke her arm in two places, she was straight back without a trace of nerves - and her fondness for Formula One motor racing makes her one of the oldest petrolheads around.
And she knits for charity. A pile of cuddly toys in the corner of her living room are testament to her skill in this regard including, amazingly, a doll wearing knitted roller skates.
Any 90th birthday would be a huge milestone but for Winifred Timbrell it drew her ever-closer to a personal competition she had to outlive her mother.
""I was pleased because my mother lived to be 92 so I thought I only had another two years to go.""
Two years after the party at Guild House in Gloucester she's drawn level with her mother, and she puts this achievement down to an active life.
""I always liked to exercise when I was young - walk, swim and cycle - and now I try to keep going as much as I can.
""I exercise to music once a week and I don't sit down to be waited on, I still do a few jobs. I knit a lot for a charity and I still read the papers.""
She counts herself lucky to have lived so long but does not want to live to 100.
""I'm quite happy now, but if I was poorly I would think it better to pass away. When you can't get about much and can't do the things you always did, it's not so good. I miss going into town and looking around the shops and buying something and maybe have a coffee.""
It's only two weeks since Duncan Clark, 92, reluctantly gave up his mobility scooter, but what others would view as a serious restriction on their freedom is for him a minor irritation - he'll just have to get the bus.
""I don't know why I've lived so long, maybe it's just that I've done everything in moderation - drinking, walking, cycling, and a lot of my life has been outdoors.""
A draughtsman by trade, Duncan spends his time doing jigsaws, raising money for a children's charity, reading and walking.
His 90s were greeted with some enthusiasm, he recalls. ""I didn't find it so bad, I think it's something to be proud of. When I was young, if you were 90 you were on the scrapheap but now they consider it more. So in some ways old people are treated better now but not in others.""
His motto for life is stick with your friends, don't show off and keep a sense of dignity.
He spent 63 years with Lillian, whom he married in Liverpool in 1942 and who died in 2005. But he never called her Lily.
Source: BBC
Copyright © 1998-2007 The Tehran Times Daily Newspaper.
USA: Community Center to Host Activities for Seniors
CONCORD, New Hampshire (Concord Monitor), October 5, 2007:
It's not the full-size senior center they've clamored for, but local elders will soon enjoy city-sponsored activities designed to keep them healthy, happy and in touch with their friends.
Starting October 22, the Green Street Community Center will host free, drop-in programs throughout the week for residents over 50. Activities will include walking, crafts and wellness programs, and more will soon be on offer. Lobbying by local elders led to approval of $5,000 to hire a part-time coordinator for senior programs. A corps of volunteers and expertise of seniors themselves will provide a lot more.
Maybe there's a retired lawyer who wants to help with trusts, or a local business that wants to donate coffee and bagels. The way to keep this as a no-cost program as it grows is to rely on volunteers.
"My mother belonged to the Sunset Club 50 years ago," Terry Noonan said at this week's meeting. "They met in a little room until it was condemned. Now we're meeting here. I know we can't get a mansion, but we can get better than this in 50 years."
By Meg Heckman
Copyright 2007 Concord Monitor
It's not the full-size senior center they've clamored for, but local elders will soon enjoy city-sponsored activities designed to keep them healthy, happy and in touch with their friends.
Starting October 22, the Green Street Community Center will host free, drop-in programs throughout the week for residents over 50. Activities will include walking, crafts and wellness programs, and more will soon be on offer. Lobbying by local elders led to approval of $5,000 to hire a part-time coordinator for senior programs. A corps of volunteers and expertise of seniors themselves will provide a lot more.
Maybe there's a retired lawyer who wants to help with trusts, or a local business that wants to donate coffee and bagels. The way to keep this as a no-cost program as it grows is to rely on volunteers.
"My mother belonged to the Sunset Club 50 years ago," Terry Noonan said at this week's meeting. "They met in a little room until it was condemned. Now we're meeting here. I know we can't get a mansion, but we can get better than this in 50 years."
By Meg Heckman
Copyright 2007 Concord Monitor
INDIA: Loving And Caring For Elders
Comment by Juino de Souza
PANAJI, Goa (The Navhind Times), October 6, 2007:
The World Elders’ Day is an important occasion to recognise and make our seniors feel happy and special. The quality of health care has increased and with it the quality of life has become better and life after 60 should not be looked as an end of a lifetime’s work.
Ageing should be seen as the beginning of a new chapter on how to live young in chronologically advancing years with an up-beat positive attitude. It should be viewed as another climb, gentler this time and it is entirely in your hands how happily and healthily you want to grow older, not `get old.’
The seniors mut learn to get rid from their minds of the fear that ‘getting old’ means decline, loneliness, isolation, loss of power and prestige. There are several elders who suffer from abuse at the hands of their own children and daughter?in?laws and many have been deprived of their gold, money and property, besides being driven out from their own homes and abandoned to live as destitute in the old aged homes.
Whatever maybe the social problem, youngsters must realise that it is their bounder duty to care for their parents in their old age and shower them with affection and respect. Domestic problems can occur, but the elders crave to be wanted and it is cruel to neglect and harass them. One must remember that the wheel of life is constantly turning and the youngsters themselves will have to one day turn old and may have to depend on the next generation.
While it is true that elders should correct the youngsters when they are wrong, what happens invariably is that older people tend to keep on preaching. They should not compare the attitude of the youngsters of today with their own attitude when they were young as today’s lifestyle is far removed from theirs and hence should give more independence to both their children and the grandchildren. This way the youngsters will come to respect and love them.
The Provedoria in Goa runs old aged homes and provides financial assistance, shelter and food to the destitute, however there is need for the government to further strengthen the department so as to provide opportunities that inspire and motivate seniors to derive self esteem and dignity and lead active and meaningful lives by involving themselves in activities that promote `successful’ ageing.
There are senior citizens who need legal advice and this can be rendered free of cost. Senior Citizen Cards can also be directly distributed through such service. Again, there are elders who are keen on reading and learning or who want to work after retirement and their services can be utilised for taking up different responsibilities.
Many want to interact socially and are keen to building community ties by sharing their talents and cultural knowledge with others and the government must encourage such activities by launching various programmes. Entertainment, playing cards, carrom or simply chatting that can help the elderly relax must also be promoted.
Mobile van service carrying doctors, social workers and welfare officers can be set up through public-private partnership (PPP) for catering to the needs of old people and regular health check-ups, meditation and spiritual counselling can be undertaken at the village level.
Goa needs a state law to ensure that all old persons are cared for and not abused or abandoned by their children in old age and a bill must be introduced to enact what can be named the ‘Goa Maintenance of Parents and Dependents Act 2007’ that will go a long way to obviate problems faced by the elderly in Goa.
© Copyright Navhind Papers & Publications Ltd.
PANAJI, Goa (The Navhind Times), October 6, 2007:
The World Elders’ Day is an important occasion to recognise and make our seniors feel happy and special. The quality of health care has increased and with it the quality of life has become better and life after 60 should not be looked as an end of a lifetime’s work.
Ageing should be seen as the beginning of a new chapter on how to live young in chronologically advancing years with an up-beat positive attitude. It should be viewed as another climb, gentler this time and it is entirely in your hands how happily and healthily you want to grow older, not `get old.’
The seniors mut learn to get rid from their minds of the fear that ‘getting old’ means decline, loneliness, isolation, loss of power and prestige. There are several elders who suffer from abuse at the hands of their own children and daughter?in?laws and many have been deprived of their gold, money and property, besides being driven out from their own homes and abandoned to live as destitute in the old aged homes.
Whatever maybe the social problem, youngsters must realise that it is their bounder duty to care for their parents in their old age and shower them with affection and respect. Domestic problems can occur, but the elders crave to be wanted and it is cruel to neglect and harass them. One must remember that the wheel of life is constantly turning and the youngsters themselves will have to one day turn old and may have to depend on the next generation.
While it is true that elders should correct the youngsters when they are wrong, what happens invariably is that older people tend to keep on preaching. They should not compare the attitude of the youngsters of today with their own attitude when they were young as today’s lifestyle is far removed from theirs and hence should give more independence to both their children and the grandchildren. This way the youngsters will come to respect and love them.
The Provedoria in Goa runs old aged homes and provides financial assistance, shelter and food to the destitute, however there is need for the government to further strengthen the department so as to provide opportunities that inspire and motivate seniors to derive self esteem and dignity and lead active and meaningful lives by involving themselves in activities that promote `successful’ ageing.
There are senior citizens who need legal advice and this can be rendered free of cost. Senior Citizen Cards can also be directly distributed through such service. Again, there are elders who are keen on reading and learning or who want to work after retirement and their services can be utilised for taking up different responsibilities.
Many want to interact socially and are keen to building community ties by sharing their talents and cultural knowledge with others and the government must encourage such activities by launching various programmes. Entertainment, playing cards, carrom or simply chatting that can help the elderly relax must also be promoted.
Mobile van service carrying doctors, social workers and welfare officers can be set up through public-private partnership (PPP) for catering to the needs of old people and regular health check-ups, meditation and spiritual counselling can be undertaken at the village level.
Goa needs a state law to ensure that all old persons are cared for and not abused or abandoned by their children in old age and a bill must be introduced to enact what can be named the ‘Goa Maintenance of Parents and Dependents Act 2007’ that will go a long way to obviate problems faced by the elderly in Goa.
© Copyright Navhind Papers & Publications Ltd.
U.K.: Save The Aged - More Are Getting Bankrupt
LONDON, England (The Mirror), October 5, 2007:
Easy credit and soaring bills are blamed for a doubling in the number of old people going bankrupt.
In 2002, pensioners made up only three per cent of bankrupts. That tally has risen to seven per cent this year.
The problem is particularly severe in rural areas due to a lack of part-time work and the high cost of public transport.
And the trend is likely to get worse as increased life expectancy puts greater pressure on OAPs, especially those who rely on the state pension.
Life for the elderly is getting more like that of the younger generation - fraught with money problems generated by the desire to have everything now and to hell with tomorrow.
Especially if there might not be a tomorrow. What happened to old-fashioned ideas of saving up or doing without? But 7,900 pensioners have gone bust this year, which can't be good for their health.
By Paul Routledge
Easy credit and soaring bills are blamed for a doubling in the number of old people going bankrupt.
In 2002, pensioners made up only three per cent of bankrupts. That tally has risen to seven per cent this year.
The problem is particularly severe in rural areas due to a lack of part-time work and the high cost of public transport.
And the trend is likely to get worse as increased life expectancy puts greater pressure on OAPs, especially those who rely on the state pension.
Life for the elderly is getting more like that of the younger generation - fraught with money problems generated by the desire to have everything now and to hell with tomorrow.
Especially if there might not be a tomorrow. What happened to old-fashioned ideas of saving up or doing without? But 7,900 pensioners have gone bust this year, which can't be good for their health.
By Paul Routledge
INDIA: Ballygunge Court - Movie About Mellowed Loneliness of Seniors
Bengali Cinema - Bengali-By Shoma A. ChatterjiKOLKATA (Screen Weekly), October 5, 2007:
The clock is ticking away. But it has also turned full circle. Salt and pepper is being underlined in and through the language of cinema in a rainbow of colours.
Pinaki Chowdhury’s "Ballygunge Court" follows the lives of five couples, all of them senior citizens, coping with their loneliness in their distinctly different ways. The film is a celluloid adaptation of Bani Bose’s story Deepshikha.
The senior couples are distanced in terms of their seniority, their approach to life, and their ways of coping with the reality of their children striving to seek an independent life of their own.
The three things common among them are that all of them are affluent, educated and live in the same residential complex whose name is the title of the film.
The opening of the film is almost magical in its chemistry. It shows a couple squabbling away over their son’s decision to go the FTII in Pune to become a filmmaker. The wife is on the son’s side while the husband, an alcoholic, is dead against the son moving away. In the heat of the moment, the wife walks out into the night and gets run over. Did she commit suicide? Or, was it an accident? Or, is the alcoholic husband indirectly responsible for her untimely death? These questions get raised once or twice over the film but drive the husband deeper into a life of self-pity he seeks to drown in the bottle.
The narrative mellows suddenly after this electric beginning and so does the pace of the film.
Sir Rajen whose only son and daughter-in-law live with him, is constantly at loggerheads with the son who wants to go away to London and he does not want it. Rajen’s wife Tapati points out that Sir Rajen had himself spent most of his working life abroad while the son had to go to boarding school. So, it would be wrong on their part to stop him. So, the son moves away to UK with his wife.
Udayan Chatterjee on the other hand, tries his best to keep up a cheerful front when the daughter flies to Mumbai to study fashion designing. But his wife keeps pining away. A very old mother keeps listening to the recorded message on the answering machine every night hoping that her son will answer. This couple is murdered in cold blood with their bodies discovered only after a few days, pointing out the impact of Manmohan Singh’s economic liberalisation on the Indian family that sends money-crazy children away to foreign shores.
Another old man tries to busy himself in his garden, with the child is away somewhere.
The brilliant acting cast ranging from Soumitra Chatterjee through Mamata Shankar to Sabyasachi Chakravarty, Tanushree Shankar and the rest, holds the film together. It’s grindingly slow pace and its inherent pessimism undercuts the acting and bogs it down till the end. Sunirmal Majumdar’s cinematography, Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty’s background score and Chandan Roy Choudhury’s music offer further enrichment.
But instead of being a tribute to the indefatigable spirit, the moral strength and the irrepressible courage of senior citizens, so beautifully brought out in films like Baghbaan , Viruddh, Black and Saraansh, Pinaki Choudhury’s Ballygunge Court draws a rather sad sketch of people who have journeyed through more than half a century.
We, the senior citizens of India, do not deserve sympathy. We need to be celebrated for our spirit to live on, and the children are free to find their own worlds without feeling guilty about their choice.
© 2007: Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd.
INDIA: Smiles As Bright As The Mid-Day Sun At Seniors Day Every Month
A place to unwind: They meet every month, share stories of their experiences, have fun
CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu (The Hindu), October 5, 2007:
They maybe in the twilight of their lives, but their smiles were as bright as the mid-day sun.
Senior citizens meet every month on the Dignity Foundation premises, share stories of their experiences or mundane day-to-day happenings, play games, reflect on the speeches of a knowledgeable stranger and then go back to their routine life.
Social worker of Dignity Foundation, Mary Rose Thomas, who runs around trying to get the room just right for the guests, said that the most important part of the meeting was to let the senior citizens know that they are not alone and to make them feel comfortable to have a good time.
“We have an average of 30 people at every meeting.”
On Thursday, the senior citizens listened to a talk on meditation, following which the group chatted over coffee and snacks.
It was then time for a game of Lotto. With quiet excitement they waited for the numbers to be called out and congratulated the winners as they stood up with warms rounds of applause.
An 81-year-old lady, was the only one who came from a senior citizens’ home.
“I come here every month. I’m a life member of the Dignity Foundation. People make friends with me fast when they find out I live in an old age home. It is nice to get to know new people and meet friends. We share each other’s stories and have a good time playing games and chatting,” she said.
Seventy-six-year-old John Ponniah is new to the group. He comes here to be with others of his age.
© Copyright 2000 - 2007 The Hindu
CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu (The Hindu), October 5, 2007:
They maybe in the twilight of their lives, but their smiles were as bright as the mid-day sun.
Senior citizens meet every month on the Dignity Foundation premises, share stories of their experiences or mundane day-to-day happenings, play games, reflect on the speeches of a knowledgeable stranger and then go back to their routine life.
Social worker of Dignity Foundation, Mary Rose Thomas, who runs around trying to get the room just right for the guests, said that the most important part of the meeting was to let the senior citizens know that they are not alone and to make them feel comfortable to have a good time.
“We have an average of 30 people at every meeting.”
On Thursday, the senior citizens listened to a talk on meditation, following which the group chatted over coffee and snacks.
It was then time for a game of Lotto. With quiet excitement they waited for the numbers to be called out and congratulated the winners as they stood up with warms rounds of applause.
An 81-year-old lady, was the only one who came from a senior citizens’ home.
“I come here every month. I’m a life member of the Dignity Foundation. People make friends with me fast when they find out I live in an old age home. It is nice to get to know new people and meet friends. We share each other’s stories and have a good time playing games and chatting,” she said.
Seventy-six-year-old John Ponniah is new to the group. He comes here to be with others of his age.
© Copyright 2000 - 2007 The Hindu
INDIA: Going Strong At The Ripe Age Of 107
Eldest ever student to get computer training,
Rosakutty is right now a celebrity
KOCHI, Kerala (The Hindu), October 5, 2007:
As the world celebrated yet another International Day of Elders, Rosakutty, 107, seems unmindful of her age. Having played granny to many a generation she is perhaps the most popular figure in Kothad village falling under the Kadamakkudy panchayat in Ernakulam district.
Apart from age-related frailty, Ms. Rosakutty is healthy for someone of her age. Ms. Rosakutty first shot into the limelight early last year when she became the eldest ever student to undergo computer training through the Akshaya project. Since then, as they say, there was no looking back.
Her fame soon grew to celebrity proportions what with media across the country and even abroad doing stories on her. Even as she counts the days to celebrate her 108th birthday, which falls on December 17, memories from her more than a century-old life are still vivid in her mind.
“Her memory is still intact and she is also able to recollect things if asked about an incident from the past,” a proud Pushkin said about his grandma. This enables her to recall even the political scenario from the days of the Praja Socialist Party. Her favourite political leader remains the late EMS Namboodiripad. However, this liking did not prevent her from hurling slogans against the Marxist leader during the liberation struggle. She remembers how the priest of her parish gathered the believers by ringing the bell and urged them to rise against the communist government in revolt.
A fourth standard dropout, she is still able to read if the font size is comparatively bigger.
Ms. Rosakutty is staying with her son Davis, who runs a teashop. She married Paili, a daily wages worker, at the age of 22. She recollects with a chuckle that a dowry of Rs.30 was fixed for her marriage. Her poor parents could not manage the amount fully. Her husband died in 1982.
Of her eight children, two died at a tender age while three others died owing to old age. She used to go for daily work to assist her husband in running the household besides doing babysitting. “Perhaps, my grandma had taken care of almost all the grownups in this area at least once,” Mr. Pushkin said.
Ms. Rosakutty fell ill recently after getting caught in the rain. Ever since she had developed some difficulty in walking and spends most of the time inside the house, he said. But then, she has already walked more than anyone else in a life spanning more than a century.
By M.P. Praveen
Copyright © 2007, The Hindu.
SINGAPORE: It's A Blessing, Let's Rejoice!
Message to the Government: Cut out the cruel approach and work on the good news
Writes Tan Sai Siong of TODAYOnline, October 6, 2007.
I THINK the Government's use of longevity insurance as a shield against the prospect of more Singaporeans living longer isn't packaged to attract the sort of buy-in which the substance of the wise move deserves.
After all, insurance is against bad things that might happen, such as catastrophic illnesses, accidents, untimely deaths, and so on.
But longevity is a blessing and a much-valued extension of time on earth, to be embraced with relief and gratitude.
Immortality, or at least longevity, has been sought by sages through the ages, from China to Greece and Egypt, using philosopher stones, lingzhi (the mushroom of immortality) and every trick or treat available to human imagination.
So, Singapore should be jumping for joy to know that those aged 60 now stand a 1-in-2 chance of living to 85 and beyond. Obviously, the chances for those not yet 60 may be even better. But why isn't our Government treating this as a feat to be celebrated, perhaps even designating Jan 1 to be Longevity Day, with fireworks and a Longevity Parade?
Instead, the official line is now making longevity tantamount to a calamity that needs alleviation through a contentious compulsory insurance scheme. Maybe it's true that the good die young but there's no need to make it a bad scene for those slated to die old. I am 63 and find the longevity news most welcome.
So, please cut the cruel approach for now and concentrate on the good news. What does an extra 20/25 years mean, especially if you are in my age group?
It's not just about possibilities. The probabilities are very good too that a new life begun at 60 can be very fruitful, when there's a future measuring two-and-a-half decades to support it.
Think of the family with whom we always say we don't spend enough time. Now, these extra years give us what we've always wanted, more time to be with our loved ones.
Think of the new friendships and relationships that can be initiated and enjoyed, with all that time for them to blossom. With the new life span, we have the luxury to also salvage faded ties from those worth salvaging.
"Too late" are words to be outlawed from our vocabulary. Think of the new careers, jobs, colleagues, perhaps even a new venture: All have become more accessible and feasible; the extra time to stand, stare and experiment with no need to worry about "time's winged chariot hurrying near".
There is so much world and we've the extra time to explore the space and the places.
With the pace of change accelerating, the extra 20/25 years could in effect mean 40/50 more years, as measured by the pace known to our parents and grandparents.
Longevity means an effective extension of life by two generations!
Isn't that worth rejoicing about, especially when our home is Singapore and there is so much ahead, as we read almost daily in the newspapers, hear on the radio, see on TV and, even as we go about our daily lives, witnessing big changes afoot: New landmarks created, old ones enhanced.
Longevity gives us this unsurpassable opportunity to savour an increasingly gentler but more vibrant Singapore. Or, if Singapore gets on your nerves, there is time enough to explore alternatives.
Never mind that we didn't have the guts when we were 30, 40 or 50. At 60, with another quarter of our life still ahead, there's time aplenty to mistake a mirage for an oasis and yet make it back again to the safety of this our home before sunset.
The nation at large should rejoice at this longevity too. Qualified, experienced manpower can contribute for longer. Less-qualified manpower and those who have never been qualified at all become worthwhile to train or retrain, because there're vast streams of payback time for them in this age of longevity.
So, I say to our Government: By all means throw in the extra 1 per cent for all CPF members but as a celebration of long life, not as an antidote to ward off the ills of longevity. And for those like me who have already used our minimum sum to buy an annuity, let us have that 1 per cent to top up our annuity, rather than make us buy an extra one.
Better still, let us fritter it away anyway we want, as a reward to early adopters of annuities and to incentivise those who haven't committed their minimum sum to annuities to do so.
The message from the Government should be the benefits of annuities for long-lifers, not the ills of growing old, sick and penniless.
By Tan Sai Siong Ex-journalist and first editor of The Business Times.
Copyright ©2005 MediaCorp Press Ltd
Writes Tan Sai Siong of TODAYOnline, October 6, 2007.
I THINK the Government's use of longevity insurance as a shield against the prospect of more Singaporeans living longer isn't packaged to attract the sort of buy-in which the substance of the wise move deserves.
After all, insurance is against bad things that might happen, such as catastrophic illnesses, accidents, untimely deaths, and so on.
But longevity is a blessing and a much-valued extension of time on earth, to be embraced with relief and gratitude.
Immortality, or at least longevity, has been sought by sages through the ages, from China to Greece and Egypt, using philosopher stones, lingzhi (the mushroom of immortality) and every trick or treat available to human imagination.
So, Singapore should be jumping for joy to know that those aged 60 now stand a 1-in-2 chance of living to 85 and beyond. Obviously, the chances for those not yet 60 may be even better. But why isn't our Government treating this as a feat to be celebrated, perhaps even designating Jan 1 to be Longevity Day, with fireworks and a Longevity Parade?
Instead, the official line is now making longevity tantamount to a calamity that needs alleviation through a contentious compulsory insurance scheme. Maybe it's true that the good die young but there's no need to make it a bad scene for those slated to die old. I am 63 and find the longevity news most welcome.
So, please cut the cruel approach for now and concentrate on the good news. What does an extra 20/25 years mean, especially if you are in my age group?
It's not just about possibilities. The probabilities are very good too that a new life begun at 60 can be very fruitful, when there's a future measuring two-and-a-half decades to support it.
Think of the family with whom we always say we don't spend enough time. Now, these extra years give us what we've always wanted, more time to be with our loved ones.
Think of the new friendships and relationships that can be initiated and enjoyed, with all that time for them to blossom. With the new life span, we have the luxury to also salvage faded ties from those worth salvaging.
"Too late" are words to be outlawed from our vocabulary. Think of the new careers, jobs, colleagues, perhaps even a new venture: All have become more accessible and feasible; the extra time to stand, stare and experiment with no need to worry about "time's winged chariot hurrying near".
There is so much world and we've the extra time to explore the space and the places.
With the pace of change accelerating, the extra 20/25 years could in effect mean 40/50 more years, as measured by the pace known to our parents and grandparents.
Longevity means an effective extension of life by two generations!
Isn't that worth rejoicing about, especially when our home is Singapore and there is so much ahead, as we read almost daily in the newspapers, hear on the radio, see on TV and, even as we go about our daily lives, witnessing big changes afoot: New landmarks created, old ones enhanced.
Longevity gives us this unsurpassable opportunity to savour an increasingly gentler but more vibrant Singapore. Or, if Singapore gets on your nerves, there is time enough to explore alternatives.
Never mind that we didn't have the guts when we were 30, 40 or 50. At 60, with another quarter of our life still ahead, there's time aplenty to mistake a mirage for an oasis and yet make it back again to the safety of this our home before sunset.
The nation at large should rejoice at this longevity too. Qualified, experienced manpower can contribute for longer. Less-qualified manpower and those who have never been qualified at all become worthwhile to train or retrain, because there're vast streams of payback time for them in this age of longevity.
So, I say to our Government: By all means throw in the extra 1 per cent for all CPF members but as a celebration of long life, not as an antidote to ward off the ills of longevity. And for those like me who have already used our minimum sum to buy an annuity, let us have that 1 per cent to top up our annuity, rather than make us buy an extra one.
Better still, let us fritter it away anyway we want, as a reward to early adopters of annuities and to incentivise those who haven't committed their minimum sum to annuities to do so.
The message from the Government should be the benefits of annuities for long-lifers, not the ills of growing old, sick and penniless.
By Tan Sai Siong Ex-journalist and first editor of The Business Times.
Copyright ©2005 MediaCorp Press Ltd
CANADA: Too Young To Retire, But Tired Of The Same Old
Employers are facing a ticking time bomb: Older workers, weary of the grind
and restless to enjoy life, are getting itchy feet for retirement. But there are
fewer younger workers to take their place. Wallace Immen writes that some companies
are finding creative ways to keep the veterans happy - both on and off the job
TORONTO, Ontario (Globe and Mail), October 5, 2007:
Jean-Luc Blais had a dream.
But in order to make it come true, he thought he might have to retire.
The avid boater was eager to take a long-planned journey from Montreal to the Caribbean and back that would require at least four months away from his job as director of public affairs with Merck Frosst Canada Ltd.
But he hit a snag. His manager told him the company couldn't allow him to take that much time off and guarantee his job would still be available when he got back.
However, the winds of change were in his favour. Merck Frosst had been working on ways to encourage employees over the age of 50 to stay at work rather than retire early. And management realized long-time employees like Mr. Blais would stay with the company if they could get the flexibility to take time if they needed it.
Last year, the company adopted a policy that allows managers to make individual arrangements for older workers who need to take as much as a year of unpaid leave for personal reasons.
As a result, Mr. Blais, 54, enjoyed his high-seas adventure. And the company also benefited, he says. "When I came back last year, I had a new outlook. After taking time to recharge my batteries, I realized how much I enjoy working for the company."
Now, he's shelved any thoughts of retiring.
It's the kind of approach managers will need to adopt to keep their organizations competitive, says Barbara Jaworski, president of Workplace Institute in Toronto, a human resources consultancy.
It's a sharp reversal from perceptions that still persist about mature workers, she explained in an interview about her new book, Kaa Boom, How to Engage the 50-plus Worker and Beat the Workforce Crisis."Managers still cling to an attitude that you give older workers a buyout and wave them goodbye," she says.
But managers who think that way are going to find it difficult to stay competitive, Ms. Jaworski warns. "That's because of the kaa-boom. Literally, it's the threat of an implosion of talent available in Canada's work force due to sheer demographics."
Baby boomers are beginning to think seriously about retiring, she explains. But there are fewer people in the younger generations to replace them. And most younger workers don't yet have the experience they need to fill key roles.
______________________________________________________________
"So the longer we can keep kaa-boomers active in the work force,
and the more that managers can encourage them to transfer their experience
to younger workers, the better off everyone will be."
______________________________________________________________
Companies such as Merck Frosst, Home Depot Inc., Direct Energy and Royal Bank of Canada have started programs to retain employees over 50.
Many of the moves these companies are making should be fodder for how managers can keep their mature workers motivated, Ms. Jaworski says. Among them:
Flexibility
Managers will have to be more open to requests for less-structured working hours and more time off for outside interests or home responsibilities.
Training
Many organizations have not spent money to develop skills of over-50 workers, thinking it better invested in those in their 20s and 30s, Ms. Jaworski says. "But that's a stereotype. In fact, there's more likelihood that the younger workers will use the training as an opportunity to make a move to a better job with another company. But the older veteran will likely stay longer with the organization."
Career development
"Let them know that there is still a place for them in the organization," she says. But on the flip side, older workers need to realize "that, as needs change, they can't rest on their laurels and should be seeking out opportunities to be continually learning and honing their skills."
Adaptation
Workplaces that involve physical activity may need to be redesigned to accommodate an aging work force, she says. For example, in health care facilities, hoists could be installed so that older nurses don't have to manually lift patients. Or, in offices, ergonomic furniture may have to be employed to guard against the repetitive strain of using a keyboard all day.
Recognition
The contributions of experienced workers may be overlooked because management is taking their loyalty for granted, Ms. Jaworski says. "If managers are not careful, it can lead to disengagement."
Financial guidance
"Many people nearing retirement can become preoccupied about whether they are secure enough to live comfortably in their old age." Ms. Jaworski suggests that companies provide financial advisers for over-50 people. Many will shun help because it takes effort and often with financial advisers the help comes with an unwanted pitch to buy a fund.
Wellness promotion
Working with employees in illness prevention and encouraging healthy living can help them stay more active and energetic at work, she says. This can include fitness centres, health club memberships and nutrition counselling.
Work-life balance
Managers must recognize that people have lives outside work and should provide flexibility in work schedules - for both young and old. As a result, managers should become familiar with workers' concerns about family care, for instance, and their need to attend to events during work hours.
Communication
In all areas, make sure people are on the same page in terms of what is going on in the business so that they understand the company's goals. If a big project or major change to the workflow is in the works, it's important for staff to know what will be required of them and how they will benefit.
Phased retirement
After a long career, many workaholics would like to ease out rather than jump off the treadmill entirely, Ms. Jaworski says. Options to that end can include part-time work or moving into a role in which they can mentor younger employees.
Line managers may resist the time it takes to plan individual programs and schedules "but they should keep the bigger picture in mind. Retaining skilled employees can make them and their department more successful," Ms. Jaworski recommends.
This new philosophy to retain older workers has already paid dividends for Merck Frosst, says Brigitte Charest, the company's Montreal-based manager of pensions and benefits. While the company has no long-term statistics on retention of older employees, she says she knows of many employees who have told her that their ability to get new experiences and training and have flexibility at work encourages them to continue to work rather than retire.
Very often people say: 'When I retire, I'll do this trip or take this opportunity or [spend] more time with my parents or grandchildren.' Sometimes that's the only reason why they want to retire," Ms. Charest says. "If you can give them the chance to realize their dream, they will come back. It's a win for both the employee and the employer."
And another plus for the employer and manager is that older workers who feel appreciated and needed are going to be motivated employees, Ms. Jaworski says.
"People who are satisfied in their work aren't likely to want to retire. But those who don't think the organization cares about having them stay will be counting the days."
______________________________________________________________
Hail the greybeards
Canada's population is greying. Here are factors behind the trends, from Barbara Jaworski, president of the Workplace Institute.
______________________________________________________________
The population is aging
Most of Canada's two million baby boomers are already over 50 and some have reached their 60s. Meanwhile, Canada's birth rate is slipping behind the two babies per woman level needed to ensure there are as many young people getting into the work force as there are leaving it.
______________________________________________________________
Lifespans are stretching
Average life expectancy is rising year by year and stands at 82.6 years for women and 77.8 years for men. Baby boomers are not as apt as previous generations to consider themselves senior citizens and have continued to pursue youthful activities.
______________________________________________________________
More women are working
Statistics Canada shows that 76 per cent of women between 45 and 54 work full- or part-time, a dramatic increase from previous generations, when fewer than half of women worked.
______________________________________________________________
Nuclear families decayed
High divorce rates, couples delaying having a family and longer lifespans of parents have created more care-giving demands on older workers and more need to earn income for support.
______________________________________________________________
Lengthier down time
When the U.S. social security system was established in the 1930s, it was assumed that a person leaving the work force would need to draw on it only one or two years before dying. Today, retirement can easily last more than 20 years. That leads to increased possibilities for people to fill some of that time with work. Statistics Canada reports nearly 69 per cent of people who retire between the ages of 50 and 54 return to work within two years. Many over 65 are hoping to continue working part time.
By Wallace Immen
© Copyright 2007 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.
and restless to enjoy life, are getting itchy feet for retirement. But there are
fewer younger workers to take their place. Wallace Immen writes that some companies
are finding creative ways to keep the veterans happy - both on and off the job
TORONTO, Ontario (Globe and Mail), October 5, 2007:
Jean-Luc Blais had a dream.
But in order to make it come true, he thought he might have to retire.
The avid boater was eager to take a long-planned journey from Montreal to the Caribbean and back that would require at least four months away from his job as director of public affairs with Merck Frosst Canada Ltd.
But he hit a snag. His manager told him the company couldn't allow him to take that much time off and guarantee his job would still be available when he got back.
However, the winds of change were in his favour. Merck Frosst had been working on ways to encourage employees over the age of 50 to stay at work rather than retire early. And management realized long-time employees like Mr. Blais would stay with the company if they could get the flexibility to take time if they needed it.
Last year, the company adopted a policy that allows managers to make individual arrangements for older workers who need to take as much as a year of unpaid leave for personal reasons.
As a result, Mr. Blais, 54, enjoyed his high-seas adventure. And the company also benefited, he says. "When I came back last year, I had a new outlook. After taking time to recharge my batteries, I realized how much I enjoy working for the company."
Now, he's shelved any thoughts of retiring.
It's the kind of approach managers will need to adopt to keep their organizations competitive, says Barbara Jaworski, president of Workplace Institute in Toronto, a human resources consultancy.
It's a sharp reversal from perceptions that still persist about mature workers, she explained in an interview about her new book, Kaa Boom, How to Engage the 50-plus Worker and Beat the Workforce Crisis."Managers still cling to an attitude that you give older workers a buyout and wave them goodbye," she says.
But managers who think that way are going to find it difficult to stay competitive, Ms. Jaworski warns. "That's because of the kaa-boom. Literally, it's the threat of an implosion of talent available in Canada's work force due to sheer demographics."
Baby boomers are beginning to think seriously about retiring, she explains. But there are fewer people in the younger generations to replace them. And most younger workers don't yet have the experience they need to fill key roles.
______________________________________________________________
"So the longer we can keep kaa-boomers active in the work force,
and the more that managers can encourage them to transfer their experience
to younger workers, the better off everyone will be."
______________________________________________________________
Companies such as Merck Frosst, Home Depot Inc., Direct Energy and Royal Bank of Canada have started programs to retain employees over 50.
Many of the moves these companies are making should be fodder for how managers can keep their mature workers motivated, Ms. Jaworski says. Among them:
Flexibility
Managers will have to be more open to requests for less-structured working hours and more time off for outside interests or home responsibilities.
Training
Many organizations have not spent money to develop skills of over-50 workers, thinking it better invested in those in their 20s and 30s, Ms. Jaworski says. "But that's a stereotype. In fact, there's more likelihood that the younger workers will use the training as an opportunity to make a move to a better job with another company. But the older veteran will likely stay longer with the organization."
Career development
"Let them know that there is still a place for them in the organization," she says. But on the flip side, older workers need to realize "that, as needs change, they can't rest on their laurels and should be seeking out opportunities to be continually learning and honing their skills."
Adaptation
Workplaces that involve physical activity may need to be redesigned to accommodate an aging work force, she says. For example, in health care facilities, hoists could be installed so that older nurses don't have to manually lift patients. Or, in offices, ergonomic furniture may have to be employed to guard against the repetitive strain of using a keyboard all day.
Recognition
The contributions of experienced workers may be overlooked because management is taking their loyalty for granted, Ms. Jaworski says. "If managers are not careful, it can lead to disengagement."
Financial guidance
"Many people nearing retirement can become preoccupied about whether they are secure enough to live comfortably in their old age." Ms. Jaworski suggests that companies provide financial advisers for over-50 people. Many will shun help because it takes effort and often with financial advisers the help comes with an unwanted pitch to buy a fund.
Wellness promotion
Working with employees in illness prevention and encouraging healthy living can help them stay more active and energetic at work, she says. This can include fitness centres, health club memberships and nutrition counselling.
Work-life balance
Managers must recognize that people have lives outside work and should provide flexibility in work schedules - for both young and old. As a result, managers should become familiar with workers' concerns about family care, for instance, and their need to attend to events during work hours.
Communication
In all areas, make sure people are on the same page in terms of what is going on in the business so that they understand the company's goals. If a big project or major change to the workflow is in the works, it's important for staff to know what will be required of them and how they will benefit.
Phased retirement
After a long career, many workaholics would like to ease out rather than jump off the treadmill entirely, Ms. Jaworski says. Options to that end can include part-time work or moving into a role in which they can mentor younger employees.
Line managers may resist the time it takes to plan individual programs and schedules "but they should keep the bigger picture in mind. Retaining skilled employees can make them and their department more successful," Ms. Jaworski recommends.
This new philosophy to retain older workers has already paid dividends for Merck Frosst, says Brigitte Charest, the company's Montreal-based manager of pensions and benefits. While the company has no long-term statistics on retention of older employees, she says she knows of many employees who have told her that their ability to get new experiences and training and have flexibility at work encourages them to continue to work rather than retire.
Very often people say: 'When I retire, I'll do this trip or take this opportunity or [spend] more time with my parents or grandchildren.' Sometimes that's the only reason why they want to retire," Ms. Charest says. "If you can give them the chance to realize their dream, they will come back. It's a win for both the employee and the employer."
And another plus for the employer and manager is that older workers who feel appreciated and needed are going to be motivated employees, Ms. Jaworski says.
"People who are satisfied in their work aren't likely to want to retire. But those who don't think the organization cares about having them stay will be counting the days."
______________________________________________________________
Hail the greybeards
Canada's population is greying. Here are factors behind the trends, from Barbara Jaworski, president of the Workplace Institute.
______________________________________________________________
The population is aging
Most of Canada's two million baby boomers are already over 50 and some have reached their 60s. Meanwhile, Canada's birth rate is slipping behind the two babies per woman level needed to ensure there are as many young people getting into the work force as there are leaving it.
______________________________________________________________
Lifespans are stretching
Average life expectancy is rising year by year and stands at 82.6 years for women and 77.8 years for men. Baby boomers are not as apt as previous generations to consider themselves senior citizens and have continued to pursue youthful activities.
______________________________________________________________
More women are working
Statistics Canada shows that 76 per cent of women between 45 and 54 work full- or part-time, a dramatic increase from previous generations, when fewer than half of women worked.
______________________________________________________________
Nuclear families decayed
High divorce rates, couples delaying having a family and longer lifespans of parents have created more care-giving demands on older workers and more need to earn income for support.
______________________________________________________________
Lengthier down time
When the U.S. social security system was established in the 1930s, it was assumed that a person leaving the work force would need to draw on it only one or two years before dying. Today, retirement can easily last more than 20 years. That leads to increased possibilities for people to fill some of that time with work. Statistics Canada reports nearly 69 per cent of people who retire between the ages of 50 and 54 return to work within two years. Many over 65 are hoping to continue working part time.
By Wallace Immen
© Copyright 2007 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.
AUSTRALIA: Seniors Week Celebrations On In South Tasmania
HOBART, Tasmania (Tasmanian Government Communications Unit), October 4, 2007:
Seniors Week events began in Tasmania earlier this week and seniors have been trying new activities, learning new skills and attending social events, and there are still many more being held over the next three days.
The National Trust has organised Grandparents’ and Grandchildren’s Days and there is a Seniors Mini Expo. On Sunday, seniors can sail on the River Derwent with Sailability, tour the Styx Valley with Forestry Tasmania, try a form of gentle squash, or join the Croatian Senior Citizens for a barbecue at Tolosa Reserve.
There are 426 opportunities to attend Seniors Week events this year, including over 270 in Southern Tasmania.
Major sponsor is insurance agency Apia, for Seniors Week, and Metro and Merseylink for providing free bus travel to Seniors Card holders during Seniors Week.
Seniors Week events began in Tasmania earlier this week and seniors have been trying new activities, learning new skills and attending social events, and there are still many more being held over the next three days.
The National Trust has organised Grandparents’ and Grandchildren’s Days and there is a Seniors Mini Expo. On Sunday, seniors can sail on the River Derwent with Sailability, tour the Styx Valley with Forestry Tasmania, try a form of gentle squash, or join the Croatian Senior Citizens for a barbecue at Tolosa Reserve.
There are 426 opportunities to attend Seniors Week events this year, including over 270 in Southern Tasmania.
Major sponsor is insurance agency Apia, for Seniors Week, and Metro and Merseylink for providing free bus travel to Seniors Card holders during Seniors Week.
ICELAND: Reykjavík City Approves Hiring People Over 70
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (Iceland Review), October 5, 2007:
Reykjavík City Council yesterday accepted a proposal from Mayor Vilhjálmur Th. Vilhjálmsson to hire people older than 70 for workplaces operated by the city, like kindergartens, which suffer from a severe lack of staff.
It is now permitted to hire people over 70 for positions requiring work between 33 and 50 percent of a normal working day for one year at a time, but only if the applicant can submit a competence certification, Morgunbladid reports.
Employment will not result in lower payments from the Pension Fund of City Employees.
Vilhjálmsson said he had noticed considerable interest among senior citizens to reenter the employment market and that he was convinced many would take advantage of this opportunity.
“This is one of the issues senior citizens have been fighting for. We have discussed this with them and are following their request,” Vilhjálmsson said. “I am certain senior citizens will celebrate this decision because many of them are still fully capable of working.”
Sesselja Ásgeirsdóttir, who is 70 and used to work for the Consumers’ Association of Iceland, has been hired as project leader and will be responsible for providing senior citizens interested in this project with jobs where they are most needed.
Ásgeirsdóttir is pleased with the move, but said she finds it strange that people who retire at 67, which is the norm, have to wait for three years before they can reenter the employment market without their pensions being cut.
There is currently a severe lack of staff within caretaking positions in Reykjavík and almost 200 employees are needed for the city’s kindergartens.
© Copyright icelandreview.com (Heimur hf)
Reykjavík City Council yesterday accepted a proposal from Mayor Vilhjálmur Th. Vilhjálmsson to hire people older than 70 for workplaces operated by the city, like kindergartens, which suffer from a severe lack of staff.
It is now permitted to hire people over 70 for positions requiring work between 33 and 50 percent of a normal working day for one year at a time, but only if the applicant can submit a competence certification, Morgunbladid reports.
Employment will not result in lower payments from the Pension Fund of City Employees.
Vilhjálmsson said he had noticed considerable interest among senior citizens to reenter the employment market and that he was convinced many would take advantage of this opportunity.
“This is one of the issues senior citizens have been fighting for. We have discussed this with them and are following their request,” Vilhjálmsson said. “I am certain senior citizens will celebrate this decision because many of them are still fully capable of working.”
