USA: Financial worries dog older workers, confidence falls

. WASHINGTON / USA Today / Personal Finance / September 30, 2009 By Christine Dugas, USA TODAY Faced with increasing job losses, worries about having enough money for retirement and continued difficulty in paying for basic items such as food, those ages 45 to 64 are one worried group, a survey released Tuesday by AARP shows. The angst is also affecting the group's sleep habits. "Even before the economic downturn, the 45-to-64 population was a high-anxiety age group," says David Certner, legislative policy director at AARP. "They were supposed to be preparing for their own retirement, and they are worried about other generations, as well." The survey, called "A Closer Look," was last done about eight months ago. The recession's full effect is now being felt, new findings show: •30% of those surveyed have stopped contributing to a 401(k) plan or IRA. And 18% of the study group also have prematurely withdrawn funds from their retirement savings accounts. •Job loss is rising. Some 12% of older Americans say they or a family member have lost a job in the past year, up from 8% in the April 2008 survey and 9% in December 2008. •Even many who still have a job are feeling more financial pain. Among workers, 30% say their hours have been cut or they have had to take a pay cut. •Nearly half, 49%, say that they are not confident about having enough money in retirement. •27% say they are now having trouble paying for basic items, such as food and utilities. The problem is much worse for African Americans and Hispanics, who often have lower incomes, Certner says. •Among those who have not lost a job, 12% say that they will delay their retirement or return to work if they have already retired. Even though the stock market has rebounded in 2009, many older Americans were unable to take advantage because they were struggling just to make ends meet. About half of older Americans, 47%, say they have lost a substantial amount of their savings in the stock market. But if they have now stopped contributing money to their 401(k) plan or are withdrawing money, they've lost the opportunity to rebuild their savings, Certner says. [rc] TOUGH TIMES Those 45 to 64 who say they've had problems paying for essential items: * White 19% * African American 38% * Hispanic 43% * All in age range: 27% Those 45 to 64 who have stopped contributing to 401(k)s, IRAs or other retirement savings: * White 31% * African American 23% * Hispanic 29% All in age range: 29% Source: "A Closer Look" telephone survey by AARP of 939 adults age 45 and older conducted July 22 to Aug. 3, 2009 Copyright 2009 USA TODAY

SRI LANKA: Senior citizens to go green

. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka / Daily News / September 30, 2009 Senior citizens to go green Under Api Vavamu-Rata Nagamu Program By Lakshmi de Silva Senior citizens are to go green all over the country. Social Services Ministry Photo of program launch earlier this year. Some 10,000 senior Citizen Committees to take part in home garden projects to contribute to the economy with their expertise under the Api Vavamu - Rata Nagamu food production program. These herbal garden programs have been started under indigenous Medicine Ministry to grow herbs in different parts of the country, Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry Secretary Vijayalakshmi Jegarajasingham told the Daily News on Monday. Distinguished senior citizens' contribution to the economic and social development program would be assisted by institutions like the National Secretariat for Elders, Agrarian Services Department, Samurdhi Authority, Indigenous Medicine Ministry, Science and Technology Ministry, Bank of Ceylon and People's Bank, she said. This special agriculture project would enhance the economic standards of senior citizens and the society while providing nutrition to people and a healthier environment. [rc] © 2009 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd

CHINA: Grannies join commandos to secure Beijing

. MUMBAI, Maharashtra / The Hindustan Times / World / September 29, 2009 Grannies join commandos to secure Beijing By Reshma Patil, Hindustan Times On the republic's 60th anniversaryon October 1, Beijing is under a lockdown more secure than that of the Olympics last year BEIJING: These days in Beijing, grandmas and grandpas perched on the pavements on green stools provided by the government, are watching your every step. “We’re old but we proudly contribute when the community needs us,’’ Teng Shu Ting, 72, the leader of a group of security volunteers wearing red armbands, told the Hindustan Times. “We’ll look for anything unsafe.’’ Beijing's senior citizens guard the streets. Reshma Patil/HT Photo China’s capital is under a lockdown more secure than that of the Olympics last year. On the Republic’s 60th anniversary on October 1, the world’s biggest army will rollout 108 upgraded missiles including nuclear missiles, tanks, radars, satellites and 52 new weapons on the Avenue of Eternal Peace leading to Tiananmen Square. A top Communist Party official has called the security campaign a ‘people’s war’. A million volunteers — collegians and senior citizens — in orange T-shirts or plainclothes will be the eyes and ears of the police. They will join armed commandoes on streets already equipped with surveillance cameras, in readiness for October 1 when even pet pigeons will be ordered caged. Residents on the parade route will not be allowed to open windows or stand on balconies. An old and unwell cardiac patient was on duty when HT visited Teng’s street-watch where wine and cigarette stores were decked with red flags. The frail retirees are useful guards who know their neighbourhoods since the streets were alleys with traditional courtyard houses. Shen Lan Fen, 63, wears her string of pearls on pavement duty. “I can’t describe how different Beijing was 10 years ago,’’ she gushed, referring to the last parade in 1999 when they had also guarded the streets. “China’s 60 years were characterised by a strong sense of insecurity and victimhood,’’ says political scientist Wang Zhengxu. Today, the grannies exude confidence. Kang Shu Qing, 63, raised her fist and grinned: The nation is strong!’’[rc] © Copyright 2009 Hindustan Times

USA: Scholarship offered in name of 85-year-old student

. HAGERSTOWN, Maryland / The Herald-Mail September 29, 2009 Hagerstown Community College hopes that 85-year-old student Carolyn Hill will inspire other senior citizens to pursue the dream of higher education, a press release from the school said. A scholarship named in Hill’s honor now exists at HCC for Washington County residents who are at least 72 years old and wish to pursue a first college degree. Hill, a Hagerstown resident, recently completed the external diploma program nearly 70 years after she dropped out of high school. This fall, she began taking her first college-level classes at HCC. “I’ve been dreaming about going back to school all my life,” Hill said. “When you’re young and earning $11 a week, you think that’s all you need. Now, I’m anxious to see how much I can do. I like to stay busy and I love to learn.” Hill has begun her college experience with a ceramics class, but hopes to take public speaking after hearing what a good job she did when she gave her commencement address at the adult education ceremony. She’s even inspired her 79-year-old brother to take a class at HCC. “Ms. Hill has been such an inspiration to many that we wanted to do something to honor her hard work and enthusiasm,” HCC President Guy Altieri said. “Creating a scholarship in her name seemed an appropriate way to do that.” The Carolyn Hill Scholarship provides up to $750 per year to cover the cost of credit course-related fees, books and materials, the release said. Tuition is free for area seniors. Recipients of the scholarship must be at least 72 years old, be pursuing a first college degree and have submitted a written statement of their educational intent. [rc] © 1996–2009 The Herald-Mail Company