Sesselja Ásgeirsdóttir, who is 70 and used to work for the Consumers’ Association of Iceland, has been hired as project leader and will be responsible for providing senior citizens interested in this project with jobs where they are most needed.
Ásgeirsdóttir is pleased with the move, but said she finds it strange that people who retire at 67, which is the norm, have to wait for three years before they can reenter the employment market without their pensions being cut.
There is currently a severe lack of staff within caretaking positions in Reykjavík and almost 200 employees are needed for the city’s kindergartens.
© Copyright icelandreview.com (Heimur hf)
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Upholding Family Values
GULF NEWS of Dubai, UAE, founded in 1978, comes from a media house respected for its highest ethical standards, its content considered as reflection of life in this region. SENIORS WORLD CHRONICLE is proud to record this feature of FAMILY VALUES published in the GULF NEWS - Editor
NATION:
Society By Manal Alafrangi, Staff Writer
DUBAI, UAE (Gulf News), October 5, 2007:
There is a certain universality when it comes to the term "family values" but because the concept itself is rooted in individual cultures, ideals and morals can come across as different. So then, what happens when people of different creeds and nationalities live in one society? Do they agree on what constitutes family values? Do they share the same ideals and principles?
According to our latest survey, there is a concern when it comes to cultural values being present in the UAE. That is, more than two thirds of our respondents feel family values are being eroded in the UAE. This opinion is particularly high amongst Arabs, excluding Emiratis (73 per cent). Moreover, 62 per cent of those surveyed feel people in the UAE are courteous and respectful to others but there is a difference of opinion amongst the various nationalities; 71 per cent of Emiratis compared to 39 per cent of Westerners.
Similarly, Arabs (excluding Emiratis) and Asians are also split on whether they think UAE residents have a community spirit. Emiratis and Westerners on the other hand are on opposite ends of the spectrum with the former saying they do and the latter saying they don't.
That is one of the main conclusions from the latest Gulf News survey undertaken by YouGov-Siraj where by 1,191 people answered questions on family, growing old, and challenges to family time. (Of the total surveyed, 119 were Emiratis,
147 other Arabs, 168 Westerners, 669 Asians,
and 88 others).
We asked our respondents who each of them considers to part of their own family. Across all nationalities, 'parents', 'brothers and sisters' and 'spouse' top the family member ladder. 'Children' and 'grandparents' are not far behind in the family members consideration set. Interestingly, despite no blood connection, 25 per cent believe friends are family and 16 per cent find employed household staff to also be part of family.
Who do they live with? More than half of our respondents say they currently live in the UAE with their spouse- this is clearly observed among Westerners and Asians (75 per cent and 63 per cent respectively) as compared to Arabs (42 per cent). Moreover, both Arabs and Asians seem to have more of their parents living with them in the UAE compared to Westerners. Arab scores are largely observed among Emiratis (6 in 10 Emiratis vs. nearly 3 in 10 other Arabs).
On the other hand, almost 1 in 10 lives alone in the UAE. This is primarily because their families live in different countries (numbers being highest amongst Western and Asian respondents). Some respondents simply say that they "prefer to live alone" (with 2 in 10 Emiratis saying so).
There is unanimity amongst our respondents when it comes to caring for their elderly parents. 95 percent said they would be supportive towards helping their parents as they grow older and become dependent upon others for help. What options would they seek in such a scenario? Nearly 6 out of 10 say they would nurse them at home themselves. But a closer look reveals that while 60 per cent of Arabs and 67 per cent of Asians feel this way, only 34
per cent of Westerners feel the same.
Instead, 40 per cent of Westerners say they would employ a nurse at home. Sending elderly parents to a nursing home proved the least popular option for our respondents.
Through this survey, we got an insight as to why respondents would consider helping their elderly parents. The overwhelming majority say they would do it out of love for their parents. 7 in 10 say it is because they feel a sense of gratitude to be repaid to parents and
many feel it is expected
of them to be with their family.
Our respondents are equally supportive of their spouse's parents with 92 per cent saying they would care for them as the need arrives. Across all nationalities, Asians tend to be more supportive in assisting spouse's elderly parents (95 per cent of Asians vs. 89 per cent for Arabs and 85 per cent for Westerners).
Half of the respondents claimed they would be willing to nurse their spouse's parents at home by themselves however, among Westerners, scores are directionally low.
As of now, over two thirds of our respondents prefer to live with their families than to live by themselves. This is especially the case with Asian respondents (82 per cent). What's more, respondents aged 30-49 are more likely to want to live with family than younger respondents (aged below 30).
We asked UAE residents to peer into the future when they themselves become elderly; what then would they prefer their living arrangements to be? 48 per cent say they would like to with their own grown up children - assuming they had any. It should be noted that of the total, only 23 per cent of Westerners feel this way compared to 52 per cent of Arabs and 53 per cent of Asians..
Another option is to live in a nursing home or a retirement village. While it has proved unpopular amongst the Arab and Asian respondents, 27 per cent of Westerners choose it as their preferred option.
An extended family has its benefits. The majority of our respondents feel having them around is advantageous namely for emotional support. They also improve family bonding and help maintain a sense of belonging. But by the same token, having an extended family means a lack of privacy and lack of personal space for the majority of our respondents- irrelevant of their demographic profile.
Working life affecting private life
Our respondents are split on whether their or their partner's working life has impacted their private life. 39 per cent said it has impacted their private life a lot, while 30 per cent say the impact has been small. A closer look at the survey shows that more females claim their partner's working life has greatly impacted their private life. On the other hand, 16 per cent find there has been no impact whatsoever.
Fifty six per cent have at least 1 child in their household. They say that on average, they spend 3 hours and 50 minutes with their children on a typical work day. Emirati parents tend to spend fewer hours with their children as compared to other Arabs.
On average, it is likely that parents waste 5 hours and 4 minutes without being with their children due to work related issues outside of regular office hours or other commitments. Such work related issues include traffic congestion, which is by far, the most recalled factor that makes people stay away from being with their families (this is clearly observed among Asians). Shopping, socialising, and going to the gym are also reasons that feature lightly on the survey.
Importance of family values
UAE residents believe that family values
are important in today's world. Asians in
particular have the highest scores when it
comes to this conviction.
We asked our respondents if they thought
their family values are being eroded
here in the UAE. Close to two thirds
said yes.
This opinion was particularly high amongst
other Arabs (73 per cent). The three main
reasons behind this are: lack of time for
families to be together, economic pressure,
and lack of parental guidance.
Other explanations including lack of proper
role models and having too many temptations
also feature prominently on the survey.
So then, how do our respondents generally
feel about people in the UAE?
Are they courteous and do they have a
community spirit?
Sixty-two per cent of those surveyed said
yes but there is a difference of opinion
amongst the various nationalities; 71 per
cent of Emiratis compared to 39 per cent
of Westerners
© Al By Manal Alafrangi, Staff Writer
Nisr Publishing LLC 2007
NATION: Society By Manal Alafrangi, Staff Writer
DUBAI, UAE (Gulf News), October 5, 2007:
There is a certain universality when it comes to the term "family values" but because the concept itself is rooted in individual cultures, ideals and morals can come across as different. So then, what happens when people of different creeds and nationalities live in one society? Do they agree on what constitutes family values? Do they share the same ideals and principles?
According to our latest survey, there is a concern when it comes to cultural values being present in the UAE. That is, more than two thirds of our respondents feel family values are being eroded in the UAE. This opinion is particularly high amongst Arabs, excluding Emiratis (73 per cent). Moreover, 62 per cent of those surveyed feel people in the UAE are courteous and respectful to others but there is a difference of opinion amongst the various nationalities; 71 per cent of Emiratis compared to 39 per cent of Westerners.
Similarly, Arabs (excluding Emiratis) and Asians are also split on whether they think UAE residents have a community spirit. Emiratis and Westerners on the other hand are on opposite ends of the spectrum with the former saying they do and the latter saying they don't.
That is one of the main conclusions from the latest Gulf News survey undertaken by YouGov-Siraj where by 1,191 people answered questions on family, growing old, and challenges to family time. (Of the total surveyed, 119 were Emiratis,
147 other Arabs, 168 Westerners, 669 Asians,
and 88 others).
We asked our respondents who each of them considers to part of their own family. Across all nationalities, 'parents', 'brothers and sisters' and 'spouse' top the family member ladder. 'Children' and 'grandparents' are not far behind in the family members consideration set. Interestingly, despite no blood connection, 25 per cent believe friends are family and 16 per cent find employed household staff to also be part of family.
Who do they live with? More than half of our respondents say they currently live in the UAE with their spouse- this is clearly observed among Westerners and Asians (75 per cent and 63 per cent respectively) as compared to Arabs (42 per cent). Moreover, both Arabs and Asians seem to have more of their parents living with them in the UAE compared to Westerners. Arab scores are largely observed among Emiratis (6 in 10 Emiratis vs. nearly 3 in 10 other Arabs).
On the other hand, almost 1 in 10 lives alone in the UAE. This is primarily because their families live in different countries (numbers being highest amongst Western and Asian respondents). Some respondents simply say that they "prefer to live alone" (with 2 in 10 Emiratis saying so).
There is unanimity amongst our respondents when it comes to caring for their elderly parents. 95 percent said they would be supportive towards helping their parents as they grow older and become dependent upon others for help. What options would they seek in such a scenario? Nearly 6 out of 10 say they would nurse them at home themselves. But a closer look reveals that while 60 per cent of Arabs and 67 per cent of Asians feel this way, only 34
per cent of Westerners feel the same.
Instead, 40 per cent of Westerners say they would employ a nurse at home. Sending elderly parents to a nursing home proved the least popular option for our respondents.
Through this survey, we got an insight as to why respondents would consider helping their elderly parents. The overwhelming majority say they would do it out of love for their parents. 7 in 10 say it is because they feel a sense of gratitude to be repaid to parents and
many feel it is expected
of them to be with their family.
Our respondents are equally supportive of their spouse's parents with 92 per cent saying they would care for them as the need arrives. Across all nationalities, Asians tend to be more supportive in assisting spouse's elderly parents (95 per cent of Asians vs. 89 per cent for Arabs and 85 per cent for Westerners).
Half of the respondents claimed they would be willing to nurse their spouse's parents at home by themselves however, among Westerners, scores are directionally low.
As of now, over two thirds of our respondents prefer to live with their families than to live by themselves. This is especially the case with Asian respondents (82 per cent). What's more, respondents aged 30-49 are more likely to want to live with family than younger respondents (aged below 30).
We asked UAE residents to peer into the future when they themselves become elderly; what then would they prefer their living arrangements to be? 48 per cent say they would like to with their own grown up children - assuming they had any. It should be noted that of the total, only 23 per cent of Westerners feel this way compared to 52 per cent of Arabs and 53 per cent of Asians..
Another option is to live in a nursing home or a retirement village. While it has proved unpopular amongst the Arab and Asian respondents, 27 per cent of Westerners choose it as their preferred option.
An extended family has its benefits. The majority of our respondents feel having them around is advantageous namely for emotional support. They also improve family bonding and help maintain a sense of belonging. But by the same token, having an extended family means a lack of privacy and lack of personal space for the majority of our respondents- irrelevant of their demographic profile.
Working life affecting private life
Our respondents are split on whether their or their partner's working life has impacted their private life. 39 per cent said it has impacted their private life a lot, while 30 per cent say the impact has been small. A closer look at the survey shows that more females claim their partner's working life has greatly impacted their private life. On the other hand, 16 per cent find there has been no impact whatsoever.
Fifty six per cent have at least 1 child in their household. They say that on average, they spend 3 hours and 50 minutes with their children on a typical work day. Emirati parents tend to spend fewer hours with their children as compared to other Arabs.
On average, it is likely that parents waste 5 hours and 4 minutes without being with their children due to work related issues outside of regular office hours or other commitments. Such work related issues include traffic congestion, which is by far, the most recalled factor that makes people stay away from being with their families (this is clearly observed among Asians). Shopping, socialising, and going to the gym are also reasons that feature lightly on the survey.
Importance of family values
UAE residents believe that family values
are important in today's world. Asians in
particular have the highest scores when it
comes to this conviction.
We asked our respondents if they thought
their family values are being eroded
here in the UAE. Close to two thirds
said yes.
This opinion was particularly high amongst
other Arabs (73 per cent). The three main
reasons behind this are: lack of time for
families to be together, economic pressure,
and lack of parental guidance.
Other explanations including lack of proper
role models and having too many temptations
also feature prominently on the survey.
So then, how do our respondents generally
feel about people in the UAE?
Are they courteous and do they have a
community spirit?
Sixty-two per cent of those surveyed said
yes but there is a difference of opinion
amongst the various nationalities; 71 per
cent of Emiratis compared to 39 per cent
of Westerners
© Al By Manal Alafrangi, Staff Writer
Nisr Publishing LLC 2007
CANADA: Media Moghul Moses Znaimer, 65, Is Rolling With The Times
TORONTO, Ontario (Globe and Mail), October 5, 2007:
Moses Znaimer, the 65-year-old media moghul who helped revolutionize Canadian television by knowing what the kids wanted out of TV a few decades ago, has moved on with the times.
Moses Znaimer
The same kids that tuned into CITY-TV in 1972 and MuchMusic in 1984 are now well into their careers, their children are in high school, their hair is greying – or gone – and some are readying for retirement. And though he doesn't know what all generations want, he does claim to know what that generation wants.
“People misunderstood the message, they thought I was speaking about youth in some eternal sense. When in fact, I was speaking about a particular generation. And that generation advances,” Mr. Znaimer says.
“It's not about the young generations,” says the man born a few years before the Baby Boom began – a group of consumers that is now tipping the demographic scales. “It was about me then. It's still about me. It was about us then, and it's still about us.”
He has since been gravitating toward older media, buying Toronto's Classical 96.3 FM radio station and others. He picked up golden oldies broadcaster AM 740 last month, prompting a flurry of reports about his return to the media landscape.
Four years after leaving CITY-TV's offices, he is now embarking on his next multimedia project – aimed at the over-50 crowd. He hopes to capture the growing legions of aging baby boomers who are online as much as their kids, but not necessarily hanging out at MySpace or Facebook.
He is in the process of taking a small Toronto-based Web and publishing company, Fifty-Plus Net International Inc., private. It will be a launch pad to a broader online strategy built for adults 50 and over. Though the details will remain sparse until the deal is approved by shareholders, it is expected to tie together social networking, radio and video under one roof.
And in true Znaimer fashion, it is a project steeped in speculation about what it could become, attracting considerable attention simply because his name is attached to the venture.
Call it GreySpace. Or OldSpace. Maybe FaceliftBook. The future of media is no longer with the kids, he says. “The strict definition of the boomer generation is born in 1945 forward,” he says. “I'm a little older than that. So in that sense, I'm the scout. I go ahead, I suss out the terrain, I take some of those early risks and I bring the report back and the report is that we're into this cataclysmic change in human life.”
It's a direction several large U.S. media companies are taking – from Martha Stewart to Oprah Winfrey – as they tailor magazines, TV, radio and the Web to an older demographic, seeking the ad dollars that are attached.
Though advertisers prefer younger audiences, Mr. Znaimer argues it would be a mistake to cash in on his past, trying to duplicate younger media like MuchMusic.
“The world is run by people between the ages of 50 and 70. Who's got the money? I've got the money,” he says.
“Guys my age, they're starting their second and third companies, they're into their second and third marriage. They're buying houses, they're travelling the world. I'm not being cavalier, not everybody's rich. Many aren't, and they have to be looked after. And that too is a huge discussion that society's going to have to undertake.”
Launched in 1996, FPN's primary asset, 50plus.com, has amassed two million monthly page views and 120,000 subscribers, but it's likely Mr. Znaimer will be looking to boost those numbers as the operation is revamped.
“Here's a guy who's perfectly capable of tooting his own horn when he wants to, so it's not as though he needs any help in that regard,” he said.
Based on report by Grant Robertson
© Copyright 2007 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.
Moses Znaimer, the 65-year-old media moghul who helped revolutionize Canadian television by knowing what the kids wanted out of TV a few decades ago, has moved on with the times.
Moses Znaimer The same kids that tuned into CITY-TV in 1972 and MuchMusic in 1984 are now well into their careers, their children are in high school, their hair is greying – or gone – and some are readying for retirement. And though he doesn't know what all generations want, he does claim to know what that generation wants.
“People misunderstood the message, they thought I was speaking about youth in some eternal sense. When in fact, I was speaking about a particular generation. And that generation advances,” Mr. Znaimer says.
“It's not about the young generations,” says the man born a few years before the Baby Boom began – a group of consumers that is now tipping the demographic scales. “It was about me then. It's still about me. It was about us then, and it's still about us.”
He has since been gravitating toward older media, buying Toronto's Classical 96.3 FM radio station and others. He picked up golden oldies broadcaster AM 740 last month, prompting a flurry of reports about his return to the media landscape.
Four years after leaving CITY-TV's offices, he is now embarking on his next multimedia project – aimed at the over-50 crowd. He hopes to capture the growing legions of aging baby boomers who are online as much as their kids, but not necessarily hanging out at MySpace or Facebook.
He is in the process of taking a small Toronto-based Web and publishing company, Fifty-Plus Net International Inc., private. It will be a launch pad to a broader online strategy built for adults 50 and over. Though the details will remain sparse until the deal is approved by shareholders, it is expected to tie together social networking, radio and video under one roof.
And in true Znaimer fashion, it is a project steeped in speculation about what it could become, attracting considerable attention simply because his name is attached to the venture.
Call it GreySpace. Or OldSpace. Maybe FaceliftBook. The future of media is no longer with the kids, he says. “The strict definition of the boomer generation is born in 1945 forward,” he says. “I'm a little older than that. So in that sense, I'm the scout. I go ahead, I suss out the terrain, I take some of those early risks and I bring the report back and the report is that we're into this cataclysmic change in human life.”
It's a direction several large U.S. media companies are taking – from Martha Stewart to Oprah Winfrey – as they tailor magazines, TV, radio and the Web to an older demographic, seeking the ad dollars that are attached.
Though advertisers prefer younger audiences, Mr. Znaimer argues it would be a mistake to cash in on his past, trying to duplicate younger media like MuchMusic.
“The world is run by people between the ages of 50 and 70. Who's got the money? I've got the money,” he says.
“Guys my age, they're starting their second and third companies, they're into their second and third marriage. They're buying houses, they're travelling the world. I'm not being cavalier, not everybody's rich. Many aren't, and they have to be looked after. And that too is a huge discussion that society's going to have to undertake.”
Launched in 1996, FPN's primary asset, 50plus.com, has amassed two million monthly page views and 120,000 subscribers, but it's likely Mr. Znaimer will be looking to boost those numbers as the operation is revamped.
“Here's a guy who's perfectly capable of tooting his own horn when he wants to, so it's not as though he needs any help in that regard,” he said.
Based on report by Grant Robertson
© Copyright 2007 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.
CUBA: Providing Tools For An Active, Fruitful Old Age
HABANA, Cuba (Cuban Daily News), October 5, 2007:Becoming a senior citizen in Cuba, fruitful old age has ceased to be seen as a tragedy, the end of useful life and a resigned wait for death. Embracing old age without fear, with its pain and its wisdom, appears to be the purpose of thousands of women and men who attend classes at the University for Older Adults.
By 2025, Cuba could be the country with the greatest proportion of elderly people in Latin America and the Caribbean, so getting ready to face the future is virtually obligatory for the institutions in charge of health policies, as well as for those who are still young enough to view the sunset of their days as a far-off prospect.
"After I retired, I thought my life was over. I felt completely useless," Ofelia Díaz, 63, told IPS. "I wondered what I was going to do with my knowledge and training, and where I would find new motivation."
She found a way out of her despondency in 2002, when she registered at the University for Older Adults branch in San Agustín, a low income neighbourhood on the outskirts of the Cuban capital.
"It was like getting my second wind, and starting again," Díaz said. Now she is a teacher at the branch in her barrio, and its president.
Magaly González, also 63, said that participating in the university was "a way of learning how to deal with a stage of life we’d reached without any prior preparation." At the classes she met people of her own age, whose interests were similar to hers, and she was able to make the most of her spare time.
The University for Older Adults is sponsored by the Cuban Workers’ Confederation (CTC), to which all the country’s trade unions are affiliated; the Higher Education Ministry (MES), particularly the University of Havana Faculty of Psychology; and the Cuban Pedagogical Association, which has ties with the Education Ministry.
There are about 900 branches of the university along the length and breadth of this Caribbean island nation, and more than 50,000 people, most of them over 60, have taken its courses.
Each course is made up of six modules of lectures on human development, preventive health measures, social security, cultural development and the efficient organisation of free time.
"It boosts self-esteem in older adults," said Díaz, who said she got a lot of satisfaction from being back in the classroom as a teacher -- even though she receives no remuneration -- after spending 34 years as a biology teacher at a college prep school.
González said she appreciated the arts and crafts courses at the community Culture House, and the traditional Chinese Tai Chi exercises she does in the morning.
"You learn to defend your space, and you blot out of your mind the idea that you’re the oldest person in the household and that all you have left is to wait for death," she said.
Although it has had government support from the outset, the University for Older Adults is finding it difficult to satisfy demand for classroom space, teaching materials and stable teaching staff, said Díaz, who regretted not having procured a permanent building yet for the classes in San Agustín.
Quite a few of the lecturers are graduates from the university itself, or their relatives, who teach on an honorary basis. The branches do not have funds to buy books or basic essentials like notebooks, blackboards and marker pens.
Díaz said she thinks Cuban society is not prepared to deal with the ageing of the population, although the government is studying measures in the fields of health, transport, nutrition and supply of essential items like shoes and clothing appropriate for senior citizens’ needs.
"Young people believe they’ll never grow old," said Díaz. "It’s our job to teach them how to respect older people, and to face the challenges of old age."
In González’s view, "human beings aren’t prepared for old age or for death. No one thinks they will get old, they see it as something far away in the future. They don’t talk about it, because getting old is ugly. That’s when the pains begin," said this retired nurse, who as a young woman once worked in a home for the elderly for three years.
Cuba’s demographic transition to an older population has become a pressing issue. At present, 16.2 percent of its 11.2 million people are over 60, and in two decades, the proportion is expected to climb to 25 percent.
The fertility rate has been falling since the 1930s, and has been below the population replacement rate of two live births per woman since 1978 because of the high level of women’s education, their increasing responsibilities at work, and their access to effective reproductive health methods.
In addition, the severe economic crisis that broke out after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 drove up the cost of food, accentuated overcrowding in many homes, and prompted a growing number of people to leave the country.
Lack of foresight could have damaging consequences in a patriarchal society, where machismo is still the rule in many families. "Women are more determined than men at this age. Men don’t adapt well to life without work when they retire," Díaz said.
Last year there were only five men in her class, compared with 56 women. The present generation of older adults, born in the 1940s, grew up with the stereotype that "a man’s place is in the street and a woman’s place is in the home," a machista prejudice that prevents men from participating in the University for Older Adults.
"Men are the least prepared of all for growing old," González said. "A man retires and will try to go on working, because he thinks staying at home is tantamount to dying."
By Dalia Acosta
Copyright 2006-2007 CUBA HEADLINES
USA: Your Health Data, Plugged In to the Web
Microsoft Promises Privacy on New Portal
Reports Catherine Rampell, Washington Post Staff Writer
WASHINGTON (Washington Post), October 5, 2007:
Microsoft launched a free, ad-supported online health portal called HealthVault yesterday that allows people to upload their medical records to the Web and share the information with doctors.
Microsoft beat not only the federal government to the punch but also a number of other companies, such as Google and Steve Case's Revolution Health, that reportedly have been working on similar portals. Some privacy advocates are concerned that such sites could expose sensitive medical data to hackers and outsiders, but Microsoft said it has spent the past several years consulting with experts to ensure that HealthVault will keep personal information private.
Several other countries have already implemented nationwide medical-record networks that they say are secure. In Germany, for example, patients can carry all their medical records on a single computer chip.
The U.S. government's attempts to automate doctors' offices have been less successful.
Studies have estimated that creating a nationwide electronic medical-record network would save more than $500 billion in medical costs over 15 years, but doctors are slow to adopt technology that has been commonplace in banking and retail for more than a decade. About 90 percent of physicians and more than 80 percent of hospitals still use paper records, according to Nancy Szemraj, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Storing and trading medical records online would be "great for patients, but there's absolutely no business case for doing it in primary care," said Richard J. Baron, an internist in Philadelphia whose practice uses an electronic record system similar to HealthVault. He said the cost of software -- and the risk of using unfamiliar technology in an office without an information technology whiz on staff -- have deterred many of his colleagues. Baron said he doubts that many will be persuaded to switch from paper because of Microsoft's initiative.
Other businesses, notably WebMD and Revolution Health, have offered consumers online storage for health data. For the most part, the services rely on user-generated data rather than data from doctors' or pharmacies' records, and they generally do not allow users to share the data with others. Google has been reported to be creating a platform similar to Microsoft's, but the company declined to comment yesterday.
Other companies are expanding their health-record services. Revolution Health, started by AOL co-founder Case, plans to allow users to download prescription records into their accounts through a partnership with Medco.
"I think what Microsoft's doing is great," Case said yesterday. "I've been saying for several years that the health-care industry needs to change and that the key drivers will be technology and consumerism."
HealthVault works as a sort of depository for medical data.
Consumers can download records such as lab reports or X-rays from their health-care providers' Web sites, or data from digital devices such as glucometers, and enter it into their HealthVault account.
All data are encrypted, and consumers can choose to send any of the information to other health-care providers, family members or even physical trainers. They can also send the medical information to partnered applications on other Web sites; the American Heart Association, for example, has a program that analyzes blood-pressure records.
HealthVault is supported by ads based on search terms. For example, a search for "diabetes" yields information on the disease and links to books on the topic for sale at Amazon.com.
Getting doctors to participate in such services, experts said, would probably require more government regulation.
"Because of the way our health-care system is financed, it's made it hard to raise the capital necessary to make these conversions," said David W. Bates, a Harvard Medical School professor and chief of general medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "Other countries have single-payer health systems, which makes it easier to pay for the conversion."
The biggest barrier to digitizing, physicians say, is the lack of federal standards for how the software should work. Those health-care providers who have digitized use different software products that can't communicate with one another.
For the past several years, Health and Human Services officials have worked on standards under which software vendors would store data the same way. They are still determining how to get data to transfer seamlessly from one program to another. In the meantime, HealthVault has worked with vendors to translate records from different programs into a universal format, according to Sean Nolan, who helped design HealthVault.
Some insurance companies have offered free online health record-services, sparking criticism from privacy advocates.
"You have to have lost your mind to give them any more info about you than they have," said Deborah Peel, founder of Patient Privacy Rights Foundation, which helped Microsoft craft HealthVault's privacy practices. "The revolutionary thing about HealthVault is that it gives consumers complete control over their records and guarantees no one can access that information without their consent."
Other consumer advocates have suggested that the online aggregation of data, whether through HealthVault or its competitors, could be good for patients more indirectly.
"It would be nice to have a pool database across millions of patients," said Robert Krughoff, president of Consumers' Checkbook. "You could see, of all the patients who've had a prostectomy [removal of the prostate gland], what percent had what complications. It would be one way to evaluate different procedures and treatments, since we don't have a way of evaluating their effectiveness in the long run now."
© 2007 The Washington Post Company
Reports Catherine Rampell, Washington Post Staff Writer
WASHINGTON (Washington Post), October 5, 2007:
Microsoft launched a free, ad-supported online health portal called HealthVault yesterday that allows people to upload their medical records to the Web and share the information with doctors.
Microsoft beat not only the federal government to the punch but also a number of other companies, such as Google and Steve Case's Revolution Health, that reportedly have been working on similar portals. Some privacy advocates are concerned that such sites could expose sensitive medical data to hackers and outsiders, but Microsoft said it has spent the past several years consulting with experts to ensure that HealthVault will keep personal information private.
Several other countries have already implemented nationwide medical-record networks that they say are secure. In Germany, for example, patients can carry all their medical records on a single computer chip.
The U.S. government's attempts to automate doctors' offices have been less successful.
Studies have estimated that creating a nationwide electronic medical-record network would save more than $500 billion in medical costs over 15 years, but doctors are slow to adopt technology that has been commonplace in banking and retail for more than a decade. About 90 percent of physicians and more than 80 percent of hospitals still use paper records, according to Nancy Szemraj, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Storing and trading medical records online would be "great for patients, but there's absolutely no business case for doing it in primary care," said Richard J. Baron, an internist in Philadelphia whose practice uses an electronic record system similar to HealthVault. He said the cost of software -- and the risk of using unfamiliar technology in an office without an information technology whiz on staff -- have deterred many of his colleagues. Baron said he doubts that many will be persuaded to switch from paper because of Microsoft's initiative.
Other businesses, notably WebMD and Revolution Health, have offered consumers online storage for health data. For the most part, the services rely on user-generated data rather than data from doctors' or pharmacies' records, and they generally do not allow users to share the data with others. Google has been reported to be creating a platform similar to Microsoft's, but the company declined to comment yesterday.
Other companies are expanding their health-record services. Revolution Health, started by AOL co-founder Case, plans to allow users to download prescription records into their accounts through a partnership with Medco.
"I think what Microsoft's doing is great," Case said yesterday. "I've been saying for several years that the health-care industry needs to change and that the key drivers will be technology and consumerism."
HealthVault works as a sort of depository for medical data.
Consumers can download records such as lab reports or X-rays from their health-care providers' Web sites, or data from digital devices such as glucometers, and enter it into their HealthVault account.
All data are encrypted, and consumers can choose to send any of the information to other health-care providers, family members or even physical trainers. They can also send the medical information to partnered applications on other Web sites; the American Heart Association, for example, has a program that analyzes blood-pressure records.
HealthVault is supported by ads based on search terms. For example, a search for "diabetes" yields information on the disease and links to books on the topic for sale at Amazon.com.
Getting doctors to participate in such services, experts said, would probably require more government regulation.
"Because of the way our health-care system is financed, it's made it hard to raise the capital necessary to make these conversions," said David W. Bates, a Harvard Medical School professor and chief of general medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "Other countries have single-payer health systems, which makes it easier to pay for the conversion."
The biggest barrier to digitizing, physicians say, is the lack of federal standards for how the software should work. Those health-care providers who have digitized use different software products that can't communicate with one another.
For the past several years, Health and Human Services officials have worked on standards under which software vendors would store data the same way. They are still determining how to get data to transfer seamlessly from one program to another. In the meantime, HealthVault has worked with vendors to translate records from different programs into a universal format, according to Sean Nolan, who helped design HealthVault.
Some insurance companies have offered free online health record-services, sparking criticism from privacy advocates.
"You have to have lost your mind to give them any more info about you than they have," said Deborah Peel, founder of Patient Privacy Rights Foundation, which helped Microsoft craft HealthVault's privacy practices. "The revolutionary thing about HealthVault is that it gives consumers complete control over their records and guarantees no one can access that information without their consent."
Other consumer advocates have suggested that the online aggregation of data, whether through HealthVault or its competitors, could be good for patients more indirectly.
"It would be nice to have a pool database across millions of patients," said Robert Krughoff, president of Consumers' Checkbook. "You could see, of all the patients who've had a prostectomy [removal of the prostate gland], what percent had what complications. It would be one way to evaluate different procedures and treatments, since we don't have a way of evaluating their effectiveness in the long run now."
© 2007 The Washington Post Company
NEW ZEALAND: Elderly Man's Dentures Found Down His Throat
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (Yahoo!), October 5, 2007:
Doctors who lost an elderly man's false teeth during surgery found them three days later -- stuck down his throat.
A Health and Disability Commission today released a report on the case of the 81-year-old man, who never fully recovered his previous good health following the incident and died within a couple of years.
The commission said the man entered a private hospital for elective back surgery in February 2005.
The commission found the denture was undetected for so long because of neurological impairment, caused by a cyst in the centre of the man's spinal cord. The fluid-filled sac pushed on his brainstem, damaging the parts responsible for swallowing and the feeling in the back of his mouth.
The man's upper denture, which doctors noticed was loose, was taken out before the surgery. But somehow, the false teeth managed to get back into the man's mouth, though no one admitted to putting them there and, according to a nurse, there was "no way" the heavily sedated man could have put them back himself. After the operation, the patient told his carers he was in "extreme pain", and was given painkillers.
Under 24-hour supervision, nurses noticed the elderly man was "very chesty", spoke with a particularly husky voice, and couldn't eat more than a couple of spoonfuls of milky porridge at a time.
On the second day after the man's operation, doctors recorded his voice was down to a whisper, and ordered chest X-rays. They found evidence of congestive heart failure. That afternoon, the man was moved into his own room after suffering coughing fits. Three days later, the man's condition deteriorated. He continued coughing, his oxygen saturation level plummeted, and while he was being washed, the 81-year-old stopped breathing completely.
Doctors put a laryngoscope down the man's throat, finding his missing denture.
They removed the teeth, resuscitated him and transferred him to a public hospital. He never fully recovered, and died within a couple of years from respiratory illness.
Experts looking at the case said a serious underlying neurological condition allowed him to cope with having his teeth down his throat.
The commission found the doctors took all due care during the surgery. However, it recommended the anaesthetist apologise to the man's family and review his practice for leaving the recovery room for a time and because of the ventilator he used.
The names of all those involved were withheld by the commission.
Copyright © 2007 Yahoo!
Doctors who lost an elderly man's false teeth during surgery found them three days later -- stuck down his throat.
A Health and Disability Commission today released a report on the case of the 81-year-old man, who never fully recovered his previous good health following the incident and died within a couple of years.
The commission said the man entered a private hospital for elective back surgery in February 2005.
The commission found the denture was undetected for so long because of neurological impairment, caused by a cyst in the centre of the man's spinal cord. The fluid-filled sac pushed on his brainstem, damaging the parts responsible for swallowing and the feeling in the back of his mouth.
The man's upper denture, which doctors noticed was loose, was taken out before the surgery. But somehow, the false teeth managed to get back into the man's mouth, though no one admitted to putting them there and, according to a nurse, there was "no way" the heavily sedated man could have put them back himself. After the operation, the patient told his carers he was in "extreme pain", and was given painkillers.
Under 24-hour supervision, nurses noticed the elderly man was "very chesty", spoke with a particularly husky voice, and couldn't eat more than a couple of spoonfuls of milky porridge at a time.
On the second day after the man's operation, doctors recorded his voice was down to a whisper, and ordered chest X-rays. They found evidence of congestive heart failure. That afternoon, the man was moved into his own room after suffering coughing fits. Three days later, the man's condition deteriorated. He continued coughing, his oxygen saturation level plummeted, and while he was being washed, the 81-year-old stopped breathing completely.
Doctors put a laryngoscope down the man's throat, finding his missing denture.
They removed the teeth, resuscitated him and transferred him to a public hospital. He never fully recovered, and died within a couple of years from respiratory illness.
Experts looking at the case said a serious underlying neurological condition allowed him to cope with having his teeth down his throat.
The commission found the doctors took all due care during the surgery. However, it recommended the anaesthetist apologise to the man's family and review his practice for leaving the recovery room for a time and because of the ventilator he used.
The names of all those involved were withheld by the commission.
Copyright © 2007 Yahoo!
INDIA: Seniors Increasingly Concerned At Their Safety, Notes Prime Minister
NEW DELHI (The Hindu), October 5, 2007:Women and senior citizens are increasingly concerned at their safety. Girls worry about the growing practice of eve-teasing. Our people should be willing to approach a policeman with the same assurance with which they visit a doctor. These are statements of India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. He was speaking at a conference here of senior police officials.
Photo by Karnal Singh of PTI shows the Prime Minister presenting Ashok Kumar Patnaik, Joint Director of Intelligence Bureau, the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service. Dr. Manmohan Singh is all smiles as the man he honoured is his son-in-law.
INDIA: Home For Graying Gays To Come Up In Gujarat
MUMBAI (Daily News & Analysis), October 5, 2007:
An old age home for gays will soon come up on the banks of the River Narmada in Gujarat to help them battle the problems they typically face in the autumn of their lives – loneliness and HIV/AIDS.
The complex will come complete with a 200-bed hospital and crematorium to be built at a cost of Rs 100 million.
The scion of the erstwhile royal family of Rajpipla, Manavendrasingh Gohil, himself a gay activist, and a Canada-returned octogenarian are spearheading the move.
The project has four acres and efforts are on to get more land. Octogenarian Jayant Trivedi donated land at Kumbheshwar about 15 kilometres from Rajpipla.
Trivedi is currently engaged in securing another 11 acres from the Narmada district authorities for the project.
“Some initial hiccups in acquiring the land are being faced by us as the government is yet to clear whether the land could be donated to our registered trust Narmada Har Seva Ashram, or if it needs to be procured at a government valuation rate. I have written to the Gujarat Chief Minister two days back and hope that he will be sensitive to the cause of HIV/AIDS patients at least,” said an optimistic Trivedi.
Gohil, who won an UNAIDS award for his work to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS in the community, said: “Back in the year 2000 when we were forming Lakshya Trust with a group of friends, we could forecast the scenario for gay men who mostly stay single and succumb to loneliness later in life. Young gay men have multiple partners but at an old age you will not be as attractive as you used to be and that leads to depression or to becoming a recluse.”
Insecurity runs high among greying gay men, he says. “As we get older we try to separate ourselves from the heterosexual society. Human beings are social animals but old gay men are deprived of any social binding. Since there are no social bindings in gay partnerships, breakups are often. This results in loneliness and insecurity.”
The trend of old age homes exclusively for gays first started in Berlin some three years back and has gained popularity in the US as well.
By Soumik Dey
© 2005-2007 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd.
An old age home for gays will soon come up on the banks of the River Narmada in Gujarat to help them battle the problems they typically face in the autumn of their lives – loneliness and HIV/AIDS.
The complex will come complete with a 200-bed hospital and crematorium to be built at a cost of Rs 100 million.
The scion of the erstwhile royal family of Rajpipla, Manavendrasingh Gohil, himself a gay activist, and a Canada-returned octogenarian are spearheading the move.
The project has four acres and efforts are on to get more land. Octogenarian Jayant Trivedi donated land at Kumbheshwar about 15 kilometres from Rajpipla.
Trivedi is currently engaged in securing another 11 acres from the Narmada district authorities for the project.
“Some initial hiccups in acquiring the land are being faced by us as the government is yet to clear whether the land could be donated to our registered trust Narmada Har Seva Ashram, or if it needs to be procured at a government valuation rate. I have written to the Gujarat Chief Minister two days back and hope that he will be sensitive to the cause of HIV/AIDS patients at least,” said an optimistic Trivedi.
Gohil, who won an UNAIDS award for his work to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS in the community, said: “Back in the year 2000 when we were forming Lakshya Trust with a group of friends, we could forecast the scenario for gay men who mostly stay single and succumb to loneliness later in life. Young gay men have multiple partners but at an old age you will not be as attractive as you used to be and that leads to depression or to becoming a recluse.”
Insecurity runs high among greying gay men, he says. “As we get older we try to separate ourselves from the heterosexual society. Human beings are social animals but old gay men are deprived of any social binding. Since there are no social bindings in gay partnerships, breakups are often. This results in loneliness and insecurity.”
The trend of old age homes exclusively for gays first started in Berlin some three years back and has gained popularity in the US as well.
By Soumik Dey
© 2005-2007 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd.
SPAIN: People In Their Eighties Enjoy Active Sex Lives
A study shows that people in their eighties enjoy active sex lives, reports N. Ramírez de Castro in SUR, the newspaper from southern Spain
Researchers at the University of Chicago tell us that the very old can continue to have sex as long as they do not suffer serious health problems
Women are less sexually active at any age than men, according to the study
MALAGA, Spain (SUR), October 5, 2007:
If we thought sex for old people was no more than a pleasant memory, we are badly mistaken.
A recent study into sex among the elderly – the most complete to date – shows both men and women into their seventies and eighties to be still interested in sex, and shows that those who are healthy enough to practice it regularly do so. The study, which was made by researchers at the University of Chicago and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that 81 per cent of healthy men in this age bracket and 51 per cent of women enjoy sex on a regular, if not frequent, basis.
The results of the study are based on an extensive survey carried out among more than 3,000 Americans aged between 57 and 85. They were asked about their previous social and marital lives, their level of sexual activity in the past and at present, and their general state of health. One of the conclusions drawn was that sexual activity among the old is directly related to physical heath.
The study shows clear differences between men and women when it comes to practicing sex at any age. Men tend to be more sexually active throughout their lives, even taking into account health problems they might be suffering. This difference becomes progressively greater in old age, due to various reasons.
One of them is the disparity of age in most married couples. Men tend to be older than their marriage partners, and are therefore more likely to die earlier, quite apart from the longer life-span of women in general. That means more older women becoming widowed at an age too advanced to attract another sexual partner. In fact, only 40 per cent of women between the ages of 75 and 85 have partners, against a figure of almost 80 per cent of men of the same age.
Logically, those older people in the 57 to 64-year-old age bracket are more sexually active than those in the older bracket, given their better overall state of health. Up to 54 per cent of those in the 75 to 85-year-old age bracket claim, nevertheless, to have sex two or three times a month, while 23 per cent say they practice sex more than once a week.
A number of specific questions regarding sexual activity were asked during the interviews, and the results were surprising. Most older people still enjoy oral sex and masturbation, it seems. And furthermore, such practices prove useful for those older people suffering various health problems. Half of all the couples under the age of 75 say they practice oral sex regularly, while half of all men and a quarter of all women interviewed say they masturbate, whether they have sexual partners or not.
Problems
The University of Chicago study also went into the various sexual problems people are up against in old age. Approximately half of all women suffer lack of desire, vaginal dryness (39 per cent) and difficulties in achieving orgasm (34 per cent).
As far as men in the same age bracket are concerned, 39 per cent of them suffer erectile problems. Only 38 per cent of men and 22 per cent of women had spoken about sex with their doctor since they reached the age of fifty.
The basic purpose of the study was to draw attention to the question of sex in old age. Many family doctors minimise the problem, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the desire to have an active and healthy sex life does not necessarily diminish in old age.
“Many old people suffer problems that affect both their general state of health and their sex lives, and in most cases, such problems can be treated successfully,” says Tesser Lindau, head of the University of Chicago research team.
© Copyright Diario SUR Digital, S.L.
Researchers at the University of Chicago tell us that the very old can continue to have sex as long as they do not suffer serious health problems
Women are less sexually active at any age than men, according to the study
MALAGA, Spain (SUR), October 5, 2007:
If we thought sex for old people was no more than a pleasant memory, we are badly mistaken.
A recent study into sex among the elderly – the most complete to date – shows both men and women into their seventies and eighties to be still interested in sex, and shows that those who are healthy enough to practice it regularly do so. The study, which was made by researchers at the University of Chicago and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that 81 per cent of healthy men in this age bracket and 51 per cent of women enjoy sex on a regular, if not frequent, basis.
The results of the study are based on an extensive survey carried out among more than 3,000 Americans aged between 57 and 85. They were asked about their previous social and marital lives, their level of sexual activity in the past and at present, and their general state of health. One of the conclusions drawn was that sexual activity among the old is directly related to physical heath.
The study shows clear differences between men and women when it comes to practicing sex at any age. Men tend to be more sexually active throughout their lives, even taking into account health problems they might be suffering. This difference becomes progressively greater in old age, due to various reasons.
One of them is the disparity of age in most married couples. Men tend to be older than their marriage partners, and are therefore more likely to die earlier, quite apart from the longer life-span of women in general. That means more older women becoming widowed at an age too advanced to attract another sexual partner. In fact, only 40 per cent of women between the ages of 75 and 85 have partners, against a figure of almost 80 per cent of men of the same age.
Logically, those older people in the 57 to 64-year-old age bracket are more sexually active than those in the older bracket, given their better overall state of health. Up to 54 per cent of those in the 75 to 85-year-old age bracket claim, nevertheless, to have sex two or three times a month, while 23 per cent say they practice sex more than once a week.
A number of specific questions regarding sexual activity were asked during the interviews, and the results were surprising. Most older people still enjoy oral sex and masturbation, it seems. And furthermore, such practices prove useful for those older people suffering various health problems. Half of all the couples under the age of 75 say they practice oral sex regularly, while half of all men and a quarter of all women interviewed say they masturbate, whether they have sexual partners or not.
Problems
The University of Chicago study also went into the various sexual problems people are up against in old age. Approximately half of all women suffer lack of desire, vaginal dryness (39 per cent) and difficulties in achieving orgasm (34 per cent).
As far as men in the same age bracket are concerned, 39 per cent of them suffer erectile problems. Only 38 per cent of men and 22 per cent of women had spoken about sex with their doctor since they reached the age of fifty.
The basic purpose of the study was to draw attention to the question of sex in old age. Many family doctors minimise the problem, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the desire to have an active and healthy sex life does not necessarily diminish in old age.
“Many old people suffer problems that affect both their general state of health and their sex lives, and in most cases, such problems can be treated successfully,” says Tesser Lindau, head of the University of Chicago research team.
© Copyright Diario SUR Digital, S.L.
BELIZE: Week-long Celebrations of Senior Citizens Begin
BELIZE CITY, Belize (Love News), October 4, 2007
This week is being celebrated as senior citizens' week in Belize. Events have been ongoing nationwide to engage senior citizens in a number of activities during this week set aside to honour them. Love News spoke with Chairperson of the Octavia Waight Center, Bernadette Fernandez.
Bernadette Fernandez, Chairperson of the Octavia Waight Center:
“We started our activities here at the Octavia Waight Center on Sunday with a parade through the principal streets of San Ignacio.
"The residents were treated after this with dinner. This was for the residents also for the band players, and for people who participated in the parade.
"The celebration continues and yesterday we had Scotia Bank here in San Ignacio feeding our elderly with a dinner. Today continues with Anointing of the Sick in their homes. Tomorrow we meet with the elderly of Spanish Lookout, and on Saturday we go to our annual Walk-a-thon.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the community of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, and also the residents of our surrounding areas and from the villages for being so cooperative with us throughout this week.
"Special thanks goes out to the teachers of the various schools that visited the Octavia Waight also. Thank you very much for your cooperation and once again,to the community of San Ignacio and Santa Elena.”
Fernandez said at present there are 25 residents at the Center which is located in the Cayo District.
This week is being celebrated as senior citizens' week in Belize. Events have been ongoing nationwide to engage senior citizens in a number of activities during this week set aside to honour them. Love News spoke with Chairperson of the Octavia Waight Center, Bernadette Fernandez.
Bernadette Fernandez, Chairperson of the Octavia Waight Center:
“We started our activities here at the Octavia Waight Center on Sunday with a parade through the principal streets of San Ignacio.
"The residents were treated after this with dinner. This was for the residents also for the band players, and for people who participated in the parade.
"The celebration continues and yesterday we had Scotia Bank here in San Ignacio feeding our elderly with a dinner. Today continues with Anointing of the Sick in their homes. Tomorrow we meet with the elderly of Spanish Lookout, and on Saturday we go to our annual Walk-a-thon.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the community of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, and also the residents of our surrounding areas and from the villages for being so cooperative with us throughout this week.
"Special thanks goes out to the teachers of the various schools that visited the Octavia Waight also. Thank you very much for your cooperation and once again,to the community of San Ignacio and Santa Elena.”
Fernandez said at present there are 25 residents at the Center which is located in the Cayo District.
U.K.: Funding Shortfall ‘Will Mean Cuts To Services For Elderly
LONDON, England (The Times), October 4, 2007:
Services for the elderly face damaging cutbacks over the next three years if the Government fails to provide additional funding, local council chiefs claim.
Elderly people living at home will face further restrictions on social care and residential services could also be hit, the Local Government Association (LGA) claims. It suggested that services would take the strain of underfunding but any cash shortfall is likely to lead to higher council tax bills.
New figures, compiled by the LGA, calculate that spending on new government policies and the growing costs of the elderly population will add £9.6 billion to town hall bills within three years. By next April these extra burdens will cost £9 million a day.
The warning comes as the Treasury finalises its spending settlements for the next three years.
In a plea to the Treasury, Sir Simon Milton, the chairman of the LGA, warned that without extra funding services would close. “It appears likely that the coming years will see a period of austerity in funding of public services that councils and local councils have not seen for more than a decade. If Government grant for councils is at the lower end of expectations, it is likely to result in tighter criteria for free or subsidised elderly care services, cuts in services or both,” he added.
John Healey, the Minister for Local Government, said: “We expect councils to generate efficiencies across the board. This will free up a considerable amount of money to invest in services. The tax-paying public will not expect to have to pick up this cost without local government playing its part.”
By Jill Sherman, Whitehall Editor
© Copyright 2007 Times Newspapers Ltd.
Services for the elderly face damaging cutbacks over the next three years if the Government fails to provide additional funding, local council chiefs claim.
Elderly people living at home will face further restrictions on social care and residential services could also be hit, the Local Government Association (LGA) claims. It suggested that services would take the strain of underfunding but any cash shortfall is likely to lead to higher council tax bills.
New figures, compiled by the LGA, calculate that spending on new government policies and the growing costs of the elderly population will add £9.6 billion to town hall bills within three years. By next April these extra burdens will cost £9 million a day.
The warning comes as the Treasury finalises its spending settlements for the next three years.
In a plea to the Treasury, Sir Simon Milton, the chairman of the LGA, warned that without extra funding services would close. “It appears likely that the coming years will see a period of austerity in funding of public services that councils and local councils have not seen for more than a decade. If Government grant for councils is at the lower end of expectations, it is likely to result in tighter criteria for free or subsidised elderly care services, cuts in services or both,” he added.
John Healey, the Minister for Local Government, said: “We expect councils to generate efficiencies across the board. This will free up a considerable amount of money to invest in services. The tax-paying public will not expect to have to pick up this cost without local government playing its part.”
By Jill Sherman, Whitehall Editor
© Copyright 2007 Times Newspapers Ltd.
USA: The Secret of An Old Man Remaining Young
Senior Moments:
Counting your blessings will keep the old young
A column for seniors and those who love them
Good mental health is not a matter of being dependent or independent, but of being able to accept the state one is in with grace and dignity. - Mary Pipher
BOWIE, Maryland (The Bowie Blade), October 4, 2007:
Last week, a delightful 97-year-old man came into the office. We'll call him Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones is now the champion of my personal quest, being both the youngest and the oldest I have seen. He brought along copies of several things he had written, including recent family Christmas letters, explaining that he knew me because of the information on our firm's Web site, and that when I read his writings, I would know him.
He is our guest columnist today. I am sharing with you an assignment he completed for the memoir writing class he takes at his senior residence:
"My first fourscore and several years were so very satisfactory. However, they left me four years ago.
"Most aspects of my wonderful blessings are now long gone. The most visible, of course, is my former physical condition. My wonderful tennis days are four years back. Now in order just to walk, I must use the ever-so-conspicuous walker.
"Lately, especially since Thanksgiving Day, I've been thinking about my current mindset. Should I be thankful for my first fourscore and several wonderful years, or should I be sorry for myself because my current and subsequent years are so inferior by comparison?
"I can look back with joy, because of my superb blessings, as follows: childhood, education, career, wife and two children, civic activities, tennis, barbershop quartet, physical and mental health. So, should I decide to be thankful, even for the last several years of my life?
"Well, I've decided! From now on, I'm going to try to adjust. I must accept Dale Carnegie's dictum, 'Cooperate with the Inevitable.' I'm going to count my blessings, as I tell other people to count theirs. And, yes, I'm going to be thankful.
"This decision should not surprise me, as I have been preaching optimism for years now. Back in 2002, our community newsletter published a list of my sayings which, I now realize, reflect optimism. My sayings are 'Count your blessings,' 'Joy is a wonderful word. Use it often in speaking and writing,' 'You can't have everything,' 'Remember, there are others much worse off than you.' 'Keep your sunny side up and hide the side that gets blue.' "
It seems clear that the optimistic attitude of Mr. Jones has played a huge part in his ability to remain young-old at age 97. In fact, he will be 98 this month. Oh sure, some of it is luck with regard to health or physical injury. I did not ask questions about whether he smoked, got his daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and exercised.
When I was a teenager, my mother was teacher and mentor to a group of young girls my age. One day, during lesson time, she explained that happiness and contentment are decisions that we make. She used some verses from Scripture to solidify the point, as when the Apostle Paul famously said, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." There were probably about eight girls in the class, and having never heard this idea before in my young life, and having my mother as teacher, I quickly began to give her a hard time. I couldn't believe that what she was saying could be true. "What if someone you love dies?" I said. "What if you are fired from your job? What if your husband leaves you? Gonna be happy? Huh? Huh?"
I did not yet know to ask the questions that trouble me today: What if you grow old? What if you have tremors? What if you can't even count on your memory? What if you cannot walk without assistance? What if someone tells you that you can't drive? What if your best friends die before you, and you are left trying to understand a gang of loud folks younger than you? What then?
I wish I had asked those. However, I know that no matter what smart talk I may have come up with, my mother would have given the same answer. She has believed and taught it her whole life. It is basically this: Life often leads us to situations over which we have zero control. This may happen over and over again. Of course, we may not be able to laugh joyously when those occasions come, but there are basically two options: We can lie down and kick and scream and send ourselves and everyone who loves us to the nut house, or we can find a way to live in spite of what has happened. The choice between those options is a decision. The decision for life instead of illness cannot really be made once to last forever. It must be made each day and in each different and difficult circumstance. Over and over again.
I know that's what my mother would have said, if I had asked her then. I know that's what Mr. Jones says. And that is, in large part, the reason Mr. Jones is in the young-old group.
Thank you for reading. Stay well.
By Jackie Byrd
Longtime resident of Bowie, Jackie Byrdis secretary of the Maryland/D.C. chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a member of the Elder Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association.
Copyright © 2007 The Bowie Blade
Counting your blessings will keep the old young
A column for seniors and those who love them
Good mental health is not a matter of being dependent or independent, but of being able to accept the state one is in with grace and dignity. - Mary Pipher
BOWIE, Maryland (The Bowie Blade), October 4, 2007:
Last week, a delightful 97-year-old man came into the office. We'll call him Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones is now the champion of my personal quest, being both the youngest and the oldest I have seen. He brought along copies of several things he had written, including recent family Christmas letters, explaining that he knew me because of the information on our firm's Web site, and that when I read his writings, I would know him.
He is our guest columnist today. I am sharing with you an assignment he completed for the memoir writing class he takes at his senior residence:
"My first fourscore and several years were so very satisfactory. However, they left me four years ago.
"Most aspects of my wonderful blessings are now long gone. The most visible, of course, is my former physical condition. My wonderful tennis days are four years back. Now in order just to walk, I must use the ever-so-conspicuous walker.
"Lately, especially since Thanksgiving Day, I've been thinking about my current mindset. Should I be thankful for my first fourscore and several wonderful years, or should I be sorry for myself because my current and subsequent years are so inferior by comparison?
"I can look back with joy, because of my superb blessings, as follows: childhood, education, career, wife and two children, civic activities, tennis, barbershop quartet, physical and mental health. So, should I decide to be thankful, even for the last several years of my life?
"Well, I've decided! From now on, I'm going to try to adjust. I must accept Dale Carnegie's dictum, 'Cooperate with the Inevitable.' I'm going to count my blessings, as I tell other people to count theirs. And, yes, I'm going to be thankful.
"This decision should not surprise me, as I have been preaching optimism for years now. Back in 2002, our community newsletter published a list of my sayings which, I now realize, reflect optimism. My sayings are 'Count your blessings,' 'Joy is a wonderful word. Use it often in speaking and writing,' 'You can't have everything,' 'Remember, there are others much worse off than you.' 'Keep your sunny side up and hide the side that gets blue.' "
It seems clear that the optimistic attitude of Mr. Jones has played a huge part in his ability to remain young-old at age 97. In fact, he will be 98 this month. Oh sure, some of it is luck with regard to health or physical injury. I did not ask questions about whether he smoked, got his daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and exercised.
When I was a teenager, my mother was teacher and mentor to a group of young girls my age. One day, during lesson time, she explained that happiness and contentment are decisions that we make. She used some verses from Scripture to solidify the point, as when the Apostle Paul famously said, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." There were probably about eight girls in the class, and having never heard this idea before in my young life, and having my mother as teacher, I quickly began to give her a hard time. I couldn't believe that what she was saying could be true. "What if someone you love dies?" I said. "What if you are fired from your job? What if your husband leaves you? Gonna be happy? Huh? Huh?"
I did not yet know to ask the questions that trouble me today: What if you grow old? What if you have tremors? What if you can't even count on your memory? What if you cannot walk without assistance? What if someone tells you that you can't drive? What if your best friends die before you, and you are left trying to understand a gang of loud folks younger than you? What then?
I wish I had asked those. However, I know that no matter what smart talk I may have come up with, my mother would have given the same answer. She has believed and taught it her whole life. It is basically this: Life often leads us to situations over which we have zero control. This may happen over and over again. Of course, we may not be able to laugh joyously when those occasions come, but there are basically two options: We can lie down and kick and scream and send ourselves and everyone who loves us to the nut house, or we can find a way to live in spite of what has happened. The choice between those options is a decision. The decision for life instead of illness cannot really be made once to last forever. It must be made each day and in each different and difficult circumstance. Over and over again.
I know that's what my mother would have said, if I had asked her then. I know that's what Mr. Jones says. And that is, in large part, the reason Mr. Jones is in the young-old group.
Thank you for reading. Stay well.
By Jackie Byrd
Longtime resident of Bowie, Jackie Byrdis secretary of the Maryland/D.C. chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a member of the Elder Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association.
Copyright © 2007 The Bowie Blade
SINGAPORE: $1.5 Million Machine Helps Carry Out More Precise Spinal Surgery
SINGAPORE (Today), October 4, 2007:SPINAL problems can be delicate, especially those requiring surgery. So, it's discomforting to know that 10 to 15 per cent of surgical implants (such as screws) in the spine may not be placed in the best positions - even if most do not affect the patient after surgery. But a small proportion of these may be problematic, leading to pain or even paralysis.
The Singapore General Hospital (SGH), however, has found a solution in the form of a new imaging system, called an O-arm (picture). Linked to a computerised navigation system, it provides a three-dimensional view of the patient's spine to guide the surgeon as he operates, ensuring that implants are placed correctly.
"It's just like a GPS (global position system)," explained Associate Professor Tan Seang Beng, head of SGH's orthopaedic surgery. The department performs over 800 major spine operations each year, with half of them requiring implants.
Before this, conventional X-rays were used to verify that surgery implants were optimally placed during and after surgery, but its two-dimensional nature meant that 10 to 15 per cent of such sub-optimal placements went undetected. With the new imaging system, surgeons can verify the accuracy surgical implant placements even before the patient leaves the operating theatre.
"This will decrease the need for revision surgery and allow us to perform surgeries that are even more technically demanding," said Prof Tan.
This is especially relevant as spine problems will affect 90 per cent of people at some point in their lives, with ageing being the top cause.
As the US$1-million ($1.5-million) machine was purchased with a Health Ministry grant, the hospital will not be passing on the cost to patients.
SGH has done some 50 spine surgeries with the new imaging system since May.
By Tan Hui Leng
Copyright 2007 Mediacorp
EUROPE: Ageing and Divorcing At High Speed
The EU population is getting older (Photo: EUobserver.com)BRUSSELS (EU Observer), October 4, 2007:
There are currently more elderly people than children living in the EU, as Europe's young population has decreased by 21 percent - or 23 million – in 25 years, 10 percent of which in the last ten years alone.
Only 16.2 percent of today's EU population is less than 14 years old, while one sixth (16.6 percent) is 65 years or more. In addition one out of every 25 EU citizens is over 80 years old.
Italy has the least young people (14.2%) and one out of every five Italians is more than 65 years old. At the other end of the scale, Ireland has the most youngsters (20.7%), according to a recently-released report by the Institute for Family Policies based in Spain.
However, the decrease in numbers has been greatest in Spain, where the young population has diminished by 44% in the 1990 to 2005 period.
Despite these figures, the EU population has grown by 8.2% over the last 27 years, now reaching almost 500 million.
This paradox can mostly be explained by an ever increasing number of immigrants coming to the EU. Last year alone, 75% of the population growth was the result of immigration flows, says the report.
France and the Netherlands are the only member states where the natural population growth has been higher than the immigration inflow.
A relative population growth can be noted only in Western European countries, however, while in central and eastern Europe it has either remained the same (Slovenia and Slovakia), or decreased.
The decrease has been most significant in new member state Bulgaria, which has lost almost 8% of its population (7.94%) in the last ten years.
Currently, around 7.6 million people live in Bulgaria – but if its demographic trend continues, they will be 5.1 million by 2050.
USA catching up fast
Meanwhile, if the tendencies in the 27-member bloc as a whole continue, it is very likely that the US and the EU will have the same number of inhabitants by 2060, says the report.
Currently around 300 million people live in the US – almost 200 million less than in the EU.
But the natural increase of the American population is 12 times greater than that of Europe.
On top of that, the number of births across the EU has been decreasing and in some member states, the birth rate is almost two times lower than in the US (2.09 children per family in 2006).
In Greece, Spain and Italy birth rates have reached a critical level of 1.28 to 1.34 children per family, while among the new member states, none but Cyprus has a birth rate of above 1.30.
One divorce every 30 seconds in the EU
The report which focuses on the Evolution of the Family in Europe in 2007 also points at the decreasing number of successful marriages.
From 1980 to 2005 the number of marriages in Europe decreased by 22.3 percent, while divorces increased by 55 percent in the same period.
Spain presents the most radical case-study, as the number of divorces there has increased by 183 percent in the last 25 years.
Currently, a couple divorces every 30 seconds in Europe and over 13.5 million marriages affecting more than 21 million children ended between 1990 and 2005 in the enlarged EU, according to the document.
The Institute for Family Policies is a non-governmental organisation whose aim is to make family policies a priority for the EU. Its figures are based on member states' official statistics and on those of the EU statistics office Eurostat.
By Elitsa Vucheva
© 2007 EU Observer
ICELAND: Senior Citizens Forgotten in PM’s Key Note Speech
REYKJAVIK (Iceland Review), October 4, 2007: Helgi Hjálmsson, Head of the Association of Senior Citizens in Iceland, has criticized Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde for not mentioning the situation of senior citizens in his key note speech to the Althingi parliament on Tuesday. Hjálmsson said he was pleased the prime minister wanted to improve the situation of those who live of minimum wages, because 11,000 senior citizens live in poverty so the lowest pension payments needs to be increased, ruv.is reports. Hjálmsson suggests that if the pension does not cover the cost of basic needs for senior citizens, the Social Insurance Department should contribute with a monthly fee to help pensioners get by.
Minister of Social Welfare Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir is positive towards the suggestion, Hjálmsson said, but it had been left out in Haarde’s address.
© Copyright icelandreview.com (Heimur hf)
JAPAN: 60-Year-Old Pregnant With Donated Embryo
TOKYO (Japan Times - Kyodo News), October 4, 2007:
A 60-year-old Japanese single woman has become pregnant with a fertilized egg donated in the United States and is being examined by Suwa Maternity Clinic in Nagano Prefecture, the owner of the clinic said Wednesday.
Dr. Yahiro Netsu, who runs the clinic, said that although the case involves risks, and pregnancy in such circumstances is not recommended in view of the child's future, he took the woman on as a patient because other maternity services were reluctant to do so.
If she successfully gives birth, she will be the first single woman in Japan to bear a child conceived from a donated embryo. In Japan, obstetricians are basically prohibited from assisting births resulting from donated embryos because the lack of a direct biological relationship causes legal problems that have not yet been resolved by the courts.
In 2001, a 60-year-old woman in Japan gave birth via in vitro fertilization of a donated egg in the United States, but fertilization was carried out using her husband's sperm in this case.
The woman in Nagano visited the clinic in the town of Shimosuwa about two weeks ago, saying she had gotten pregnant using a fertility treatment in the United States but could not find a medical institution in Japan that was willing to help her with the pregnancy, Netsu said.
The woman, who lives in eastern Japan and is in the 15th week of her pregnancy, has been making good progress, Netsu said.
The Japan Times
(C) All rights reserved
A 60-year-old Japanese single woman has become pregnant with a fertilized egg donated in the United States and is being examined by Suwa Maternity Clinic in Nagano Prefecture, the owner of the clinic said Wednesday.
Dr. Yahiro Netsu, who runs the clinic, said that although the case involves risks, and pregnancy in such circumstances is not recommended in view of the child's future, he took the woman on as a patient because other maternity services were reluctant to do so.
If she successfully gives birth, she will be the first single woman in Japan to bear a child conceived from a donated embryo. In Japan, obstetricians are basically prohibited from assisting births resulting from donated embryos because the lack of a direct biological relationship causes legal problems that have not yet been resolved by the courts.
In 2001, a 60-year-old woman in Japan gave birth via in vitro fertilization of a donated egg in the United States, but fertilization was carried out using her husband's sperm in this case.
The woman in Nagano visited the clinic in the town of Shimosuwa about two weeks ago, saying she had gotten pregnant using a fertility treatment in the United States but could not find a medical institution in Japan that was willing to help her with the pregnancy, Netsu said.
The woman, who lives in eastern Japan and is in the 15th week of her pregnancy, has been making good progress, Netsu said.
The Japan Times
(C) All rights reserved
JAPAN: Robot Exoskeleton Could Help Senior Citizens
A woman wearing a robotic exoskeleton gives a demonstration at a home care and rehabilitation convention this week in Tokyo. AP PhotoWith nearly 22 percent of Japan's population already aged 65 or older, businesses here have been rolling out everything from easy-entry cars to remote-controlled beds, fueling a care technology market worth some 126 billion yen (US$1.08 billion; euro766 million) in 2006, according to industry figures.
TOKYO (Detroit Free Press - Asociated Press), October 4, 2007:
If you grow old in Japan, expect to be served food by a robot, ride a voice-recognition wheelchair or even possibly hire a nurse in a robotic suit — all examples of cutting-edge technology to care for the country's rapidly graying population.
With nearly 22 percent of Japan's population already aged 65 or older, businesses here have been rolling out everything from easy-entry cars to remote-controlled beds, fueling a care technology market worth some $1.08 billion in 2006, according to industry figures.
At a home care and rehabilitation convention in Tokyo this week, buyers crowded round a demonstration of Secom Co.'s My Spoon feeding robot, which helps elderly or disabled people eat with a spoon- and fork-fitted swiveling arm.
Operating a joystick with his chin, developer Shigehisa Kobayashi maneuvered the arm toward a block of silken tofu, deftly getting the fork to break off a bite-sized piece. The arm then returned to a preprogrammed position in front of the mouth, allowing Kobayashi to bite and swallow.
"It's all about empowering people to help themselves," Kobayashi said. The Tokyo-based company has already sold 300 of the robots, which come with a price tag of $3,500.
"We want to give the elderly control over their own lives," he said.
The rapidly aging population here has spurred a spate of concerns: a labor shortage, tax shortfalls, financial difficulties in paying the health bills and pensions of large numbers of elderly.
Moreover, a breakdown of family ties in recent years means a growing number of older Japanese are spending their golden years away from the care traditionally provided by children and grandchildren.
That's where cutting-edge technology steps in.
A rubber and nylon "muscle suit" developed by the Tokyo University of Science helps keep the elderly active by providing support for the upper body, arms and shoulders.
Powered by air pressure actuators, the prototype suit — which looks like an oversized life jacket — provides subtle backing to help older people lift heavy objects.
The intelligent wheelchair TAO Aicle from Fujitsu Ltd. and Aisin Seiki Co. uses a positioning system to automatically travel to a preset destination, and uses sensors to detect and stop at red lights, and to avoid obstacles.
Another wheelchair designed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology responds to oral commands like "forward" and "back," ''right" and "left."
Then there are cars designed for easy entry for the wheelchair-bound or those with difficulty walking, like Toyota Motor Corp.'s Welcab series. Its slogan: "A car that's more patient than your daughter."
Tired? Retire to a Lowland futon bed by Kaneshiro Tsuhso Inc. that can be adjusted into a reclining seat.
And there's help for caregivers, too.
A full-body robotic suit developed by the Kanagawa Institute of Technology outside Tokyo is a massive contraption powered by 22 air pumps to help nurses hoist patients on and off their beds.
Sensors attached to the user's skin detects when muscles are trying to lift something heavy — and signals to the air pumps to kick in to provide support.
Though the suit makes its wearer look a little like Robocop, a student who was easily lifted off a table in a demonstration said he felt comfortable during the test.
"It doesn't feel at all like I'm being lifted by a robot," he said. "This feels so comfortable and very human."
Copyright ©2007 the Detroit Free Press.
AUSTRALIA: Brain Injury Sufferers Deserve Equal Care
MELBOURNE, Australia (The Age), October 4, 2007
Each year they fall through the cracks in the system. They are the hundreds of people who receive catastrophic brain and spinal injuries in assaults and recreational accidents. As if their misfortune is not great enough, it is compounded by the fact that, unlike those who acquire such injuries in a car crash or at work, the costs of their ongoing care and rehabilitation are not covered by the Transport Accident Commission or WorkCover. At a time when they need as much support as possible, they are given very little.
With its limited funds, the Victorian Government's Slow to Recover Program does what it can, but it has a long waiting list. Consequently, most end up in aged care homes and or in acute care hospital beds, an outcome that is hopelessly inappropriate, particularly for young people, and which places increasing strain on already overburdened services where such beds are already in short supply.
But a proposal to place a $20 levy on motor vehicle registrations to pay for the care of those, who through no fault of their own do not attract the financial backing to pay for what can be a lifetime of care, is a welcome initiative in an area where, despite previous reports and meetings, little progress has been made.
The proposal was raised yesterday at a national summit of health-care groups, the Australian Medical Association and state and territory disability officials as a potential means of paying for a no-fault, nationally consistent insurance scheme that would provide for comprehensive life-long care for Australians with catastrophic injuries, regardless of their cause.
In turn, this eminently sensible plan would be a key element in the development of a sustainable and equitable national care strategy that would set standards and, crucially, reduce admissions of young people to aged care nursing homes so that they may live, where possible and with the necessary support, at home, in group housing or in other suitable forms of accommodation. Such plans are a necessary reminder that those who suffer catastrophic brain injuries must not be forgotten.
Copyright © 2007. The Age Company Ltd.
Each year they fall through the cracks in the system. They are the hundreds of people who receive catastrophic brain and spinal injuries in assaults and recreational accidents. As if their misfortune is not great enough, it is compounded by the fact that, unlike those who acquire such injuries in a car crash or at work, the costs of their ongoing care and rehabilitation are not covered by the Transport Accident Commission or WorkCover. At a time when they need as much support as possible, they are given very little.
With its limited funds, the Victorian Government's Slow to Recover Program does what it can, but it has a long waiting list. Consequently, most end up in aged care homes and or in acute care hospital beds, an outcome that is hopelessly inappropriate, particularly for young people, and which places increasing strain on already overburdened services where such beds are already in short supply.
But a proposal to place a $20 levy on motor vehicle registrations to pay for the care of those, who through no fault of their own do not attract the financial backing to pay for what can be a lifetime of care, is a welcome initiative in an area where, despite previous reports and meetings, little progress has been made.
The proposal was raised yesterday at a national summit of health-care groups, the Australian Medical Association and state and territory disability officials as a potential means of paying for a no-fault, nationally consistent insurance scheme that would provide for comprehensive life-long care for Australians with catastrophic injuries, regardless of their cause.
In turn, this eminently sensible plan would be a key element in the development of a sustainable and equitable national care strategy that would set standards and, crucially, reduce admissions of young people to aged care nursing homes so that they may live, where possible and with the necessary support, at home, in group housing or in other suitable forms of accommodation. Such plans are a necessary reminder that those who suffer catastrophic brain injuries must not be forgotten.
Copyright © 2007. The Age Company Ltd.
USA: Veteran Volunteer Still Goes To School
TAMPA BAY, Florida (Tampa Tribune), October 4, 2007:
TOWN - 'N COUNTRY - Four days a week, Ruth Washington rises, puts on her makeup and gets dressed and goes to school.
She is 89.
"It keeps me alive. It gives me something to do," said Washington, who has volunteered in schools in New Jersey and Florida for 16 years. "If I didn't have this, I would vegetate. This not only is good therapy for the children, but for me."
As a foster grandparent, Washington works 20 hours a week at Woodbridge Elementary School. The program forces her to get out of bed each morning. It makes sure she changes out of her nightgown. Otherwise, she said, she might stay at Rocky Creek Retirement Village all day.
Although the foster grandparent program started as a national effort, it was piloted in Hillsborough County in 1965. It started with 24 volunteers. Today more than 170 senior citizens volunteer as foster grandparents at 80 sites, said Nancy McWilliams, director of operations for Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay, the nonprofit organization that runs the local program.
The grandparents report to schools, shelters, Head Start centers and Boys & Girls Clubs in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk counties, and the need exceeds the supply.
"We're still recruiting," McWilliams said.
Courtney Cairns Pastor
TOWN - 'N COUNTRY - Four days a week, Ruth Washington rises, puts on her makeup and gets dressed and goes to school.
She is 89.
"It keeps me alive. It gives me something to do," said Washington, who has volunteered in schools in New Jersey and Florida for 16 years. "If I didn't have this, I would vegetate. This not only is good therapy for the children, but for me."
As a foster grandparent, Washington works 20 hours a week at Woodbridge Elementary School. The program forces her to get out of bed each morning. It makes sure she changes out of her nightgown. Otherwise, she said, she might stay at Rocky Creek Retirement Village all day.
Although the foster grandparent program started as a national effort, it was piloted in Hillsborough County in 1965. It started with 24 volunteers. Today more than 170 senior citizens volunteer as foster grandparents at 80 sites, said Nancy McWilliams, director of operations for Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay, the nonprofit organization that runs the local program.
The grandparents report to schools, shelters, Head Start centers and Boys & Girls Clubs in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk counties, and the need exceeds the supply.
"We're still recruiting," McWilliams said.
Courtney Cairns Pastor
USA: Seniors Social Networking Sites Growing in Number
ORLANDO, Florida (VOA News), October 4, 2007:
A growing number of social-networking websites are being developed for people over the age of 50.
The Internet monitoring company Hitwise says 14 percent of adult Internet users are older than 55.
And it predicts seniors in Britain will overtake 35 to 44 year olds as the age group with the largest representation online. There's a boom in networking sites targeting older people interested in keeping in touch with friends and chatting about subjects such as diet and health care. Steve Mort reports from Orlando, Florida for VOA.
The executives at GrowingBolder.com meet to discuss how their new website for so-called "silver surfers" will look. Marc Middleton is the founder of this new Internet site. He says it will be a social-networking service, similar to youth-oriented sites like MySpace and Facebook, but with content relevant to older users.
He claims, on average, people over 50 spend more time online than any other demographic group, but so far have been ignored by online entrepreneurs.
"The U.S. is such a youth worshipping culture and I think Hollywood is to blame for that more than anything else. And there's just a dramatic, revolutionary change underway right now. It's no longer people fighting aging. It's embracing aging."
Online marketing trade publisher, iMedia Connection, says more than 43 million people aged 50 or older used the Internet in 2005 -- up 21 percent from the previous year.
GrowingBolder's founders say those users generally have more money to spend and show more loyalty to certain websites. They say less-mobile seniors often use the Internet to keep in touch.
The company's executive vice president is Bill Shafer. "Think of what it can do for seniors. Think of how it can take people who are not feeling relevant anymore, that feel that they've lost their voice in society, and it gives them their voice back. It makes them relevant".
It also makes them relevant to advertisers.
For example, drug companies -- which now market many medications to older people -- are spending more online. The pharmaceutical publication, Pharmalive, says more than 30 percent of the marketing budgets of such firms is dedicated to social networking.
GrowingBolder describes itself more like a TV station than a website, offering video stories and interviews with celebrities over 50.
But the number of so-called "graying Internet" sites is growing. Boomertown, Multiply, ReZoom and others are all looking for a share of the expanding seniors market.
AUSTRALIA: Give Up Sugar To Live Longer
Short and sweet ... avoid sugar to live longer.Photo: George Fetting
MELBOURNE, Australia (The Age - Reuters), October 4, 2007:
Passing on sweets and avoiding vitamins could help you live longer, German researchers have discovered.
They found that restricting glucose - a simple sugar found in foods such as sweets that is a primary source of energy for the body - set off a process that extended the life span of some worms by up to 25 per cent.
The key was boosting the level of ``free radicals'' - unstable molecules that can damage the body and which people often try to get rid of by consuming food or drinks rich in anti-oxidants such as vitamin E, they said in a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Restricting glucose first spurred the worms to generate more free radicals, but then they quickly built up long-lasting defences against them, said Michael Ristow, an endocrinologist at the University of Jena and the German Institute of Human Nutrition, who led the study.
"During the process, the worm generates more free radicals, which activates defences against free radicals within the worm," he said in a telephone interview. "The bad thing in the end promotes something good."
The body needs glucose, but taking in too much was unhealthy, Ristow said.
Scientists have long known that restricting calorie intake in worms and monkeys increases longevity, and the study narrowed that idea further, to glucose.
The study also for the first time points to a possible reason why antioxidants - long thought to promote health - might do more harm than good, Ristow said.
The German team used a chemical that blocked the worms' ability to process glucose in a treatment that extended their life span by up to 25 per cent, the equivalent of 15 years in humans.
The worms unable to depend on glucose increased energy power sources in certain cells for fuel. That activity produced more free radicals, which in turn generated enzymes that strengthened long-time protection against the harmful molecules, Ristow said.
However, antioxidants and vitamins given to some worms erased these benefits by neutralising free radicals and preventing the body from generating the defences, Ristow said.
"These latter findings tentatively suggest that the widespread use of antioxidants as human food supplements may exert undesirable effects," the researchers wrote.
Copyright © 2007 Fairfax Digital
INDIA: Senior Citizens Bill Makes Relatives Solely Responsible For Their Elderly
LOVING WISELY AND WELL: Instead of involving the State, the new senior citizens bill makes relatives solely responsible for their elders, writes Somak Ghoshal
KOLKATA (The Telegraph), October 4, 2007:
A couple of weeks after the parliamentary standing committee introduced the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens bill, 2007, in early September, an HIV+ woman threw herself before a train in despair. Being a widow, Radha (named changed), was shunned by her in-laws ever since her condition had been diagnosed. But worse still, her 19-year-old son, Chandraprasad, had promised her better medical care, and then disappeared abruptly. With a monthly income of Rs 3,000, the best he could hope for was not advanced treatment, but just a quick end to his mother’s sufferings.
Kindness of Strangers
Noble intentions are often killed by too much reality. Circumstances may dictate a son’s attachment to his mother, compelling him not just to love her well but also wisely. But the mandates of the parents and the senior citizens bill dissolve the subtleties of the human condition into a homogeneous moral standard. The elders have been given the unimpeachable right to demand emotional and material care of their “children”, irrespective of the latter’s economic and emotional disposition. The definition of “children” has been curiously stretched beyond sons and daughters to include grandchildren and other legal heirs. It doesn’t matter whether these “children” are willing or not, the parameters of legal justice demand absolute and unconditional filial care. In trying to empower one group of citizens, this bill effectively denies another set of people — the carers — the right to dissent, or even present plausible excuses for being unable to look after their elders.
Under the provisions of this bill, therefore, there could be no two ways of understanding the desertion of a dying mother. A maintenance tribunal could have Chandraprasad fined, and even imprisoned, for perceived neglect — provided his mother could bring herself to register a complaint against her own son.
In India, where miserably poor parents routinely sell (or kill) newborns, the obligation to care for aged, infirm, or mortally ill relations, without considerable support from the State, sounds like a perverse legal ploy. Even for those past the poverty line, the legal implications of the bill are not exactly heartening.
True to the Indian tradition of social appreciation, only parents have been richly rewarded for fulfilling the duties of heterosexual marriage — the perpetuation of the family line through procreation. Couples with children — biological or adopted — are entitled to maintenance from their adult offspring at any stage of their lives. Unlike the vast number of childless couples as well as single men and women, they don’t have to wait till their 60th birthday to earn the privileges of a “senior” citizen. Even if wronged parents are made legally empowered, it would still be difficult to find too many of them forthcoming enough to take their children to law. The shame of a scandal can keep many from admitting even the most horrific abuses.
For those who earn their seniority at 60, it has been proposed that their “relatives” look after them. This injunction, too, operates on the basis of another botched-up moral and material economy. A relative is defined as an heir apparent to his elder’s property, or someone already in possession of it. The terms of this provision give a sinister and self-interested agency to the very notion of “care” itself. Moreover, this structure of exchange makes it essential for a senior citizen to disclose his will before his death (and perhaps endanger his life by doing so) in order to ensure sustained care for himself. Further, it is possible that the carer might be deceived in the end. Wills are, after all, changeable documents, ones that can make and unmake the fortunes of many. The question also remains as to what happens to those who do not have the power to tempt their relations with the promise of a lucrative inheritance. Or perhaps the value of their property is not good enough to be alluring at all?
Finally, in the remarkably little that it does to co-opt the State into the scheme of geriatric care, the bill casually urges the state governments to establish old-age homes in every district with a minimum capacity of 150 senior citizens per home. The states “may” establish these places, but are not required to do so. The minimum number of inhabitants in the homes, it seems, has been fixed arbitrarily, irrespective of the economic condition of, and the medical infrastructure available in, a particular district.
In order to ensure a secure and dignified life for the elderly, it is essential to free the idea of care from an area of legal justice into the more humane region of social justice. Collective enterprise (initiated by NGOs, local welfare bodies or even neighbours) can often be more effective than whatever concern is shown out of legal obligation. Radha, who had attempted suicide, survived, but lost an arm. Left to die all alone in a subdivisional hospital by her son, she was saved by the care of her neighbours, Munna Yadav and Santosh Jha. The two of them stood by her firmly, persuading Radha’s mother-in-law to let her stay with the family. They donated blood when her arm was amputated, then looked after her and kept that flicker of hope alive. Sometimes the kindness of strangers is more powerful than what the law can force out of one’s own kin.
By Somak Ghoshal
Copyright © 2006 The Telegraph.
KOLKATA (The Telegraph), October 4, 2007: A couple of weeks after the parliamentary standing committee introduced the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens bill, 2007, in early September, an HIV+ woman threw herself before a train in despair. Being a widow, Radha (named changed), was shunned by her in-laws ever since her condition had been diagnosed. But worse still, her 19-year-old son, Chandraprasad, had promised her better medical care, and then disappeared abruptly. With a monthly income of Rs 3,000, the best he could hope for was not advanced treatment, but just a quick end to his mother’s sufferings.
Kindness of Strangers
Noble intentions are often killed by too much reality. Circumstances may dictate a son’s attachment to his mother, compelling him not just to love her well but also wisely. But the mandates of the parents and the senior citizens bill dissolve the subtleties of the human condition into a homogeneous moral standard. The elders have been given the unimpeachable right to demand emotional and material care of their “children”, irrespective of the latter’s economic and emotional disposition. The definition of “children” has been curiously stretched beyond sons and daughters to include grandchildren and other legal heirs. It doesn’t matter whether these “children” are willing or not, the parameters of legal justice demand absolute and unconditional filial care. In trying to empower one group of citizens, this bill effectively denies another set of people — the carers — the right to dissent, or even present plausible excuses for being unable to look after their elders.
Under the provisions of this bill, therefore, there could be no two ways of understanding the desertion of a dying mother. A maintenance tribunal could have Chandraprasad fined, and even imprisoned, for perceived neglect — provided his mother could bring herself to register a complaint against her own son.
In India, where miserably poor parents routinely sell (or kill) newborns, the obligation to care for aged, infirm, or mortally ill relations, without considerable support from the State, sounds like a perverse legal ploy. Even for those past the poverty line, the legal implications of the bill are not exactly heartening.
True to the Indian tradition of social appreciation, only parents have been richly rewarded for fulfilling the duties of heterosexual marriage — the perpetuation of the family line through procreation. Couples with children — biological or adopted — are entitled to maintenance from their adult offspring at any stage of their lives. Unlike the vast number of childless couples as well as single men and women, they don’t have to wait till their 60th birthday to earn the privileges of a “senior” citizen. Even if wronged parents are made legally empowered, it would still be difficult to find too many of them forthcoming enough to take their children to law. The shame of a scandal can keep many from admitting even the most horrific abuses.
For those who earn their seniority at 60, it has been proposed that their “relatives” look after them. This injunction, too, operates on the basis of another botched-up moral and material economy. A relative is defined as an heir apparent to his elder’s property, or someone already in possession of it. The terms of this provision give a sinister and self-interested agency to the very notion of “care” itself. Moreover, this structure of exchange makes it essential for a senior citizen to disclose his will before his death (and perhaps endanger his life by doing so) in order to ensure sustained care for himself. Further, it is possible that the carer might be deceived in the end. Wills are, after all, changeable documents, ones that can make and unmake the fortunes of many. The question also remains as to what happens to those who do not have the power to tempt their relations with the promise of a lucrative inheritance. Or perhaps the value of their property is not good enough to be alluring at all?
Finally, in the remarkably little that it does to co-opt the State into the scheme of geriatric care, the bill casually urges the state governments to establish old-age homes in every district with a minimum capacity of 150 senior citizens per home. The states “may” establish these places, but are not required to do so. The minimum number of inhabitants in the homes, it seems, has been fixed arbitrarily, irrespective of the economic condition of, and the medical infrastructure available in, a particular district.
In order to ensure a secure and dignified life for the elderly, it is essential to free the idea of care from an area of legal justice into the more humane region of social justice. Collective enterprise (initiated by NGOs, local welfare bodies or even neighbours) can often be more effective than whatever concern is shown out of legal obligation. Radha, who had attempted suicide, survived, but lost an arm. Left to die all alone in a subdivisional hospital by her son, she was saved by the care of her neighbours, Munna Yadav and Santosh Jha. The two of them stood by her firmly, persuading Radha’s mother-in-law to let her stay with the family. They donated blood when her arm was amputated, then looked after her and kept that flicker of hope alive. Sometimes the kindness of strangers is more powerful than what the law can force out of one’s own kin.
By Somak Ghoshal
Copyright © 2006 The Telegraph.