UK: Aphasia, communication disorder, affects 250,000 people a year

. LONDON, England / The Guardian / Life & Style / Health & Wellbeing / September 29, 2009 Aphasia robbed Keith Howells of his ability to talk. But he's determined to be heard 'It affects more people than Parkinson's, yet few know what it means' Rhianon Howells, The Guardian 'A foreigner in his own life' . . . Keith Howells with his daughter Rhianon. Photograph: Graham Turner At my wedding earlier this year, my father gave me away. Our progress up the aisle was shaky – he walks with a stick – but we made it. It was an important, but achievable goal; giving a speech was not. Since his stroke eight years ago aged 55, my father, Keith Howells – ex-policeman, confident public speaker, and last man standing at a party – has suffered from aphasia. A communication disorder, it occurs when the parts of the brain that process language are damaged. It affects 250,000 people a year in the UK and can be caused by head injuries or degenerative illness – but the most common cause is a stroke. For some people, it's a problem producing language; they know what they want to say but can't find the words, or can't put them together. Some struggle with comprehension. For others, such as my father, with "global aphasia", the damage is so extensive that all aspects of language are affected, but the intellect remains intact. Before his stroke, my father had a degenerative condition that limited his mobility. But, naturally gregarious, he could still chat, joke and argue, read, and watch films and plays. After he retired he worked in a school for children with behavioural difficulties. Then, one morning in September 2000, my mother heard a thump from upstairs. She found my father on the bedroom floor, conscious but confused. He'd had a stroke. Thankfully, the physical damage was minimal, but his speech, understanding of speech, reading and writing were all severely impaired. He seemed bewildered, and although able to say single words, they often didn't make sense. Before I arrived he kept repeating my name, which everyone thought very touching, but it turned out to be a default word used in place of the one he really wanted. The thought that this social man might never regain his language skills was horrible, but my mother was positive from the start. And we were hopeful – many people recover from aphasia, although doctors warned that significant improvement was unlikely outside the first 12 months. My father received speech therapy once a week. However my mother's work as an Ofsted inspector took her away from home – and as they didn't qualify for carer's allowance, my father had to go too, so appointments were missed. After several months therapy was discontinued: the magic first year passed and my father was still a foreigner in his own life. A 2003 study found that more than eight hours of speech therapy a week, for at least 11 weeks, is needed for treatment to be effective, yet the NHS typically provides less than three hours – sometimes just an hour a week for six weeks. There's also evidence that people with aphasia actually can and do make progress after a year – Jenny Dautlich, co-founder of the website Aphasia Now, says it was three years before she began speaking in sentences. My father has benefited from a supportive family, loyal friends and a stubborn personality. He battles to communicate using gestures, drawings and convoluted verbal guessing-games. He'll often use an associated word to convey an idea; so "America" becomes "where cousin", because we have a cousin who lives in America. If he can't say a word, he might try writing it down. A quirk of aphasia is that the part of the brain that deals with "pre-programmed" language such as swearwords is often unaffected. One of dad's greatest frustrations is people saying they understand him when they don't, or not taking the time to make themselves understood. It takes patience to communicate with someone who's globally aphasic – you need to talk slowly, repeat yourself, perhaps mime or draw your meaning – but the Eureka moment when you finally make the connection can be great. Aphasia affects more people than Parkinson's, yet few know what the word means, let alone how the disability presents itself. Shopkeepers, waiters and passersby commonly talk down to my father, shy away or tut in disapproval. For an intelligent man, this is hard to take. Professor Chris Code, an aphasiologist and neuropsychologist at Exeter University, believes lack of awareness – and media coverage – is partly responsible for the serious shortage of funding available for aphasia services and research. And pharmaceutical companies tend to be more interested in disorders that are amenable to drugs, although this is gradually changing. Since his stroke, dad's linguistic ability has improved only marginally, but his other communication skills have never been better. And now my mother has signed them both up for a course in Makaton, a communication system based on gesture and graphic symbols. My father is living proof that even if you can't speak, you can still be heard – if only people take the time to listen. [rc]

Talking points • Speak slowly but not as if you're talking to a child. And don't shout. • Exaggerate stress, intonation, expression and gestures – and pause regularly. • Use clear, simple words and short, active sentences. • If you don't understand, say so. • Ask questions that allow two options only. • Above all, be patient.

© Guardian News and Media Limited 2009

ITALY: At-home care vis-a-vis hospital care for elderly chronic heart failure patients

. CHEVY CHASE, Maryland / Science Daily September 29, 2009 Hospital-at-home care may be a practical alternative to traditional hospital inpatient care for patients with acutely decompensated (suddenly worsening) chronic heart failure, according to a report in the September 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Nearly 7 million Europeans and 5 million North Americans are affected by chronic heart failure, a progressive and disabling syndrome. Hospitalization for chronic heart failure for older patients has increased and occurs in 2 percent to 3 percent of patients over age 85 every year. In the United States, worsening of chronic heart failure leads to more than 1 million hospital admissions per year and a 50 percent risk of subsequent hospitalization within six months of discharge. "Although the hospital is the standard venue for providing acute medical care, it may be hazardous for older persons, who commonly experience iatrogenic illness [complications due to treatment], functional decline and other adverse events." Vittoria Tibaldi, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Torino, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, Torino, Italy, compared the effectiveness of a physician-led hospital-at-home service for elderly patients with acute decompensation of chronic heart failure with traditional hospital inpatient care. Patients age 75 or older with decompensation of chronic heart failure were randomly assigned to either a general medical ward (53 patients) or to the Geriatric Home Hospitalization Service (48 patients) between April 2004 and April 2005. The Geriatric Home Hospitalization Service provided diagnostic and therapeutic treatments by hospital health care professionals in the home of the patient. At six months, 15 percent of all patients had died, with no significant differences between the two groups. "The number of subsequent hospital admissions was not statistically different in the two groups, but the mean [average] time to first additional admission was longer for the Geriatric Home Hospitalization Service patients (84.3 days vs. 69.8 days). Only the Geriatric Home Hospitalization Service patients experienced improvements in depression, nutritional status and quality-of-life scores," the authors write. "Recent trends in health care favor alternatives to traditional acute care in hospitals. These trends include advancement in telehealth technologies and increased demand for treatment at home," the authors conclude. "Further development of hospital-at-home care will require additional research and dedicated resources to support dissemination." [rc] Journal reference: Vittoria Tibaldi; Gianluca Isaia; Carla Scarafiotti; Federico Gariglio; Mauro Zanocchi; Mario Bo; Serena Bergerone; Nicoletta Aimonino Ricauda. Hospital at Home for Elderly Patients With Acute Decompensation of Chronic Heart Failure: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Intern Med, 2009; 169 (17): 1569-1575 JAMA and Archives Journals (2009, September 29). At-home Care May Be An Alternative To Hospital Care For Elderly Patients With Chronic Heart Failure. ScienceDaily. Copyright © 1995-2009 ScienceDaily LLC