INDIA: Septuagenarian Finds The Idea of Suing Kids For Maintenance Revolting
Who Will Feed The Cat? KOLKATA (The Telegraph), October 4, 2007:
Maya Mukherjee has not heard about the proposed parents and senior citizens bill, 2007. She hasn’t had the time, she tells me, busy as she is with her daily chores. “There is a lot to do, even at my age,” she says, glancing around her tidy drawing room. One almost wishes that the hectic life she refers to were real.
She then talks about her duties. Her voice is low, as if letting out a secret. The potted plants on the balcony need constant care, she says. Then, there are her friends, two of them, a scruffy brown cat and an unkempt crow. She prepares their food every morning. They are fussy eaters, she says fondly. Her children visit her too, although not as frequently as she would like them to. Her husband, she says, is a temperamental, difficult man.
Maya is 72 years old. She has been married for over forty years, and has three children. She agrees that growing old can be difficult. So there is a case for protecting elderly citizens from abuse. A bill to that effect would certainly be welcome. I tell her about the piece of legislation and some of its salient features. She listens carefully, her brows knitted together. There is a serious, contemplative look about her. After I finish, she relaxes, leans back in her chair, and begins to speak.
It is apparent that she is uncomfortable with the proposed legislation. The possibility of elderly parents taking recourse to the law against their own children seems preposterous. “Lojja korbe na bolo (Wouldn’t that be shameful)?” she asks earnestly.
Money, in the form of a stipulated monthly allowance, is a critical requirement, she admits. But that should not come at the cost of happiness. The problems affecting India’s burgeoning elderly population, she feels, were always there, even during her grandparents’ time. But, she says, proud for one fleeting moment, they saw no reason to settle their disputes in court. Love and respect had done the trick, not the law.
This septuagenarian is not excited about old-age homes either, even if there were to be one such institution in every district. She finds the whole idea revolting. No, she hadn’t felt the need to step into such a home, she says firmly. Her space — the little world inside her airy apartment — is precious. The property is registered in someone else’s name though. But that doesn’t matter, she says. She belongs here, and not in some dingy, crumbling building, which is the image of old-age homes for her. It is not easy to dismiss her misgivings about the bill. There is clearly a need to sensitize the elderly, some of whom are unaware of their rights and distrustful of legal intervention.
Would Maya ever consider leaving her house, if it became too difficult for her? Hearing this, the old woman’s eyes widen. In an incredulous voice, she asks
“Who will feed the cat then?”
By Uddalak Mukherjee
Copyright © 2006 The Telegraph.
USA: Preventable Illness At Core Of U.S. Health Costs
Healthy lifestyle changes may soften the blow of high health care costs. (ABCNEWS)Fat, Lazy Americans Account for Part of U.S.- Europe Health Care Cost Gap
Says Raja Jagadeesan of
ABC News Medical Unit
NEW YORK (ABC NEWS), October 3, 2007: John Smith, from a health care perspective, is a typical American. He is a 56-year-old white male living in a suburban city in the United States. He has been an on-again, off-again smoker throughout his life but recently quit -- something he is proud of.
He is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 190 pounds, and he knows he could probably stand to lose a few pounds. Scientists would calculate his body mass index at 28, a classification that qualifies him as overweight.
As John Smith prepares for retirement, he also realizes that 18 percent of his income goes toward health care costs, and he wonders why he is paying so much.
John Smith is not real. But he does represent the type of average American over age 50 examined in a study published this week by researchers at Emory University's School of Public Health.
And according to the study, it may be Americans' own habits that are driving health care costs in the United States.
The average American spends more than $6,000 each year on health care -- the highest amount in the world and twice as much as Europeans spend. In the past, the most common reasons cited for this difference were increased access to medical providers, higher use of advanced technologies, and higher prices for services.
However, the study in this week's issue of the journal Health Affairs suggests that Americans' obesity and smoking habits may be partly to blame, and may be costing Americans $100 billion to $150 billion per year.
Chronic Ills Mean Costly Care
Researchers examined the rates of 10 of the most common and costly chronic illnesses among those over age 50. The illnesses included diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, high cholesterol, chronic lung disease, asthma, osteoporosis, stroke and cancer.
Overall, the rates were significantly higher in the United States than in Europe. In most cases, Americans were also more likely to receive medications for the same medical diagnosis.
The researchers also looked for potential reasons to explain why Americans have higher rates of disease than Europeans. One glaring finding from the study was that obesity and smoking were more prevalent in the United States.
Thirty-three percent of Americans were obese, compared with only 17 percent of Europeans. In addition, 53 percent of Americans had smoked at some point in their lives, compared with 43 percent of Europeans.
In addition, every chronic illness closely linked to obesity or smoking was more common in the United States.
Lead study author Kenneth Thorpe, a professor of health policy at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health and former deputy assistant secretary of Health and Human Services, said that some of the findings were surprising.
"We had some idea of what we would find," said Thorpe. "We knew that obesity and smoking rates would be higher in the U.S. But the extent of the differences, especially with some of the chronic illnesses such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes, was higher than we anticipated."
According to the study, Americans were more than 50 percent more likely to have high blood pressure or diabetes, almost twice as likely to have heart disease, and 2½ times more likely to have arthritis.
This added burden of disease has led to higher health costs overall. If the United States could improve its population's health to have the same levels of chronic illness as Europeans do, Americans would save between $1,200 and $1,750 per year each on medical bills, the researchers found.
All told, the higher rates of disease are costing Americans between $100 billion and $150 billion per year, or 13 percent to 19 percent of total health care spending for those age 50 and over.
According to Thorpe, these findings could have a significant impact on strategies to control health care costs in America.
"If you are going to craft effective interventions," said Thorpe, "you have to understand where we are spending the money and what is driving costs over time."
Good for the Body, Good for Bankroll
The good news, Thorpe said, is that many of the differences in the study are likely due to reversible causes -- causes Americans have control over. "The underpinnings of our findings deal with modifiable factors such as weight, exercise and smoking."
Some experts believe that the relatively poor performance by Americans may become an instigator for personal change.
"What's new is that other people like us are healthier," said Dr. David Katz, associate professor of public health at Yale University. "Europeans are doing better, and we are doing worse. This relatively bad performance might be a motivator."
Others, however, say the findings show that large-scale changes are needed. "A normal weight and healthy lifestyle is very clearly a huge health benefit, especially regarding chronic diseases," said Keith Ayoob, associate professor of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "There needs to be a national call to action to address prevention and treatment of obesity and cessation of smoking."
Dr. George Blackburn, associate professor of nutrition at Harvard Medical School, had a much more targeted message to the readers of Thorpe's study.
"Figure out a motivator to eat less, eat healthy and exercise," he said. "We could save a lot of money if we had a healthier lifestyle. It would be more fun, and it would feel and taste good."
Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures
USA: Seniors' Home Sharing Program Trying Intergenerational Mix
NEW YORK (Western Queens Gazette), October 3, 2007:
A home sharing program, which brings seniors together to provide affordable housing and companionship, has embarked on a pilot project which will also welcome younger people.
In response to requests from younger, singles 18 years of age and over, the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens' Home Sharing Program is opening its doors to the younger element for the first time in 25 years.
Commenting on the change, City Council member David Weprin stated: "By offering younger residents the opportunity to participate as hosts, the Home Sharing Program will help additional older and younger New Yorkers gain financial relief and find affordable housing. I am pleased that my continued support of this wonderful resource will now be available to more residents of all ages throughout the city."
City Department For the Aging Commissioner Edwin Mendez-Santiago, also welcomed the move, saying,
"The program is one innovative housing option that allows seniors to remain in their communities."
The president of the foundation said it will help both age groups. "We believe younger New Yorkers will enjoy sharing their homes with independent older persons who will contribute to their household expenses and provide other social benefits," Linda Hoffman said. "For older guests, moving in with a younger person, couple or family, gives them an affordable place to live and possible companionship."
Established 40 years ago, the program involves professional social workers carefully screening applicants to determine compatibility of potential hosts and guests and helps to facilitate and implement matches.
Before a senior moves in, the service offers a license agreement to help hosts and guests clarify the terms of their shared living arrangements. The staff then provides follow up services.
The program is funded by state and city legislators and in New York, by the DFTA and the state Office for the Aging.
By John Toscano
The Queens Gazette
Copyright©
1999 - 2007 The Service Advertising Group Inc
A home sharing program, which brings seniors together to provide affordable housing and companionship, has embarked on a pilot project which will also welcome younger people.
In response to requests from younger, singles 18 years of age and over, the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens' Home Sharing Program is opening its doors to the younger element for the first time in 25 years.
Commenting on the change, City Council member David Weprin stated: "By offering younger residents the opportunity to participate as hosts, the Home Sharing Program will help additional older and younger New Yorkers gain financial relief and find affordable housing. I am pleased that my continued support of this wonderful resource will now be available to more residents of all ages throughout the city."
City Department For the Aging Commissioner Edwin Mendez-Santiago, also welcomed the move, saying,
"The program is one innovative housing option that allows seniors to remain in their communities."
The president of the foundation said it will help both age groups. "We believe younger New Yorkers will enjoy sharing their homes with independent older persons who will contribute to their household expenses and provide other social benefits," Linda Hoffman said. "For older guests, moving in with a younger person, couple or family, gives them an affordable place to live and possible companionship."
Established 40 years ago, the program involves professional social workers carefully screening applicants to determine compatibility of potential hosts and guests and helps to facilitate and implement matches.
Before a senior moves in, the service offers a license agreement to help hosts and guests clarify the terms of their shared living arrangements. The staff then provides follow up services.
The program is funded by state and city legislators and in New York, by the DFTA and the state Office for the Aging.
By John Toscano
The Queens Gazette
Copyright©
1999 - 2007 The Service Advertising Group Inc
USA: The Honour and Toil of Growing Old
Bringing hope and action to the second half of life
By Brendan Mackie, Utne.com
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (Utne Reader), October 4, 2007:
In a few short minutes, Jason Wilson, the 37-year-old writer,was turned into an old man. He had his shoes filled with corn kernels to simulate the pain old people feet while walking. His knees were tightly bandaged to mimic arthritis. And he was fitted with special glasses that mimic the effect of cataracts. After struggling through his new elderly life for about an hour, Wilson realized: "It really sucks."
Wilson's experience, recounted in the Smart Set, was part of a workshop called Xtreme Aging Training that aims to help people sympathize with the elderly. Wilson listened to fellow workshop participants describe what they thought aging would be like. Most of what he heard was a list of complaints: "gray hair; wrinkles; pain; joint replacement; cataracts; dementia; false teeth; loneliness; car accidents." These still-young folks expected to define their later years solely through misfortunes. But that view misses many important elements of aging. After the participants finished listing problems, someone finally piped up with the observation that the elderly can be wise. In spite of the litany of physical ailments, wisdom could give the waning years meaning.
Finding a more meaningful and satisfying old age isn't just a matter of personal fulfillment. As the demographic traffic jam known as the baby boom edges toward retirement, by 2030, one in four Americans will be over the age of sixty. And these baby boomers are going to need to find something to do. Some commentators imagine doomsday scenarios, where ranks of selfish boomers sit idly by, feeding off the productivity of the young. But retirement -- or "post-career" life, as some call it -- need not be a dull wasteland. Ideally, the ranks of boomers will share their experiences with the next generation, and create what career coach Richard Leider calls "a new kind of wisdom."
Instead of shipping elders off to retirement homes -- where there knowledge gets put in permanent storage -- younger people can learn from their elders' wisdom. Some people are already taking concrete steps to help the elderly stay active.
In a column for Tikkun, Barry Barkan writes of his life's work - helping people overcome the misery and meaninglessness of aging in America.
Barkan worked with one elderly person who said,
"You see that piece of furniture over there? I'm like a piece of furniture."
To remedy the malaise drifting over the second half of people's lives, Barkan started the Live Oak Project back in 1977. Through community meetings focused on discussion and song, Barkan has helped residents in old folks homes make their voices heard again. Once they've raised their voices, the elders' wisdom can help soothe society's short-sighted spiral of self-destruction.
Far from being glorified ottomans who send Christmas cards to their grandkids and burden their families financially, the elderly could use the free time of retirement to share their wisdom with the community at large and ultimately help change the world for the better.
Copyright 2007, Ogden Publications, Inc.
By Brendan Mackie, Utne.com
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (Utne Reader), October 4, 2007:
In a few short minutes, Jason Wilson, the 37-year-old writer,was turned into an old man. He had his shoes filled with corn kernels to simulate the pain old people feet while walking. His knees were tightly bandaged to mimic arthritis. And he was fitted with special glasses that mimic the effect of cataracts. After struggling through his new elderly life for about an hour, Wilson realized: "It really sucks."
Wilson's experience, recounted in the Smart Set, was part of a workshop called Xtreme Aging Training that aims to help people sympathize with the elderly. Wilson listened to fellow workshop participants describe what they thought aging would be like. Most of what he heard was a list of complaints: "gray hair; wrinkles; pain; joint replacement; cataracts; dementia; false teeth; loneliness; car accidents." These still-young folks expected to define their later years solely through misfortunes. But that view misses many important elements of aging. After the participants finished listing problems, someone finally piped up with the observation that the elderly can be wise. In spite of the litany of physical ailments, wisdom could give the waning years meaning.
Finding a more meaningful and satisfying old age isn't just a matter of personal fulfillment. As the demographic traffic jam known as the baby boom edges toward retirement, by 2030, one in four Americans will be over the age of sixty. And these baby boomers are going to need to find something to do. Some commentators imagine doomsday scenarios, where ranks of selfish boomers sit idly by, feeding off the productivity of the young. But retirement -- or "post-career" life, as some call it -- need not be a dull wasteland. Ideally, the ranks of boomers will share their experiences with the next generation, and create what career coach Richard Leider calls "a new kind of wisdom."
Instead of shipping elders off to retirement homes -- where there knowledge gets put in permanent storage -- younger people can learn from their elders' wisdom. Some people are already taking concrete steps to help the elderly stay active.
In a column for Tikkun, Barry Barkan writes of his life's work - helping people overcome the misery and meaninglessness of aging in America.
Barkan worked with one elderly person who said,
"You see that piece of furniture over there? I'm like a piece of furniture."
To remedy the malaise drifting over the second half of people's lives, Barkan started the Live Oak Project back in 1977. Through community meetings focused on discussion and song, Barkan has helped residents in old folks homes make their voices heard again. Once they've raised their voices, the elders' wisdom can help soothe society's short-sighted spiral of self-destruction.
Far from being glorified ottomans who send Christmas cards to their grandkids and burden their families financially, the elderly could use the free time of retirement to share their wisdom with the community at large and ultimately help change the world for the better.
Copyright 2007, Ogden Publications, Inc.
RUSSIA: At 100, She Likes Both the Tzar and Putin
MOSCOW (The Moscow Times), October 2, 2007:
The memory of Tzar Nicholas II's "absolutely handsome" face lingers with Anna Gudkevich after she saw him and his wife at church as a girl.
Ninety years and 10 rulers later, he still ranks among her favorites, as does President Vladimir Putin.
On October 1, she and other retirees received flowers and congratulations from local authorities in celebration of the International Day of Older Persons. Intended to honor those over 65, the day has been celebrated worldwide since 1999.
Gudkevich is among several thousand Russian centenarians who lived under the tzar, the Communist regime and now Putin. The most recent census, in 2002, listed the number of centenarians nationwide at 6,652, with 5,685 women and 967 men.
Gudkevich, 100, spoke of the tzar's kindness in a telephone interview from St. Petersburg, where she shares a two-room apartment with her daughter. She told of how a friend once tried to appeal to Nicholas on behalf of a needy relative as the ruler traveled by carriage from Letny Sad, the summer garden laid out by Peter the Great in 1740. Nicholas ordered the driver to stop and step away so he could speak with the woman. "Nicholas even gave her some money even though she didn't ask for any," Gudkevich said.
Putin, she said, is "young, good looking and can speak to people without notes," unlike Soviet-era leaders who were too old and "did not know ordinary words."
She likes to relax by reading Danielle Steel romance novels.
Maria Donets, 106, from Kuzbass, is proof that romance can last forever. At 102, she married Nikolai Naumov, 88. When he died a year later, she married a 70-year-old man. After his death, she moved to a monastery near Tomsk, Literaturnaya Gazeta reported.
Lyudmila Zinchenko holding his book "My 100 Years," prefers Stalin to Gorbachev.
Perhaps the most notable among Russia's centenarians is Sergei Nikolsky, 102, a mathematician who still gives lectures at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"Before dozing off to sleep, I think about how to prove a theorem," he said. Both Stalin and Putin have given him medals for his work. Gorbachev once wanted to take him on a visit to Japan, but Nikolsky refused to accompany the person who, he said, destroyed his homeland. He is more forgiving of Stalin. "At least he paid scientists well," he said.
Of course, he said, scientists were afraid of Stalin, but in Nicholas' day, people dared not say much about the tzar either. "The more they opened their mouths, the closer we came to the revolution," he said. "At that time you could hear soldiers contemptuously calling him Tzar Nikolashka and making derogatory comments about his wife."
When Putin awarded him with a medal in 2005, Nikolsky asked the president to raise math standards in schools. Putin said nothing in response. "I think he is a mysterious man," Nikolsky said.
By Svetlana Osadchuk
Copyright 2007. The Moscow Times
The memory of Tzar Nicholas II's "absolutely handsome" face lingers with Anna Gudkevich after she saw him and his wife at church as a girl.
Ninety years and 10 rulers later, he still ranks among her favorites, as does President Vladimir Putin.
On October 1, she and other retirees received flowers and congratulations from local authorities in celebration of the International Day of Older Persons. Intended to honor those over 65, the day has been celebrated worldwide since 1999.
Gudkevich is among several thousand Russian centenarians who lived under the tzar, the Communist regime and now Putin. The most recent census, in 2002, listed the number of centenarians nationwide at 6,652, with 5,685 women and 967 men.
Gudkevich, 100, spoke of the tzar's kindness in a telephone interview from St. Petersburg, where she shares a two-room apartment with her daughter. She told of how a friend once tried to appeal to Nicholas on behalf of a needy relative as the ruler traveled by carriage from Letny Sad, the summer garden laid out by Peter the Great in 1740. Nicholas ordered the driver to stop and step away so he could speak with the woman. "Nicholas even gave her some money even though she didn't ask for any," Gudkevich said.
Putin, she said, is "young, good looking and can speak to people without notes," unlike Soviet-era leaders who were too old and "did not know ordinary words."
She likes to relax by reading Danielle Steel romance novels.
Maria Donets, 106, from Kuzbass, is proof that romance can last forever. At 102, she married Nikolai Naumov, 88. When he died a year later, she married a 70-year-old man. After his death, she moved to a monastery near Tomsk, Literaturnaya Gazeta reported.
Lyudmila Zinchenko holding his book "My 100 Years," prefers Stalin to Gorbachev.
Perhaps the most notable among Russia's centenarians is Sergei Nikolsky, 102, a mathematician who still gives lectures at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"Before dozing off to sleep, I think about how to prove a theorem," he said. Both Stalin and Putin have given him medals for his work. Gorbachev once wanted to take him on a visit to Japan, but Nikolsky refused to accompany the person who, he said, destroyed his homeland. He is more forgiving of Stalin. "At least he paid scientists well," he said.
Of course, he said, scientists were afraid of Stalin, but in Nicholas' day, people dared not say much about the tzar either. "The more they opened their mouths, the closer we came to the revolution," he said. "At that time you could hear soldiers contemptuously calling him Tzar Nikolashka and making derogatory comments about his wife."
When Putin awarded him with a medal in 2005, Nikolsky asked the president to raise math standards in schools. Putin said nothing in response. "I think he is a mysterious man," Nikolsky said.
By Svetlana Osadchuk
Copyright 2007. The Moscow Times
USA: Global Obesity - It's Not a Small World After All
ORLANDO, Florida (The Orlando Sentinel), October 4, 2007:
It may be a small world, but it's getting bigger.
And bigger. And bigger.
Although Americans have become accustomed to health experts railing about the nation's obesity epidemic, the problem is not confined to American shores.
The world is rapidly becoming a fatter place.
"It's a very different world than it was a while back," said Dr. Barry Popkin, director of the University of North Carolina's Interdisciplinary Obesity Center.
"The bulk of the world is fat."
Even the Mediterranean diet isn't stopping Europeans' expanding waistlines. In Italy, 42 percent of adults are overweight and 9 percent are obese, according to the World Health Organization. In France, 41 percent of adults are overweight; 11 percent obese.
So what is causing the fat boom?
Some scientists blame the changes in our diet. In developing countries such as China, lower prices for cooking oil have led to more fried foods. At the same time, food prices are declining, and people around the world are picking up Americans' bad habits: consuming fast food, sodas and other high-calorie snacks and drinks.
"Frankly, it's very hard to work off a Coke," Popkin said.
While the obesity epidemic has exploded, some scientists have been frantically trying to find a drug that will curb appetites. The answer, some say, may be a "drug cocktail," a combination of medications that doctors would prescribe before patients become obese.
In the United States, West Virginia and Mississippi have the nation's highest obesity rates.
You have to exercise
If anyone knows how difficult it is to lose weight, it's Matt Owen. For most of his adult life, Owen, an Orlando, Fla., software developer, has battled his weight.
Three years ago, however, Matt and his wife, Heather, joined Weight Watchers. Through diet and exercise, Matt lost almost 70 pounds. Once at 260 pounds, he now weighs 193.
To keep the weight off, he gave up his usual lunch of a sandwich and cookies and began packing four servings of fruits and vegetables, along with yogurt. Instead of dining out three or four times a week, he and Heather now eat out only once a week.
Matt is also exercising, the one thing many scientists think is the only way to keep off weight. Once an occasional exerciser, Matt now walks three or four nights a week on his treadmill and often goes for a 20-minute walk during his lunch break.
"I think exercise is the real key to keeping it off," said James Hill, a University of Colorado nutrition professor who runs the National Weight Control Registry, which tracks the habits of people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off for more than a year.
"One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that losing weight is a whole different process than keeping it off," Hill said. "We found very little similarity in how they lost weight and a fair amount of similarity in how to keep it off."
Nearly all successful dieters eat a low-fat diet, weigh themselves almost every day, eat breakfast daily and exercise an average of 60 to 90 minutes a day.
Though some experts blame America's obesity problem on soft drinks or the use of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener, Hill says the problem goes much deeper.
"I think we've created a culture that encourages overeating and discourages physical activity," Hill said.
If obesity trends continue, researchers at Johns Hopkins University estimate, 75 percent of American adults will be overweight or obese in just eight years, 41 percent will be obese, and nearly 25 percent of children will be overweight or obese.
While the world's girth has grown, a small community of obesity researchers has been trying to understand the complicated network of hormones that seem to trigger overeating.
"One of the problems in obesity research has been that there are so many dead ends," said Dr. Louis J. Aronne, clinical professor of medicine at Cornell University and former president of the Obesity Society, an organization of obesity researchers. "It's a very complex system with many overlapping mechanisms."
The problem, Aronne says, is like an ever-changing puzzle. Whenever scientists think they have found a drug that will block hunger or create a feeling of fullness, the body adapts — and its survival mechanism kicks in. So far, prescription diet drugs have had limited effect, enabling dieters to lose 5 percent to 10 percent of their body weight.
"You do one thing, and your body compensates for that. So that means combination therapies are going to be the way to go," Aronne said.
That's where the drug cocktail comes in.
Linked to 53 diseases
Because obesity has been linked to 53 diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer, Aronne thinks insurance companies will pay for drugs, rather than pay far more to treat the diseases that obesity causes.
"I'm not suggesting that everybody in the country should be on medication," he said. "I see it as an alternative pathway of helping people who are ill. But it's going to turn out to be a cost-effective way of managing these problems."
Meanwhile, look for governments to take action. It won't be long, Popkin said, before some countries intervene.
"The costs of obesity are huge," Popkin said. "In places like Mexico, Brazil and China, it's too big a part of their budget. It's scaring them."
Can you imagine, asked Hill, what will happen to China, a nation with 1.3 billion people, when diabetes becomes epidemic in that country?
Governments from Scotland to China are already debating how to tackle the issue. China has begun mandatory dance classes. Among other possibilities: taxing sodas and sugary drinks, revamping agricultural subsidies to make fruits and vegetables cheaper, banning junk-food ads on children's television, and demanding equal advertising time for healthy food.
"The steps have to be big, bold, national steps, like taxation and regulation. It needs the same kind of big change that this country took in regards to tobacco, fluoridated water, seat belts," Popkin said. "We're going to have to do things like that. If we do anything less, it will get us nowhere."
By Linda Shrieves, The Orlando Sentinel
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
It may be a small world, but it's getting bigger.
And bigger. And bigger.
Although Americans have become accustomed to health experts railing about the nation's obesity epidemic, the problem is not confined to American shores.
The world is rapidly becoming a fatter place.
"It's a very different world than it was a while back," said Dr. Barry Popkin, director of the University of North Carolina's Interdisciplinary Obesity Center.
"The bulk of the world is fat."
Even the Mediterranean diet isn't stopping Europeans' expanding waistlines. In Italy, 42 percent of adults are overweight and 9 percent are obese, according to the World Health Organization. In France, 41 percent of adults are overweight; 11 percent obese.
So what is causing the fat boom?
Some scientists blame the changes in our diet. In developing countries such as China, lower prices for cooking oil have led to more fried foods. At the same time, food prices are declining, and people around the world are picking up Americans' bad habits: consuming fast food, sodas and other high-calorie snacks and drinks.
"Frankly, it's very hard to work off a Coke," Popkin said.
While the obesity epidemic has exploded, some scientists have been frantically trying to find a drug that will curb appetites. The answer, some say, may be a "drug cocktail," a combination of medications that doctors would prescribe before patients become obese.
In the United States, West Virginia and Mississippi have the nation's highest obesity rates.
You have to exercise
If anyone knows how difficult it is to lose weight, it's Matt Owen. For most of his adult life, Owen, an Orlando, Fla., software developer, has battled his weight.
Three years ago, however, Matt and his wife, Heather, joined Weight Watchers. Through diet and exercise, Matt lost almost 70 pounds. Once at 260 pounds, he now weighs 193.
To keep the weight off, he gave up his usual lunch of a sandwich and cookies and began packing four servings of fruits and vegetables, along with yogurt. Instead of dining out three or four times a week, he and Heather now eat out only once a week.
Matt is also exercising, the one thing many scientists think is the only way to keep off weight. Once an occasional exerciser, Matt now walks three or four nights a week on his treadmill and often goes for a 20-minute walk during his lunch break.
"I think exercise is the real key to keeping it off," said James Hill, a University of Colorado nutrition professor who runs the National Weight Control Registry, which tracks the habits of people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off for more than a year.
"One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that losing weight is a whole different process than keeping it off," Hill said. "We found very little similarity in how they lost weight and a fair amount of similarity in how to keep it off."
Nearly all successful dieters eat a low-fat diet, weigh themselves almost every day, eat breakfast daily and exercise an average of 60 to 90 minutes a day.
Though some experts blame America's obesity problem on soft drinks or the use of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener, Hill says the problem goes much deeper.
"I think we've created a culture that encourages overeating and discourages physical activity," Hill said.
If obesity trends continue, researchers at Johns Hopkins University estimate, 75 percent of American adults will be overweight or obese in just eight years, 41 percent will be obese, and nearly 25 percent of children will be overweight or obese.
While the world's girth has grown, a small community of obesity researchers has been trying to understand the complicated network of hormones that seem to trigger overeating.
"One of the problems in obesity research has been that there are so many dead ends," said Dr. Louis J. Aronne, clinical professor of medicine at Cornell University and former president of the Obesity Society, an organization of obesity researchers. "It's a very complex system with many overlapping mechanisms."
The problem, Aronne says, is like an ever-changing puzzle. Whenever scientists think they have found a drug that will block hunger or create a feeling of fullness, the body adapts — and its survival mechanism kicks in. So far, prescription diet drugs have had limited effect, enabling dieters to lose 5 percent to 10 percent of their body weight.
"You do one thing, and your body compensates for that. So that means combination therapies are going to be the way to go," Aronne said.
That's where the drug cocktail comes in.
Linked to 53 diseases
Because obesity has been linked to 53 diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer, Aronne thinks insurance companies will pay for drugs, rather than pay far more to treat the diseases that obesity causes.
"I'm not suggesting that everybody in the country should be on medication," he said. "I see it as an alternative pathway of helping people who are ill. But it's going to turn out to be a cost-effective way of managing these problems."
Meanwhile, look for governments to take action. It won't be long, Popkin said, before some countries intervene.
"The costs of obesity are huge," Popkin said. "In places like Mexico, Brazil and China, it's too big a part of their budget. It's scaring them."
Can you imagine, asked Hill, what will happen to China, a nation with 1.3 billion people, when diabetes becomes epidemic in that country?
Governments from Scotland to China are already debating how to tackle the issue. China has begun mandatory dance classes. Among other possibilities: taxing sodas and sugary drinks, revamping agricultural subsidies to make fruits and vegetables cheaper, banning junk-food ads on children's television, and demanding equal advertising time for healthy food.
"The steps have to be big, bold, national steps, like taxation and regulation. It needs the same kind of big change that this country took in regards to tobacco, fluoridated water, seat belts," Popkin said. "We're going to have to do things like that. If we do anything less, it will get us nowhere."
By Linda Shrieves, The Orlando Sentinel
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
USA: Elders Using Internet Are Less Depressed, Less Lonely
NEW YORK (Global Action on Ageing), October 3, 2007:
A recently released research report on Ageing and Mental Health, discusses the subject of Elderly People and the Use of Internet. The report suggests that "Elderly people who began using the Internet felt less depressed and lonely, more satisfied with life, more in control and more pleased with their current quality of life than did people who were engaged in other activities for the same period of time, notes the journal Global Action on Ageing.
"In addition, when Internet users were compared to non-Internet users, it seems that computer and Internet intervention not only enhances psychological factors important to quality of life of older people, but also prevents deterioration in these areas."
Other random notes from the research:
* Internet surfing is a relatively new phenomenon, the proportion of older people who indulge in this activity is small compared to younger generations.
* Older people are able to learn to use computers and Internet browsing effectively with appropriate training.
* High degree of older people's participation in online support groups and online communities contributed to social relationships as well as to increasing this population’s direct action in coping with difficulties.
* Involvement in various online behaviors and activities contributed to older people’s gains in personal control and empowerment.
* Internet use among older people tended to be associated with greater sense of well-being, contrary to the earlier claimed negative relationship between Internet usage and several psychological factors.
* The reasons for this improved well-being might be related to psychological processes associated with experiences of personal empowerment, enhanced interpersonal communication, learning and overcoming physical difficulties related to mobility.
* Empowerment, Self-confidence, and Decreased Loneliness - Additional Benefits of Technology Training for Older Adults
Two recent articles in the Journal of Aging and Mental Health pointed out additional benefits of technology training for older adults:
Shapira, Barak, & Gal (2007) described a study in which a group of older adults from elderly day care centers and from nursing homes were taught to use computers and the internet. These older adults scored significantly higher than control groups in life satisfaction, depression, loneliness and self-control.
Shapira et al. (2007) reported that
“Computer and Internet use seems to contribute to older adults' well-being and sense of empowerment by affecting their interpersonal interactions, promoting their cognitive functioning and contributing to their experience of control and independence.” (p. 1360).
Fokkema and Knipscheer (2007) set up an in home intervention program where handicapped and chronically ill older adults were taught to use computers and the internet in their homes. Then, the participants were tested for loneliness. They showed a significant decrease in loneliness compared to the control group. These older adults used the internet to communicate with others via email and this increased their social contact.
Fokkema and Knipscheer (2007) found that using the internet gave people something to think about other than their loneliness and it also increased their self confidence.
These studies show the positive impact that technology training can have for older adults, says one blogger.
Seniors World Chronicle
A recently released research report on Ageing and Mental Health, discusses the subject of Elderly People and the Use of Internet. The report suggests that "Elderly people who began using the Internet felt less depressed and lonely, more satisfied with life, more in control and more pleased with their current quality of life than did people who were engaged in other activities for the same period of time, notes the journal Global Action on Ageing.
"In addition, when Internet users were compared to non-Internet users, it seems that computer and Internet intervention not only enhances psychological factors important to quality of life of older people, but also prevents deterioration in these areas."
Other random notes from the research:
* Internet surfing is a relatively new phenomenon, the proportion of older people who indulge in this activity is small compared to younger generations.
* Older people are able to learn to use computers and Internet browsing effectively with appropriate training.
* High degree of older people's participation in online support groups and online communities contributed to social relationships as well as to increasing this population’s direct action in coping with difficulties.
* Involvement in various online behaviors and activities contributed to older people’s gains in personal control and empowerment.
* Internet use among older people tended to be associated with greater sense of well-being, contrary to the earlier claimed negative relationship between Internet usage and several psychological factors.
* The reasons for this improved well-being might be related to psychological processes associated with experiences of personal empowerment, enhanced interpersonal communication, learning and overcoming physical difficulties related to mobility.
* Empowerment, Self-confidence, and Decreased Loneliness - Additional Benefits of Technology Training for Older Adults
Two recent articles in the Journal of Aging and Mental Health pointed out additional benefits of technology training for older adults:
Shapira, Barak, & Gal (2007) described a study in which a group of older adults from elderly day care centers and from nursing homes were taught to use computers and the internet. These older adults scored significantly higher than control groups in life satisfaction, depression, loneliness and self-control.
Shapira et al. (2007) reported that
“Computer and Internet use seems to contribute to older adults' well-being and sense of empowerment by affecting their interpersonal interactions, promoting their cognitive functioning and contributing to their experience of control and independence.” (p. 1360).
Fokkema and Knipscheer (2007) set up an in home intervention program where handicapped and chronically ill older adults were taught to use computers and the internet in their homes. Then, the participants were tested for loneliness. They showed a significant decrease in loneliness compared to the control group. These older adults used the internet to communicate with others via email and this increased their social contact.
Fokkema and Knipscheer (2007) found that using the internet gave people something to think about other than their loneliness and it also increased their self confidence.
These studies show the positive impact that technology training can have for older adults, says one blogger.
Seniors World Chronicle
SINGAPORE: Technology Aid To Healing
It entertains inpatients, helps doctors, nurses to better treat patients
SINGAPORE (Today), October 3, 2007:
Being warded in a hospital does not necessarily mean you will be disconnected from the outside world. Thanks to a pilot trial of a Patient Bedside Terminal (PBT)equipped with Web and entertainment features, Singapore General Hospital (SGH)patients like Mr Vincent Lee, 40, can access his email after he has surgery and stay
connected while he recuperates.
The sales manager who was warded on Monday for surgery for a slipped disc, said: “I was concerned about work, but having Internet access will help alleviate my worries.”
He even used the PBT to play games and watch TV during his stay.
The PBT — the newest addition to SingHealth’s Digital Ward initiative — is a touchscreen information system that is loaded with TV, radio and MobTV access, as well as medical data retrieval features and a video-enabled nurse-call system.
This means that doctors can call up X-ray images and blood test results at the patient’s bedside. According to Dr Chia Shi-Lu, an associate consultant with the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery where the PBT is being tested, the system is a “logical extension” in making healthcare more patient-centric.
“X-rays, for example, are a critical part of orthopaedic surgery and the PBT helps increase doctor-patient communication, in a timely and accessible fashion,” he said.
INFO BASE: Dr Chia uses the Patient Bedside Terminal – a pilot initiative by SingHealth – to retrieve patient records and explain them right at the bedside to patient Vincent Lee.
For Mr Lee, it was “definitely helpful” in his understanding of his condition. Nurses can key meal orders directly into the PBT instead of collecting forms and then entering the data at the nurses station. And a video-enabled nurse call now means that nurses can speak directly to patients from their station to see to their needs. It helps reduce waiting time and patient anxiety, said nurse clinician Zainah Rahmad.
SGH doctors and nurses worked with SingHealth’s IT team and IT vendor ISPL for one year to develop the $100,000 system, which was partially funded with a grant from the
Infocomm Development Authority.
The system, which was piloted in May, will be rolled out to all private wards in SGH upon successful post-trial evaluation, said Dr Chia.
So far, patient feedback has been good. Of 40 patients polled, 95 per cent said they preferred staying in a room with the PBT. And although the use of the PBT is free under the pilot scheme, about half of patients surveyed were willing to pay a proposed fee of $15 per day to use it.
It will be available from next month at the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH and Changi General Hospital to trial a virtual ward visit and a patient education module respectively. KKH’s virtual ward visit will allow parents unable to visit during morning ward rounds to “video conference” with doctors for updates on their children.
By Sheralyn Tay
Copyright ©2005 MediaCorp Press Ltd |
SINGAPORE (Today), October 3, 2007:
Being warded in a hospital does not necessarily mean you will be disconnected from the outside world. Thanks to a pilot trial of a Patient Bedside Terminal (PBT)equipped with Web and entertainment features, Singapore General Hospital (SGH)patients like Mr Vincent Lee, 40, can access his email after he has surgery and stay
connected while he recuperates.
The sales manager who was warded on Monday for surgery for a slipped disc, said: “I was concerned about work, but having Internet access will help alleviate my worries.”
He even used the PBT to play games and watch TV during his stay.
The PBT — the newest addition to SingHealth’s Digital Ward initiative — is a touchscreen information system that is loaded with TV, radio and MobTV access, as well as medical data retrieval features and a video-enabled nurse-call system.
This means that doctors can call up X-ray images and blood test results at the patient’s bedside. According to Dr Chia Shi-Lu, an associate consultant with the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery where the PBT is being tested, the system is a “logical extension” in making healthcare more patient-centric.
“X-rays, for example, are a critical part of orthopaedic surgery and the PBT helps increase doctor-patient communication, in a timely and accessible fashion,” he said.
INFO BASE: Dr Chia uses the Patient Bedside Terminal – a pilot initiative by SingHealth – to retrieve patient records and explain them right at the bedside to patient Vincent Lee.
For Mr Lee, it was “definitely helpful” in his understanding of his condition. Nurses can key meal orders directly into the PBT instead of collecting forms and then entering the data at the nurses station. And a video-enabled nurse call now means that nurses can speak directly to patients from their station to see to their needs. It helps reduce waiting time and patient anxiety, said nurse clinician Zainah Rahmad.
SGH doctors and nurses worked with SingHealth’s IT team and IT vendor ISPL for one year to develop the $100,000 system, which was partially funded with a grant from the
Infocomm Development Authority.
The system, which was piloted in May, will be rolled out to all private wards in SGH upon successful post-trial evaluation, said Dr Chia.
So far, patient feedback has been good. Of 40 patients polled, 95 per cent said they preferred staying in a room with the PBT. And although the use of the PBT is free under the pilot scheme, about half of patients surveyed were willing to pay a proposed fee of $15 per day to use it.
It will be available from next month at the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH and Changi General Hospital to trial a virtual ward visit and a patient education module respectively. KKH’s virtual ward visit will allow parents unable to visit during morning ward rounds to “video conference” with doctors for updates on their children.
By Sheralyn Tay
Copyright ©2005 MediaCorp Press Ltd |
NEW ZEALAND: Third Member Joins Rest Home Centenarians Club
TARNAKI (Tarnaki Daily News), October 3, 2007:
Even at the age of 100, Violet Denham tells it like it is. Mrs Denham, who celebrates her 100th birthday today, was born at Palmerston North and spent her early years living in a tent on the Waitotara River.
"I was about three then and I remember that my father had another woman," she says from her chair by the window at Chalmers Rest Home. There is uneasy laughter from family members nearby, but Mrs Denham is undeterred. "I'm just telling you how it was."
Violet Denham (right) today joins Jessie Shepherd (left) and Mary Sheehan in the Chalmers Rest Home centenarian club. Photo: Trevor Read
Mrs Denham says she has had a good life, milking cows by hand when she was young followed by a career in cooking, which she did at Taranaki Hospital on Barrett Rd for about 20 years.
"I still love cooking whenever I can get into my kitchen," she says. "I can't read the recipe books, but I can still cook."
One of her grandaughters, Sharon Clarry, remembers her planting potatoes only last year. Mrs Denham, who is in good health apart from failing eyesight and hearing, has spent the past 40 years of her life in New Plymouth. She entered Chalmers a few months ago, convalescing after an illness.
She had five children, but there is debate over the number of grandchildren. Eventually the number "lots" is decided on.
She joins two other Chalmers residents who are already members of the century club. Mary Sheehan and Jessie Shepherd celebrated their 101st birthdays this year. Chalmers manager Rae O'Grady says three centenarians is a first for the resthome.
Mrs Sheehan was 16 when she arrived in Taranaki from Lebanon with her husband and baby.
Mrs Shepherd was born in Kent and moved to Hong Kong with her husband in 1937. The couple were evacuated to New Zealand just before World War II.
Mrs Denham has advice for aspiring centenarians.
"Eat well, think well and keep yourself busy."
By Sharon Marris
Even at the age of 100, Violet Denham tells it like it is. Mrs Denham, who celebrates her 100th birthday today, was born at Palmerston North and spent her early years living in a tent on the Waitotara River.
"I was about three then and I remember that my father had another woman," she says from her chair by the window at Chalmers Rest Home. There is uneasy laughter from family members nearby, but Mrs Denham is undeterred. "I'm just telling you how it was."
Violet Denham (right) today joins Jessie Shepherd (left) and Mary Sheehan in the Chalmers Rest Home centenarian club. Photo: Trevor Read
Mrs Denham says she has had a good life, milking cows by hand when she was young followed by a career in cooking, which she did at Taranaki Hospital on Barrett Rd for about 20 years.
"I still love cooking whenever I can get into my kitchen," she says. "I can't read the recipe books, but I can still cook."
One of her grandaughters, Sharon Clarry, remembers her planting potatoes only last year. Mrs Denham, who is in good health apart from failing eyesight and hearing, has spent the past 40 years of her life in New Plymouth. She entered Chalmers a few months ago, convalescing after an illness.
She had five children, but there is debate over the number of grandchildren. Eventually the number "lots" is decided on.
She joins two other Chalmers residents who are already members of the century club. Mary Sheehan and Jessie Shepherd celebrated their 101st birthdays this year. Chalmers manager Rae O'Grady says three centenarians is a first for the resthome.
Mrs Sheehan was 16 when she arrived in Taranaki from Lebanon with her husband and baby.
Mrs Shepherd was born in Kent and moved to Hong Kong with her husband in 1937. The couple were evacuated to New Zealand just before World War II.
Mrs Denham has advice for aspiring centenarians.
"Eat well, think well and keep yourself busy."
By Sharon Marris
USA: Reaching 100: Honoring Those Who Took Long, Winding Road
VALLEJO, California (Vallejo Times Herald), October 1, 2007:
"I was always taught to respect my elders and I've now reached the age when I don't have anybody to respect." - Comedian George Burns, who lived to age 100.
Centenarians are unlike the rest of us. They've seen more wars, lived through more illnesses, helped raise more generations of children, and had a lot more friends die. If that's not enough to earn some respect, they deserve it simply for beating the odds. Fewer than two in every 10,000 Americans live to 100 or older.
The Solano County Board of Supervisors got it right last week by giving local centenarians some well-deserved respect. The board honored 25 Solano residents who've made it to 100, or older. It was a simple and quick reception, but most important, supervisors gave these men and women a proper thank you for their many contributions to society.
"Retirement at 65 is ridiculous. When I was 65, I still had pimples." - George Burns Unlike Burns, most of those who worked, retired from their primary careers decades before reaching 100. But that doesn't mean their contributions stopped. Many went on to have second and third careers; many volunteered their time; many raised families, who raised their families, who raised their families.
A county spokesman said older workers accounted for 27,325 people in Solano County in 2005 and 20 percent of them were 65 and older.
The centenarians were selected by the Senior Coalition of Solano County which asked local communities to provide names of centenarians. The tribute was clearly extended to centenarians unable to attend - and in a sense, indirectly honored all older residents throughout the county.
While the odds are still slim of making it to 100, the number of Americans that age or older doubles about every 10 years. It now stands at 80,000, according to the Census Bureau. The group makes up the fastest growing segment of the population.
We've seen the change at the Times-Herald. A decade ago, if you made it 100, you were practically guaranteed there'd be a news story about you. But being a centenarian is too common for that now.
"I'd go out with women my age, but there are no women my age." - George Burns
Actually, most centenarians are women. They outnumber men four to one when it comes to making it past the 100 mark. Harvard researchers concluded that meno-pause lengthens the life span of women.
The world's oldest man celebrated his 112th birthday this month, saying he hoped to live forever. Born Sept. 18, 1895, Tomoji Tanabe was named world's oldest male after the death of Emiliano Mercado Del Toro of Puerto Rico. He died in January at age 115.
What's the secret to long life?
"If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn't ask me, I'd still have to say it." - George Burns
Copyright © 2006 product of The Times-Herald
"I was always taught to respect my elders and I've now reached the age when I don't have anybody to respect." - Comedian George Burns, who lived to age 100.
Centenarians are unlike the rest of us. They've seen more wars, lived through more illnesses, helped raise more generations of children, and had a lot more friends die. If that's not enough to earn some respect, they deserve it simply for beating the odds. Fewer than two in every 10,000 Americans live to 100 or older.
The Solano County Board of Supervisors got it right last week by giving local centenarians some well-deserved respect. The board honored 25 Solano residents who've made it to 100, or older. It was a simple and quick reception, but most important, supervisors gave these men and women a proper thank you for their many contributions to society.
"Retirement at 65 is ridiculous. When I was 65, I still had pimples." - George Burns Unlike Burns, most of those who worked, retired from their primary careers decades before reaching 100. But that doesn't mean their contributions stopped. Many went on to have second and third careers; many volunteered their time; many raised families, who raised their families, who raised their families.
A county spokesman said older workers accounted for 27,325 people in Solano County in 2005 and 20 percent of them were 65 and older.
The centenarians were selected by the Senior Coalition of Solano County which asked local communities to provide names of centenarians. The tribute was clearly extended to centenarians unable to attend - and in a sense, indirectly honored all older residents throughout the county.
While the odds are still slim of making it to 100, the number of Americans that age or older doubles about every 10 years. It now stands at 80,000, according to the Census Bureau. The group makes up the fastest growing segment of the population.
We've seen the change at the Times-Herald. A decade ago, if you made it 100, you were practically guaranteed there'd be a news story about you. But being a centenarian is too common for that now.
"I'd go out with women my age, but there are no women my age." - George Burns
Actually, most centenarians are women. They outnumber men four to one when it comes to making it past the 100 mark. Harvard researchers concluded that meno-pause lengthens the life span of women.
The world's oldest man celebrated his 112th birthday this month, saying he hoped to live forever. Born Sept. 18, 1895, Tomoji Tanabe was named world's oldest male after the death of Emiliano Mercado Del Toro of Puerto Rico. He died in January at age 115.
What's the secret to long life?
"If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn't ask me, I'd still have to say it." - George Burns
Copyright © 2006 product of The Times-Herald
MALAYSIA: More Vivid The Mnemonics, The Easier To Recall, Says Dr. Lum
THE DOCTOR SAYS By Dr. Milton Lum
Boost your memory: There are ways to improve the retention, storage and recall of information.
KUALA LUMPUR (The Malaysia Star), October 3, 2007:
WHEN I was a medical student, my colleagues and I were inundated with a vast amount of information. We used various memory aids (mnemonics, which is derived from the Greek goddess of memory, Mnemosyne, who was reputed to know everything that is past, present and future). The more vivid the mnemonic, the easier the recall.
Ingredients of memory
Memory requires the logical organisation of information, which is a science. But it is also an art because the information perceived by our senses can be remembered better by using various techniques. The ingredients of memory enhance the brain’s network of linkages, thereby making for a more efficient retention, storage and recall.
There are three main ingredients, viz:
imagination – the conversion of new information into images that can be stored;
association – the linking of these images to what is already known;
location – the anchoring of these associations.
Imagination is essential for memory. Mundane information can be remembered if mental images are created and then, with visualisation, changed into something that can be experienced. The more vivid the image; the more likely recall will be.
Associations are made all the time. It is the linkage of two or more dissimilar items. Many associations occur spontaneously because of cultural traditions or inherent meanings. By using natural associations and creating new, unnatural associations, a forgettable item of information can be linked to an unforgettable image.
Location was the primary method used by the ancient Romans. Recall is easier when each item of information is linked to a particular place that had already been set in the mind. An example is the common problem of losing our keys or hand phone. We have all experienced rushing out of our homes only to find that we have misplaced either or both items. Most of us then trigger our memory by retracing our previous movements, either physically or mentally, until we find the items again. We do this by using the art of location.
Types of learners
It is said that humans remember, on average, 60% of what we do, 50% of what we say, 40% of what we see, 30% of what we hear and 20% of what we read but 90% of what we do, say, see and hear.
There are different types of learners, viz:
* Visual learners imbibe information through drawings, pictures, charts, diagrams and films.
* Verbal learners imbibe information through the written word.
* Auditory learners imbibe information through listening to the spoken word.
* Kinaesthetic learners like to try out or copy demonstrations.
Although it is vital to be aware of how one learns best, it is even more vital to bear in mind that multi-sensory learning is the most effective type of learning. This is due to the fact that all the senses are involved and, consequently, all parts of the brain.
Principles of memory enhancement
We can remember better by using external aids (e.g. diaries, note books, computers, PDA, etc) or by enhancing the memory in our brain. The latter can be done by adhering to some of the principles listed below, irrespective of one’s chronological age.
Concentration refers to focusing attention to something intensely or wholly. Interest is important for memory. Inattention is often due to lack of interest. Nonsense material, i.e. what is not understood, is uninteresting and rapidly forgotten. While the assignment may be nonsense initially, attempts to work through it step by step – interpreting, associating, analysing and synthesising – can soon make it meaningful and interesting.
Selection should be judicious as it is not possible to master an entire subject. Attention needs to be focused on material that is new, difficult to understand, and that must be remembered.
Understanding and rote are common ways of remembering. Multiplication tables, etc, are better learnt by rote. However, ideas, concepts, theories, etc, are better learnt by understanding.
The more associations there are for ideas, concepts and theories, the more meaningful they become, and the better the retention and recall. By putting them appropriately in a larger system of ideas, concepts and theories, one remembers better.
Revision and repetition are important as 80% of what is learnt today will be forgotten within 24 hours if no effort is made to remember it. The best time to do so is soon after learning has taken place.
Chunking helps in any learning task. By breaking up material into smaller sections, with numerous lots of beginnings and endings created, recall is facilitated. Recall is the highest at the beginning and the ending of a learning session. One tends to remember considerably less of what is learnt in the middle of learning sessions; so there should be close attention to the middle which is more likely to be forgotten.
The memory techniques available include:
Pegging methods (e.g. number/rhyme and number/shape mnemonics), in which information is linked with pre-selected “landmarks” that can be easily located in the mind.
Story method – information is put together in a tailor-made story.
Journey method – a combination of pegging and story methods. Information data are anchored on a fixed, pre-planned, mental route.
Mind maps – a colourful physical representation of information to be remembered.
DOMINIC (Decipherment of Mnemonically Interpreted Numbers into Characters) – linking numbers to more memorable events or characters.
Recall of the information stored depends on how they have been organised and stored initially. If it was stored in a haphazard manner or was not revised, it would fade away. If it was stored inappropriately by an ineffective association, it would be difficult to retrieve. There is skill in making the appropriate link(s) that enable us to retrieve the memories when we want to do so.
Conclusion
The population is often reminded about a healthy lifestyle, which is focused on physical health. However, it is also important to exercise mentally and keep the brain healthy. There are publications and activities available that can help one make a start and continue to improve the memory. Anyone at any age can do so, even senior citizens. It is moot to remember the adage: If you don’t use it, you lose it.
Dr Milton Lum is Chairperson of the Commonwealth Medical Trust.
Malaysia Festival of the Mind 2007
THE inaugural Malaysia Festival of the Mind will be held October 25-28 at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)’s Petaling Jaya campus. To create awareness among Malaysians about the human mind and its unlimited potential as well as ways of tapping into and developing one’s brainpower to the fullest.
Copyright © 1995-2007 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd
INDIA: Big Mac? I'm Loving It, Say Seniors in India
Big Mac's no longer betting big on kid stuff in India, reports Ratna Bhushan
NEW DELHI (The Economic Times), October 3, 2007:
Big Mac, America’s iconic child-centric brand, could learn a lesson or two from its Indian counterpart. Even as the world’s largest food chain continues to pile up junk food and obesity charges from concerned parents and public health advocates in the US, its Indian subsidiary seems to have circumvented all such contentious issues.
McDonald's India kids’ component — the amount of sales contributed by kids — is now perhaps the lowest in the world. Children now account for less than 18% of McDonald’s India sales, down from more than 33% when it started off here a decade ago.
Happy Meals, Big Mac’s most famous sub-brand specially tailored for children and a company trademark since 1979, has been witnessing a year-on-year decline in sales in India. “Kids’ visits to our stores have been declining year-on-year and have been overtaken by young adults, but we’ve also consciously building McDonald’s as a family brand,” McDonald’s (North) India MD Vikram Bakshi said.
Instead of trying to get children back in its fold, McDonald’s India has replaced Happy Meals with localised and baked products like curry pans and puffs as a core focus area. Big Mac’s trademark ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ campaign does not feature children anymore and instead uses only teenagers, adults and the elderly. urther, McDonald’s famous mascot Ronald McDonald is used only for the odd CSR initiative.
Teenagers and young adults now account for about 70-75% of the food retailer’s customer base, followed by kids with family (around 18%). Elderly people fill up the remaining pie.
Copyright © 2007 Times Internet Limited.
NEW DELHI (The Economic Times), October 3, 2007:
Big Mac, America’s iconic child-centric brand, could learn a lesson or two from its Indian counterpart. Even as the world’s largest food chain continues to pile up junk food and obesity charges from concerned parents and public health advocates in the US, its Indian subsidiary seems to have circumvented all such contentious issues.
McDonald's India kids’ component — the amount of sales contributed by kids — is now perhaps the lowest in the world. Children now account for less than 18% of McDonald’s India sales, down from more than 33% when it started off here a decade ago.
Happy Meals, Big Mac’s most famous sub-brand specially tailored for children and a company trademark since 1979, has been witnessing a year-on-year decline in sales in India. “Kids’ visits to our stores have been declining year-on-year and have been overtaken by young adults, but we’ve also consciously building McDonald’s as a family brand,” McDonald’s (North) India MD Vikram Bakshi said.
Instead of trying to get children back in its fold, McDonald’s India has replaced Happy Meals with localised and baked products like curry pans and puffs as a core focus area. Big Mac’s trademark ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ campaign does not feature children anymore and instead uses only teenagers, adults and the elderly. urther, McDonald’s famous mascot Ronald McDonald is used only for the odd CSR initiative.
Teenagers and young adults now account for about 70-75% of the food retailer’s customer base, followed by kids with family (around 18%). Elderly people fill up the remaining pie.
Copyright © 2007 Times Internet Limited.
INDIA: Residents of Chandigarh Old Age Home Unhappy At Takeover by State
CHANDIGARH, India (Indian Express), October 3, 2007:
Residents of the old age home in Chandigarh's Sector 15 are a disppointed lot. Not all of them are convinced it is a good idea that the administration take over charge of running the home. They fear they will have to face the same bureaucratic approach of the administration just as they did eight years ago.
One of the residents was candid: “We get a lot of respect from the Lion’s Club people here. We are a family here. Things, however, will change now,” he feared.
Sharing similar sentiments, another inmate said, “Lions Club members even come late in the night to check on our security. We can not expect that kind of treatment from government employees.”
Lion’s Club has been managing the Old Age Home since April 1999. Members of the Club believe they have been meted out harsh treatment by the Chandigarh Administration.
Dr B. S. Aggarwal, President, Lion’s Club, said, “We were simply served a notice asking us to vacate the home. When we resented, our grants were stopped. We do resent the way the administration went about to take-over. It has hurt us.”
The administration, it is said, asked the Club to accommodate beggars, which they refused keeping in mind the security of the inmates.
The notice served to the Club is under clause 12 of the agreement which states that the Club would have to vacate the home if they did not maintain it properly. Lions Club members are distressed that no inquiry was conducted in this regard.
Ms. Amandeep Kaur, Director, Social Welfare Department, said, “I cannot say much about the issue, I did what I was asked to.” She did not refer to any complaints received against the Club.
Residents of the old age home in Chandigarh's Sector 15 are a disppointed lot. Not all of them are convinced it is a good idea that the administration take over charge of running the home. They fear they will have to face the same bureaucratic approach of the administration just as they did eight years ago.
One of the residents was candid: “We get a lot of respect from the Lion’s Club people here. We are a family here. Things, however, will change now,” he feared.
Sharing similar sentiments, another inmate said, “Lions Club members even come late in the night to check on our security. We can not expect that kind of treatment from government employees.”
Lion’s Club has been managing the Old Age Home since April 1999. Members of the Club believe they have been meted out harsh treatment by the Chandigarh Administration.
Dr B. S. Aggarwal, President, Lion’s Club, said, “We were simply served a notice asking us to vacate the home. When we resented, our grants were stopped. We do resent the way the administration went about to take-over. It has hurt us.”
The administration, it is said, asked the Club to accommodate beggars, which they refused keeping in mind the security of the inmates.
The notice served to the Club is under clause 12 of the agreement which states that the Club would have to vacate the home if they did not maintain it properly. Lions Club members are distressed that no inquiry was conducted in this regard.
Ms. Amandeep Kaur, Director, Social Welfare Department, said, “I cannot say much about the issue, I did what I was asked to.” She did not refer to any complaints received against the Club.
KYRGYZSTAN: Manas Airmen Honour Village Elderly
Col. Don Berchoff greets villagers October 1 in the village of Oktyabra'skoe, Kyrgyzstan, during the local Elders' Day celebration. Airmen from Manas Air Base handed out packages including blankets, rice, pasta, sugar, tea, cookies, crackers, thermos', insulated mugs, and more to elderly citizens during the celebration.The colonel is the 376th Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander. (Photo: Senior Master Sgt. Stefan Alford/US Airforce Photo)
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFPN), October 3, 2007:
Airmen from Manas Air Base handed out gift packages October 1 to senior citizens in nearby Oktyabra'skoe Village as part of Kyrgyzstan's recognition of World Elders' Day.
The Oktyabra'skoe Village, one of six villages around the air base, invited the base to participate in a community event to mark the International Day of Older Persons.
Col. Don Berchoff, the 376th Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander, and members from the security forces and communications squadrons set out with gifts in hand to help the village celebrate.
The Airmen handed out packages including blankets, rice, pasta, sugar, tea, cookies, crackers, thermos' and insulated mugs elderly citizens at the village's town hall building.
Colonel Berchoff thanked the local citizens for allowing the U.S. military members to be there in support of the war on terrorism and the operations over Afghanistan, and for developing positive relationships with them.
"When people come together and get politics out of the way, we all want the same thing for ourselves and our children," Colonel Berchoff said. "We just want to live a peaceful life."
Tech. Sgt. Dennis Mercier hands a blanket to one of the villagers during the local Elder's Day celebration Oct. 1in Oktyabra'skoe, Kyrgyzstan. Airmen from Manas Air Base handed out packages including blankets, rice, pasta, sugar, tea, cookies, crackers, thermos', insulated mugs, and more to elderly citizens. Sergeant Mercier is a member of the 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.Photo: Senior Airman Giana Jaworski/Air Force.
The Airmen volunteered time to collect money on base to purchase the items for the event said Senior Master Sgt. Paul Dubay, the Village Council vice president.
Oktyabra'skoe Village is aligned with the 376th ESFS under the Village Partnership program at Manas AB.
"We meet with the mayor once a month and go over future projects, like this one," Sergeant Dubay said. "Other projects that are in the works are refurbishing the community center and the Veterans Day Memorial."
After meeting with the village mayor in the town hall, the Airmen departed to visit other local residents in their homes to hand out more packages.
By Senior Airman Giana Jaworski
376th Air Expeditionary Wing
Source: Air Force Link
INDIA: Ten Senior Achievers Honoured By Harmony Foundation
MUMBAI (Businessofcinema.com), October 3, 2007:
Harmony for Silvers Foundation, a non-government organisation working for the betterment of elders in India, saluted senior achievers by honouring ten winners (See detailed profiles of each of the winners in a separate report that follows) at it's first annual Harmony Silver Awards.
Guest of honour at the event held at Rabindra Natya Mandir in Mumbai was singer Asha Bhonsle who also gave away the awards. Each of those honoured received a cash reward of Rs 51,000 and a citation designed by artists Jayasri Burman, Neeraj Goswami and Deepa Mahajan.
Former Bollywood actor and now President of Harmony for Silvers Foundation, Tina Ambani. Tina Ambani is also Editor of the monthly journal HARMONY - Celebrate Age.
Prominent senior citizens, social activists, media and marketing professionals, people from the entertainment industry and leading minds from across India attended this select gathering.
An entertainment program that showcased Harmony's motto 'Celebrate Age' included a stand-up act by Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal, a musical segment by singer Nitin Mukesh, a self-defence demonstration by 64 year-old karate black belt Gospi Capadia and a dance performance by members of Harmony Interactive Centre in Girgaum, South Mumbai, choreographed by Shiamak Davar's Victory Arts Foundation.
SENIORS WORLD CHRONICLE adds: Harmony Silver Awards 2007 ceremony was a fitting tribute to the zest and vigour of glamorous Tina Ambani, Founder President of Harmony For Silvers and wife of business tycoon Anil Ambani, head of the multi-billion rupee conglomerate, the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group. The P3 event put the spotlight on senior citizens on occasion of the International Day of Older Persons 2007.
Harmony for Silvers Foundation, a non-government organisation working for the betterment of elders in India, saluted senior achievers by honouring ten winners (See detailed profiles of each of the winners in a separate report that follows) at it's first annual Harmony Silver Awards.
Guest of honour at the event held at Rabindra Natya Mandir in Mumbai was singer Asha Bhonsle who also gave away the awards. Each of those honoured received a cash reward of Rs 51,000 and a citation designed by artists Jayasri Burman, Neeraj Goswami and Deepa Mahajan.
Former Bollywood actor and now President of Harmony for Silvers Foundation, Tina Ambani. Tina Ambani is also Editor of the monthly journal HARMONY - Celebrate Age.Prominent senior citizens, social activists, media and marketing professionals, people from the entertainment industry and leading minds from across India attended this select gathering.
An entertainment program that showcased Harmony's motto 'Celebrate Age' included a stand-up act by Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal, a musical segment by singer Nitin Mukesh, a self-defence demonstration by 64 year-old karate black belt Gospi Capadia and a dance performance by members of Harmony Interactive Centre in Girgaum, South Mumbai, choreographed by Shiamak Davar's Victory Arts Foundation.
SENIORS WORLD CHRONICLE adds: Harmony Silver Awards 2007 ceremony was a fitting tribute to the zest and vigour of glamorous Tina Ambani, Founder President of Harmony For Silvers and wife of business tycoon Anil Ambani, head of the multi-billion rupee conglomerate, the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group. The P3 event put the spotlight on senior citizens on occasion of the International Day of Older Persons 2007.
UGANDA: Government To Give Cash To Elderly Persons
MBARARA, Uganda (Daily Monitor), October 3, 2007:
THE government of Uganda will, in three years time, introduce a social cash grant scheme for the elderly, the Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ms Syda Bbumba has said.
She was officiating at the national celebrations to mark the International Day of Elderly Persons at Kakyeka Stadium in Mbarara District Monday. Ms Bbumba said the scheme would help the vulnerable elderly people get food, Medicare and buy scholastic materials for their dependants.
"The social cash grant and will target those elderly persons living in chronic poverty and those taking care of orphans," she said. Ms Bbumba said only persons above 80 years would benefit first while the rest would be drafted into the scheme when the government gets more money.
She said an organisation in the UK that she didn't name had donated 4 million pounds toward the scheme. Ms Bbumba said Uganda has 1.2 million elderly persons and of these 43 per cent are female.
The internationally acceptable minimum age at which one can be called elderly is 60.
In his speech read by the 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs, Mr Eriya Kategaya, President Museveni said people should maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid diabetes and hypertension, which are common diseases among fairly older persons.
By Alfred Tumushabe & Felix Basiime
© 2007 The Monitor Publications Ltd.
THE government of Uganda will, in three years time, introduce a social cash grant scheme for the elderly, the Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ms Syda Bbumba has said.
She was officiating at the national celebrations to mark the International Day of Elderly Persons at Kakyeka Stadium in Mbarara District Monday. Ms Bbumba said the scheme would help the vulnerable elderly people get food, Medicare and buy scholastic materials for their dependants.
"The social cash grant and will target those elderly persons living in chronic poverty and those taking care of orphans," she said. Ms Bbumba said only persons above 80 years would benefit first while the rest would be drafted into the scheme when the government gets more money.
She said an organisation in the UK that she didn't name had donated 4 million pounds toward the scheme. Ms Bbumba said Uganda has 1.2 million elderly persons and of these 43 per cent are female.
The internationally acceptable minimum age at which one can be called elderly is 60.
In his speech read by the 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs, Mr Eriya Kategaya, President Museveni said people should maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid diabetes and hypertension, which are common diseases among fairly older persons.
By Alfred Tumushabe & Felix Basiime
© 2007 The Monitor Publications Ltd.
INDIA: Ten Senior Achievers To Be Honoured By Harmony
MUMBAI (HarmonyIndia), October 3, 2007:
Harmony For Silvers Foundation, a Mumbai-based senior citizens organisation, is to honour 10 'Silver Achievers' at an awards ceremony here today.
A five member jury has selected the heroes who continue to set benchmarks for themselves and society. The winners will be felicitated with a cash reward of Rs 51,000 and citation each. Eminent Indians forming the jury are Shabana Azmi, Julio Ribeiro, Aroon Purie, Rahul Bose and Supriya Sule,
It is only fitting that these men and women are honoured on a public platform, bringing their work to centre-stage and showing the world what silver can do, says an announcement.
The Ten To Be Honoured Today
AYESHA CHELEKKODAN
When India revolted against British imperialism, millions shunned the education system in anger and defiance. The movement, both patriotic and self-flagellating at once, spread all over the country right down to its southern tip. Influenced by such national fervour of the 1920s, Moideen, a small-time shopkeeper from northern Kerala did not enrol any of his three children — two daughters and a son — in school. Of course, what Moideen didn’t know then was that 70 years later, his eldest daughter Ayesha would become the poster girl for Kerala’s literacy movement. In 2007, at the age of 87, Ayesha eventually completed her formal education, appearing for her Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination.
With six children, 18 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, Ayesha Chelekkodan is the last person you’d expect to see in school. “I had never been to school,” reminisces the octogenarian from picturesque Kavanoor village in Malappuram. “But I always wondered what it would be like to be able to read bus signs and newspapers and medical prescriptions. All my life, I had nurtured a dream to complete formal education. Her journey to literacy began in 1990, when at the age of 70, she enrolled in the government-sponsored literacy drive. “I remember the questions that the anganwadi teachers asked: ‘How many paise make a rupee?’ ‘How many grams of tea make one kilo of tea?’ I was always the first to answer; sometimes the teachers would ask me to shut up so others could have the chance.”
Ayesha’s sharp mind did not go unnoticed. In 1991, the State Literacy Commission chose her among thousands of candidates to declare Kerala’s 100 per cent literacy status in front of a huge crowd, which included top politicians and bureaucrats gathered in Mananchira Maidan in Kozhikode. “The place was packed with thousands of people but grandma did not show any nervousness or stage fright,” says her 26 year-old grandson Abdurahiman. Ayesha’s exemplary confidence won her a lifelong friend from the audience — E K Nayanar, then chief minister of Kerala. Nayanar regularly wrote to Ayesha till his death in 2004.
She went on to pass her Class IV and Class V exams with ease in 1995 and 1998 respectively. But political upheaval and the resulting change in government blunted the state’s thrust on literacy. Ayesha, however, was not one to give up. In 2006, encouraged by local panchayat president A Sreedharan, she wrote to the State Literacy Mission expressing her desire to appear for the SSLC examination. Though her enthusiasm was admirable, her financial status remained a major deterrent. Ayesha lives with her youngest daughter Khadeeja who works as domestic help. Her only son, Mohammed, who works as a loader with a local factory wasn’t earning enough to support her dream. As word got around, generous donors from Kerala and abroad supplied her with fees, books and stationery. Finally, in April this year, Ayesha appeared for her SSLC exam — the oldest among 700 candidates from the state.
Ayesha also completed a four-day basic course in computers in 2003, through Akshaya, the government-sponsored e-literacy programme. Though cataract has dimmed her vision, it has failed to dim her enthusiasm for life. Up at 5 am, she begins each day by sweeping the house clean, chatting with her assortment of hens and goats, and tending to the tapioca in the backyard. Her daughter’s home is a humble cottage surrounded by Kerala’s signature foliage — tall areca nut trees, plantains, scarlet hibiscus and coconut palms. Most of her children and grandchildren stay nearby and the family’s deep adoration for their matriarch is very obvious. “Today people know me as Ayesha Chelekkodan’s grandson and that makes me incredibly proud,” says Abdurahiman. “She has more fire in her than all of us put together.”
Though her arthritic joints don’t allow her to be as active as she wants to be, Ayesha is not ready to play docile granny yet. She scolds her grandson Mansoor for quitting college after HSC and is extremely proud of her 19 year-old granddaughter Khairunnisa who is pursuing her graduation through correspondence. Khairunnisa got married last year and has a three-month old son. When asked whether she would like to learn further, Ayesha says with a chuckle, “I wish I could but I cannot hold the pen properly anymore. The joints on my fingers have become painfully stiff. But I have never stopped learning. I still go through my great-grandchildren’s books. At the end of the day, I fully believe in what the scriptures say — that we are all learners right from our cradle to our deathbed.”
The world has a lot to learn from Ayesha Chelekkodan.
By Rajashree Balaram
ARVIND GUPTA
Arvind Gupta is a ‘backyardigan’ par excellence. Like the popular children’s animation series by the same name, he makes real the fantasy play that happens in every child’s mind. Surrounded by junk, the 54 year-old, in his corduroys and khadi kurta, walks around barefoot at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) at Pune University, creating teaching aids that he loves to call “toys” — the only time he wears chappal (that he has crafted himself) is when he goes to the canteen for lunch or back home on the campus. His office is littered with Gupta’s finds from the local bazaar, garbage cans or his own house. There are broken CDs, used Tetrapaks, bicycle valves and tubes, film rolls, magnets, plastic straws, used refills of ballpoint pens, all types of paper, worn-out bathroom slippers, pins, matchsticks and matchboxes, mirrors, bangles and combs. And hanging from soft-boards, wall nails, doorknobs and handles are Tetrapak butterflies, needle and thread acrobats, paper birds, spiders and skeletons.
These form the bedrock of fundamentals in science for young students who visit IUCAA thrice a week in batches of 50, of which Gupta maintains a schedule on the Monaco Hindi calendar hanging in one corner by the window. Dr Jayant Narlikar, the famous astrophysicist who set up the centre, assigned the space at IUCAA to Gupta in 2004 (until then Gupta was a teacher on the move). This year, in celebration of completing three years here, Gupta has finished uploading over 700 books for children, parents and teachers on his website, www.arvinduptatoys.com. Inaugurated by former president A P J Abdul Kalam in June 2007, the website is a treasure-trove of rare books, also translated into Hindi and Marathi by Gupta and his friends. Soon the library will also benefit the visually impaired who can read books online using screen-reading software like JAWS.
“Only those teachers who punish kids by making them stand outside the class go to heaven,” quips Gupta. “After all, it’s outside the classroom that children learn the most.” His role model is Mahatma Gandhi’s contemporary Gijubhai Badheka, the teacher who broke all norms to sow the seeds of curiosity in his students. Badheka’s Divasvapna (Day Dreams), an account of the teacher’s experiment in Montessori education, is one of the books on Gupta’s website. First published in 1931, it went out of print before the National Book Trust printed it again in 1990 — since then it has seen five reprints. Some rare books on the site include the classic Totto-Chan stories, Isaac Asimov’s series of science facts and Irawati Karve’s Yuganata. And there are 18 books of architect Laurie Baker. Having briefly worked with Baker in his youth, Gupta met Baker again eight years ago and digitised all his books, even translating six of them in Marathi.
“It’s my dream to make this online library as big as www.gutenberg.com, the world’s largest online database of free books. Our focus will be on valuable literature that is out of print because publishers didn’t find it viable to print another edition,” says Gupta, who quit his job as an engineer at TELCO in the early 1970s to train rural teachers. Partners in project were experts who had quit their respective fields to reshape the educational milieu. “It was a time of intense political churn when a lot of social energy was released and a bunch of us decided to contribute to change,” recalls Gupta. “We believed that you couldn’t sit in an office and write curriculum for rural teachers. Our syllabus for children was 10 little fingers.” Gupta handed over the responsibility of earning to his teacher-wife Sunita to pursue his passion for making teaching aids, which remains an equally important component of his website.
Already up on the site are over 25 educational films, all of Gupta’s own books and over 250 teaching aids — Gupta’s beloved “toys”. Each is accompanied by an illustration and DIY details. There’s a pump to blow balloons, coke can airplane, three-blade paper fan, portable generator, windmill and floating forks, to name a few. In few easy steps, these explain the science behind centrifugal force, fiber optics and magnetic levitation. “The line between science and fun is very thin,” says Gupta. “It’s how you tread it [or not] that puts the joy back into learning.”
By Meeta Bhatti
AVATAR KRISHNA HANGAL
Mashhoor Amrohi’s debut film Hum Laakh Chhupayein Pyaar Magar hits theatres this December with a rather unlikely opening cameo: “Hangal of the Jungle”. That’s how 25 year-old Amrohi, director, writer and actor of the film (and grandson of director Kamal Amrohi of Pakeezah fame), describes the appearance of 90 year-old A K Hangal as a power-driven rogue, frolicking at a nightclub with two young lovelies. “You’d never expect to see Hangal sahib in a role like this,” says Amrohi, writer, director and lead actor of the film. “But he plays it to perfection.”
Hangal knows he was — is — good. “It was a small role but at least I got the chance to show a different side,” he says tersely. “I want to keep trying different roles to test myself.” The statement is an unwitting metaphor for his life — from his adolescent days in Karachi as a revolutionary in Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan’s Red Shirt movement to his job as cloth-cutter to the well-heeled in Delhi and theatre activism with the left-wing Indian People’s Theatre Academy (IPTA) in Mumbai, Hangal has worn many hats, experienced highs and lows, laughter and tears.
“I have seen and suffered life,” he says. “I have used all these experiences, my feelings and sentiments in my acting.” That acting has won him the Padmabhushan (in 2006) and wide acclaim — seminal Bengali filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak once called him the greatest actor in the world, a fact he remembers with pride. Hangal ranks his roles as the blind father in Sholay and Sardar Patel in Mountbatten – The Last Viceroy, an English film, as his finest. There’s a touch of bitterness too at the undeniable (and unstated) fact that lesser actors (and men) have achieved far more monetary success. “Whatever money I earned, I spent for good causes and never spoke about it,” he says, taking in his unpretentious living room in a modest apartment in Santacruz in suburban Mumbai. “As you can see, I didn’t keep any for myself.”
But the room is rich in memory and emotion — plaques commemorating his films, the citation for his Padmabhushan and a picture of him receiving it, a framed poem by his 70 year-old son Vijay congratulating him, a triptych by M F Husain (gifted to him by theatre actor Nadira Babbar) and a small desk that holds an inordinate number of letters, newspaper cuttings, cards and an impressive amount of fan mail he waves in your face with evident delight. In the corner, a TV plays NDTV, literally 24/7 — news is pretty much all that Hangal watches — “but these media people have turned mere actors into gods”, he grunts, referring to the Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan prison episodes. For company, he has Vijay, his only child — a widower like Hangal, he lives next door.
Although he is still recovering from a recent fall, Hangal is remarkably agile and independent, and credits his good health to a life well led — although he doesn’t exercise any more, he played hockey, football and volleyball in his youth. He watches what he eats, drinks moderately (whisky, Indian) and assures you he’s happy because he’s lived life “without making compromises”. However, he doesn’t feel India is as happy. “We are constantly craving what we cannot have. As a freedom fighter I wonder, is this what we fought so hard for?”
By Arati Rajan Menon
DEEP JOSHI
Engineers and management students from institutes like IIM and IIT occupy a large utilitarian hall with rows of bamboo partitions forming cubicles at the Delhi office of Pradan, an NGO headed by former MIT management expert Deep Joshi. Called the ‘patron saint of rural development’, 61 year-old Joshi has proved that development is both a challenging and noble choice — and in no way inferior intellectually to high science, industry and diplomacy.
Hot on the list of achievements of Pradan is a dairy revolution in Jharkhand. In December 2005, Pradan began a campaign to convince tribal women in the state to take up dairy as a commercial venture. “They considered it a sin to deprive a calf of its mother’s milk,” recalls Joshi, who with his team worked with 80 women from remote Kudu and Sneha, two blocks in the backward Lohardaga district. “We challenged their conventional wisdom, helped them form self-help groups to raise funds to buy superior crossbred cows, trained them in veterinary care, introduced them to farmers already doing it, and imparted skills to form a milk cooperative modeled on AMUL.” They also set up a processing plant with the capacity to process 10,000 litres milk. This year, the cooperative has grown enough to supply 6,000 litres of milk to the plant — last year, they only managed 1,200 litres. The number of members of the cooperative has also grown dramatically — 600 women are part of the movement now.
What’s more, women managing the cooperative can maintain their accounts with user-friendly software called Computer Munshi that keeps a tab on credits and debits and issues passbooks. “Our idea was to pull these families above the poverty line,” says Joshi. “While their annual income was about Rs 24,000 earlier, now they make Rs 10,000 more. And the cooperative ensures they will earn this amount year after year. I am happy the institution will now perpetuate itself.”
Joshi was born in a family of farmers in Pithoragarh, Uttaranchal. In 1977, he did his PhD from Sloan School of Management, MIT. After returning to India he initially worked with the Systems Research Institute in Pune and then the Ford Foundation to study successful community projects in rural India. “I realised that most NGOs are run by people with huge hearts, but often they were not the people who had the knowledge and skills to make a difference at the grassroots,” recalls Joshi. Armed with this knowledge and a grant of $ 150,000 from Ford, Joshi instituted Pradan in 1983 to promote self-help groups of poor women to leverage finance to invest in livelihood opportunities.
Pradan works with IIT and IIM students and puts their expertise to work on projects to enhance agricultural productivity and promote rural livelihood, through animal husbandry, dairy farming and sericulture. It currently has 450 such experts pursuing full-time careers in rural development in the remotest pockets of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, supervising over Rs 100 crore worth of newly created economic activity, transforming lives of 70,000 families. “Orientation is the toughest phase when almost 80 per cent of these young people quit,” says Joshi. “They never forget the shock when they first see poverty up close.”
Joshi was repelled too, but he stayed. And while he remained busy finding ways to improve quality of life in villages, his wife Sheela brought home “the monthly cheque”. “She is fine with my being a jholawala,” he says with a chuckle.
By Teena Baruah
RAVINDER KUMAR
“Would you like to test-drive my vehicle?” Ravinder Kumar is on the phone, sounding every bit an enthusiastic car salesman giving customers his spiel. The difference: his ‘vehicle’ is Angad 240, India’s cheapest low-capacity farm tractor, and his clients are India’s debt-ridden farmers with small land holdings. Introduced in the Indian market in 2004, the 22 horsepower (HP) Angad 240 has a load-carrying capacity of over 3 tonne; is 25 per cent more fuel efficient than any other tractor in the Indian market; and costs 60 per cent less to maintain than any comparable product. All this comes at a price of Rs 99,000, one-third the price of an ordinary tractor. And from January 2007, Angad has become even more accessible, with major banks such as State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Allahabad Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce and Bank of India approving it for retail financing. This year, 54 year-old Kumar also established the Angad Seva Kendra in Pune where village boys are being trained to repair and service tractors.
Manufacturing tractors seems an unlikely vocation for a man who graduated in history from Delhi’s elite St. Stephens’s College and did his MBA at Mumbai’s Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. Kumar, though, hastens to explain that he has "reverence for agriculture”. “I was born in a family of mango and litchi farmers in Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh and our orchards have supported our family for 20 generations.” Still, Kumar took his time to establish himself before going back to his roots. In 1977, he formed SAS International in New Delhi (with a factory in Himachal Pradesh) to manufacture flexible foil-based packages. In 1985, Kumar switched track to manufacture and export leather garments and later diversified to producing and selling cashmere garments in the European market.
While SAS International grew more prosperous by the year, Kumar grew increasingly concerned at the collapse of the agrarian economy back home in Muzaffarnagar. From being India’s sugar bowl in the 1980s, generating the highest per capita income from its sugarcane produce, the district became a heartland of crime by 2000 owing to the spiralling costs of agricultural inputs like seeds, pesticides, diesel and fertilisers; the gradual withdrawal of government farm subsidies; fragmented land holdings; rising debt and frustration among villagers; and the rising cost of medical treatment. “An agrarian crisis was happening in our backyard,” recalls Shilu, Kumar’s 50 year-old wife. “We had hordes of unemployed farm hands turning up at our factory for work.” Thus, when Kumar read an article on the agrarian crisis in India in The New York Times, it served as a wakeup call. The article quoted a study conducted by Srijit Mishra, professor at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research in Mumbai, to investigate the reasons behind the suicide of 17,107 farmers in India — Mishra found that 86.3 per cent of these farmers were indebted and owned less than 5 acre of land.
The opportunity to do something about the crisis came in 2003 when Kumar was travelling through China to source high quality cashmere. While driving to Heibei province, he saw a compact 15 HP tractor; enquiries revealed that it cost as little as Rs 50,000. By contrast, in India, where average land holding size was less than 3 acre, 55 per cent of tractors sold were high-capacity 31-40 HP, which cost Rs 300,000-400,000. And while the actual demand for tractors was about 2-3 million units a year, owing to the cost barrier only 250,000 were being sold each year. (These statistics remain unchanged today.)
Kumar had his big idea — he formed a new company, SAS Motors Ltd. “Fortunately, my flourishing business at SAS International [Rs 25 crore turnover in 2007] enabled me to put money aside for this venture,” he says. He then imported six models of the Chinese tractor and hired 40 engineers at his factory in Pune to modify them — they made the engine Euro 3 compliant (a requirement in India), introduced cheaper hand crank models (these start like generators, instead of ones with ignition start), and developed a range of matching farm implements like ploughs, harrows and trailers. The efficiency of the tractors was tested in different crop, soil and climate conditions. “It was a bit like designing a shoe that fits everybody,” says Kumar of the process.
Apart from Kumar’s native Muzaffarnagar, Angad’s target customers are farmers from Assam, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal who together own less tractors than farmers from one district in Ludhiana. “Every pair of bullocks you see on the road is a luxury we cannot afford,” explains Kumar. “It’s making our farmers poorer by Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 a month.” The solution: Angad, which has found endorsement from Dehradun-based agrarian scientist Anil Prakash Joshi, who was part of Harmony’s Hotlist in January 2007 for bringing electricity to the Himalayan hinterland. “A small, low-cost and efficient tractor like Angad is easy to maintain and can easily add Rs 80,000 to Rs 100,000 to the annual income of farmers,” says Joshi. “From a macro-perspective, this could have significant implications for the rural economy.”
Not everyone gets it though. Kumar rues the fact that the ‘China’ tag acts as a deterrent for many prospective buyers. “People presume that any product that was originally developed there is inferior and unreliable,” he says. “Our excessive reliance on western technology has made us blind to the possibilities of Asian or indigenous technologies.” Another stumbling block is Angad’s lack of brand equity. “Even poor farmers want bigger vehicles with fancy brand names,” he says. “For them, a tractor is not a farm implement, but a status symbol.”
Kumar has made it his mission to convince them otherwise. Apart from arranging financing from banks and microfinance institutes, he is cutting through intermediaries like dealers and going directly to farmers. “They don’t understand how much money they could save in just a year with Angad, enough to prevent their children from migrating to cities to become drivers and servants.” His own children Siddharth, 30, and Aman, 25, returned to work with him after studying abroad. “Both of us chose to come back to our family business in spite of our international exposure,” says Siddharth. “We hope that with the revival of the agrarian economy, our farmers’ children too will be able to stay back in their villages and prosper.”
By Teena Baruah
SHIRISH NADKARNI
Don’t let Shirish Nadkarni’s laid back and affable exterior fool you. Inside this 57 year-old beats the heart (once mended) of a stubborn little boy who doesn’t understand the word ‘no’. Just ask his doctor. In 1994, arthroscopist Anant Joshi who also works with the Indian cricket team, told him to “drop badminton and switch to carrom, chess or billiards” after performing four operations on his knees. Turning a blind eye, Nadkarni plays on with a vengeance, adding to his kitty of titles on the national and international badminton circuit. In 2007, he approached The Guinness Book of World Records for recognition as “the only person to win a world championship with a replaced knee in a sport requiring running” — the claim is being assessed.
Nadkarni calls himself an “above average player” in youth; he graduated from “gulli badminton” to the real thing, playing at the school, college, district and state levels. However, this 57 year-old’s winning streak started when he turned ‘veteran’ in 1995, winning the national doubles titles in the 45+ (1999), 50+ (2001 and 2002) and 55+ (2007) age categories. At the prestigious 2002 World Masters’ Games in Melbourne (held every four years, and considered the Veterans’ Olympics), he won three gold and two silver medals; followed by a gold and two silvers in the 2005 Games in Edmonton, Canada. Nadkarni has now set his sights on retaining his 55+ doubles title in the 2009 World Masters Games in Sydney.
Nadkarni can only compete in doubles events because of his medical history. He has gone under the surgeon’s knife 10 times — four arthroscopies to repair damaged cartilage and ligaments in both knees (between 1981 and 1992), a torn Achilles tendon (1994), tennis elbow with severe bursitis in the playing hand (2002), total knee replacement (2003); acute heart attack followed by balloon angioplasty and the placement of a stent (2005); and laser surgery in both eyes following several bouts of retinal bleeding (from 2003 to 2006). “The only part of my body untouched by a surgeon is the space between the two ears,” he says with a chuckle. After each setback, Nadkarni struggled back to form with a bruising exercise regimen. And each time, within a couple of months, he was back on court.