JAPAN: The man who delivered pizza to Japan

. TOKYO, Japan / The Japan Times / Business / September 29, 2009 WHO'S WHO The man who delivered pizza to Japan Earnest Higa credits his bicultural nature for Domino's phenomenally successful integration By Minoru Matsutani, Staff Writer Earnest Higa's life is all about being bicultural in Japan and the United States. He has used this aspect of his character in his career, spending the past 24 years making sure U.S.-based Domino Pizza fits in Japan. "I was lucky to have both cultural backgrounds," the 56-year-old Hawaiian, who has spent three-quarters of his life in Japan, said in the Tokyo office of his company, Higa Industries. Born in Honolulu to second-generation Japanese immigrants, Higa moved to Geneva at the age of 7 and two years later came to Tokyo, where he lived for nine years and attended the American School in Japan in Chofu. Delivery man: Earnest Higa, president of Higa Industries, the operator of Domino Pizza in Japan, shows the latest menu in his office in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. Minoru Matsutani Photo "I played at the Tokyo American Club, and all my friends were American. So I was in a very insulated 'gaijin' (foreigner) society as a student," said Higa, who looks very Japanese. "The unfortunate thing is that I didn't really study language and didn't get into Japanese culture during that period of time. I was in a gaijin bubble." Then he studied at undergraduate and graduate schools in the U.S. and returned to Japan in 1976 at age 24. "When I came back in 1976, I realize that in order to succeed in business here, I have to as much as possible try to learn Japanese culture and language. I regret I didn't do that earlier," he said. "It was totally urgent to learn Japanese." He chose a path of entrepreneurship rather than working for a large company like the typical Japanese man. Despite his language handicap, Higa thrived in various kinds of businesses as he took advantage of his ethnic background and appearance. "There were not many Asians (in Japan) then, so people thought I could speak Japanese because I look Japanese. Back then if you were a gaijin, you were a Caucasian. I was in a unique position. I was neither Japanese or American. "In my business I was able to leverage that because I wasn't 6 feet tall, didn't have blue eyes and Japanese felt very comfortable with me. But because I wasn't a Japanese, they gave me a lot of exceptions, no traditional rules," he said. As an example he cites major home builder Misawa Homes Co., which used him as a supplier when he was running a lumber import business in his late 20s. "If I had been completely Japanese, they would not have listened to me," he said. "In business, they pigeonhole you for how old you are, what college you went to, what company you work for and so on. Depending on those, they can screen you out, so you cannot see presidents of other companies," he said. He launched Domino Pizza in Japan in 1985, the first pizza delivery business in the nation. He says Domino would not have been the success it is now without his understanding of both Japanese and American culture. "If I had brought the Domino Pizza concept straight from the U.S. to Japan, I would have failed. It was very important to adapt the concept and products for the Japanese marketplace," he said. "For example, we sell traditional pizzas with pepperoni and sausage, but we also sell pizzas with squid, seafood, mayonnaise and unique toppings that would be considered terrible in the U.S. But in Japan, those are preferred toppings." Also, he said, "Japanese eat with their eyes. So, presentation, how you put on the toppings, the color of the toppings, is important." Accordingly, he came up with toppings that would look nice in pictures on menu fliers. Convincing Domino's U.S. executives wasn't an easy task, and that's where his bicultural nature came in handy. "They were so successful in the U.S. They had a formula that led them to success, so they didn't want to change it," he said. "I had to spend a lot of time convincing them" to allow him to localize the toppings. He could convince the U.S. executives to go along with his plan because they realized he understands the Japanese market, he added. Meanwhile, he copied some U.S. practices, including delivering pizza within 30 minutes. Also, he made sure the menus weren't too complicated because they have to be easy to understand for the firm's 4,000 part-time workers. In giving advice to foreign residents in business and personal life, Higa said, "It is important to recognize Japan is different. An attempt to learn Japanese is important. You should also try to understand the Japanese mentality." He also thinks Americans have an advantage in business because it is his belief that about 80 percent of globalization is Americanization. "When you talk about international language, it's English. When you talk about business itself, mentality, method of doing business, presentation skills, and so on, most of it is basically the American style," he said. He is married to a Japanese who had lived in New York for a few years before he met her. They have a son, 17, and two daughters, 13 and 11. All go to the American School in Japan like their father. "I was brought up between Japan and America, so I needed a Japanese woman who understands the U.S. culture or an American woman who understands Japanese culture," he said, adding that his wife is a perfect fit. He wants his children not to worry about their national identities but to have a sensitivity for different cultures. "When I grew up, it was very important to have my own identity. I had an identity crisis when I was in Geneva. I didn't know who I was. Nowadays, it's not important to have a national identity. So, for my children, they have no issue with identity. What's more important is to have sensitivity and exposure to different cultures." He uses English when he talks with his children and his wife speaks to them in Japanese. The children's Japanese is not as good as their English, but he is not overly worried because he thinks English is more important. On weekends, besides spending time with his children, he likes to hang out with friends. "I have gaijin friends, Japanese friends and 'champon' friends," by which he means friends with whom he converses in mixed language, he said. Overall, he is thankful for his bicultural nature, which led him to where he is. "There is big gap between Japanese mentality and U.S. mentality in business. You can get an interpreter in language, but you cannot get an interpreter in cultural difference." [rc] (C) The Japan Times Ltd

INDIA: Banks woo elderly with special products

. CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu / The Times of India / Business / September 29, 2009 By Aparna Ramalingam, Times News Network They don'[t have mega salaries or fancy designations. Nevertheless, India's seniors who account for 7% of the population are increasingly becoming an important target base for banks. They are being wooed with customised products and services. While term deposits have been the preferred source of savings for seniors, (as banks offer 0.5% more for senior citizens), there is a growing interest for other schemes as well. "We have started giving special offers to senior citizens on products like demat accounts, online trading accounts, forex transactions and even on credit cards," says Anindya Mitra, senior vice-president (retail liabilities), HDFC Bank. Illustration courtesy: rediff.com He says seniors are aware of new investment opportunities and with private banks providing investment planning services, many elders are up to date on their portfolios. In the case of demand deposits, the share of senior citizens to the total customer base is approximately 10% which increases to 33% for fixed deposits, for HDFC Bank. But they are not restricted to conservative instruments. Many wealthy seniors are opting for private banking services. "They have a larger investible surplus. They want to grow their wealth and maybe even leave behind targeted sums to their successors even after maintaining their lifestyles," says K V S Manian, group head (retail liabilities) of Kotak Mahindra Bank. Such people end up allocating a portion of their assets to equities. "Many of them also do SIP (systematic investment planning) in mutual funds in favour of their children and grand children," says Manian. Around 12% of Kotak's customers comprise senior citizens. The latest offering by banks for seniors is reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgage involves borrowers mortgaging their property to a lender who then makes periodic payments to the borrowers. But this feature hasn't found many takers as inheritance runs deep in the Indian blood. Seniors are known for conservative asset allocation and this explains why FD (fixed deposits) perhaps still remains the first and in many cases, the preferred choice of investment. "Such term deposits help them manage their liquidity better. Many other financial instruments have a lock-in clause and therefore money can't be withdrawn in case of an exigency. But FDs allow for such break-ups," says Ananthakrishna, who recently retired as chairman of Karnataka Bank. Some banks have launched saving account variants that are specifically targeted at the elders. Features include hospitalisation cover and lower balance requirements. Many nationalised banks have pensioners who have opened accounts with the bank. "We offer demand loan products (loan against deposits) for senior citizens, " says Mathur Nanjunda of State Bank of Travancore. [rc] Copyright © 2009 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

USA: World's oldest man at 113, credits longevity to skipping dinner

. NEW YORK, NY / New York Daily News / Lifestyle / September 28, 2009

By Rosemary Black, Daily News Staff Writer


Walter Breuning, who celebrated his 113th birthday on September 21, at the Rainbow Retirement Home in Great Falls, Montana, where he lives. He credits his longevity to eating less. Moore/Getty

What's the world's oldest man's secret to longevity?

Skipping three squares a day. Walter Breuning of Great Falls, Mont., who just celebrated his 113th birthday, is a supper skipper who has weighed 125 pounds for the past 35 years, according to USA Today.

In lieu of dinner, he puts away a big breakfast and a big lunch. "I think you should push back from the table when you're still hungry," Breuning told USA Today. "You get in the habit of not eating at night, and you realize how good you feel. If you could just tell people not to eat so darn much." So how does the 5-foot-8-inch Breuning deny himself one third of his daily calories? He gets up at 6:15 a.m. and eats breakfast at 7:30 a.m., according to USA Today. It's usually eggs, toast or pancakes. "I eat a lot of fruit every day," he told USA Today. He also takes a baby aspirin every day for his heart, and drinks a lot of water. But it's not just what most people would consider a punishing diet that keeps him going. He also credits his longevity with working hard. "Work doesn't hurt anybody," he told USA Today. He worked for the Great Northern Railway until he was 66 and as the manager/secretary for his local Shriner's Club until he was 99, he told USA Today. And he doesn't eat out anymore. "Once you get used to not eating in a restaurant, you don't want to anymore," he told USA Today. Now he enjoys his meals at home, which is the Rainbow Retirement Center. Of course, it's not all about denial in Breuning's life. According to USA Today, he celebrated his 113th birthday with two cakes – one chocolate and one vanilla. And for his birthday lunch, he enjoyed his favorite: liver and onions. [rc] © Copyright 2009 NYDailyNews.com

INDIA: The Silversmith

. MUMBAI, Maharashtra / The Hindu / Life & Style / Society / September 28, 2009 By Harshikaa Udasi Tina Ambani opens up to Harshikaa Udasi on why ‘silver’ citizens mean so much to her It’s not a story that Tina Ambani likes to relate often. Eight years ago, she had a life-altering experience. An acquaintance, a 60-plus man who lived outside India, lost his mother. As close friends and family, including Tina, condoled the death, this man who had never expressed his emotions freely, began to cry. “He sobbed, and told us how he never got to see his mom express herself freely. He blamed himself for neither giving her a chance nor the time to speak up.” All About Harmony: Tina Ambani This led Tina to help ‘silver’ citizens enjoy their living by launching the Harmony for Silvers Foundation. “Over the years, we’ve built it step-by-step, and now we have the Harmony magazine, a portal, an interactive centre for silver citizens in south Mumbai, and a research and publishing arm. The idea is to use the wealth of experience silver citizens have, and to make them aware that they are not a spent force. We want them to achieve financial stability and get the best of healthcare services. We also want them to self-indulge. They’ve worked for so long!” she adds. Right now, the centre is gearing up for one of the highlights of Harmony Foundation — the Harmony Silver Awards, to be presented on October 1. “Hats off to my team! I have a dedicated bunch of professionals. They start tracking nominees as soon as one award ceremony gets over. It involves a lot of research, and takes almost a year to finalise. We like to put the spotlight on real people, who are also senior citizens working for the betterment of life,” she says. As Tina saunters into the interactive centre for seniors in Mumbai’s Girgaum area, a group of senior citizens surrounds her, fondly calling her Tinaben or Tina bhabhi. “The Tina in me has always remained. Even now, people call me Tina Munim or Tina Ambani, but I am the same person,” smiles the yesteryear actor, who had made a mark for herself in films such as Karz, Aakhir Kyon and Souten before calling it a day and settling down with industrialist Anil Ambani. Promoting new talent The younger daughter-in-law of the Ambani clan has always been actively involved in projects that benefit society. She is the patron-founder of the Harmony Art Foundation that promotes new talent, and has also been instrumental in setting up the multi-specialty Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute, of which she is chairperson. “Anil always teases me that the hospital is my third baby. Honestly, I have given it a lot of time and planning. A team from London had been with us for six months, working on the project that was left behind by late Dr Nitu Mandke (eminent cardiac surgeon). We had to re-do it all since he had planned it as a cardiac hospital while I was sure we should go ahead as a multi-specialty,” she says, evidently content about her three-year long efforts. Ask her to hark back to older times, and think if she could envisage such a future then, and she replies: “There are no expiry dates for personal development. Life offers you various choices, and you have to know how to prioritise. When you are younger, you live for the moment. You can’t plan; you have to realise your karmic cycle over time,” she smiles. With Anil Ambani venturing into Hollywood with strategic tie-ups, will she put her cinematic experience to use? “My roots are in the film industry, as I was acting for 10 years,” she says. And before you even begin thinking on the lines of a yes, she springs up: “But it’s a role I have already played. Now, I have my hands full with things I love to do. So, that’s not happening,” smiles Tina. The mother of two boys, Anmol and Anshul, who are both studying, says that though she is very involved in her kids’ education and upbringing in a traditional way, she is definitely not a hovering parent. “I give them space. That’s the best way to learn,” she says in-between talking to her younger one on the phone to check on his daily lesson. The lady who makes it to page 3 events many a time says that she’d rather spend time at home with her husband and children or watching television or reading books. [rc] Copyright © 2009, The Hindu

INDIA: Business with a social face can have truly positive effects for seniors

. KOLKATA, West Bengal / The Telegraph / Editorial Comment / September 28, 2009 GOOD EVENING Business with a social face can have truly positive effects. The Federation of Hotels and Restaurants of India has an excellent plan to make the elderly happy while bringing in more business for restaurants. The plan is to offer discounts for families or younger people bringing in relatives who are senior citizens. This might give younger people a mental nudge: not only are old people useful to take out to dinner, they may be happier if they are remembered when the family is having a good time. While the plan shows a wise understanding of family dynamics as well as a sensitive nose for business and goodwill creation, implementing it may need a little preparation. Illustration courtesy: whenmysoupcamealive.blogspot.com The federation realizes there must be some special training for the members of staff, so that senior citizens feel wanted and comfortable. Restaurants may also need to adjust their furniture and facilities a little if the elderly become regular visitors. But the real responsibility lies elsewhere — with the families themselves. If older people are often unwilling to go out because they feel they are not wanted, or are a source of embarrassment to others, will they feel differently if it is clearly a case of a discount on a family dinner? To be a ticket to a good time for others may not be quite the route to feel useful again; it is possible to be ignored by children and grandchildren in a restaurant as much as in the home. It would be interesting to watch if the offer of a discount does prompt a new consideration among families and a new confidence among senior citizens hesitant to go out in spite of family encouragement. A change of mindset might do wonders, and this goes for restaurants as well. They could make a special effort to welcome and accommodate differently abled persons, those whom India finds so difficult to remember at all. The old, the ailing, the differently abled: all of them would appreciate a good time once in a while. [rc] Copyright © 2009 The Telegraph.