Nadkarni’s stomping ground is the serene Bombay Gymkhana in South Mumbai. Every morning, after a round of stretches and muscle-strengthening exercises, he plays an hour-and-a-half of badminton here. Despite his restricted cross-court movement, Nadkarni is a showman with elegant shots and strategic play that converts the physicality of the game into mindsport. He rounds off the session with breakfast and banter with friends, before heading for his office in Fort, Mumbai.
He may live for badminton but Nadkarni, an MBA, earns his living through management consultancy — his firm Marco Incorporated advises clients on marketing and advertising strategy. He also writes on business, sports and travel for foreign magazines such as Lloyds List, Khaleej Times, South China Morning Post and Shipping and Trade News. Nadkarni’s spacious but simply decorated office is crammed with books and periodicals but pride of place goes to photographs of his three daughters, Geeta (27), Namrata (25) and Samira (23), whom he dotes on. He is even more proud when he tells you that his friends call him the “President of the Knee and Back Sufferers’ Club” — whenever any of them is diagnosed with a potentially debilitating condition, Nadkarni takes it upon himself to deliver a pep talk to the patient.
He knows the importance of motivation. “When I first faced the prospect of being disabled, my friend Amol Merchant kept me going,” he says. Nadkarni calls Merchant and Hubert Miranda (the other half of his doubles team) his sources of inspiration. And his personal cheerleading squad comprises his daughters — wife Kanchan, formerly an oncologist with Tata Memorial Hospital, has turned stoic after years of disapproval. Even the disapproving Dr Anant Joshi acknowledges his spirit. “Such driven people play on adrenalin, not their limbs,” says the arthroscopist, all the while insisting that he would never recommend such strenuous activity. But Nadkarni’s not going to start listening now. “I will never hang up my boots,” he insists. “If I were to choose the manner of my death, I would want to leap high in the air at match-point in the World Veterans’ Championship, hit a winning smash and collapse on court.”
By Smita Deodhar
CHEWANG NORPHEL
Chewang Norphel’s life is scripted on the handmade map of Ladakh in his office. Marked to indicate villages the 72 year-old has worked in and the lives he has touched, it is Norphel’s, as much as Ladakh’s, progress report. Nicked on it are roads to Zangskar that have cut days of treacherous treks, culverts from the violent Zangskar River to feed dry villages in the area, brick-and-log bridges over deep valleys and the river, canals on arid land, greenhouses that grow vegetables in winters, and sheds to breed sheep, food processing units and micro hydroelectric units that generate employment. And then there are water catchments (or artificial glaciers, as the world calls them) that have completely changed the face of this cold, mountainous desert, so much so that Norphel, after creating seven such glaciers, has come to be fondly called Ladakh’s ‘glacier man’. This year, he has presented the state government a new homegrown technology that can avert seepage in artificial glaciers, a huge problem that reduces the accumulated water by half. The technology is awaiting funds.
More than a decade ago, while working as a civil engineer with the Jammu & Kashmir Rural Development Department, Norphel felt the need for a stronger agrarian policy for Ladakh. The region gets just about 7 cm of rain every year and water shortage is acute in the ‘window time’ between March and June when Ladakhi farmers sow wheat, barley and peas. But they have to wait for glaciers to melt, which happens only after July. Any delay in receiving water for the crops rules out the vital October harvest. At the time, Norphel was already making zings (small tanks fed by melting glaciers). One day he noticed a helper in his backyard leaving the tap open to prevent water from freezing in pipes. Seconds after flowing from the tap, water froze in the connected drain; frozen water kept getting pushed away with more water flowing into the drain. “The solution was on tap and I hadn’t thought about it,” Norphel recalls, adding, “It was simple. The melting water from glaciers simply needed to be brought closer to villages in the rain-shadow area.”
Norphel’s first project was in 1987 in Phugtse, at a height of about 14,760 ft. It cost Rs 90,000 to create and was funded by Ladakh’s Watershed Scheme. He laid half-inch pipes from a glacier higher up on the terrain and brought it down to a depression meant for trapping and freezing water in an area shaded from harsh mountain sun. As water seeped into the pipe, it froze. But as more water flowed, it pushed the frozen block forward, gradually creating an artificial glacier almost 30 km away.
Norphel’s average glacier is 600 ft long and 150 ft deep (the largest so far is the first one in Phugtse, which is 2 km long) and can collect 6 million gallons of water, enough to sustain four villages. Though half of it is lost to seepage and evaporation, it sustains four villages and 1,500 farmers. It also recharges local springs and replenishes ground water. Norphel handcrafted it by carrying the materials himself along with local villagers. By the end of it, simple technology seemed indistinguishable from magic.
Of the seven projects he has worked on, Norphel has created six after retiring as assistant engineer in 1995. In these years, the Leh Nutrition Project (LNP), a civil society organisation he joined full-time after retirement, has supported him. LNP is also supporting him to develop the technology to avert seepage. For this, Norphel is working on a 200 m cement chamber that will be connected to the artificial glacier with 10-15 ft long pipes. This will distribute and freeze sheets of water evenly in the artificial glacier as in a natural glacier. “Creating the first such chamber is difficult in terms of design and funding,” he says. “The rest will still be expensive but easy to replicate.”
In his soft laughter-filled voice, Norphel, using his hands animatedly, goes on to share some obvious geographical truths and fascinating data. “My medals are the rum bottles villagers gave me when I used to drink, and now that I have given up I decline, but I have accumulated a trunk full of khatag [ceremonial silk scarves],” says Norphel who besides respect has also earned the Far Eastern Economic Review’s prestigious Gold Asian Innovation Award in 1999, Asia’s premier honour for world-changing ideas from the backyard that can improve quality of life.
There are brickbats too. Recently, a partially funded and therefore unfinished pond project in his own village Skara overflowed and damaged a part of the surrounding area. “The censure it invited upset me,” says Norphel.
“People don’t understand that it’s meant to save hundreds of households from flooding from the nearby streams and it can generate enough power for the village.” But he isn’t deterred. “If I can help farmers find prosperity here and not leave Ladakh to go elsewhere for employment, I would have achieved what I set out to do.” Someone who adds basic engineering to nature (Norphel has built a glass room on the first floor of his house to trap the heat during the day and release it at night to warm the room), he is otherwise untouched by technology. “I still love BBC Radio and the only TV programme I watch is Mega Structures on Discovery,” he admits.
Norphel’s ideas come from the roads and treks of Ladakh — if he is not walking, he is driving around in his jeep. “The promise of delivering so much to so many is not an easy one to fulfil. It keeps me on the move,” says Norphel who is supported by daughter Padma and son-in-law Skarma, both teachers at Ladakh Public School in Skara.
In fact, primary education is Norphel’s current ‘big idea’. For the past couple of years, in association with LNP, Norphel (he ran away from home at the age of 14 to go to school) is promoting the concept of workshops for training teachers and anganwadi workers. “A glacier can irrigate fields, but you need to irrigate young minds, too, and that’s why you can’t ignore basic hygiene and education.”
By Tashi Morup and Sharon Sonam
AZIM PREMJI
Enough has been written about the technology titan with the silver hair and golden touch. By now, we already know how he shaped one of the world’s most formidable software empires — Wipro — from his father’s modest vegetable oil company; how his company headquarters in Bengaluru looks like it’s carved out of a dream; and how he is among the richest men on the planet. What you probably don’t know is that Azim Premji once aspired to become a teacher. Today, 62 year-old Premji has touched base with his childhood ambition and is out to change the face of education in India. In 2007, the Azim Premji Foundation launched a pilot project in Karnataka involving about 80 schools to understand the role of community in education. Efforts are also on to educate 53000 education functionaries in the next 18 months.
The Foundation, established in 2001, has collaborated efforts with 20,000 schools and 45,000 educators to make learning a more meaningful and creative experience for children across the country, particularly in rural areas where dropout rates are woefully high. The 1,200 professionals who work with the foundation focus on both academic content and delivery mechanism including curriculum, assessment, classroom practices, school and education management, and leadership development. They also develop multimedia learning tools and economically viable ideas for computer-assisted learning. The initiative, steadily gaining the girth of a revolution, has touched the lives of 2.5 million children in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and 14 other states. Premji in his trademark down-to-earth style is not ready to accept any kudos yet. “With 19 million children out of school in this country, I don’t think anyone can talk of achievements.”
Though the Stanford graduate admires Mahatma Gandhi and Jack Welch, he also finds inspirational facets in ordinary people. When he is not busy setting global benchmarks, Premji loves to go hiking in the hills. The perfect hobby for a man who pursues new heights of excellence every day.
By Rajashree Balaram
REHMAN RAHI
On 28 September 2007, when Rehman Rahi was presented the Jnanpeeth Award 2004, the poet was in his element, reciting poetry, exuding the joy of fulfilment. “The honour is a recognition for Kashmiri and the people who speak the language,” he told Harmony on the blooming terrace-lawn of his house on the outskirts of Srinagar. In the bitterly polarised Valley, long characterised by unremitting separatist violence, it was a brief interlude of joy in a long narrative of pain. Spurred by the hope that happy days will soon return, Rahi recited: “Snows melt, winds blew and orchards blossomed; O, spring do affirm that this land too is witness to better days.”
It has been a long journey for Rahi, 82. Witness to an extended span of Kashmir’s troubled history, he has crafted a whole new narrative for Kashmir; one that embraces in its aesthetic sweep not only its folksy moorings but also larger spiritual and philosophical questions. “Kashmiri poetry has always been rich in mystic element but has modest intellectual content and modern sensibility,” says Rahi, who was the youngest Indian to receive Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961. “I try to make up for that deficiency.”
“He has not only composed great poetry but salvaged the language from the shadow of Persian and Urdu, which otherwise dominated the Valley’s literary scene,” says Professor Shafi Shauq, head of department of Kashmiri language at the University of Kashmir. But the poet is more modest. “I think I have only been able to realise a modicum of the boundless creative potential inherent in Kashmiri,” says Rahi. “And I am indebted to my language for this. The world will really be poorer without Kashmiri.”
And Kashmiri would be poorer without Rahi, whose poetry also reflects the loss of peace in his homeland. “Fork-tongued dread slithers through the land, smothering us; Even loonies look for cover, in grave and silence,” Rahi writes in Siyah Rood Jaren Manz (In Black Vernal Showers, 1996), the book that earned him the Padmashri in 1999. In it he observes Kashmir’s tragedy as part of the eternally unfolding historical process. This intellectual distance blends seamlessly with deep poetic spontaneity in which the poet becomes a participant. Steeped in nostalgia, he longs again for the “fresh dawn’s free twitter”.
Rahi’s panacea for his people is the mother tongue. “It (language) is the wellspring of a people’s unique outlook, sensibility and cultural orientation. Besides, it is the storehouse of the collective memory, which connects a community to its roots and helps it define itself.” He, however, bemoans the fact that Kashmiri has not been given the respect it deserves. “Except for a brief period in the 1950s, Kashmiri has never been a medium of instruction,” says Rahi.
"This is dangerous. We are losing our own distinctive way of looking at the world, our myths and our story.” For his part, Rahi has retrieved the Kashmiri story from its reinterpretation in Urdu and Persian.
This accomplishment hasn’t come in a vacuum. Rahi has had to make stark choices. Orphaned at an early age and brought up by his maternal uncle, Rahi started out as a petty clerk in the Public Works Department — he quit it to edit a local Urdu daily Khidmat. Soon after he joined Kashmir University to teach Persian and later helped establish the department of Kashmiri language there.
“Between all this, he hasn’t had time for our children [three sons and a daughter],” says his wife Zareena, adding, “But I didn’t stop him from devoting all his time to academic pursuits.” Rahi smiles and credits her for moral support and then some — Zareena suggested the title Siyah Rood Jaren Manz. “While our children only received broad guidance from him, he finds more time to teach our grandchildren,” says Zareena. However, of his five grandchildren, only Farukh Faiza Mir is in Kashmir, doing her Masters in English from the University of Kashmir. Rahi’s other grandchildren are with his sons in the US and Saudi Arabia.
Rahi has also been in the vanguard of artistic movements in Jammu & Kashmir, guiding the way — fighting his crusade with him is his youngest daughter, Mir Nausheen Nighat, who is associated with the state’s Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. The mission has in no way detracted from his mass appeal. Rahi’s ghazal and lyrics remain sought after for radio and television music programmes, making him a formidable cultural presence in the state. “Rahi today stands as the personification of genuine Kashmiri culture and its interface with the modern sensibility,” says Shauq. “In this sense, Kashmir owes a great debt to him.”
By Akhter Kashmiri
RAM CHANDRA SHARMA
In 1969, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Pramod Karan Sethi and his apprentice Ram Chandra Sharma together developed the world’s lightest prosthesis, the Jaipur Foot. Twelve years later, Dr Sethi was presented the Magsaysay Award for bringing it to the world’s attention, while Sharma, who actually engineered the artificial limb (he was inspired by a cycle mechanic fixing a ruptured tube), went unrecognised. At 87, Sharma is proud not to have harboured any regrets or enmity. “I was illiterate and couldn’t have made the Jaipur Foot without Dr Sethi’s help,” he acknowledges.
Today, not only is Sharma active at Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) in Jaipur — the organisation set up in 1975 (in celebration of 2,500 years of Lord Mahavira’s birth) to provide the artificial limb free to the poor — he is also going the whole distance with the NGO. After camping for years in war-torn countries like Afghanistan, Nairobi, Rwanda and Iraq, on 7 August 2007 BMVSS set up its first permanent base in foreign land to manufacture the limb: the Mahaveer Ka-mina Artificial Limb Centre in Colombia. As Sharma is too old to go there himself, he trains technicians for the centre and helps them fabricate a large part of each limb before it is finished in Colombia. “I may not lead, but I am happy to help the foot take bigger strides,” he says.
The foot that will go to Colombia has come a long way, too. From the wood-and-rubber prosthesis Sharma invented (he is from a family of sculptors who carved the idols at Jaipur’s famous Amber Fort), the foot was later crafted from beaten aluminium sheets. With support from modern tools, the foot is now made from locally available high-density polyethylene (bio-inert, non-toxic material). But its essence remains the same — lightweight, low cost and closest to a normal human limb — making it the world’s best all-functional, all-terrain artificial limb.
Over the past 38 years, a total of 310,220 artificial limbs and 263,150 calipers (hinged support for polio patients) have been fixed. In all this time, Masterji, as the MVSS staff fondly calls Sharma, has unfailingly arrived at the organisation’s Malviya Nagar workshop in Jaipur every day on his moped at 11.30 am, ready for work. He is also working upon improving a knee joint. Designed and fabricated from locally available high-density polyethylene pipe, the prosthesis now weighs 850 gm compared to the initial 1.5 kg.
“He gets restless if he doesn’t work for six to seven hours,” says son Kishan Lal, who works with him at the workshop. “Ram Chandra’s mental and physical energy is to be seen to be believed,” echoes Devendra Raj Mehta, chief patron of BMVSS. “His fingers work magic and his commitment inspires youngsters.”
For his contribution, BMVSS pays Sharma an honorarium. “The smile on the patient’s face after he gets a new lease on life gives me the emotional and physical strength to carry on,” he says. “I have a roof over my head, my needs are basic and I have the support of my son and daughter-in-law. I need nothing more.”
By Rakhee Roy Talukdar
Harmony For Silvers Foundation, a Mumbai-based senior citizens organisation, is to honour 10 'Silver Achievers' at an awards ceremony here today.
A five member jury has selected the heroes who continue to set benchmarks for themselves and society. The winners will be felicitated with a cash reward of Rs 51,000 and citation each. Eminent Indians forming the jury are Shabana Azmi, Julio Ribeiro, Aroon Purie, Rahul Bose and Supriya Sule,
It is only fitting that these men and women are honoured on a public platform, bringing their work to centre-stage and showing the world what silver can do, says an announcement.
The Ten To Be Honoured Today
AYESHA CHELEKKODAN
When India revolted against British imperialism, millions shunned the education system in anger and defiance. The movement, both patriotic and self-flagellating at once, spread all over the country right down to its southern tip. Influenced by such national fervour of the 1920s, Moideen, a small-time shopkeeper from northern Kerala did not enrol any of his three children — two daughters and a son — in school. Of course, what Moideen didn’t know then was that 70 years later, his eldest daughter Ayesha would become the poster girl for Kerala’s literacy movement. In 2007, at the age of 87, Ayesha eventually completed her formal education, appearing for her Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination. With six children, 18 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, Ayesha Chelekkodan is the last person you’d expect to see in school. “I had never been to school,” reminisces the octogenarian from picturesque Kavanoor village in Malappuram. “But I always wondered what it would be like to be able to read bus signs and newspapers and medical prescriptions. All my life, I had nurtured a dream to complete formal education. Her journey to literacy began in 1990, when at the age of 70, she enrolled in the government-sponsored literacy drive. “I remember the questions that the anganwadi teachers asked: ‘How many paise make a rupee?’ ‘How many grams of tea make one kilo of tea?’ I was always the first to answer; sometimes the teachers would ask me to shut up so others could have the chance.”
Ayesha’s sharp mind did not go unnoticed. In 1991, the State Literacy Commission chose her among thousands of candidates to declare Kerala’s 100 per cent literacy status in front of a huge crowd, which included top politicians and bureaucrats gathered in Mananchira Maidan in Kozhikode. “The place was packed with thousands of people but grandma did not show any nervousness or stage fright,” says her 26 year-old grandson Abdurahiman. Ayesha’s exemplary confidence won her a lifelong friend from the audience — E K Nayanar, then chief minister of Kerala. Nayanar regularly wrote to Ayesha till his death in 2004.
She went on to pass her Class IV and Class V exams with ease in 1995 and 1998 respectively. But political upheaval and the resulting change in government blunted the state’s thrust on literacy. Ayesha, however, was not one to give up. In 2006, encouraged by local panchayat president A Sreedharan, she wrote to the State Literacy Mission expressing her desire to appear for the SSLC examination. Though her enthusiasm was admirable, her financial status remained a major deterrent. Ayesha lives with her youngest daughter Khadeeja who works as domestic help. Her only son, Mohammed, who works as a loader with a local factory wasn’t earning enough to support her dream. As word got around, generous donors from Kerala and abroad supplied her with fees, books and stationery. Finally, in April this year, Ayesha appeared for her SSLC exam — the oldest among 700 candidates from the state.
Ayesha also completed a four-day basic course in computers in 2003, through Akshaya, the government-sponsored e-literacy programme. Though cataract has dimmed her vision, it has failed to dim her enthusiasm for life. Up at 5 am, she begins each day by sweeping the house clean, chatting with her assortment of hens and goats, and tending to the tapioca in the backyard. Her daughter’s home is a humble cottage surrounded by Kerala’s signature foliage — tall areca nut trees, plantains, scarlet hibiscus and coconut palms. Most of her children and grandchildren stay nearby and the family’s deep adoration for their matriarch is very obvious. “Today people know me as Ayesha Chelekkodan’s grandson and that makes me incredibly proud,” says Abdurahiman. “She has more fire in her than all of us put together.”
Though her arthritic joints don’t allow her to be as active as she wants to be, Ayesha is not ready to play docile granny yet. She scolds her grandson Mansoor for quitting college after HSC and is extremely proud of her 19 year-old granddaughter Khairunnisa who is pursuing her graduation through correspondence. Khairunnisa got married last year and has a three-month old son. When asked whether she would like to learn further, Ayesha says with a chuckle, “I wish I could but I cannot hold the pen properly anymore. The joints on my fingers have become painfully stiff. But I have never stopped learning. I still go through my great-grandchildren’s books. At the end of the day, I fully believe in what the scriptures say — that we are all learners right from our cradle to our deathbed.”
The world has a lot to learn from Ayesha Chelekkodan.
By Rajashree Balaram
ARVIND GUPTA
Arvind Gupta is a ‘backyardigan’ par excellence. Like the popular children’s animation series by the same name, he makes real the fantasy play that happens in every child’s mind. Surrounded by junk, the 54 year-old, in his corduroys and khadi kurta, walks around barefoot at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) at Pune University, creating teaching aids that he loves to call “toys” — the only time he wears chappal (that he has crafted himself) is when he goes to the canteen for lunch or back home on the campus. His office is littered with Gupta’s finds from the local bazaar, garbage cans or his own house. There are broken CDs, used Tetrapaks, bicycle valves and tubes, film rolls, magnets, plastic straws, used refills of ballpoint pens, all types of paper, worn-out bathroom slippers, pins, matchsticks and matchboxes, mirrors, bangles and combs. And hanging from soft-boards, wall nails, doorknobs and handles are Tetrapak butterflies, needle and thread acrobats, paper birds, spiders and skeletons. These form the bedrock of fundamentals in science for young students who visit IUCAA thrice a week in batches of 50, of which Gupta maintains a schedule on the Monaco Hindi calendar hanging in one corner by the window. Dr Jayant Narlikar, the famous astrophysicist who set up the centre, assigned the space at IUCAA to Gupta in 2004 (until then Gupta was a teacher on the move). This year, in celebration of completing three years here, Gupta has finished uploading over 700 books for children, parents and teachers on his website, www.arvinduptatoys.com. Inaugurated by former president A P J Abdul Kalam in June 2007, the website is a treasure-trove of rare books, also translated into Hindi and Marathi by Gupta and his friends. Soon the library will also benefit the visually impaired who can read books online using screen-reading software like JAWS.
“Only those teachers who punish kids by making them stand outside the class go to heaven,” quips Gupta. “After all, it’s outside the classroom that children learn the most.” His role model is Mahatma Gandhi’s contemporary Gijubhai Badheka, the teacher who broke all norms to sow the seeds of curiosity in his students. Badheka’s Divasvapna (Day Dreams), an account of the teacher’s experiment in Montessori education, is one of the books on Gupta’s website. First published in 1931, it went out of print before the National Book Trust printed it again in 1990 — since then it has seen five reprints. Some rare books on the site include the classic Totto-Chan stories, Isaac Asimov’s series of science facts and Irawati Karve’s Yuganata. And there are 18 books of architect Laurie Baker. Having briefly worked with Baker in his youth, Gupta met Baker again eight years ago and digitised all his books, even translating six of them in Marathi.
“It’s my dream to make this online library as big as www.gutenberg.com, the world’s largest online database of free books. Our focus will be on valuable literature that is out of print because publishers didn’t find it viable to print another edition,” says Gupta, who quit his job as an engineer at TELCO in the early 1970s to train rural teachers. Partners in project were experts who had quit their respective fields to reshape the educational milieu. “It was a time of intense political churn when a lot of social energy was released and a bunch of us decided to contribute to change,” recalls Gupta. “We believed that you couldn’t sit in an office and write curriculum for rural teachers. Our syllabus for children was 10 little fingers.” Gupta handed over the responsibility of earning to his teacher-wife Sunita to pursue his passion for making teaching aids, which remains an equally important component of his website.
Already up on the site are over 25 educational films, all of Gupta’s own books and over 250 teaching aids — Gupta’s beloved “toys”. Each is accompanied by an illustration and DIY details. There’s a pump to blow balloons, coke can airplane, three-blade paper fan, portable generator, windmill and floating forks, to name a few. In few easy steps, these explain the science behind centrifugal force, fiber optics and magnetic levitation. “The line between science and fun is very thin,” says Gupta. “It’s how you tread it [or not] that puts the joy back into learning.”
By Meeta Bhatti
AVATAR KRISHNA HANGAL
Mashhoor Amrohi’s debut film Hum Laakh Chhupayein Pyaar Magar hits theatres this December with a rather unlikely opening cameo: “Hangal of the Jungle”. That’s how 25 year-old Amrohi, director, writer and actor of the film (and grandson of director Kamal Amrohi of Pakeezah fame), describes the appearance of 90 year-old A K Hangal as a power-driven rogue, frolicking at a nightclub with two young lovelies. “You’d never expect to see Hangal sahib in a role like this,” says Amrohi, writer, director and lead actor of the film. “But he plays it to perfection.” Hangal knows he was — is — good. “It was a small role but at least I got the chance to show a different side,” he says tersely. “I want to keep trying different roles to test myself.” The statement is an unwitting metaphor for his life — from his adolescent days in Karachi as a revolutionary in Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan’s Red Shirt movement to his job as cloth-cutter to the well-heeled in Delhi and theatre activism with the left-wing Indian People’s Theatre Academy (IPTA) in Mumbai, Hangal has worn many hats, experienced highs and lows, laughter and tears.
“I have seen and suffered life,” he says. “I have used all these experiences, my feelings and sentiments in my acting.” That acting has won him the Padmabhushan (in 2006) and wide acclaim — seminal Bengali filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak once called him the greatest actor in the world, a fact he remembers with pride. Hangal ranks his roles as the blind father in Sholay and Sardar Patel in Mountbatten – The Last Viceroy, an English film, as his finest. There’s a touch of bitterness too at the undeniable (and unstated) fact that lesser actors (and men) have achieved far more monetary success. “Whatever money I earned, I spent for good causes and never spoke about it,” he says, taking in his unpretentious living room in a modest apartment in Santacruz in suburban Mumbai. “As you can see, I didn’t keep any for myself.”
But the room is rich in memory and emotion — plaques commemorating his films, the citation for his Padmabhushan and a picture of him receiving it, a framed poem by his 70 year-old son Vijay congratulating him, a triptych by M F Husain (gifted to him by theatre actor Nadira Babbar) and a small desk that holds an inordinate number of letters, newspaper cuttings, cards and an impressive amount of fan mail he waves in your face with evident delight. In the corner, a TV plays NDTV, literally 24/7 — news is pretty much all that Hangal watches — “but these media people have turned mere actors into gods”, he grunts, referring to the Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan prison episodes. For company, he has Vijay, his only child — a widower like Hangal, he lives next door.
Although he is still recovering from a recent fall, Hangal is remarkably agile and independent, and credits his good health to a life well led — although he doesn’t exercise any more, he played hockey, football and volleyball in his youth. He watches what he eats, drinks moderately (whisky, Indian) and assures you he’s happy because he’s lived life “without making compromises”. However, he doesn’t feel India is as happy. “We are constantly craving what we cannot have. As a freedom fighter I wonder, is this what we fought so hard for?”
By Arati Rajan Menon
DEEP JOSHI
Engineers and management students from institutes like IIM and IIT occupy a large utilitarian hall with rows of bamboo partitions forming cubicles at the Delhi office of Pradan, an NGO headed by former MIT management expert Deep Joshi. Called the ‘patron saint of rural development’, 61 year-old Joshi has proved that development is both a challenging and noble choice — and in no way inferior intellectually to high science, industry and diplomacy. Hot on the list of achievements of Pradan is a dairy revolution in Jharkhand. In December 2005, Pradan began a campaign to convince tribal women in the state to take up dairy as a commercial venture. “They considered it a sin to deprive a calf of its mother’s milk,” recalls Joshi, who with his team worked with 80 women from remote Kudu and Sneha, two blocks in the backward Lohardaga district. “We challenged their conventional wisdom, helped them form self-help groups to raise funds to buy superior crossbred cows, trained them in veterinary care, introduced them to farmers already doing it, and imparted skills to form a milk cooperative modeled on AMUL.” They also set up a processing plant with the capacity to process 10,000 litres milk. This year, the cooperative has grown enough to supply 6,000 litres of milk to the plant — last year, they only managed 1,200 litres. The number of members of the cooperative has also grown dramatically — 600 women are part of the movement now.
What’s more, women managing the cooperative can maintain their accounts with user-friendly software called Computer Munshi that keeps a tab on credits and debits and issues passbooks. “Our idea was to pull these families above the poverty line,” says Joshi. “While their annual income was about Rs 24,000 earlier, now they make Rs 10,000 more. And the cooperative ensures they will earn this amount year after year. I am happy the institution will now perpetuate itself.”
Joshi was born in a family of farmers in Pithoragarh, Uttaranchal. In 1977, he did his PhD from Sloan School of Management, MIT. After returning to India he initially worked with the Systems Research Institute in Pune and then the Ford Foundation to study successful community projects in rural India. “I realised that most NGOs are run by people with huge hearts, but often they were not the people who had the knowledge and skills to make a difference at the grassroots,” recalls Joshi. Armed with this knowledge and a grant of $ 150,000 from Ford, Joshi instituted Pradan in 1983 to promote self-help groups of poor women to leverage finance to invest in livelihood opportunities.
Pradan works with IIT and IIM students and puts their expertise to work on projects to enhance agricultural productivity and promote rural livelihood, through animal husbandry, dairy farming and sericulture. It currently has 450 such experts pursuing full-time careers in rural development in the remotest pockets of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, supervising over Rs 100 crore worth of newly created economic activity, transforming lives of 70,000 families. “Orientation is the toughest phase when almost 80 per cent of these young people quit,” says Joshi. “They never forget the shock when they first see poverty up close.”
Joshi was repelled too, but he stayed. And while he remained busy finding ways to improve quality of life in villages, his wife Sheela brought home “the monthly cheque”. “She is fine with my being a jholawala,” he says with a chuckle.
By Teena Baruah
RAVINDER KUMAR
“Would you like to test-drive my vehicle?” Ravinder Kumar is on the phone, sounding every bit an enthusiastic car salesman giving customers his spiel. The difference: his ‘vehicle’ is Angad 240, India’s cheapest low-capacity farm tractor, and his clients are India’s debt-ridden farmers with small land holdings. Introduced in the Indian market in 2004, the 22 horsepower (HP) Angad 240 has a load-carrying capacity of over 3 tonne; is 25 per cent more fuel efficient than any other tractor in the Indian market; and costs 60 per cent less to maintain than any comparable product. All this comes at a price of Rs 99,000, one-third the price of an ordinary tractor. And from January 2007, Angad has become even more accessible, with major banks such as State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Allahabad Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce and Bank of India approving it for retail financing. This year, 54 year-old Kumar also established the Angad Seva Kendra in Pune where village boys are being trained to repair and service tractors.Manufacturing tractors seems an unlikely vocation for a man who graduated in history from Delhi’s elite St. Stephens’s College and did his MBA at Mumbai’s Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. Kumar, though, hastens to explain that he has "reverence for agriculture”. “I was born in a family of mango and litchi farmers in Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh and our orchards have supported our family for 20 generations.” Still, Kumar took his time to establish himself before going back to his roots. In 1977, he formed SAS International in New Delhi (with a factory in Himachal Pradesh) to manufacture flexible foil-based packages. In 1985, Kumar switched track to manufacture and export leather garments and later diversified to producing and selling cashmere garments in the European market.
While SAS International grew more prosperous by the year, Kumar grew increasingly concerned at the collapse of the agrarian economy back home in Muzaffarnagar. From being India’s sugar bowl in the 1980s, generating the highest per capita income from its sugarcane produce, the district became a heartland of crime by 2000 owing to the spiralling costs of agricultural inputs like seeds, pesticides, diesel and fertilisers; the gradual withdrawal of government farm subsidies; fragmented land holdings; rising debt and frustration among villagers; and the rising cost of medical treatment. “An agrarian crisis was happening in our backyard,” recalls Shilu, Kumar’s 50 year-old wife. “We had hordes of unemployed farm hands turning up at our factory for work.” Thus, when Kumar read an article on the agrarian crisis in India in The New York Times, it served as a wakeup call. The article quoted a study conducted by Srijit Mishra, professor at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research in Mumbai, to investigate the reasons behind the suicide of 17,107 farmers in India — Mishra found that 86.3 per cent of these farmers were indebted and owned less than 5 acre of land.
The opportunity to do something about the crisis came in 2003 when Kumar was travelling through China to source high quality cashmere. While driving to Heibei province, he saw a compact 15 HP tractor; enquiries revealed that it cost as little as Rs 50,000. By contrast, in India, where average land holding size was less than 3 acre, 55 per cent of tractors sold were high-capacity 31-40 HP, which cost Rs 300,000-400,000. And while the actual demand for tractors was about 2-3 million units a year, owing to the cost barrier only 250,000 were being sold each year. (These statistics remain unchanged today.)
Kumar had his big idea — he formed a new company, SAS Motors Ltd. “Fortunately, my flourishing business at SAS International [Rs 25 crore turnover in 2007] enabled me to put money aside for this venture,” he says. He then imported six models of the Chinese tractor and hired 40 engineers at his factory in Pune to modify them — they made the engine Euro 3 compliant (a requirement in India), introduced cheaper hand crank models (these start like generators, instead of ones with ignition start), and developed a range of matching farm implements like ploughs, harrows and trailers. The efficiency of the tractors was tested in different crop, soil and climate conditions. “It was a bit like designing a shoe that fits everybody,” says Kumar of the process.
Apart from Kumar’s native Muzaffarnagar, Angad’s target customers are farmers from Assam, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal who together own less tractors than farmers from one district in Ludhiana. “Every pair of bullocks you see on the road is a luxury we cannot afford,” explains Kumar. “It’s making our farmers poorer by Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 a month.” The solution: Angad, which has found endorsement from Dehradun-based agrarian scientist Anil Prakash Joshi, who was part of Harmony’s Hotlist in January 2007 for bringing electricity to the Himalayan hinterland. “A small, low-cost and efficient tractor like Angad is easy to maintain and can easily add Rs 80,000 to Rs 100,000 to the annual income of farmers,” says Joshi. “From a macro-perspective, this could have significant implications for the rural economy.”
Not everyone gets it though. Kumar rues the fact that the ‘China’ tag acts as a deterrent for many prospective buyers. “People presume that any product that was originally developed there is inferior and unreliable,” he says. “Our excessive reliance on western technology has made us blind to the possibilities of Asian or indigenous technologies.” Another stumbling block is Angad’s lack of brand equity. “Even poor farmers want bigger vehicles with fancy brand names,” he says. “For them, a tractor is not a farm implement, but a status symbol.”
Kumar has made it his mission to convince them otherwise. Apart from arranging financing from banks and microfinance institutes, he is cutting through intermediaries like dealers and going directly to farmers. “They don’t understand how much money they could save in just a year with Angad, enough to prevent their children from migrating to cities to become drivers and servants.” His own children Siddharth, 30, and Aman, 25, returned to work with him after studying abroad. “Both of us chose to come back to our family business in spite of our international exposure,” says Siddharth. “We hope that with the revival of the agrarian economy, our farmers’ children too will be able to stay back in their villages and prosper.”
By Teena Baruah
SHIRISH NADKARNI
Don’t let Shirish Nadkarni’s laid back and affable exterior fool you. Inside this 57 year-old beats the heart (once mended) of a stubborn little boy who doesn’t understand the word ‘no’. Just ask his doctor. In 1994, arthroscopist Anant Joshi who also works with the Indian cricket team, told him to “drop badminton and switch to carrom, chess or billiards” after performing four operations on his knees. Turning a blind eye, Nadkarni plays on with a vengeance, adding to his kitty of titles on the national and international badminton circuit. In 2007, he approached The Guinness Book of World Records for recognition as “the only person to win a world championship with a replaced knee in a sport requiring running” — the claim is being assessed. Nadkarni calls himself an “above average player” in youth; he graduated from “gulli badminton” to the real thing, playing at the school, college, district and state levels. However, this 57 year-old’s winning streak started when he turned ‘veteran’ in 1995, winning the national doubles titles in the 45+ (1999), 50+ (2001 and 2002) and 55+ (2007) age categories. At the prestigious 2002 World Masters’ Games in Melbourne (held every four years, and considered the Veterans’ Olympics), he won three gold and two silver medals; followed by a gold and two silvers in the 2005 Games in Edmonton, Canada. Nadkarni has now set his sights on retaining his 55+ doubles title in the 2009 World Masters Games in Sydney.
Nadkarni can only compete in doubles events because of his medical history. He has gone under the surgeon’s knife 10 times — four arthroscopies to repair damaged cartilage and ligaments in both knees (between 1981 and 1992), a torn Achilles tendon (1994), tennis elbow with severe bursitis in the playing hand (2002), total knee replacement (2003); acute heart attack followed by balloon angioplasty and the placement of a stent (2005); and laser surgery in both eyes following several bouts of retinal bleeding (from 2003 to 2006). “The only part of my body untouched by a surgeon is the space between the two ears,” he says with a chuckle. After each setback, Nadkarni struggled back to form with a bruising exercise regimen. And each time, within a couple of months, he was back on court.
Nadkarni’s stomping ground is the serene Bombay Gymkhana in South Mumbai. Every morning, after a round of stretches and muscle-strengthening exercises, he plays an hour-and-a-half of badminton here. Despite his restricted cross-court movement, Nadkarni is a showman with elegant shots and strategic play that converts the physicality of the game into mindsport. He rounds off the session with breakfast and banter with friends, before heading for his office in Fort, Mumbai.
He may live for badminton but Nadkarni, an MBA, earns his living through management consultancy — his firm Marco Incorporated advises clients on marketing and advertising strategy. He also writes on business, sports and travel for foreign magazines such as Lloyds List, Khaleej Times, South China Morning Post and Shipping and Trade News. Nadkarni’s spacious but simply decorated office is crammed with books and periodicals but pride of place goes to photographs of his three daughters, Geeta (27), Namrata (25) and Samira (23), whom he dotes on. He is even more proud when he tells you that his friends call him the “President of the Knee and Back Sufferers’ Club” — whenever any of them is diagnosed with a potentially debilitating condition, Nadkarni takes it upon himself to deliver a pep talk to the patient.
He knows the importance of motivation. “When I first faced the prospect of being disabled, my friend Amol Merchant kept me going,” he says. Nadkarni calls Merchant and Hubert Miranda (the other half of his doubles team) his sources of inspiration. And his personal cheerleading squad comprises his daughters — wife Kanchan, formerly an oncologist with Tata Memorial Hospital, has turned stoic after years of disapproval. Even the disapproving Dr Anant Joshi acknowledges his spirit. “Such driven people play on adrenalin, not their limbs,” says the arthroscopist, all the while insisting that he would never recommend such strenuous activity. But Nadkarni’s not going to start listening now. “I will never hang up my boots,” he insists. “If I were to choose the manner of my death, I would want to leap high in the air at match-point in the World Veterans’ Championship, hit a winning smash and collapse on court.”
By Smita Deodhar
CHEWANG NORPHEL
Chewang Norphel’s life is scripted on the handmade map of Ladakh in his office. Marked to indicate villages the 72 year-old has worked in and the lives he has touched, it is Norphel’s, as much as Ladakh’s, progress report. Nicked on it are roads to Zangskar that have cut days of treacherous treks, culverts from the violent Zangskar River to feed dry villages in the area, brick-and-log bridges over deep valleys and the river, canals on arid land, greenhouses that grow vegetables in winters, and sheds to breed sheep, food processing units and micro hydroelectric units that generate employment. And then there are water catchments (or artificial glaciers, as the world calls them) that have completely changed the face of this cold, mountainous desert, so much so that Norphel, after creating seven such glaciers, has come to be fondly called Ladakh’s ‘glacier man’. This year, he has presented the state government a new homegrown technology that can avert seepage in artificial glaciers, a huge problem that reduces the accumulated water by half. The technology is awaiting funds. More than a decade ago, while working as a civil engineer with the Jammu & Kashmir Rural Development Department, Norphel felt the need for a stronger agrarian policy for Ladakh. The region gets just about 7 cm of rain every year and water shortage is acute in the ‘window time’ between March and June when Ladakhi farmers sow wheat, barley and peas. But they have to wait for glaciers to melt, which happens only after July. Any delay in receiving water for the crops rules out the vital October harvest. At the time, Norphel was already making zings (small tanks fed by melting glaciers). One day he noticed a helper in his backyard leaving the tap open to prevent water from freezing in pipes. Seconds after flowing from the tap, water froze in the connected drain; frozen water kept getting pushed away with more water flowing into the drain. “The solution was on tap and I hadn’t thought about it,” Norphel recalls, adding, “It was simple. The melting water from glaciers simply needed to be brought closer to villages in the rain-shadow area.”
Norphel’s first project was in 1987 in Phugtse, at a height of about 14,760 ft. It cost Rs 90,000 to create and was funded by Ladakh’s Watershed Scheme. He laid half-inch pipes from a glacier higher up on the terrain and brought it down to a depression meant for trapping and freezing water in an area shaded from harsh mountain sun. As water seeped into the pipe, it froze. But as more water flowed, it pushed the frozen block forward, gradually creating an artificial glacier almost 30 km away.
Norphel’s average glacier is 600 ft long and 150 ft deep (the largest so far is the first one in Phugtse, which is 2 km long) and can collect 6 million gallons of water, enough to sustain four villages. Though half of it is lost to seepage and evaporation, it sustains four villages and 1,500 farmers. It also recharges local springs and replenishes ground water. Norphel handcrafted it by carrying the materials himself along with local villagers. By the end of it, simple technology seemed indistinguishable from magic.
Of the seven projects he has worked on, Norphel has created six after retiring as assistant engineer in 1995. In these years, the Leh Nutrition Project (LNP), a civil society organisation he joined full-time after retirement, has supported him. LNP is also supporting him to develop the technology to avert seepage. For this, Norphel is working on a 200 m cement chamber that will be connected to the artificial glacier with 10-15 ft long pipes. This will distribute and freeze sheets of water evenly in the artificial glacier as in a natural glacier. “Creating the first such chamber is difficult in terms of design and funding,” he says. “The rest will still be expensive but easy to replicate.”
In his soft laughter-filled voice, Norphel, using his hands animatedly, goes on to share some obvious geographical truths and fascinating data. “My medals are the rum bottles villagers gave me when I used to drink, and now that I have given up I decline, but I have accumulated a trunk full of khatag [ceremonial silk scarves],” says Norphel who besides respect has also earned the Far Eastern Economic Review’s prestigious Gold Asian Innovation Award in 1999, Asia’s premier honour for world-changing ideas from the backyard that can improve quality of life.
There are brickbats too. Recently, a partially funded and therefore unfinished pond project in his own village Skara overflowed and damaged a part of the surrounding area. “The censure it invited upset me,” says Norphel.
“People don’t understand that it’s meant to save hundreds of households from flooding from the nearby streams and it can generate enough power for the village.” But he isn’t deterred. “If I can help farmers find prosperity here and not leave Ladakh to go elsewhere for employment, I would have achieved what I set out to do.” Someone who adds basic engineering to nature (Norphel has built a glass room on the first floor of his house to trap the heat during the day and release it at night to warm the room), he is otherwise untouched by technology. “I still love BBC Radio and the only TV programme I watch is Mega Structures on Discovery,” he admits.Norphel’s ideas come from the roads and treks of Ladakh — if he is not walking, he is driving around in his jeep. “The promise of delivering so much to so many is not an easy one to fulfil. It keeps me on the move,” says Norphel who is supported by daughter Padma and son-in-law Skarma, both teachers at Ladakh Public School in Skara.
In fact, primary education is Norphel’s current ‘big idea’. For the past couple of years, in association with LNP, Norphel (he ran away from home at the age of 14 to go to school) is promoting the concept of workshops for training teachers and anganwadi workers. “A glacier can irrigate fields, but you need to irrigate young minds, too, and that’s why you can’t ignore basic hygiene and education.”