MALAYSIA: Polygamy club woos M'sia

. SINGAPORE / The Straits Times / SE Asia / September 28, 2009 RAWANG, Malaysia WHEN she was practicing law, Kartini Maarof once went beyond the call of duty for her divorce client. She arranged for Rohaya Mohamad, a mother of seven, to be married again - to Ms Kartini's own husband. The spouse they have shared for a decade is 43-year-old Ikramullah Ashaari, who has four wives and 17 children. His 72-year-old father has 38 offspring from five marriages, without ever having flouted Islam's prescribed limit of four wives at a time. Polygamy is legal for Muslims in Malaysia, though not widespread. The Ashaari clan believes it should be. Last month it launched a Polygamy Club that claims the noble aim of helping single mothers, reformed prostitutes and women who feel they are past the marrying age. 'We want to change the way people perceive polygamy, so that it will be seen as something beautiful instead of something disgusting,' said Hatijah Aam, the founder of the club. She is the fourth wife of Ikramullah's father, Ashaari Muhammad. Abuya Ashaari Muhamad. Courtesy: The Star, Malaysia Polygamy may seem out of place in an Asian democracy proud of its skyscrapers, high-tech skills and go-getter economy. But it retains a foothold in this Muslim-majority country of 27 million where piety is deeply embedded and Muslims can be arrested for drinking alcohol or consorting with the opposite sex unless a couple is married. The government also polices religious practice. Mr Ashaari, the family patriarch, used to head an Islamic sect that was banned in 1994 as heretical because it projected Ashaari as an absolver of sinners. Most of the Polygamy Club members belonged to the sect, and there's nothing illegal about how they live now, so long as they're Muslims. For the one-third of the population that isn't Muslim, polygamy is unlawful. The practice used to be more common but has dwindled to an estimated 2 per cent of all Muslim marriages as women have become freer and careers have opened up for them. -- AP

Polygamy 'not bizarre' THE polygamists point out that the Prophet Muhammad is thought to have married about a dozen women in his lifetime, including widows in need of protection. 'Some people treat polygamy as a laughing matter because they do not fully comprehend it,' says Ikramullah, a jovial businessman and son of his father's first wife. 'But a community that practices it would know that it is not bizarre. In fact, you would be teased if you were a man with only one wife.' The club claims to number 300 husbands and 700 wives. It hopes to cultivate examples of happy households to counter women's rights activists who say some spouses and children suffer in polygamous marriages. Club members say polygamy deters adultery and would improve the marriage prospects of ex-prostitutes if more men were available to marry them. But Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the Muslim female minister in charge of family policy, says polygamy 'is not a culture that is encouraged in our society.' Sisters in Islam, an advocacy group campaigning against polygamy, says it isn't good for women. 'If people choose to be monogamous, there are enough men for every woman,' it said in a statement to The Associated Press. One opponent of polygamy is a 42-year-old business executive who asked to be identified only as Sharifah. She said she threatened to divorce her husband of nearly 15 years after he told her last year that he had fallen in love with a divorced mother of three, felt she needed help, and wanted to marry her. 'I felt like my fairy tale had ended,' Sharifah said. 'He was my soul mate. ... I couldn't believe it was happening. Then I started to scream at him.' She said some people told her that agreeing to a second wife would secure her place in heaven. But Sharifah, the breadwinner for her two children and jobless husband, refused to give in. The couple underwent marriage counseling and Sharifah's husband has promised not to marry the other woman. 'Women have to make a stand. We are getting more progressive. We know our rights,' she said. 'I will not enter into a polygamous marriage. I know I deserve better.' Ms Kartini, 41, says polygamy has served her well; while she was busy arguing court cases, her husband's first wife would cook, clean and look after the children. 'The wives can complement each other,' she said. 'Of course, you miss your husband and there are natural feelings of competition and jealousy at first. But after a while, you try to become friends and you learn that you can share your problems with each other.' The club says most of its husbands keep each spouse in a home of her own unless the women agree to live under one roof. Many husbands rotate their days among households. The tight-knit family is concentrated in Rawang, a town outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's largest city. They gather for religious holidays and other festivities, such as a recent 'Family Day' where they performed songs for each other and picnicked. They mingle easily in public, chatting and joking like any ordinary family. The club is funded by the family's grocery stores, restaurants and other businesses. It plans to offer matchmaking, wedding planning and marriage counseling. Hatijah, who became the patriarch's fourth wife in 1982, used to be skeptical of polygamy, and agreed to the marriage because she worried that at 27, she was getting too old to find a husband. Now 54 and a mother of eight, she says: 'What is wrong with sharing a husband? I've been doing so for nearly 30 years.' -- AP [rc]

Copyright © 2008 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd

JAPAN: People aged 65 or more number 29 million

. An elderly Japanese woman. Courtesy: TIME/Andy Rain/EPA/Corbis TOKYO, Japan / The Japan Times / Editorial / September 28, 2009 EDITORIAL Grayer population In its Respect for the Aged Day (September 21) report, the internal affairs ministry made public its information about the population in Japan. As of September 15, Japan's population stood at 127.56 million, down 120,000 from a year before. People aged 65 or over numbered 28.98 million (12.39 million men and 16.59 million women), accounting for 22.7 percent of the total population and up 800,000, or 0.6 percentage point, from a year before. The total number of elderly people and their percentage of the population have reached the highest levels since comparable statistics were first taken in 1950. Now, a quarter (25.4 percent) of Japanese women and one-fifth (19.9 percent) of Japanese men are 65 or over. People 70 or over numbered 20.60 million, up 440,000 from a year before, and accounted for 16.1 percent of the total population. People 80 or over numbered 7.89 million, up 390,000, and made up 6.2 percent of the total population. The total numbers and percentages are record highs. Last year the average life spans for Japanese women and men were 86.05 and 79.29, respectively, the longest ever. Japan has had the longest-living women in the world for 24 straight years. The life span for Japanese men is the fourth longest. While average life span has lengthened, it seems that many elderly people apparently do not enjoy their lives. As of October 2008, 18.21 million households, or 36.7 percent of the nation's total number of households, had one or more people aged 65 or older. In 4.14 million of them, an elderly person was living alone; this number is 4.2 times greater than the 980,000 households with a lone elderly occupant in 1983 Living alone can be very hard unless people are lucky enough to have friends or relatives with whom they can freely meet or talk. They may have to make efforts to maintain a human network. A Cabinet Office survey shows that some 40 percent of elderly people living alone have close relations with neighbors. But the percentage is declining year by year. People living around elderly people need to make deliberate efforts to talk to them and be intrusive in a friendly way to help them. [rc] (C) The Japan Times Ltd.

UK: Happy and healthy - How growing old became fun

. LONDON, England / The Guardian / Society / Older People / September 27, 2009 Britain's ageing population is staying younger for longer, say medical experts. Though there are far more people in their 80s and 90s than ever before, many remain cheerfully independent By Robin McKie and Anushka Asthana, The Observer At 76, Diana Cornwell still plays golf twice a week. Photograph: Karen Robinson A startling vision of the lives led by Britain's senior citizens will be unveiled today in a report published by a group of the country's leading experts on ageing. Far from having lonely, decrepit existences, assailed by memory loss and physical infirmity, vast numbers of the elderly in the UK are living long, healthy, productive lives, it will be revealed. The stereotypical image of a nation in which rising numbers of pensioners are being kept alive by modern medicine – but are crippled by arthritis, heart disease and Alzheimer's, and live huddled and defenceless in old people's homes – is simply not true. "Healthy life expectancy is increasing at least as quickly as life expectancy," states the report. But the study, by the Academy of Medical Sciences, also warns that Britain still needs to do far more to ensure this trend is maintained. Unless the UK establishes a cadre of top scientists, doctors and engineers dedicated to tackling the problems of old age, the country could lose this momentum, it warns. More promising young scientists, centres of excellence and grant-giving organisations – all dedicated to ageing research – are now urgently needed in order to head off a looming crisis. As the report, Rejuvenating Ageing Research states, the average life expectancy in the UK is now increasing at more than five hours a day, every day – a pattern seen in many other countries. As a result, by 2050 ageing populations are likely to cost advanced economies "around nine times more than the current economic downturn". Dealing with our ageing population will need care. At present, however, Britain is doing far better than expected with regard to the problem, the group stressed. Large numbers of elderly people are living healthy, happy and productive lives. "No one wants to live an extra 10 years if they have to spend them in a nursing home," said the head of the working group, Professor Linda Partridge, of University College London. "But that is not what is happening at present. People are living longer. At the same time, they also are living healthier, more productive lives." This point is backed by a surprising body of statistics, she added. For example, it is known that the people of Britain are getting older and older, a trend which suggests a far higher proportion of the general population should now be living in old people's homes today than in the past. "But this is not the case," added Partridge. "The proportion is just the same as it was several decades ago." In other words, although there are more 80-year-olds today, the percentage affected by disability – requiring them to live in homes – is far lower than it was last century. In fact, this improvement in disability has been surprisingly emphatic, according to gerontologist Professor Kay-Tee Khaw of Cambridge University, a member of the working group. "If you compare national surveys carried out between 1970 and 1990, you see the number of 85-year-olds who are disabled halved between 1971 and 1990." This point was also stressed by Professor Ray Tallis, of Manchester University. "While older people do carry a significant burden of illness, it is far less than is generally assumed," said Tallis, another member of the working group. "They are standing up in the battlefield but they are not being struck down by arrows." Professor Ray Tallis Indeed, many are positively relishing their lives today. An example is provided by Diana Cornwell, who will be 77 tomorrow. She wears fashionable clothes, exercises every day, plays golf twice a week, volunteers for a charity, drives, spends weekends visiting sights around the country and will celebrate her birthday by going out for a meal with her 82-year-old husband, Maurice. "I am quite happy to think I can carry on doing this forever," said Diana, who lives in Maidstone, Kent. "If I die tomorrow, I will know that I have had such a lovely life." Of course, being in your 70s is nothing like it once was, she added. "I never knew my father, while my mother died at 60. So when I got to my 60s I was anxious." Diana and Maurice, however, have taken care of their health – having regular check-ups while two cataract operations means Diana no longer has to wear glasses. Losing weight also solved problems she had with her hip. "Now I can wear high heels again. I have painted my fingernails and toenails purple and my hair is dyed blonde. I am not a dolly bird, but I am happy with how I look. We are lucky medicine has improved so much." In fact, medical interventions and lifestyle changes have both played crucial roles in bringing healthy old age to so many. Drugs that counter high blood pressure and cardiac complaints have produced startling reductions in deaths from heart disease, for example. Since the 1990s cardiac mortalities have dropped by 40% as a result. At the same time, lifestyle changes are also making an impact: those who stop drinking excessively or smoking or who take exercise and eat lots of fruit and vegetables not only live longer but have less chance of suffering physical or mental disability in later life, added Khaw. "The association is clear." This connection between factors such as diet and loss of mental function may seem unlikely but it is real, added Tallis. "Alzheimer's has a speedier, more pronounced progress on those who also suffer from cerebral vascular problems - and such conditions are associated with unhealthy lifestyles." The result is emphatic, said Partridge. "Today's 60-year-olds have the lifestyles that 40-year-olds had a century ago. More importantly, we are now shaping up to a future in which 80-year-olds will live as 60-year-olds do today." This might seem ambitious, though, according to Partridge, in the past decade science had made remarkable breakthroughs that suggested it is an achievable goal. Research on animals, particularly recent studies on monkeys, has indicated that dietary regimes will produce improvements in longevity and health. This is also true for humans. "At the same time, we are homing in on gene mutations that confer particular health and longevity to their possessors. This gives us the chance to develop drugs that can emulate the activity of these genes." The working group also highlights another key point in its report. While deadly infectious diseases have largely been conquered in Britain, chronic ailments including heart disease, Alzheimer's and cancers remain killers – and a key factor affecting morbidity in these ailments is old age. "We should therefore be studying the basic process of ageing – which clearly underlies the onset of so many conditions – as a priority," added Partridge. "Then when we learn the basic cellular mechanics and other factors involved in ageing, we can use this knowledge to understand these chronic conditions and to derive drugs that will alleviate them." Essentially, doctors and scientists were trying to achieve "compression of morbidity", added Tallis. "We want people to live long, healthy lives and then, when they go, to slip away quickly. After all, that is how most people want to live and die and, of course, it is also attractive economically. The less time we spend in hospital the happier we are and the less we cost the state." Such a goal will still require a change in attitude to old age in Britain, the report warns – a point backed by Partridge. "We need to improve the manner in which we direct our scientific efforts," she said. "For all the good work that has been done in recent years, there is still an attitude in this country that borders on the fatalistic. When we look at an old person who is ill, we subconsciously think: what do you expect, you are 80. By contrast, in America there is more a feeling that there should be a moral imperative towards helping to improve ill-health, including those aspects associated with old age. So we need to co-ordinate our work in a better manner." What must be avoided at all costs, states the report, is the nightmare scenario in which life expectancy continues to increase but without the associated improvements in health that are currently being observed in the elderly. To make sure this happens, the working group proposes a series of measures which include setting up more centres of excellence in ageing research, attracting senior scientists from other specialities into the field, and the establishment of dedicated funding agencies. "The UK's research base in the basic biology of ageing does not compare favourably with countries such as the USA," states the report. "Although there are some undoubted centres of excellence in ageing research in the UK, they are too few and too fragmented." In general, the report is optimistic, however. The nation has "much less to fear from the ageing population than some anticipate. Indeed, if healthy life expectancy increases rapidly enough, then the ageing population becomes an economic and social opportunity rather than a challenge." This claim was supported by Emma Soames, editor-at-large of Saga magazine: "Old age is often painted as a place of vulnerability, frailty and great expense. But you can – people already do – have a good quality of life in your 70s. I don't want to live to 120, but I would like the end of my life to be active and valid. "Of course, there may be people who yearn to live to 120. But if they think about it, it is the diseases of old age they are really scared of rather than death." And Diana Cornwell agrees. The most important thing for her is that she has quality of life. She says that she and Maurice – who both enjoy crosswords and Sudoku puzzles – fear losing their mental ability above all else. "When you get to our age you have seen friends and relations finish their days unable to do anything for themselves and the strain on carers is enormous. As far as Alzheimer's is concerned, both my husband and I agree that we would prefer an assisted suicide. When the time comes I would rather not be here – but I ain't there yet!" [rc] © Guardian News and Media Limited 2009

KOREA: Seoulites Are Aging

. SEOUL, Korea / The Korea Times / Seoulites Are Aging / Nation Digest / September 27, 2009 By Kwon Mee-yoo, Staff Reporter A recent survey predicted Seoul will become an aged society in which 20 percent of the population is over 65 by 2027 - the rate is currently 9 percent. The number of single-person elderly households also soared to 94,855 in 2005 from 11,632 in 1985. The survey, conducted on 5,000 people over 65, found that 44 percent of senior citizens consider themselves as the lower class: politically, economically and socially. Their biggest problems were financial difficulties and health problems. "The aged generation has been increasing rapidly, but the economically productive population has been decreasing," a city official said. "Seoul needs to provide jobs for the 'silver generation' and proper welfare policies." Despite the increasing significance of welfare for seniors, only 28 percent of Seoulites said they could pay more tax for welfare, which raises the question of how to amass sufficient funding. According to the Seoul survey, one out of every three suicides involved people over 60 years old. The average suicide rate reached 49 out of 100,000 in 2008, double the 23 in 2000. Last year, 637 of those over 60 killed themselves, marking seventh place in terms of cause of death. The trend is similar nationwide. The National Statistics Office said 4,365 suicides involved those over 60-years-old - out of a total of 12,858. The rate is 112.9 for those over 80, up five-fold of the 22.6 for those in their 20s. "The suicide rate among the aged is increasing as they feel isolated or suffer from a poor financial situation through disbanded families and 'twilight divorces' - filing for divorce after more than 20 years of marital life," said Rep. Jung Mi-kyeong of the Grand National Party. "Korea is becoming an aging society and the nuclear family and dissolution of the ties is driving the isolation of the aged. Welfare authorities should care about the dark side of society where old people suffer from poverty and disease." Japan introduced an insurance system customized for the rising numbers of the older generation in 2000. "Japan had a social consensus that caring for the aged is the family's job, but the introduction of this insurance shows the social recognition of the aging society," an official of the National Health Insurance Corporation said. "However, this system was criticized over financing. We should make a mutual agreement on premiums and policy with all social classes so as not to make the same mistake." [rc] meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr Copyright Korea Times Co.kr