By Tashi Morup and Sharon Sonam
AZIM PREMJI
Enough has been written about the technology titan with the silver hair and golden touch. By now, we already know how he shaped one of the world’s most formidable software empires — Wipro — from his father’s modest vegetable oil company; how his company headquarters in Bengaluru looks like it’s carved out of a dream; and how he is among the richest men on the planet. What you probably don’t know is that Azim Premji once aspired to become a teacher. Today, 62 year-old Premji has touched base with his childhood ambition and is out to change the face of education in India. In 2007, the Azim Premji Foundation launched a pilot project in Karnataka involving about 80 schools to understand the role of community in education. Efforts are also on to educate 53000 education functionaries in the next 18 months. The Foundation, established in 2001, has collaborated efforts with 20,000 schools and 45,000 educators to make learning a more meaningful and creative experience for children across the country, particularly in rural areas where dropout rates are woefully high. The 1,200 professionals who work with the foundation focus on both academic content and delivery mechanism including curriculum, assessment, classroom practices, school and education management, and leadership development. They also develop multimedia learning tools and economically viable ideas for computer-assisted learning. The initiative, steadily gaining the girth of a revolution, has touched the lives of 2.5 million children in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and 14 other states. Premji in his trademark down-to-earth style is not ready to accept any kudos yet. “With 19 million children out of school in this country, I don’t think anyone can talk of achievements.”
Though the Stanford graduate admires Mahatma Gandhi and Jack Welch, he also finds inspirational facets in ordinary people. When he is not busy setting global benchmarks, Premji loves to go hiking in the hills. The perfect hobby for a man who pursues new heights of excellence every day.
By Rajashree Balaram
REHMAN RAHI
On 28 September 2007, when Rehman Rahi was presented the Jnanpeeth Award 2004, the poet was in his element, reciting poetry, exuding the joy of fulfilment. “The honour is a recognition for Kashmiri and the people who speak the language,” he told Harmony on the blooming terrace-lawn of his house on the outskirts of Srinagar. In the bitterly polarised Valley, long characterised by unremitting separatist violence, it was a brief interlude of joy in a long narrative of pain. Spurred by the hope that happy days will soon return, Rahi recited: “Snows melt, winds blew and orchards blossomed; O, spring do affirm that this land too is witness to better days.” It has been a long journey for Rahi, 82. Witness to an extended span of Kashmir’s troubled history, he has crafted a whole new narrative for Kashmir; one that embraces in its aesthetic sweep not only its folksy moorings but also larger spiritual and philosophical questions. “Kashmiri poetry has always been rich in mystic element but has modest intellectual content and modern sensibility,” says Rahi, who was the youngest Indian to receive Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961. “I try to make up for that deficiency.”
“He has not only composed great poetry but salvaged the language from the shadow of Persian and Urdu, which otherwise dominated the Valley’s literary scene,” says Professor Shafi Shauq, head of department of Kashmiri language at the University of Kashmir. But the poet is more modest. “I think I have only been able to realise a modicum of the boundless creative potential inherent in Kashmiri,” says Rahi. “And I am indebted to my language for this. The world will really be poorer without Kashmiri.”
And Kashmiri would be poorer without Rahi, whose poetry also reflects the loss of peace in his homeland. “Fork-tongued dread slithers through the land, smothering us; Even loonies look for cover, in grave and silence,” Rahi writes in Siyah Rood Jaren Manz (In Black Vernal Showers, 1996), the book that earned him the Padmashri in 1999. In it he observes Kashmir’s tragedy as part of the eternally unfolding historical process. This intellectual distance blends seamlessly with deep poetic spontaneity in which the poet becomes a participant. Steeped in nostalgia, he longs again for the “fresh dawn’s free twitter”.
Rahi’s panacea for his people is the mother tongue. “It (language) is the wellspring of a people’s unique outlook, sensibility and cultural orientation. Besides, it is the storehouse of the collective memory, which connects a community to its roots and helps it define itself.” He, however, bemoans the fact that Kashmiri has not been given the respect it deserves. “Except for a brief period in the 1950s, Kashmiri has never been a medium of instruction,” says Rahi.
"This is dangerous. We are losing our own distinctive way of looking at the world, our myths and our story.” For his part, Rahi has retrieved the Kashmiri story from its reinterpretation in Urdu and Persian.
This accomplishment hasn’t come in a vacuum. Rahi has had to make stark choices. Orphaned at an early age and brought up by his maternal uncle, Rahi started out as a petty clerk in the Public Works Department — he quit it to edit a local Urdu daily Khidmat. Soon after he joined Kashmir University to teach Persian and later helped establish the department of Kashmiri language there.
“Between all this, he hasn’t had time for our children [three sons and a daughter],” says his wife Zareena, adding, “But I didn’t stop him from devoting all his time to academic pursuits.” Rahi smiles and credits her for moral support and then some — Zareena suggested the title Siyah Rood Jaren Manz. “While our children only received broad guidance from him, he finds more time to teach our grandchildren,” says Zareena. However, of his five grandchildren, only Farukh Faiza Mir is in Kashmir, doing her Masters in English from the University of Kashmir. Rahi’s other grandchildren are with his sons in the US and Saudi Arabia.
Rahi has also been in the vanguard of artistic movements in Jammu & Kashmir, guiding the way — fighting his crusade with him is his youngest daughter, Mir Nausheen Nighat, who is associated with the state’s Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. The mission has in no way detracted from his mass appeal. Rahi’s ghazal and lyrics remain sought after for radio and television music programmes, making him a formidable cultural presence in the state. “Rahi today stands as the personification of genuine Kashmiri culture and its interface with the modern sensibility,” says Shauq. “In this sense, Kashmir owes a great debt to him.”
By Akhter Kashmiri
RAM CHANDRA SHARMA
In 1969, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Pramod Karan Sethi and his apprentice Ram Chandra Sharma together developed the world’s lightest prosthesis, the Jaipur Foot. Twelve years later, Dr Sethi was presented the Magsaysay Award for bringing it to the world’s attention, while Sharma, who actually engineered the artificial limb (he was inspired by a cycle mechanic fixing a ruptured tube), went unrecognised. At 87, Sharma is proud not to have harboured any regrets or enmity. “I was illiterate and couldn’t have made the Jaipur Foot without Dr Sethi’s help,” he acknowledges. Today, not only is Sharma active at Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) in Jaipur — the organisation set up in 1975 (in celebration of 2,500 years of Lord Mahavira’s birth) to provide the artificial limb free to the poor — he is also going the whole distance with the NGO. After camping for years in war-torn countries like Afghanistan, Nairobi, Rwanda and Iraq, on 7 August 2007 BMVSS set up its first permanent base in foreign land to manufacture the limb: the Mahaveer Ka-mina Artificial Limb Centre in Colombia. As Sharma is too old to go there himself, he trains technicians for the centre and helps them fabricate a large part of each limb before it is finished in Colombia. “I may not lead, but I am happy to help the foot take bigger strides,” he says.
The foot that will go to Colombia has come a long way, too. From the wood-and-rubber prosthesis Sharma invented (he is from a family of sculptors who carved the idols at Jaipur’s famous Amber Fort), the foot was later crafted from beaten aluminium sheets. With support from modern tools, the foot is now made from locally available high-density polyethylene (bio-inert, non-toxic material). But its essence remains the same — lightweight, low cost and closest to a normal human limb — making it the world’s best all-functional, all-terrain artificial limb.
Over the past 38 years, a total of 310,220 artificial limbs and 263,150 calipers (hinged support for polio patients) have been fixed. In all this time, Masterji, as the MVSS staff fondly calls Sharma, has unfailingly arrived at the organisation’s Malviya Nagar workshop in Jaipur every day on his moped at 11.30 am, ready for work. He is also working upon improving a knee joint. Designed and fabricated from locally available high-density polyethylene pipe, the prosthesis now weighs 850 gm compared to the initial 1.5 kg.
“He gets restless if he doesn’t work for six to seven hours,” says son Kishan Lal, who works with him at the workshop. “Ram Chandra’s mental and physical energy is to be seen to be believed,” echoes Devendra Raj Mehta, chief patron of BMVSS. “His fingers work magic and his commitment inspires youngsters.”
For his contribution, BMVSS pays Sharma an honorarium. “The smile on the patient’s face after he gets a new lease on life gives me the emotional and physical strength to carry on,” he says. “I have a roof over my head, my needs are basic and I have the support of my son and daughter-in-law. I need nothing more.”
By Rakhee Roy Talukdar
USA: Study Reports Integrating Older Workers Is Key To Growth
WASHINGTON D.C. (AARP Press Release), October 3, 2007:
Employers in the G7 countries must end age discrimination in the workplace if countries and employers are to be best positioned to thrive in the global economy tomorrow, according to a new AARP study, International Profit from Experience.
The study, conducted by the global consulting firm Towers Perrin, found that as the number of workers reaching traditional retirement years increase, the marketplace is experiencing a decline in the number of skilled younger workers available to fill in the ranks of those retiring. Even as companies and governments implement policies to address this talent gap, the older worker faces an unwelcoming environment.
“Older workers are a vibrant and contributing force to the success of the global marketplace,” said Bill Novelli, Chief Executive Officer of AARP. “Employers in the United States, and throughout the G7 nations, must actively work to retain the talent of older employees if they want to maintain a competitive edge.”
The study finds that age discrimination is the single largest barrier for those 50+ who want to continue working past their anticipated retirement age. At least 60% of employees 50+ in each G7 country view age discrimination as the primary barrier to securing new jobs, as opposed to only 38% of employees that view their employers as welcoming of older workers.
“While the survey clearly identifies the talent gaps emerging within G7 countries, the responses by employers do not sufficiently address this challenge,” added Line Vreven, Director of AARP International. “Those nations working to actively retain older workers and are providing incentives, rather than deterrents, to their continued employment, will reap economic gain in the long-run.”
Among the key findings, the survey demonstrates that:
* Older workers in the G7 countries want to continue to work on average an additional 5 years, which would have an immediate effect of bolstering the declining global workforce.
* Surges of immigration and productivity that might offset the anticipated decline in skilled workers are unlikely to occur.
* While labor markets vary widely in each country, the growing competition for talent will, in every G7 country, drive up labor costs.
* Allowing employees to continue working past their traditional retirement age will not only allow older workers to remain in their careers and stay active, but will have a positive impact on an employer’s bottom line.
The findings of the study will be released at the AARP International Profit from Experience Conference. Sponsored by AARP in partnership with the European Commission, the Business Council for the United Nations and Nikkei, the conference convened international opinion leaders for discussions on issues related to the aging workforce.
For more information visit www.aarp.org/2007profitsurvey
Copyright 1995–2007, AARP.
Employers in the G7 countries must end age discrimination in the workplace if countries and employers are to be best positioned to thrive in the global economy tomorrow, according to a new AARP study, International Profit from Experience.
The study, conducted by the global consulting firm Towers Perrin, found that as the number of workers reaching traditional retirement years increase, the marketplace is experiencing a decline in the number of skilled younger workers available to fill in the ranks of those retiring. Even as companies and governments implement policies to address this talent gap, the older worker faces an unwelcoming environment.
“Older workers are a vibrant and contributing force to the success of the global marketplace,” said Bill Novelli, Chief Executive Officer of AARP. “Employers in the United States, and throughout the G7 nations, must actively work to retain the talent of older employees if they want to maintain a competitive edge.”
The study finds that age discrimination is the single largest barrier for those 50+ who want to continue working past their anticipated retirement age. At least 60% of employees 50+ in each G7 country view age discrimination as the primary barrier to securing new jobs, as opposed to only 38% of employees that view their employers as welcoming of older workers.
“While the survey clearly identifies the talent gaps emerging within G7 countries, the responses by employers do not sufficiently address this challenge,” added Line Vreven, Director of AARP International. “Those nations working to actively retain older workers and are providing incentives, rather than deterrents, to their continued employment, will reap economic gain in the long-run.”
Among the key findings, the survey demonstrates that:
* Older workers in the G7 countries want to continue to work on average an additional 5 years, which would have an immediate effect of bolstering the declining global workforce.
* Surges of immigration and productivity that might offset the anticipated decline in skilled workers are unlikely to occur.
* While labor markets vary widely in each country, the growing competition for talent will, in every G7 country, drive up labor costs.
* Allowing employees to continue working past their traditional retirement age will not only allow older workers to remain in their careers and stay active, but will have a positive impact on an employer’s bottom line.
The findings of the study will be released at the AARP International Profit from Experience Conference. Sponsored by AARP in partnership with the European Commission, the Business Council for the United Nations and Nikkei, the conference convened international opinion leaders for discussions on issues related to the aging workforce.
For more information visit www.aarp.org/2007profitsurvey
Copyright 1995–2007, AARP.
USA: Scrutiny For Insurers of the Aged
Nationwide complaints about long-term care insurance rose 92 percent from 2001 to 2006: Report
Mary Derks of Montana bought a long-term care policy from Conseco, which denied her claim. Mrs. Derks sued in 2006 and her case was settled earlier this year for an undisclosed sum.
Photo: Anne Sherwood for The New York Times
NEW YORK (New York Times), October 3, 2007:
The top-ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee has asked 11 long-term care insurance companies to explain “troubling data” regarding how policyholders’ claims are handled and paid.
In letters sent this week, the senator, Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, referred to data collected by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which indicated that nationwide complaints about long-term care insurance rose 92 percent from 2001 to 2006. The data also indicated that complaints involving claim denials resulted, in a majority of cases, in reversals that favored consumers.
“This is a pattern of error not typically found in other lines of health-related insurance,” the association wrote.
Senator Grassley has asked the largest long-term care insurers, including Genworth Financial, Conseco and Penn Treaty American Corporation, to provide detailed information on how policyholder claims, inquiries and denials are handled and whether employees receive rewards for denying claims.
In March, The New York Times reported that some long-term care insurers had established procedures that made it difficult, if not impossible, for some policyholders to be paid. That article, which focused on Conseco and Penn Treaty, was mentioned by Senator Grassley in his letters to insurers and by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce when it started a similar investigation in May.
Genworth Financial, in a statement, said the company intended to cooperate fully with Senator Grassley’s request. Conseco and Penn Treaty declined to comment or return phone calls. This week, Mr. Grassley also asked the Government Accountability Office to examine how private equity ownership had affected the quality of care in nursing homes. In particular, Mr. Grassley asked the agency to examine how many nursing homes had been bought by private investment groups and how conditions had changed after those homes were acquired, and to examine the number of health and safety deficiencies cited by regulators at those homes.
A report in The Times last month said that private equity firms had bought thousands of nursing homes and then often cut expenses and staff, sometimes below minimum legal requirements, to increase profits.
Both investigations come at difficult times for the industries. Many long-term care insurers have recently announced that they are raising premiums because they underestimated how many policyholders would eventually make claims. Genworth, the nation’s largest provider of individual long-term care policies, said last month that it would raise premiums by as much as 12 percent for some policyholders, the first such increase in the company’s history.
In June, Conseco announced that it was setting aside $250 million to pay a settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by policyholders. That same month, a subsidiary of Penn Treaty was suspended from operating in Florida after regulators said the company failed to file audited financial results. The company has appealed that ruling.
The nursing home industry has also faced questions recently. The Service Employees International Union, one of the biggest labor unions, sent letters to Congress this week asking lawmakers to examine the proposed acquisition of HCR Manor Care, the nation’s largest nursing home chain, by the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm. “Profit for investors cannot come at the price of patient safety and care,” the union said in a statement.
The acquisition of Manor Care is not yet complete. But, the Carlyle Group said, “We expect to maintain the same high quality care that seniors and their families have come to expect.”
By Charles Duhigg
Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
Mary Derks of Montana bought a long-term care policy from Conseco, which denied her claim. Mrs. Derks sued in 2006 and her case was settled earlier this year for an undisclosed sum.
Photo: Anne Sherwood for The New York Times
NEW YORK (New York Times), October 3, 2007:
The top-ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee has asked 11 long-term care insurance companies to explain “troubling data” regarding how policyholders’ claims are handled and paid.
In letters sent this week, the senator, Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, referred to data collected by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which indicated that nationwide complaints about long-term care insurance rose 92 percent from 2001 to 2006. The data also indicated that complaints involving claim denials resulted, in a majority of cases, in reversals that favored consumers.
“This is a pattern of error not typically found in other lines of health-related insurance,” the association wrote.
Senator Grassley has asked the largest long-term care insurers, including Genworth Financial, Conseco and Penn Treaty American Corporation, to provide detailed information on how policyholder claims, inquiries and denials are handled and whether employees receive rewards for denying claims.
In March, The New York Times reported that some long-term care insurers had established procedures that made it difficult, if not impossible, for some policyholders to be paid. That article, which focused on Conseco and Penn Treaty, was mentioned by Senator Grassley in his letters to insurers and by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce when it started a similar investigation in May.
Genworth Financial, in a statement, said the company intended to cooperate fully with Senator Grassley’s request. Conseco and Penn Treaty declined to comment or return phone calls. This week, Mr. Grassley also asked the Government Accountability Office to examine how private equity ownership had affected the quality of care in nursing homes. In particular, Mr. Grassley asked the agency to examine how many nursing homes had been bought by private investment groups and how conditions had changed after those homes were acquired, and to examine the number of health and safety deficiencies cited by regulators at those homes.
A report in The Times last month said that private equity firms had bought thousands of nursing homes and then often cut expenses and staff, sometimes below minimum legal requirements, to increase profits.
Both investigations come at difficult times for the industries. Many long-term care insurers have recently announced that they are raising premiums because they underestimated how many policyholders would eventually make claims. Genworth, the nation’s largest provider of individual long-term care policies, said last month that it would raise premiums by as much as 12 percent for some policyholders, the first such increase in the company’s history.
In June, Conseco announced that it was setting aside $250 million to pay a settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by policyholders. That same month, a subsidiary of Penn Treaty was suspended from operating in Florida after regulators said the company failed to file audited financial results. The company has appealed that ruling.
The nursing home industry has also faced questions recently. The Service Employees International Union, one of the biggest labor unions, sent letters to Congress this week asking lawmakers to examine the proposed acquisition of HCR Manor Care, the nation’s largest nursing home chain, by the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm. “Profit for investors cannot come at the price of patient safety and care,” the union said in a statement.
The acquisition of Manor Care is not yet complete. But, the Carlyle Group said, “We expect to maintain the same high quality care that seniors and their families have come to expect.”
By Charles Duhigg
Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
CANADA: Diet Supplements Can Help Active Seniors Bulk Up
TORONTO, Ontario (Globe and Mail), October 3, 2007:
Seniors looking to get more bang for their exercise buck may benefit from popping an over-the-counter nutritional supplement every day, according to new research.
Exercise has already been proven to combat the loss of muscle mass. But adding two supplements commonly found in health-food stores, creatine monohydrate and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), can boost the effects of exercise, according to research published today in the peer-reviewed online journal of the Public Library of Science, PLoS One.
Creatine, a compound produced by the body and naturally occurring in meat that helps supply energy to muscles, and CLA, a naturally occurring fatty acid, appeared to help study participants build muscle while shedding fat, says Mark Tarnopolsky, the lead researcher and a professor of medicine and pediatrics at McMaster University.
The supplements appear to work only in combination with exercise, and most of the benefit comes from activity. "No one has a weight-loss miracle cure - if they did, they'd be a billionaire," Dr. Tarnopolsky said. "If you're sitting on your keister, the creatine does nothing for you and the CLA probably does nothing for you."
Thirty-nine people aged 65 or older took part in the trial, in which all performed regular resistance training over the course of six months. All showed improvements in function and strength, but those who took the supplements instead of a placebo showed a greater improvement in muscle mass and fat loss.
Those who took the supplements in the study on average gained 2.1 kilograms of muscle mass and lost 1.9 kilograms of body fat. Those who took a placebo gained 0.9 kilograms of muscle mass and lost only 400 grams of body fat.
While he studied only the senior demographic, Dr. Tarnopolsky says he can see baby boomers extrapolating from the study's results.
"For the overweight, middle-aged person or the older adult who is starting to exercise ... at least in the short term this combination does appear to get people to where they want to go a little bit faster."
Previous studies had shown creatine worked to increase muscle mass, but had no effect on fat. Data on CLA were mixed for humans; animal studies had shown the supplement's ability to decrease fat.
Creatine has also received somewhat of a bad rap: Though legal, it's been linked with steroid use and other illegal doping in the world of sport.
But athletes take the compound at much higher doses, and even at those doses Dr. Tarnopolsky questions whether they would be performance-enhancing.
To maximize safety, Dr. Tarnopolsky consulted hundreds of studies on creatine as well as on CLA to determine the lowest possible dose. He administered five grams of creatine and six grams of CLA daily.
Without supplements, adults normally get between one and 1.5 grams a day of creatine from food.
In some Nordic countries, he says, a diet high in cold-water fish results in intakes of close to five grams a day.
The only side effects at the dosages he administered are gastrointestinal upset in 5 per cent of people.
But he warns that some nutritional supplements contain 20-gram doses. "All bets are off if you put someone on 20 g," he says.
Hamilton resident Chris Dunn, 71, who took supplements in the study, has no doubt the combination worked for him. He noticed a marked increase in strength during his weight-training sessions. "It was amazing; quite noticeable," he says.
Elizabeth and Michael, who asked that their last names not be used, described themselves as anti-vitamin and say they were skeptical of the supplements. Already active at 75 and 77 respectively - the married couple regularly ski and hike Ontario's Bruce Trail - they volunteered for the study primarily for the supervised exercise program.
Both say they feel they benefited. "Health doesn't come in a bottle," Elizabeth says. "But I feel pretty good."
Michael, a former family doctor, says he wants to read the results of the study before deciding whether they might add a supplement to their breakfast routine.
Dr. Tarnopolsky suspects further research may show that the effects drop off after six months, in which case the supplements may only be of benefit in the early stages of a new exercise program. But that's a good thing, he says.
"If people see changes happening, they're more likely to stay with the program," he says. "Any way we can improve compliance and get people to stick with exercise, we're going to see the effects. Folks even in their 90s can improve."
By Tralee Pearce
© Copyright 2007 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.
Seniors looking to get more bang for their exercise buck may benefit from popping an over-the-counter nutritional supplement every day, according to new research.
Exercise has already been proven to combat the loss of muscle mass. But adding two supplements commonly found in health-food stores, creatine monohydrate and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), can boost the effects of exercise, according to research published today in the peer-reviewed online journal of the Public Library of Science, PLoS One.
Creatine, a compound produced by the body and naturally occurring in meat that helps supply energy to muscles, and CLA, a naturally occurring fatty acid, appeared to help study participants build muscle while shedding fat, says Mark Tarnopolsky, the lead researcher and a professor of medicine and pediatrics at McMaster University.
The supplements appear to work only in combination with exercise, and most of the benefit comes from activity. "No one has a weight-loss miracle cure - if they did, they'd be a billionaire," Dr. Tarnopolsky said. "If you're sitting on your keister, the creatine does nothing for you and the CLA probably does nothing for you."
Thirty-nine people aged 65 or older took part in the trial, in which all performed regular resistance training over the course of six months. All showed improvements in function and strength, but those who took the supplements instead of a placebo showed a greater improvement in muscle mass and fat loss.
Those who took the supplements in the study on average gained 2.1 kilograms of muscle mass and lost 1.9 kilograms of body fat. Those who took a placebo gained 0.9 kilograms of muscle mass and lost only 400 grams of body fat.
While he studied only the senior demographic, Dr. Tarnopolsky says he can see baby boomers extrapolating from the study's results.
"For the overweight, middle-aged person or the older adult who is starting to exercise ... at least in the short term this combination does appear to get people to where they want to go a little bit faster."
Previous studies had shown creatine worked to increase muscle mass, but had no effect on fat. Data on CLA were mixed for humans; animal studies had shown the supplement's ability to decrease fat.
Creatine has also received somewhat of a bad rap: Though legal, it's been linked with steroid use and other illegal doping in the world of sport.
But athletes take the compound at much higher doses, and even at those doses Dr. Tarnopolsky questions whether they would be performance-enhancing.
To maximize safety, Dr. Tarnopolsky consulted hundreds of studies on creatine as well as on CLA to determine the lowest possible dose. He administered five grams of creatine and six grams of CLA daily.
Without supplements, adults normally get between one and 1.5 grams a day of creatine from food.
In some Nordic countries, he says, a diet high in cold-water fish results in intakes of close to five grams a day.
The only side effects at the dosages he administered are gastrointestinal upset in 5 per cent of people.
But he warns that some nutritional supplements contain 20-gram doses. "All bets are off if you put someone on 20 g," he says.
Hamilton resident Chris Dunn, 71, who took supplements in the study, has no doubt the combination worked for him. He noticed a marked increase in strength during his weight-training sessions. "It was amazing; quite noticeable," he says.
Elizabeth and Michael, who asked that their last names not be used, described themselves as anti-vitamin and say they were skeptical of the supplements. Already active at 75 and 77 respectively - the married couple regularly ski and hike Ontario's Bruce Trail - they volunteered for the study primarily for the supervised exercise program.
Both say they feel they benefited. "Health doesn't come in a bottle," Elizabeth says. "But I feel pretty good."
Michael, a former family doctor, says he wants to read the results of the study before deciding whether they might add a supplement to their breakfast routine.
Dr. Tarnopolsky suspects further research may show that the effects drop off after six months, in which case the supplements may only be of benefit in the early stages of a new exercise program. But that's a good thing, he says.
"If people see changes happening, they're more likely to stay with the program," he says. "Any way we can improve compliance and get people to stick with exercise, we're going to see the effects. Folks even in their 90s can improve."
By Tralee Pearce
© Copyright 2007 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.
THAILAND: Never Too Old To Care
BANGKOK (The Nation), October 3, 2007:
Senior citizens deserve assistance if needed, as well as opportunities to continue contributing to society, says an editorial in today's edition of THE NATION.
The Thai government, along with governments around the world, marked the International Day of Older Persons on Monday with special activities to celebrate the lives of senior citizens and their contributions to society. It was also an occasion to take stock of how our own society has been doing in taking care of its elderly population.
While Thai society still has cause to congratulate itself for retaining, by and large, the traditional Asian obligation of honouring and supporting the elderly, overall respect for senior citizens is not what it once was.
The greying of the population is a worldwide demographic trend characterised by a dramatic increase in the number of older people. It is undeniably putting enormous pressure on families and societies. One disturbing phenomenon that has emerged is of an increasing number of older people being neglected or left to lead a miserable existence.
In the past, the question of how to adequately provide for the growing ranks of senior citizens was rarely raised for public discussion. That was because the unspoken rule assumed that each family would find its own way to care for its grandparents and ageing parents. It was almost a given fact that children would pursue an obligation to repay a "debt of gratitude" to their parents and grandparents. Such arrangements used to work well at a time when extended families were the norm. Several children in a family could pool their resources to take care of their elderly relatives.
But changes in demography - in which both birth and death rates are set to decline markedly at a time when nuclear families are rapidly replacing traditional extended ones - are eroding that custom. In addition, people are living longer, healthier lives, thanks to advances in medical science. Families are thus finding it more difficult to take proper care of their senior members because the younger generations - as parents and workers - lack the time or money, or both, even if they want to do so willingly.
Failure to adequately provide for the elderly in the household becomes a burden of guilt that adds great strain to family life.
According to the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, the percentage of elderly citizens - defined as people aged 60 and over - in the total population is projected to rise to 18 per cent of the population in 15 years, from the current 10 per cent, or 6.5 million people. By 2022, the number of seniors in Thailand will for the first time surpass the number of people under the age of 15.
The ministry estimates that some 460,000 people, or 7 per cent of the country's current elderly population, are suffering from neglect, with many leading solitary existences or living in poverty or destitution. For too many seniors, leading an independent life in dignity during their retirement years remains a luxury that many of them cannot afford. The government must take decisive action to make sure that more seniors get to choose how to spend their golden years.
Many years have passed since Thailand adopted the "National Long-Term Plan of Action for the Elderly (1992-2011)", but society has done precious little to prepare itself for this demographic revolution.
Key measures recommended under the plan include the dissemination of knowledge to seniors on the need to provide for themselves, including the possibility of active employment beyond the age of 60, on health in general, on the prevention of disease, and on the importance of nutrition and proper exercise.
What is sorely lacking at this late stage in the demographic change is an effective education programme to encourage current members of the workforce to put aside part of their income so they can afford to lead an independent later life and minimise the financial burden on others. However, it would be wrong to regard older people as a burden, because many seniors remain in good enough health to continue to play a critical role in society.
Senior citizens have a valuable role to play in volunteer work, sharing their experiences and imparting knowledge to the younger generation, or helping their families with caring for grandchildren. This is not to mention their increased participation in paid employment.
Copyright The Nation
Senior citizens deserve assistance if needed, as well as opportunities to continue contributing to society, says an editorial in today's edition of THE NATION.
The Thai government, along with governments around the world, marked the International Day of Older Persons on Monday with special activities to celebrate the lives of senior citizens and their contributions to society. It was also an occasion to take stock of how our own society has been doing in taking care of its elderly population.
While Thai society still has cause to congratulate itself for retaining, by and large, the traditional Asian obligation of honouring and supporting the elderly, overall respect for senior citizens is not what it once was.
The greying of the population is a worldwide demographic trend characterised by a dramatic increase in the number of older people. It is undeniably putting enormous pressure on families and societies. One disturbing phenomenon that has emerged is of an increasing number of older people being neglected or left to lead a miserable existence.
In the past, the question of how to adequately provide for the growing ranks of senior citizens was rarely raised for public discussion. That was because the unspoken rule assumed that each family would find its own way to care for its grandparents and ageing parents. It was almost a given fact that children would pursue an obligation to repay a "debt of gratitude" to their parents and grandparents. Such arrangements used to work well at a time when extended families were the norm. Several children in a family could pool their resources to take care of their elderly relatives.
But changes in demography - in which both birth and death rates are set to decline markedly at a time when nuclear families are rapidly replacing traditional extended ones - are eroding that custom. In addition, people are living longer, healthier lives, thanks to advances in medical science. Families are thus finding it more difficult to take proper care of their senior members because the younger generations - as parents and workers - lack the time or money, or both, even if they want to do so willingly.
Failure to adequately provide for the elderly in the household becomes a burden of guilt that adds great strain to family life.
According to the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, the percentage of elderly citizens - defined as people aged 60 and over - in the total population is projected to rise to 18 per cent of the population in 15 years, from the current 10 per cent, or 6.5 million people. By 2022, the number of seniors in Thailand will for the first time surpass the number of people under the age of 15.
The ministry estimates that some 460,000 people, or 7 per cent of the country's current elderly population, are suffering from neglect, with many leading solitary existences or living in poverty or destitution. For too many seniors, leading an independent life in dignity during their retirement years remains a luxury that many of them cannot afford. The government must take decisive action to make sure that more seniors get to choose how to spend their golden years.
Many years have passed since Thailand adopted the "National Long-Term Plan of Action for the Elderly (1992-2011)", but society has done precious little to prepare itself for this demographic revolution.
Key measures recommended under the plan include the dissemination of knowledge to seniors on the need to provide for themselves, including the possibility of active employment beyond the age of 60, on health in general, on the prevention of disease, and on the importance of nutrition and proper exercise.
What is sorely lacking at this late stage in the demographic change is an effective education programme to encourage current members of the workforce to put aside part of their income so they can afford to lead an independent later life and minimise the financial burden on others. However, it would be wrong to regard older people as a burden, because many seniors remain in good enough health to continue to play a critical role in society.
Senior citizens have a valuable role to play in volunteer work, sharing their experiences and imparting knowledge to the younger generation, or helping their families with caring for grandchildren. This is not to mention their increased participation in paid employment.
Copyright The Nation
INDIA: King Grandpa & Queen Grandma Steal The Chennai Show
Forever young: Former Chief Election Commissioner T.S. Krishnamurthy with winners of the ‘Grandpa King and Grannie Queen 2007’ contest at the World Elders Day celebrations in Chennai. Photo: K. Pichumani CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu (The Hindu),
October 3, 2007:
They donned different roles, including that of a king, queen or a French citizen. Though the performance lasted only for a brief while, those were cherished moments for the elderly participants who put in their best on the day dedicated to them.
A festive air swept through the hall as grannies and grandpas astonished the audience with their splendid performance while vying for the ‘Grandpa King and Grannie Queen 2007’ titles at an event organised by HelpAge India. With meticulously selected costumes and portrayal of characters, they made it tough for the judges to select the winners.
Royal couples from France, England and ancient India synchronised their steps to the music. Teams dressed as newly-wed couples received applause for their dialogues. But contest winners, Douglas Ross and Rita Kilu, dressed as a royal couple from England, stole the show.
Senior citizens from 25 old age homes in Chennai exhibited their talent in group dance and fancy dress competitions. Many seniors in the audience danced to popular film tunes.
India's former Election Commissioner, Mr. T. S. Krishnamurthy, who is member of the governing body of Helpage India, said senior citizens yearn for care and affection, not just sympathy.
Ms. Indrani Rajadurai, HelpAge India's Southern region Director, spoke about cancer detection camps and Alzheimer’s disease awareness sessions HelpAge organised. Some 4,000 cataract operations have been performed in Tamil Nadu this year, at no cost to the beneficiaries. HelpAge also provided free training in geriatric care.
Chennai has a phone in helpline 1253, which has provided legal and medical aid to 3,330 senior citizens in the past two years, she said.
Copyright © 2007, The Hindu.
BANGLADESH: Three Elderly Honoured For Contribution To Society
DHAKA, Bangladesh (The Daily Star), October 2, 2007:
Three elderly people have been honoured for contribution to society. Editor of Begum weekly, Nurjahan Begum, was among those honored at a ceremony hosted by United Nations Association of Bangladesh.
The other two honoured were Prof Shafiqul Ameen and Musician Sudhin Das.
Earlier Prof Shams-Ul-Huq, journalist Obaid-Ul-Huq, Prof Innas Ali, educationist Ferdous khan, Prof Akhter Imam, architect Mazharul Islam, media personality Ashrafuzzaman Khan, physician Zohra Kazi and Baul Shah Abdul Karim were honoured by the UNAB in 2004-06.
Three elderly people have been honoured for contribution to society. Editor of Begum weekly, Nurjahan Begum, was among those honored at a ceremony hosted by United Nations Association of Bangladesh.
The other two honoured were Prof Shafiqul Ameen and Musician Sudhin Das.
Earlier Prof Shams-Ul-Huq, journalist Obaid-Ul-Huq, Prof Innas Ali, educationist Ferdous khan, Prof Akhter Imam, architect Mazharul Islam, media personality Ashrafuzzaman Khan, physician Zohra Kazi and Baul Shah Abdul Karim were honoured by the UNAB in 2004-06.
USA: Mind Your Own Business, Seniors Say, On How Individuals Spend Money
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio (Record Herald) October 2, 2007:
If Monday’s public forum is any indication, the people of Fayette County would like to see “skill-based amusement games” here to stay at places like Lucky You despite the Ohio attorney general’s attempt to rule against the games.
Over 100 people attended the forum, which was held at the Center for Economic Opportunity in Washington C.H. and organized by the attorney general’s office, and approximately 30 people spoke, many passionately, about their views on these amusement games.
The majority of those who spoke defended these machines, specifically Lucky You, an amusement game business which came to the Homeworks Shopping Mall in Jeffersonville a few months ago.
Attorney General Marc Dann has said that unless lawmakers change the law, he will continue to pursue the issue of machines used at businesses like Lucky You, which he says come under gambling prohibitions. He said businesses like Lucky You supply an illegal slot machine while representing it to a consumer to be a “skill-based amusement machine,” which is an unfair practice.
The owner of Lucky You, Talmadge Long, who was in attendance Monday, insists his games are skill-based and therefore, legal under Ohio law. Long said Monday that this meeting isn’t just about Lucky You, but rather all of these gaming machines across the state.
“There’s a difference between gambling and skill and it is a fine line,” said Long. “We need to be regulated. We want to work with the the government and the attorney general’s office.”
Long spoke about how he wants his business to be part of the community and described it as one big family. “We do a lot for the community,” he said. “We donate to charities in Fayette County. We have competitive wages. I buy from as many local vendors as possible. The citizens of Fayette County have been wonderful to us.”
Long also responded to those who say these type of machines could bring a criminal element to Fayette County. “We have security, we have security cameras. If there are people in my business who shouldn’t be there, I’ll be the first one to run them out.”
Dann told the Record-Herald in September that the statute is designed to protect games at places like Chuck-E-Cheese and county fairs.
“I do honestly have skill games,” said Long. “I am the Chuck E. Cheese for adults.”
Many in attendance complained that this proposed administrative rule is another example of the state government taking away the people’s choices.
“I have a choice to go out to the Lucky You,” said William Stillings. “It’s a friendly atmosphere, you socialize out there. Quit taking away choices that we have and that we should have. I can spend my whole paycheck in the lottery if I wanted to. That’s gambling. So, what’s the difference?”
Quite a few people who attend Lucky You spoke at the forum.
“We can go up there and not spend very much money,” said Mary Noble. “It’s better for the older people so we don’t have to travel to another state to do this. Those people (Lucky You employees) up there are very, very good to us.”
“Those people at Lucky You are loving and caring,” said Virginia Kelly. “They give you food. It’s like a social club. I don’t like to go to a boat because it’s too far away. Everybody just has a ball. Who cares? You don’t have to spend too much. Actually, you don’t have to spend anything if you don’t want to. It helps the Jeffersonville economy and the Washington C.H. economy.”
Robert Dawes, a retired member of the U.S. Air Force, insisted that the machines at Lucky You are not the type of slot machines one would see in Las Vegas or at other gambling establishments.
“They (the attorney general’s office) are giving out a false history of what’s going on,” said Dawes. “Our problem in this county is drugs, it’s not Lucky You.”
Dawes also criticized the attorney general’s office for not providing the public enough notice about Monday’s public forum.
The forum in Washington C.H. was one of four across the state. The three other hearings were held last week in Tiffin, Canton, and Parma. The Washington C.H. forum was the best attended forum, according to a representative from the attorney general’s office.
Others at the forum, including church ministers and elders, are firmly against these gaming machines.
Tim Pond, with the Catholic Conference of Ohio, said he is in support of the proposed rule. “The real question to be asked is where the money is going,” he said. “It should all be going to charity. Call it skill, call it chance, the money is not going to charity so it should be banned.”
Ray Vance, the minister at South Side Church of Christ, said he visited Lucky You recently so he could get an unbiased view of the business. He said there are slot machines that go up to $100.
“Gambling is driven by greed,” he said. “I believe it’s morally wrong. It’s an activity that exploits the vulnerable.”
Vance said gambling creates addicts, it breeds crime, it is an economic negative, and it devastates families. “I would oppose gambling of all forms in the state of Ohio,” he said.
Two people who said they became addicted to gambling also said they were against the machines.
Martha Morris, who said she regularly enjoys herself at Lucky You, passionately spoke against this administrative rule.
“It gives us a place to go and enjoy each other,” she said. “I don’t know where you people get off trying to run our lives. We earn our money and we should be able to spend it when and where we want.”
“Crime here has nothing to do with the gambling, nothing to do with the skill games,” said Alice Greenlee. “It’s something to do to get us out of the house. Leave the senior citizens alone. That’s who’s out there. It’s not kids. It’s my money, let me do with it what I want.”
Kathy Shepard, an employee at Lucky You, talked about how individuals have to be 21 years old to come to Lucky You, how there is no crime, and that no alcohol is served. “Come take a look before we judge,” she said. She closed by telling Long that she is proud to work for him.
James Downing, a resident of Jeffersonville and former Jeffersonville Village council member, said that Long has been an upstanding citizen of Fayette County ever since he came to the village council to inform them that he wanted to open a business there. “I don’t have a problem with him operating where it’s at,” said Downing. “It’s very secure. Kids can’t see inside. That mall has had more business than it’s had for years. It keeps money here locally.”
James Downing spoke at Monday's public forum organized by the Attorney General's Office concerning gaming machines.
A business owner at the mall in Jeffersonville, Betty Atkinson, also said business at the mall has picked up since Lucky You came to town. “We haven’t had bad customers,” she said. Rose Hazelbaker agrees that gambling does create crime, but also said that “our government is getting very big and over possessive about our money. There are people here who work very hard for their money. Why does our government have the right to tell us what to do with it?”
Keith Zimmerman, a resident of Fayette County for 81 years, said he felt the crowd seemed “stacked for the situation. If you had every Fayette County person vote today, you wouldn’t see that majority,” he said.
The last speaker at the forum was Gary Oren. “I’m not a resident here but I spend money in the county,” he said. “Lucky You is a clean, pleasant atmosphere. We’re going to gamble one way or another. There’s not one state around us that denies our citizens the right to gamble.”
Jim Boyle, Assistant Attorney General, was the moderator at the forum. He said the forum was not for the attorney general’s office to answer questions, but instead to gather information from what was said at the forum.
Dann was not in attendance. The public forum lasted approximately one hour and 30 minutes.
By Ryan Carter
© 2007 The Record Herald
If Monday’s public forum is any indication, the people of Fayette County would like to see “skill-based amusement games” here to stay at places like Lucky You despite the Ohio attorney general’s attempt to rule against the games.
Over 100 people attended the forum, which was held at the Center for Economic Opportunity in Washington C.H. and organized by the attorney general’s office, and approximately 30 people spoke, many passionately, about their views on these amusement games.
The majority of those who spoke defended these machines, specifically Lucky You, an amusement game business which came to the Homeworks Shopping Mall in Jeffersonville a few months ago.
Attorney General Marc Dann has said that unless lawmakers change the law, he will continue to pursue the issue of machines used at businesses like Lucky You, which he says come under gambling prohibitions. He said businesses like Lucky You supply an illegal slot machine while representing it to a consumer to be a “skill-based amusement machine,” which is an unfair practice.
The owner of Lucky You, Talmadge Long, who was in attendance Monday, insists his games are skill-based and therefore, legal under Ohio law. Long said Monday that this meeting isn’t just about Lucky You, but rather all of these gaming machines across the state.
“There’s a difference between gambling and skill and it is a fine line,” said Long. “We need to be regulated. We want to work with the the government and the attorney general’s office.”
Long spoke about how he wants his business to be part of the community and described it as one big family. “We do a lot for the community,” he said. “We donate to charities in Fayette County. We have competitive wages. I buy from as many local vendors as possible. The citizens of Fayette County have been wonderful to us.”
Long also responded to those who say these type of machines could bring a criminal element to Fayette County. “We have security, we have security cameras. If there are people in my business who shouldn’t be there, I’ll be the first one to run them out.”
Dann told the Record-Herald in September that the statute is designed to protect games at places like Chuck-E-Cheese and county fairs.
“I do honestly have skill games,” said Long. “I am the Chuck E. Cheese for adults.”
Many in attendance complained that this proposed administrative rule is another example of the state government taking away the people’s choices.
“I have a choice to go out to the Lucky You,” said William Stillings. “It’s a friendly atmosphere, you socialize out there. Quit taking away choices that we have and that we should have. I can spend my whole paycheck in the lottery if I wanted to. That’s gambling. So, what’s the difference?”
Quite a few people who attend Lucky You spoke at the forum.
“We can go up there and not spend very much money,” said Mary Noble. “It’s better for the older people so we don’t have to travel to another state to do this. Those people (Lucky You employees) up there are very, very good to us.”