MALAYSIA: First Senior Citizens Rest & Recreation Centre to open next year

. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia / The New Straits Times / Bernama / September 26, 2009 Malaysia's first rest and recreation centre for senior citizens and orphans will officially open by early next year, in Ampang here. With just two per cent of work to be completed, the RM7 million structure with an unique design is the brainchild of Lin Chua Yap Swee Lin, the founder and chairman of Aged Unite To Organise Rest and Recreation (AUTORR) Foundation. According to Lin who is also the grandaughter of the famous philanthropist Yap Kwan Seng, RM500,000 is still needed to complete the work on the centre. "We hope the centre can open by the end of this year or in early next year, as it would be a dream come true for many senior citizens," she said. She was speaking to reporters at the "Enrich and Safeguard Your Wealth During Economic Downturn" talk, as part of efforts to raise funds for the foundation, here today. The centre will be a place for senior citizens to have fellowship and at the same time, help provide motivation and mentoring for young orphans. "The centre is not a home for senior citizens. It will serve as an education centre, a meditation centre and an activity centre. "Besides that, workshop sessions, a tea corner for socialising, health and eating right workshops, would also be held," she explained. She also said the centre would provide new meaning for senior citizens in better enjoying their lives. [rc] Copyright © 2009 NST Online

IRELAND: Events celebrate positive aging week

. DUBLIN, Ireland / The Irish Times / Ireland News / September 26, 2009 By Kitty Holland Nine days of exhibitions, dances and parties celebrating older people got underway today. The sixth annual Positive Aging Week, which was opened by the President Mrs Mary McAleese, aims to show how positive the period, known as 'old-age' really can be. Over 650 events will take place across the State. Mrs McAleese said people were living a lot longer and were in general a lot stronger and healthier than their counterparts in years gone by. There was scope for huge potential after retirement age. She also said the older generation could teach younger ones a thing or two about coping with an economic downturn. "They know a lot about adversity and hardship, about self-sacrifice and mending and making do. "They also hear the worried and disappointed voices of a new generation facing serious economic difficulties for the first time and the wisdom, resilience, self-sufficiency and success stories of our older citizens distil into a valuable well from which to draw courage and inspiration. If ever there was a time for age action, this is surely it," she said. The week is organised by Age Action and sponsored by ESB Customer Supply. Ten towns are holding events for the week: Arklow, Co Wicklow, Athy, Co Kildare, Drogheda, Co Louth, Boyle, Co Roscommon, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, Midleton Co Cork, Tullamore Co Offaly as well as Galway, Sligo and Dublin. [rc] © 2009 irishtimes.com Seniors World Chronicle adds Positive Aging Week Photograph Competition 2009: The aim of this competition was to "capture positive images of older people in your community". AGE ACTION had earlier organised a photo competition on the theme of positive aging. Two of the winners are reproduced here. First Prize Winner: Baywatch by Richard Ashcroft. Second Prize Winner: A Hug, Love Not Wrinkles by Arlene North

JAPAN: Maybe it's time for some age-old wisdom

. TOKYO, Japan / The Japan Times / Opinion / September 26, 2009 JAPAN LITE Maybe it's time for some age-old wisdom By Amy Chavez The cover of a Japanese magazine recently showed a photo of Shiraishi Island along with a title that urged people to come and relax in shima no jikan (island time). This, of course, is the image outsiders have of our island. Photo courtesy: theamblerfamily.com They come here and see the elderly people ambling along the road, the old wooden fishing boats languishing in their berths, piles of decomposing fishing nets and mountains of rusting anchors. I suppose it's only natural to think that these things are indicative of a similar anchored lifestyle among the people. And yes, 60 percent of the island's population is over 60 years old. Despite all of Japan being in the same time zone, our island definitely does have its own time. For example, today was a clean-up-the-pilgrimage-route day. Next Saturday is clean-the-temple-grounds day, and the Saturday after that is clean-the-neighborhood day. All these events officially start at 7 a.m. Except that once converted into "island time," 7 a.m. is actually 6:30 a.m. This is because the older people get, the earlier everything starts. And I suspect that this grace period of 30 minutes is getting longer all the time. A few years ago, people would arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time. Then it slowly crept to 30 minutes. But today, when I had finally caught up with the group that was cleaning, they had nearly finished the two-hour job. They must have arrived at least an hour early! I can't keep up with these old people. They do absolutely everything at rapid speed. Perhaps they realize they don't have that much longer to live and as a result are trying to fit in everything they possibly can. When I joined the group, a 79-year-old fisherman was taking up the rear wielding a motorized weed cutter while 80-year-old Rikimatsu-san was perched on a very steep slope raking leaves to one side. And all the rest of the group moved like squirrels as they hopped from place to place cleaning and putting the pilgrimage path in order. Seeing I wasn't needed there, I ran ahead to help the others. But when I got there, someone had just declared the job finished. Think about it: If all three events this month start one hour early, that means we'll have gained three hours by the end of the month. And if this keeps up over the years, it won't be long until we have a 26-hour day! And those extra two hours will surely be added to the morning so rather than waking up to the 6 o'clock chimes, we'll wake up to 4 o'clock chimes. Living among people with overactive thyroids, I'm careful not to suggest certain hobbies such as, for example, car racing. Can you imagine the drag races around the island at 4 a.m.? Or how about speed reading? The old people would soon figure out that by speed reading, they could save money because they'd only have to buy one copy of the newspaper for the entire island. Everyone would get two minutes and ten seconds to read the paper. Heck, after some practice, they'd surely be able to read the newspaper before it was even printed. In this way, if they worked hard enough, they could probably even reverse time. Such is the power of old people. But seriously, even if speed reading were a success, the old people would then want to learn speed cleaning and speed laundering. I'm kind of enjoying taking my time getting through life's daily activities. But, I'm a little concerned about the old people. If they continue at this rapid pace like a watch that runs too fast, people are going to actually die sooner because they will have reached the end of their life ten years sooner than they were supposed to. On the other hand, perhaps we should be utilizing the power of old people. We could put their skills to work where they would make the biggest difference: in Japan's Diet. They'd be rapid decision-makers who would work tirelessly, from 4 a.m. every morning, for change. They'd find people jobs at an astounding pace and they'd teach debt ridden people money-saving techniques such as speed reading. They'd bring in their rakes and motorized weed cutters and clean up corruption before breakfast. They'd reclaim the Russian-held islands by lunch and they'd meet targeted carbon dioxide emissions by dinner. Then they'd solve the pension fiasco before retiring for the day. Two hours early. rc] (C) The Japan Times