“Those people at Lucky You are loving and caring,” said Virginia Kelly. “They give you food. It’s like a social club. I don’t like to go to a boat because it’s too far away. Everybody just has a ball. Who cares? You don’t have to spend too much. Actually, you don’t have to spend anything if you don’t want to. It helps the Jeffersonville economy and the Washington C.H. economy.”
Robert Dawes, a retired member of the U.S. Air Force, insisted that the machines at Lucky You are not the type of slot machines one would see in Las Vegas or at other gambling establishments.
“They (the attorney general’s office) are giving out a false history of what’s going on,” said Dawes. “Our problem in this county is drugs, it’s not Lucky You.”
Dawes also criticized the attorney general’s office for not providing the public enough notice about Monday’s public forum.
The forum in Washington C.H. was one of four across the state. The three other hearings were held last week in Tiffin, Canton, and Parma. The Washington C.H. forum was the best attended forum, according to a representative from the attorney general’s office.
Others at the forum, including church ministers and elders, are firmly against these gaming machines.
Tim Pond, with the Catholic Conference of Ohio, said he is in support of the proposed rule. “The real question to be asked is where the money is going,” he said. “It should all be going to charity. Call it skill, call it chance, the money is not going to charity so it should be banned.”
Ray Vance, the minister at South Side Church of Christ, said he visited Lucky You recently so he could get an unbiased view of the business. He said there are slot machines that go up to $100.
“Gambling is driven by greed,” he said. “I believe it’s morally wrong. It’s an activity that exploits the vulnerable.”
Vance said gambling creates addicts, it breeds crime, it is an economic negative, and it devastates families. “I would oppose gambling of all forms in the state of Ohio,” he said.
Two people who said they became addicted to gambling also said they were against the machines.
Martha Morris, who said she regularly enjoys herself at Lucky You, passionately spoke against this administrative rule.
“It gives us a place to go and enjoy each other,” she said. “I don’t know where you people get off trying to run our lives. We earn our money and we should be able to spend it when and where we want.”
“Crime here has nothing to do with the gambling, nothing to do with the skill games,” said Alice Greenlee. “It’s something to do to get us out of the house. Leave the senior citizens alone. That’s who’s out there. It’s not kids. It’s my money, let me do with it what I want.”
Kathy Shepard, an employee at Lucky You, talked about how individuals have to be 21 years old to come to Lucky You, how there is no crime, and that no alcohol is served. “Come take a look before we judge,” she said. She closed by telling Long that she is proud to work for him.
James Downing, a resident of Jeffersonville and former Jeffersonville Village council member, said that Long has been an upstanding citizen of Fayette County ever since he came to the village council to inform them that he wanted to open a business there. “I don’t have a problem with him operating where it’s at,” said Downing. “It’s very secure. Kids can’t see inside. That mall has had more business than it’s had for years. It keeps money here locally.”
James Downing spoke at Monday's public forum organized by the Attorney General's Office concerning gaming machines.
A business owner at the mall in Jeffersonville, Betty Atkinson, also said business at the mall has picked up since Lucky You came to town. “We haven’t had bad customers,” she said. Rose Hazelbaker agrees that gambling does create crime, but also said that “our government is getting very big and over possessive about our money. There are people here who work very hard for their money. Why does our government have the right to tell us what to do with it?”
Keith Zimmerman, a resident of Fayette County for 81 years, said he felt the crowd seemed “stacked for the situation. If you had every Fayette County person vote today, you wouldn’t see that majority,” he said.
The last speaker at the forum was Gary Oren. “I’m not a resident here but I spend money in the county,” he said. “Lucky You is a clean, pleasant atmosphere. We’re going to gamble one way or another. There’s not one state around us that denies our citizens the right to gamble.”
Jim Boyle, Assistant Attorney General, was the moderator at the forum. He said the forum was not for the attorney general’s office to answer questions, but instead to gather information from what was said at the forum.
Dann was not in attendance. The public forum lasted approximately one hour and 30 minutes.
By Ryan Carter
© 2007 The Record Herald
INDIA: Now, Grandpas on Job Hunt!
AHMEDABAD, Gujarat (The Times of India), October 3, 2007:
Think of a grandpa and you think of a greyed man in a kurta-pyjama rocking on a chair reading the newspaper, or putting his savings together to buy his grandchild a bicycle. Not anymore.
The new-age dadajis would rather upload their CVs on the internet and spend their retired lives on a corporate swivel chair instead.
"I spent six months at home after taking voluntary retirement and immediately regretted the decision. Sitting idle was not my cup of tea," says Ravindrabhai Kaushal, 61, who retired as a manager from Canara Bank only to become audit manager in Central Investigation Services Limited, a security agency.
"I want to work as long as possible," says Kaushal, a resident of Bodakdev, who has had a vacation with his wife, spent time with his son in the US, before he traded retired life for a more demanding corporate life.
"Life ki second innings back-foot pe nahin , front foot pe khelni chahiye ," this mantra for the 60-plus propagated in the block-buster Lage Raho Munnabhai has caught the fancy of many an elder in Gujarat who just don't want to retire.
Himadari Ghosh, 63, a graduate from National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, who spent 35 years working in the corporates and then teaching, retired three years ago.
Ghosh, who now runs a design studio on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, said, "A second innings is so much better than the first one. In the first innings, one is always living in constraints. But now I am free to do as I like. You don't have to please anybody and nobody's judging you."
As the industry harps on hiring young blood, human resources experts concede that more doors are opening for the seniors.
"We have more companies giving extension to officials post-retirement. Seniors with huge cache of experience is a way to keep check on the high attrition rate," says HR consultant T V Rao who has employed two retired senior professors as consultants, one of them is doing a PhD.
Little wonder then that the 12 defence personnel doing the certificate management course at IIM-A, are officials over 45 who are now ready to fight corporate wars!
By Radha Sharma & Vasundhara Vyas
Copyright © 2007 Times Internet Limited.
Think of a grandpa and you think of a greyed man in a kurta-pyjama rocking on a chair reading the newspaper, or putting his savings together to buy his grandchild a bicycle. Not anymore.
The new-age dadajis would rather upload their CVs on the internet and spend their retired lives on a corporate swivel chair instead.
"I spent six months at home after taking voluntary retirement and immediately regretted the decision. Sitting idle was not my cup of tea," says Ravindrabhai Kaushal, 61, who retired as a manager from Canara Bank only to become audit manager in Central Investigation Services Limited, a security agency.
"I want to work as long as possible," says Kaushal, a resident of Bodakdev, who has had a vacation with his wife, spent time with his son in the US, before he traded retired life for a more demanding corporate life.
"Life ki second innings back-foot pe nahin , front foot pe khelni chahiye ," this mantra for the 60-plus propagated in the block-buster Lage Raho Munnabhai has caught the fancy of many an elder in Gujarat who just don't want to retire.
Himadari Ghosh, 63, a graduate from National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, who spent 35 years working in the corporates and then teaching, retired three years ago.
Ghosh, who now runs a design studio on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, said, "A second innings is so much better than the first one. In the first innings, one is always living in constraints. But now I am free to do as I like. You don't have to please anybody and nobody's judging you."
As the industry harps on hiring young blood, human resources experts concede that more doors are opening for the seniors.
"We have more companies giving extension to officials post-retirement. Seniors with huge cache of experience is a way to keep check on the high attrition rate," says HR consultant T V Rao who has employed two retired senior professors as consultants, one of them is doing a PhD.
Little wonder then that the 12 defence personnel doing the certificate management course at IIM-A, are officials over 45 who are now ready to fight corporate wars!
By Radha Sharma & Vasundhara Vyas
Copyright © 2007 Times Internet Limited.
USA: Seniors' Buying Power Slips Away
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (News Journal), October 2, 2007:
Food and taxes. Gas and insurance. Prescription drugs and utilities. Anyone with a life knows that getting through that life financially is a lot tougher than even a few years ago, especially for folks on a fixed income.
Larry Dann of Port Orange doesn't need a study by the Senior Citizens League to know it's more difficult for him and his wife to cover expenses. Retired people like them have lost 40 percent of their buying power since 2000, and costs are rising three times faster than the annual Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), according to the not-for-profit organization.
"It's a fact, definitely," said Dann, 83, a retired government worker who receives a pension. "They give with one hand and take away more with the other."
Dann acknowledged that even he and his wife, Flo, who aren't struggling, have cut back on dinners out and trips to Pennsylvania to visit family members because of soaring prices.
"But a lot of people are getting hurt. They have to choose between food and medicine," he said. "Their big concern is they'll run out of money before they run out of time."
The study looked at the rising costs in five categories - food, housing, medical, transportation and recreation. While the COLA rose 22 percent since 2000, Medicare Part B premiums jumped 105 percent and gasoline skyrocketed 131 percent, from $1.20 to $2.77 a gallon. Even 10 pounds of potatoes increased 47 percent.
"Seniors aren't receiving enough to meet and keep up with inflation," said Brad Phillips, a spokesman for the League, a nonpartisan support group for older people that's working to change the Consumer Price Index that's used to determine the Social Security cost of living. "What's happening now is failing miserably."
Just how hard inflation is hitting older people depends on many factors, including if a person also has a pension, part-time job and enough savings. A Social Security check alone makes up at least 90 percent of the income for one in three of the 48 million Americans 65 and older people receiving Social Security checks, according to government statistics.
Gail Camputaro, executive director of The Council on Aging of Volusia County, said older people on fixed incomes are finding economic survival difficult, as their property taxes, utilities and home and health insurance keep going up.
"Medication costs alone are unbelievable," she said. "The crunch is slowly coming to Middle America."
Even Gilles Blais in Holly Hill, a 67-year-old city commissioner and retired police officer, is struggling ever since his wife died five years ago and he lost her $800 monthly Social Security check. Blais said he survives on his government check and a police pension "that is eaten up" by his Medicare Part B costs.
"This is my main meal of the day," he said over a lunch provided by Meals on Wheels at the city's senior center. "All Social Security is, is a carrot and a stick. And when it's time to eat the carrot, it moves away."
In the next room, Jim Hall, an 89-year-old retired railroad car inspector from Daytona Beach, said he receives a pension and Social Security. Still active, he said he does "what I want to do, when I want to do it," still averaging 20,000 miles a year on the road.
At this point in life, Hall said he doesn't worry about his financial future.
That's not the case for Victoria Goldberg, 61, of Port Orange. She receives Social Security disability because of poor health, and even she and her disabled Vietnam-veteran husband's part-time jobs only go so far.
"It's getting difficult, very much harder," she said of making ends meet, compared to a few years ago. "We don't go out as much as we used to, or buy as many gifts for family and friends."
As for claims by some that the economy isn't so bad, Goldberg added: "Those people haven't gone to food stores, gotten gas or paid taxes lately."
By Ray Weiss
© 2007 News-Journal Corporation
Food and taxes. Gas and insurance. Prescription drugs and utilities. Anyone with a life knows that getting through that life financially is a lot tougher than even a few years ago, especially for folks on a fixed income.
Larry Dann of Port Orange doesn't need a study by the Senior Citizens League to know it's more difficult for him and his wife to cover expenses. Retired people like them have lost 40 percent of their buying power since 2000, and costs are rising three times faster than the annual Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), according to the not-for-profit organization.
"It's a fact, definitely," said Dann, 83, a retired government worker who receives a pension. "They give with one hand and take away more with the other."
Dann acknowledged that even he and his wife, Flo, who aren't struggling, have cut back on dinners out and trips to Pennsylvania to visit family members because of soaring prices.
"But a lot of people are getting hurt. They have to choose between food and medicine," he said. "Their big concern is they'll run out of money before they run out of time."
The study looked at the rising costs in five categories - food, housing, medical, transportation and recreation. While the COLA rose 22 percent since 2000, Medicare Part B premiums jumped 105 percent and gasoline skyrocketed 131 percent, from $1.20 to $2.77 a gallon. Even 10 pounds of potatoes increased 47 percent.
"Seniors aren't receiving enough to meet and keep up with inflation," said Brad Phillips, a spokesman for the League, a nonpartisan support group for older people that's working to change the Consumer Price Index that's used to determine the Social Security cost of living. "What's happening now is failing miserably."
Just how hard inflation is hitting older people depends on many factors, including if a person also has a pension, part-time job and enough savings. A Social Security check alone makes up at least 90 percent of the income for one in three of the 48 million Americans 65 and older people receiving Social Security checks, according to government statistics.
Gail Camputaro, executive director of The Council on Aging of Volusia County, said older people on fixed incomes are finding economic survival difficult, as their property taxes, utilities and home and health insurance keep going up.
"Medication costs alone are unbelievable," she said. "The crunch is slowly coming to Middle America."
Even Gilles Blais in Holly Hill, a 67-year-old city commissioner and retired police officer, is struggling ever since his wife died five years ago and he lost her $800 monthly Social Security check. Blais said he survives on his government check and a police pension "that is eaten up" by his Medicare Part B costs.
"This is my main meal of the day," he said over a lunch provided by Meals on Wheels at the city's senior center. "All Social Security is, is a carrot and a stick. And when it's time to eat the carrot, it moves away."
In the next room, Jim Hall, an 89-year-old retired railroad car inspector from Daytona Beach, said he receives a pension and Social Security. Still active, he said he does "what I want to do, when I want to do it," still averaging 20,000 miles a year on the road.
At this point in life, Hall said he doesn't worry about his financial future.
That's not the case for Victoria Goldberg, 61, of Port Orange. She receives Social Security disability because of poor health, and even she and her disabled Vietnam-veteran husband's part-time jobs only go so far.
"It's getting difficult, very much harder," she said of making ends meet, compared to a few years ago. "We don't go out as much as we used to, or buy as many gifts for family and friends."
As for claims by some that the economy isn't so bad, Goldberg added: "Those people haven't gone to food stores, gotten gas or paid taxes lately."
By Ray Weiss
© 2007 News-Journal Corporation
CANADA: Getting Around Tops Seniors' Issues
People attend the Seniors' and Elders' Day celebrations at the MTS Centre yesterday. Photo: Marcel Cretain/Sun Media WINNIPEG (Winnipeg Sun), October 2, 2007:
A new guide to help communities serve the world's aging population cast a spotlight on a Manitoba city yesterday.
The World Health Organization's Global Age-friendly Cities report features Portage la Prairie among 33 urban areas studied across the globe.
The survey consulted citizens aged 60-plus, the segment of the world's population forecast to grow from 11% in 2006 to 22% in 2050.
People aged 55 or older made up 22.3% of Manitoba's total population in 2000, a proportion expected to rise to 32.7% by 2021.
The study mentioned a lack of wheelchair access as a common complaint of elderly Portage residents, while it noted grocery shuttle and volunteer driving services as city strengths.
Portage city Coun. Janet Shindle said she hopes to implement many of the roughly 170 main ideas as soon as possible.
"A good example is our cobblestone sidewalks, which are lovely to look at but probably terrible to ride around on in a wheelchair," she said.
Shindle noted some ideas, such as a full public transit system, are out of reach for small cities like Portage.
Seniors in Winnipeg, gathered at MTS Centre for Seniors' and Elders' Day celebrations, had similar travel concerns.
"It's really hard to get around," said Jean Jurek, a 75-year-old forced to use a wheelchair after breaking her foot this summer. "Without help, I would have gotten stuck a few times."
She said crumbling curbs and uneven city streets make access difficult.
Anne Koffman, 83, said her key concern are social attitudes about aging.
"Sometimes I feel like a second-class citizen. Young people can be very impatient," said Koffman. "We don't move as fast or hear as well, which can make life different."
More than 600 people attended Seniors' and Elders' Day yesterday, an event designed to help connect seniors with retail, health and other services.
Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced $72,000 to enhance six different seniors' services at the event.
By Joyanne Pursaga
Sun Media
NEPAL: Government Working For Rights of the Aged
KATHMANDU, Nepal (The Rising Nepal), October 2, 2007:
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said the Government of Nepal is effortful in establishing the rights of the elderly people over health and social security services and facilities in different policies, plans and programmes by becoming sensitive to the present condition of the senior citizens.
In a message on the occasion of the 17th International Day of the Older Persons, Prime Minister Koirala said the primary need of the day is to address the voices of all communities, linguistic groups, regions, gender and classes as per the demand of the age by taking into view that changed situation of the country after the restoration of democracy.
"May the day inspire us all to get our acts together in the great campaign of nation building by integrating the historical experiences of the senior citizens and the indomitable spirit of the youth to attain this goal," the Prime Minister said in the message and extended best wishes for good health, long life, active living, family happiness and continued progress to all the senior citizens.
Senior citizens who have invested much of their time during their active life in socially useful works are certainly the respectable citizens of the nation who carry with them the living history, and it is the moral responsibility of the civil society and the nation to make their later life comfortable and honourable, the Prime Minister stated.
Stating that to utilize the knowledge, skills and experiences of the senior citizens towards the proper management of the country at the threshold of change would be the proper honour of the senior citizens in the real sense of the term, he said this fact should be realized by one and all.
Copyright RSS
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said the Government of Nepal is effortful in establishing the rights of the elderly people over health and social security services and facilities in different policies, plans and programmes by becoming sensitive to the present condition of the senior citizens.
In a message on the occasion of the 17th International Day of the Older Persons, Prime Minister Koirala said the primary need of the day is to address the voices of all communities, linguistic groups, regions, gender and classes as per the demand of the age by taking into view that changed situation of the country after the restoration of democracy.
"May the day inspire us all to get our acts together in the great campaign of nation building by integrating the historical experiences of the senior citizens and the indomitable spirit of the youth to attain this goal," the Prime Minister said in the message and extended best wishes for good health, long life, active living, family happiness and continued progress to all the senior citizens.
Senior citizens who have invested much of their time during their active life in socially useful works are certainly the respectable citizens of the nation who carry with them the living history, and it is the moral responsibility of the civil society and the nation to make their later life comfortable and honourable, the Prime Minister stated.
Stating that to utilize the knowledge, skills and experiences of the senior citizens towards the proper management of the country at the threshold of change would be the proper honour of the senior citizens in the real sense of the term, he said this fact should be realized by one and all.
Copyright RSS
INDIA: Karnataka State Honours Seven Elders, Two Organisations
Rs.5,400,000 given for old age homes in State
BANGALORE, Karnataka (The Hindu), October 2, 2007:
The State Government felicitated seven persons and two organisations for their contributions in various fields on the occasion of Elders’ Day on October 1.
Inaugurating the awards ceremony, Legislative Assembly Speaker Krishna, put the spotlight on the need for establishment of more old age homes by the Government.
Traditionally, the Indian social set up had joint family system and the older persons would be taken care of by one or the other person in the family. Demographic changes in recent years had resulted in disintegration of joint family system, he said.
Minister for Women and Child Welfare H.K. Kumaraswamy said the Government has been running 27 old age homes in 26 districts in association with non-governmental organisations. A grant of Rs. 196,000 lakh was provided for each old age home. About 850 persons were staying in old age homes. Nearly Rs. 54 lakh has been provided for this purpose, he said.
Day care centres, each for 50 to 150 persons, have been established at Bangalore, Hubli-Dharwad, Gulbarga and Belgaum. The Government runs these centres through NGOs and each day care centre gets grant of Rs. 515,000 a year.
Some of those felicitated are Ramanath of Bangalore, D.N. Sampath of Mandya, K.S. Rajappa of Tumkur, B. Narayanamma of Bangalore and C.G. Mukkanappa of Tumkur.
Copyright © 2007, The Hindu
BANGALORE, Karnataka (The Hindu), October 2, 2007:
The State Government felicitated seven persons and two organisations for their contributions in various fields on the occasion of Elders’ Day on October 1.
Inaugurating the awards ceremony, Legislative Assembly Speaker Krishna, put the spotlight on the need for establishment of more old age homes by the Government.
Traditionally, the Indian social set up had joint family system and the older persons would be taken care of by one or the other person in the family. Demographic changes in recent years had resulted in disintegration of joint family system, he said.
Minister for Women and Child Welfare H.K. Kumaraswamy said the Government has been running 27 old age homes in 26 districts in association with non-governmental organisations. A grant of Rs. 196,000 lakh was provided for each old age home. About 850 persons were staying in old age homes. Nearly Rs. 54 lakh has been provided for this purpose, he said.
Day care centres, each for 50 to 150 persons, have been established at Bangalore, Hubli-Dharwad, Gulbarga and Belgaum. The Government runs these centres through NGOs and each day care centre gets grant of Rs. 515,000 a year.
Some of those felicitated are Ramanath of Bangalore, D.N. Sampath of Mandya, K.S. Rajappa of Tumkur, B. Narayanamma of Bangalore and C.G. Mukkanappa of Tumkur.
Copyright © 2007, The Hindu
SOUTH AFRICA: Never Too Old To Meet A Cheetah
PRETORIA, South Africa (Pretoria News), October 2, 2007:
Many elderly people were unaware of their human rights and therefore continued be marginalised and ignored, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said yesterday, International Day of Older Persons. "The significance of this day is that it allows us to teach older people about their rights," said Sindiswa Mathiso of the SAHRC.
In 2002 the UN adopted an International Plan of Action on Ageing and governments pledged to work for the security of older people. The plan encourages governments to incorporate the principles of independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment and dignity into their national programmes.
"As a signatory, South Africa seeks to maintain and promote the status, well-being, safety and security of older persons, as provided for by the Older Persons Act," Mathiso said. She said elderly people in South Africa faced many challenges, including lack of education, HIV/Aids, abuse and poverty.
Yesterday Pick 'n Pay Wonderpark treated 120 pensioners from the Association of Retired Persons and Pensioners in Ga-Rankuwa to a day at the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre, near Hartbeespoortdam.
Angie Mahlangu, the store's customer service manager, said they wanted to make sure the people had fun and that they felt special. "We want them to know that we love them."
Marilyn Hull, the education programme manager at De Wildt, introduced the pensioners to the cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs at the facility.
Angelina Tshetlo (68) was enthusiastic about the visit. "We live so near it, but I never knew about it." Susan Lebeloe said she learned a lot about cheetahs in her old age.
After posing for a photo with the male cheetah, Shaka, she said cheekily: "I'm not afraid of cheetahs, because they're not dangerous. If you're cool, he's cool."
Ruth Letsoalo (75) said she was happy to be so spoilt.
By Zahn Visser and Sapa
Copyright. Pretoria News
Many elderly people were unaware of their human rights and therefore continued be marginalised and ignored, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said yesterday, International Day of Older Persons. "The significance of this day is that it allows us to teach older people about their rights," said Sindiswa Mathiso of the SAHRC.
In 2002 the UN adopted an International Plan of Action on Ageing and governments pledged to work for the security of older people. The plan encourages governments to incorporate the principles of independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment and dignity into their national programmes.
"As a signatory, South Africa seeks to maintain and promote the status, well-being, safety and security of older persons, as provided for by the Older Persons Act," Mathiso said. She said elderly people in South Africa faced many challenges, including lack of education, HIV/Aids, abuse and poverty.
Yesterday Pick 'n Pay Wonderpark treated 120 pensioners from the Association of Retired Persons and Pensioners in Ga-Rankuwa to a day at the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre, near Hartbeespoortdam. Angie Mahlangu, the store's customer service manager, said they wanted to make sure the people had fun and that they felt special. "We want them to know that we love them."
Marilyn Hull, the education programme manager at De Wildt, introduced the pensioners to the cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs at the facility.
Angelina Tshetlo (68) was enthusiastic about the visit. "We live so near it, but I never knew about it." Susan Lebeloe said she learned a lot about cheetahs in her old age.
After posing for a photo with the male cheetah, Shaka, she said cheekily: "I'm not afraid of cheetahs, because they're not dangerous. If you're cool, he's cool."
Ruth Letsoalo (75) said she was happy to be so spoilt.
By Zahn Visser and Sapa
Copyright. Pretoria News
CHINA: Chinese Consumer Cannot Save Global Economy
Don’t bank on Chinese consumer to save global economy, says Joseph Quinlan, Chief Market Strategist at Bank of America, in INSIGHT column of THE FINANCIAL TIMES, U.K., October 2, 2007
The primary engine of global demand – the US consumer – is losing steam. Deep in debt and unnerved by falling real estate values, the US consumer can longer be counted on to shoulder the burden of global growth. Not to worry, goes the emerging consensus.
An alternative engine of global demand is the Chinese consumer, whose appetite for mobile phones, computers, televisions and other consumer staples has exploded in the past decade. And it’s not just the basics the Chinese are snapping up: China ranks as the third-largest consumer of luxury goods in the world. More Bentleys are sold in Beijing than in any other city in the world.
But investors beware. It’s not all fast cars and fancy malls for the average Chinese consumer. The importance of the consumer to economic growth in China has actually diminished. Growth in household consumption has lagged behind the underlying pace of the overall economy for the balance of this decade – even though household consumption outlays in China almost doubled between 2000 and 2006.
Household consumption as a percentage of gross domestic product dropped from 46.4 per cent in 2000 to 36.4 per cent in 2006, leaving the mainland with one of the lowest consumption-to-GDP ratios in Asia.
While super-charged levels of capital investment and exports have diminished the role of the Chinese consumer, something more fundamental is at work. The average consumer in China is not a credit card-touting shopper.
Rather, saving continues to trump spending. The average Chinese family squirrels away a quarter of its after-tax income, one of the highest savings rates in the world. Why such a high level of savings? Prudence is one factor. Fear of the unknown is another.
While many investors are well versed in China’s stunning economic rise over the past three decades, most have paid too little attention to the wrenching social and economic issues that the nation faces. Millions of households can no longer count on the cradle-to-grave social welfare programmes of the Iron Rice Bowl. Many of these benefits have been scaled back or eliminated in the past decade and Chinese consumers have been saddled with the burden of paying for healthcare, pensions, education and housing.
For instance, just half of China’s urban population has basic health insurance, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, while fewer still are covered in the rural areas. All told, medical expenses account for nearly 12 per cent of household spending.
While Chinese consumers have little choice but to save for unexpected medical costs, the same holds true when it comes to retirement and unexpected job losses. Only 17 per cent of the population are covered under any basic government pension scheme, while just 14 per cent of China’s workforce was covered by unemployment insurance in 2005.
Education represents another significant expense for the typical Chinese family. Per capita expenditure on education – a national obsession – accounts for about 8 per cent of total household consumption and that figure is increasing along with escalating expenses related to schooling. For many rural families, school fees can be the equivalent of one year’s income.
Add rising housing costs, which have increased as government subsidies on housing have declined, and increased spending on care for China’s elderly.
Against this backdrop, while many college graduates in China dream of being the next Bill Gates, many crave or prefer the security of a state job. Being a civil servant means good medical benefits, a retirement pension and discounts on housing and education. The premium on landing a state job speaks volumes about the risk-adverse mindset of the average Chinese household and does not portend a rebalancing of economic growth any time soon in China.
Investors should not bank on the Chinese consumer to save the global economy should the US consumer run out of steam and tip the American economy into recession. The inconvenient truth is that Chinese consumers are not ready to supplant US consumers as the primary engine of global demand.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
The primary engine of global demand – the US consumer – is losing steam. Deep in debt and unnerved by falling real estate values, the US consumer can longer be counted on to shoulder the burden of global growth. Not to worry, goes the emerging consensus.
An alternative engine of global demand is the Chinese consumer, whose appetite for mobile phones, computers, televisions and other consumer staples has exploded in the past decade. And it’s not just the basics the Chinese are snapping up: China ranks as the third-largest consumer of luxury goods in the world. More Bentleys are sold in Beijing than in any other city in the world.
But investors beware. It’s not all fast cars and fancy malls for the average Chinese consumer. The importance of the consumer to economic growth in China has actually diminished. Growth in household consumption has lagged behind the underlying pace of the overall economy for the balance of this decade – even though household consumption outlays in China almost doubled between 2000 and 2006.
Household consumption as a percentage of gross domestic product dropped from 46.4 per cent in 2000 to 36.4 per cent in 2006, leaving the mainland with one of the lowest consumption-to-GDP ratios in Asia.
While super-charged levels of capital investment and exports have diminished the role of the Chinese consumer, something more fundamental is at work. The average consumer in China is not a credit card-touting shopper.
Rather, saving continues to trump spending. The average Chinese family squirrels away a quarter of its after-tax income, one of the highest savings rates in the world. Why such a high level of savings? Prudence is one factor. Fear of the unknown is another.
While many investors are well versed in China’s stunning economic rise over the past three decades, most have paid too little attention to the wrenching social and economic issues that the nation faces. Millions of households can no longer count on the cradle-to-grave social welfare programmes of the Iron Rice Bowl. Many of these benefits have been scaled back or eliminated in the past decade and Chinese consumers have been saddled with the burden of paying for healthcare, pensions, education and housing.
For instance, just half of China’s urban population has basic health insurance, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, while fewer still are covered in the rural areas. All told, medical expenses account for nearly 12 per cent of household spending.
While Chinese consumers have little choice but to save for unexpected medical costs, the same holds true when it comes to retirement and unexpected job losses. Only 17 per cent of the population are covered under any basic government pension scheme, while just 14 per cent of China’s workforce was covered by unemployment insurance in 2005.
Education represents another significant expense for the typical Chinese family. Per capita expenditure on education – a national obsession – accounts for about 8 per cent of total household consumption and that figure is increasing along with escalating expenses related to schooling. For many rural families, school fees can be the equivalent of one year’s income.
Add rising housing costs, which have increased as government subsidies on housing have declined, and increased spending on care for China’s elderly.
Against this backdrop, while many college graduates in China dream of being the next Bill Gates, many crave or prefer the security of a state job. Being a civil servant means good medical benefits, a retirement pension and discounts on housing and education. The premium on landing a state job speaks volumes about the risk-adverse mindset of the average Chinese household and does not portend a rebalancing of economic growth any time soon in China.
Investors should not bank on the Chinese consumer to save the global economy should the US consumer run out of steam and tip the American economy into recession. The inconvenient truth is that Chinese consumers are not ready to supplant US consumers as the primary engine of global demand.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
INDIA: Job Guarantee Program Is a Costly Joke: Andy Mukherjee
A farm worker separates rice from its husk near Madur, India. Photo by: Namas Bhojani/Bloomberg News
SINGAPORE (Bloomberg News), October 2, 2007:
Just as evidence of waste and corruption was mounting against India's two-year-old rural employment guarantee program, the authorities in New Delhi decided to extend the profligate project to the entire country, reports Andy Mukherjee of Bloomberg News.
From April 2008, almost 600 districts of India will be legally bound to provide at least 100 days of work in a year to every village household that wants to earn the statutory minimum wages, according to a government press release last week. The program at present covers 330 districts.
By bringing forward the nationwide implementation of the job guarantee from its original schedule of September 2010, the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has given yet another indication that elections are near.
To diehard optimists, the job guarantee is a democratic expression of the poor person's right to life and livelihood. That's all pure nonsense. The real objective of the program, apart from garnering votes with cheap populism, is to curb migration of surplus rural labor to cities.
A fast-growing economy desperately in need of faster urbanization has no reason to spend taxpayers' money to condemn landless rural laborers and sharecroppers to a life of penury.
Yet, instead of tackling the economic and social challenges of urbanization, and creating the capacity to absorb tens of millions of rural workers every year in labor-intensive manufacturing, the Indian government is paying people to stay where they are.
Capacity Shortfall
The reason isn't hard to see.
Most Indian cities lack the capacity to provide even basic urban services, such as clean water and sanitation, to their existing populations. And while there's no Chinese-style ``hukou'' system of residency permits in India, and labor is free to migrate, there's a growing urban middle-class resentment because shantytowns are swelling with new arrivals from the countryside.
A lofty goal of the program is to create ``durable assets,'' another is to keep contractors out. After 40 years of socialism, India's politicians and their advisers have yet to learn that one doesn't produce capital by disallowing the profit motive.
In the fiscal year ended March 31, some 900 million person- days of work were created. The government spent 88 billion rupees ($2.2 billion), with more than a quarter of it going toward the purchase of materials.
A recent study by the New Delhi-based Centre for Environment and Food Security estimated that about 75 percent of the money spent on the job guarantee program in the eastern Indian state of Orissa never reached the intended beneficiaries. The report concluded that, on average, the state government created five days of work for every needy family, compared with the 57 days claimed in official statistics.
Better Way
Even if you forget about fudged job cards and fraudulent muster rolls and take the official statistics at their face value, the net result is this: The Indian government transferred an average of $65 a year to 21 million families supported through the program. And this ``average'' is misleading because the gains aren't evenly distributed.
Rather than expand this elaborate charade of job creation at a cost of $5 billion, the government should spend twice as much, though in a way that makes a real difference.
For $10 billion annually, India could provide $200 a year to each of the country's poorest 50 million families -- both rural and urban -- through vouchers that they can use to buy education and health-care services from non-state providers.
The coupons, because they will be portable, won't restrict migration. But they will be non-transferable, so as to prevent the desperately poor from selling their entitlements for cash.
Lifeline for Poor
If its health and education needs are taken care of, a family subsisting on the equivalent of $1 a day gets a lifeline, especially if the government leaves the poor people free to find real jobs rather than tying them down in public works of questionable economic value.
A study last year by economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that 58 percent of the extremely poor households in India had visited a private health-care provider in the month prior to the survey.
And while three out of four children aged 6-14 years are enrolled in government schools, there's a growing frustration with teachers absent from work.
"In the parts of India where public-school absenteeism is the highest, the fraction of rural children attending private schools is also the highest," the study said.
Health Insurance
Once the middle class stops using government health clinics and schools, there is no pressure on the state to maintain even a minimum quality standard. This has already happened in India.
The intelligent thing for the Indian government to do now is to enable poor people to buy these services from the open market while diligently regulating their quality and prices.
In the run-up to the elections, which may be called next year, the government yesterday announced a health-insurance plan for poor families. Each household will get a free smart card, which will allow it to spend as much as $750 per year.
If implemented well, the plan might provide the vulnerable sections of society with cover for chronic and debilitating illnesses. The only problem is that genuine social security doesn't have the vote-grabbing appeal of stuffing cash in people's wallets, however wasteful doing so might be.
SWEDEN: Education Levels Predict Dementia
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (UPI), October 2, 2007:
Adults who don't finish high school are at a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease than those with more education, a Scandinavian study found.
Dr. Tiia Ngandu of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and University of Kuopio, Finland, tracked 1,388 participants through middle age and late life for an average of 21 years.
The study showed that compared with people with a low education level -- five or less years of education -- those with a medium education level -- six to eight years -- had a 40 percent lower risk of developing dementia. Those with a high education level -- nine or more years of education -- had an 80 percent lower risk, the journal Neurology reported.
"Generally speaking, people with low education levels seem to lead unhealthier lifestyles, which could suggest the two work concurrently to contribute to dementia or Alzheimer's disease, but our results showed a person's education predicted dementia on its own," Ngandu said in a statement.
"It may be that highly educated people have a greater cognitive reserve, which is the brain's ability to maintain function in spite of damage, thus making it easier to postpone the negative effects of dementia. Additionally, unhealthy lifestyles may independently contribute to the depletion of this reserve."
Copyright 2007 by United Press International.
Adults who don't finish high school are at a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease than those with more education, a Scandinavian study found.
Dr. Tiia Ngandu of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and University of Kuopio, Finland, tracked 1,388 participants through middle age and late life for an average of 21 years.
The study showed that compared with people with a low education level -- five or less years of education -- those with a medium education level -- six to eight years -- had a 40 percent lower risk of developing dementia. Those with a high education level -- nine or more years of education -- had an 80 percent lower risk, the journal Neurology reported.
"Generally speaking, people with low education levels seem to lead unhealthier lifestyles, which could suggest the two work concurrently to contribute to dementia or Alzheimer's disease, but our results showed a person's education predicted dementia on its own," Ngandu said in a statement.
"It may be that highly educated people have a greater cognitive reserve, which is the brain's ability to maintain function in spite of damage, thus making it easier to postpone the negative effects of dementia. Additionally, unhealthy lifestyles may independently contribute to the depletion of this reserve."
Copyright 2007 by United Press International.
INDIA: Pension Hike Is World Elders' Day Bonus for Delhi's Centenarians
Seeking blessings: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit with an elderly woman on the occasion of World Elders’ Day on Monday. Photo: Anu Pushkarna, The Hindu.
NEW DELHI (The Indian Express),
October 2, 2007:
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced yesterday that senior citizens aged above 100 years would get a monthly pension of Rs 1,001 instead of Rs 600, with effect from October 1, 2007. She was speaking on the occasion of World Elders’ Day.
There are 9,42,860 senior citizens above 60 years, out of which 42 are centenarians.
Dikshit said all senior citizens will get identity cards with photo and details like name of the person, name of father/husband, age, address, blood group. The card would help them avail of medical and travel facilities apart from other benefits.
Though it was claimed that Delhi has become the first state to issue identity cards to senior citizens, it is known that Maharashtra has been issuing such senior citizens cards for over two years.
The Delhi government has decided to personally handover such cards to the centenarian senior citizens at their residences.
Almost 160,000 senior citizens have been getting a monthly pension of Rs 600. The amount was enhanced from Rs 400 with effect from this financial year. She said the government was aware of the difficulties being faced by the elderly in getting their pension and has therefore decided to release pension through electronic processes.
Social Welfare Minister Dr Yoganand Shastri and senior officers Social Welfare department were also present at the function.
Dikshit stated that the Delhi state government is in the process of commissioning nine old age homes which will be handed over to NGOs for maintenance. At least one recreation centre for senior citizens will be opened in each Assembly segment of the city.
The Social Welfare department has already prepared a database of all senior citizens, Dr. Shastri asserted.
© 2007 Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd.
WORLD: UN Issues 'Age-Friendly Cities' Guide To Help Older People
NEW YORK (United Nations), October 1, 2007:
The United Nations today marked the International Day of Older Persons with appeals for sustainable pension programmes and the release of the first guide on age-friendly cities, recommending a range of measures from well-lit sidewalks to bus drivers’ waiting until senior citizens are seated before starting off.
“Sobering statistics show that some 80 per cent of the world’s population are not covered by social protection in old age,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said in a message marking the Day. “Finding ways to provide economic support for a growing number of older persons, through sustainable pension programmes and new social protection measures, is a daunting task, particularly in developing countries.”
“Our views on what it means to be old are changing all the time. Where older persons were sometimes seen as a burden on society, they are now increasingly recognized as an asset that can and should be tapped,” he added, noting that population ageing brings significant economic and social challenges for developed and developing countries alike.
The growing proportion of older people in the global population is predicted to double from 11 per cent in 2006 to 22 per cent in 2050, with the trend occurring at a much faster rate in the developing world where the number is about twice that in developed countries. By 2050, some 80 per cent of older people will be living in less developed regions.
In Asia and the Pacific alone, the rapidly growing number of older persons is projected to reach 733 million in 2025 and 1.3 billion in 2050 from 410 million this year – 15 per cent of the total population in 2025 and nearly 25 per cent by 2050 from over 10 per cent now.
With more than half of the global population already urban dwellers, a proportion that is expected to reach three out of every five people by 2030, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) today released “Global age-friendly cities: a guide,” based on consultations with older people in 33 cities in 22 countries on key physical, social and services needs.
“Age-friendly cities benefit people of all ages, not just older people, and WHO is committed to disseminating and promoting the implementation of the guide worldwide,” WHO Assistant Director-General for Family and Community Health Daisy Mafubelu said of the consultations carried out in Istanbul, London, Melbourne, Mexico City, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai and Tokyo among other centres.
Guide recommendations include: sufficient well-situated public benches and clean public toilets accessible for people with disabilities; well-maintained, well-lit sidewalks; public buildings fully accessible to people with disabilities; and bus drivers who wait until older people are seated before starting off, and priority seating on buses.
Elderly Couple walks around in Bolivia
Other steps include enough reserved parking spots for people with disabilities; housing integrated in the community that accommodates changing needs and abilities as people grow older; friendly, personalized service and information instead of automated answering services; easy-to-read information in plain language; public and commercial services and stores in neighbourhoods close to where people live rather than concentrated outside the city; and a civic culture that respects and includes older persons.
“Older people are concentrated in cities and will become even more so,” WHO Ageing and Life Course Programme Director Alex Kalache said. “Today around 75 per cent of all older people living in the developed world are urban dwellers – expected to increase to 80 per cent in 2015. More spectacularly, in developing countries the number of older people in cities will increase from 56 million in 2000 to over 908 million in 2050.”
Meanwhile, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) announced it will bring together representatives from 25 regional countries to a high-level meeting in Macao, China, from 9 to 11 October to review progress made in response to t
The United Nations today marked the International Day of Older Persons with appeals for sustainable pension programmes and the release of the first guide on age-friendly cities, recommending a range of measures from well-lit sidewalks to bus drivers’ waiting until senior citizens are seated before starting off.
“Sobering statistics show that some 80 per cent of the world’s population are not covered by social protection in old age,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said in a message marking the Day. “Finding ways to provide economic support for a growing number of older persons, through sustainable pension programmes and new social protection measures, is a daunting task, particularly in developing countries.”
“Our views on what it means to be old are changing all the time. Where older persons were sometimes seen as a burden on society, they are now increasingly recognized as an asset that can and should be tapped,” he added, noting that population ageing brings significant economic and social challenges for developed and developing countries alike. The growing proportion of older people in the global population is predicted to double from 11 per cent in 2006 to 22 per cent in 2050, with the trend occurring at a much faster rate in the developing world where the number is about twice that in developed countries. By 2050, some 80 per cent of older people will be living in less developed regions.
In Asia and the Pacific alone, the rapidly growing number of older persons is projected to reach 733 million in 2025 and 1.3 billion in 2050 from 410 million this year – 15 per cent of the total population in 2025 and nearly 25 per cent by 2050 from over 10 per cent now.
With more than half of the global population already urban dwellers, a proportion that is expected to reach three out of every five people by 2030, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) today released “Global age-friendly cities: a guide,” based on consultations with older people in 33 cities in 22 countries on key physical, social and services needs.
“Age-friendly cities benefit people of all ages, not just older people, and WHO is committed to disseminating and promoting the implementation of the guide worldwide,” WHO Assistant Director-General for Family and Community Health Daisy Mafubelu said of the consultations carried out in Istanbul, London, Melbourne, Mexico City, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai and Tokyo among other centres.
Guide recommendations include: sufficient well-situated public benches and clean public toilets accessible for people with disabilities; well-maintained, well-lit sidewalks; public buildings fully accessible to people with disabilities; and bus drivers who wait until older people are seated before starting off, and priority seating on buses.
Elderly Couple walks around in BoliviaOther steps include enough reserved parking spots for people with disabilities; housing integrated in the community that accommodates changing needs and abilities as people grow older; friendly, personalized service and information instead of automated answering services; easy-to-read information in plain language; public and commercial services and stores in neighbourhoods close to where people live rather than concentrated outside the city; and a civic culture that respects and includes older persons.
“Older people are concentrated in cities and will become even more so,” WHO Ageing and Life Course Programme Director Alex Kalache said. “Today around 75 per cent of all older people living in the developed world are urban dwellers – expected to increase to 80 per cent in 2015. More spectacularly, in developing countries the number of older people in cities will increase from 56 million in 2000 to over 908 million in 2050.”
Meanwhile, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) announced it will bring together representatives from 25 regional countries to a high-level meeting in Macao, China, from 9 to 11 October to review progress made in response to t