JAPAN: 33% of men sit to pee

. TOKYO, Japan / The Japan Times / Kyodo News / September 26, 2009 KITAKYUSHU - About one in three Japanese men tend to sit on the toilet when urinating at home, according to results of a survey by toilet maker Toto Ltd. The Internet survey conducted in May, covering 500 men in their 20s to 60s whose homes have Western-style toilets, found 33.4 percent said they prefer to sit, citing "ease of posture" and "to make cleaning easier" as the main reasons. The figure was 9.7 percent higher than in Toto's last survey in 2004. Takuji Yano of Toto's public relations department said, "It seems that people are tending to be more conscious about the bathrooms in their home, such as equipping washlet attachments to the toilet and trying to keep them cleaner." [rc] See earlier report (C) The Japan Times

USA: Former caretaker, 65, convicted of ripping off elderly woman, 93

. SPRINGFIELD, Illinois / The State Journal-Register / September 25, 2009 By Chris Dettro, The State Journal-Register The former caretaker for a 93-year-old retired Springfield physician has been convicted of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from the woman. Sandra Gayle, 65, of Springfield was convicted of financial exploitation of the elderly and financial exploitation of a person with a disability. A Sangamon County jury deliberated a little more than an hour Friday before returning the verdict. Prosecutors introduced testimony over the course of the four-day trial to show that Gayle used her own family to gain the trust of the doctor. Gayle, who had the victim’s power of attorney, then “gifted” easily more than $300,000 from the doctor’s bank account to herself, relatives and friends, testimony indicated. Gayle could receive from 4 to 15 years in prison when she is sentenced November 19 by Associate Judge John Mehlick. Her crimes also are probationable. Assistant state’s attorney Jay Magnuson, who along with assistant state’s attorney Karen Tharp prosecuted the case, said both Gayle and the doctor told the doctor’s attorney in 2006 to issue a document to the doctor’s financial adviser to transfer money from the doctor’s account. The money was to be used to pay off $71,000 in student debt owed by Gayle’s daughter, to set up $30,000 college funds for two of Gayle’s grandchildren and to provide $12,000 gifts to six of Gayle’s relatives. Gayle also wrote $114,000 in checks to herself while she was receiving free room and board and being paid $1,344 a week to care for the doctor. In March 2007, Gayle herself presented a document to the financial adviser calling for six more gifts to be made to friends and relatives, for more money to be put into college accounts and for a $525,000 reserve to be made available to Gayle. The adviser contacted Senior Services of Central Illinois and the state Department of Aging. Ultimately, Springfield attorney Kevin McDermott was appointed the doctor’s guardian. Magnuson said that after Gayle was removed from the doctor’s home and arrested, the doctor’s new nurse was asked to get the doctor’s financial records and put them on a table so the doctor could review them. The nurse testified that, after a while, the doctor swept the records onto the floor with her forearm and began crying. Gayle’s attorney, Jason Vincent, argued that Gayle was only doing what the victim wanted her to do. She had the approval of the doctor’s financial adviser, attorney and accountant, he said. Gayle did not testify. Magnuson said the Gayle case is the first financial exploitation of the elderly case to go to trial in Sangamon County in the 14 years he has been a prosecutor here. [rc] Copyright © 2009 GateHouse Media, Inc.

UK: Former town clerk's £400,000 fortune to help elderly

. GALASHIELS, Scotland / BBC News / September 25, 2009 A former town clerk has left more than £400,000 to be used to benefit the elderly in a south of Scotland town. George Knox died earlier this year, aged 93, and left much of his estate to Scottish Borders Council. Mr George Knox has asked that his money be used to benefit the elderly in Galashiels where he was town clerk from 1969 to 1975. Council leader David Parker said the authority would work to ensure the greatest benefit to the community from an "extraordinary act of generosity". Mr Knox started his local government career in the former burgh of Melrose. He then returned to his home town of Galashiels where he served first as deputy town clerk and then town clerk. In 1975 he became the first director of administration for the new district council for Ettrick and Lauderdale. 'Absolutely delighted' He served until 1980 and, on his retirement, was awarded the MBE for service to local government. He continued his service by doing voluntary work in the Scottish Borders and nationally. Mr Parker said: "We are absolutely delighted to receive this bequest. "We will fully explore how best to use this gift to ensure that the elderly of Galashiels receive the maximum benefit over the years to come of this extraordinary act of generosity." It is the second significant bequest in the Borders in a matter of weeks. Earlier this month it was revealed a retired nurse had left more than £500,000 towards the creation of a hospice in the region. [rc] © BBC MMIX

JAPAN: The fear behind Japan's flourishing 'rent-a-friend' industry

. LONDON, England / The First Post Daily / September 25, 2009 In three and a half years I've never once been caught out," says Ryuichi Ichinokawa, founder of Tokyo-based Office Agents, one of the 'rent a friend' businesses currently flourishing in Japan. Ichinokawa makes sure his 'agents' - available for hire as 'friends', 'work colleagues' and even 'relatives' - know the answers to every possible question in advance. A slip could ruin the reputation of his client ­ and his business.

The client wants the agent to fill in the gap in his or her life

Business is booming. After four years, Ichinokawa now employs 30 agents and charges £150 for wedding appearances, or more if the agent is asked to speak or sing karaoke. The economic recession has increased demand as requests come in for agents to act as 'bosses' or 'work colleagues' to cover up for the fact that the client has, in fact, lost his or her job. In short, the need to save face in public is a growing concern amongst the Japanese. The roles agents are asked to play range from being best man at a wedding, to being a child's 'uncle' at a sports event, to being a parent attending a match-making party. They might be asked to be a husband at a social gathering, or even a rival suitor. What each situation has in common is that the client wants the agent to fill in the gap in his or her life - a gap they feel unable to broach publicly. Behind the example of the 'uncle' watching his nephew's sports event is the fact that the child's mother is a divorcee, the father is absent, and the son is being bullied at school by his peers. It is clear that the divorcee is attempting to fill in the gap of her missing husband and her son's missing father in the hope, apart from anything else, that this will solve the problem of her son being bullied. The uncle is also a stand-in father and, at least in the mother's mind, will quite literally represent the protective authority figure that is missing in their lives. Another situation described by Ichinokawa is acting to rescue love affairs that are failing. A woman client employs an agent to act as a potential rival in order to re-kindle her lover's interest. When she is in public with her inattentive boyfriend, the agent is programmed to 'accidentally' turn up, show that they've met before and express overt interest in her. Here the agent is asked to collude with the woman in trying to cover up the fact that her boyfriend has lost interest in her, if he was ever interested in the first place. Whatever role the agent is asked to play points to an underlying emotional gap in the client that is too painful to know about - much less risk exposing.

Japan is a culture which has an extreme fear of vulnerability and defeat

Hiring a 'boss' might be the most obvious attempt at saving face, but there are invariably deeper emotional gaps that agents are being asked to fill. In a culture that prides itself on the importance of form and structure ­ on putting on a good public appearance - it is perhaps especially shameful when the facts of one's life don't correspond to how they are supposed to be. For many people, these discrepancies convey a terrible sense of failure and inadequacy. Having to hire friends and relatives only highlights the isolation of Ichinokawa's clients and how much intimacy is lacking in their lives. Japan is a culture, known during World War II for its kamikaze pilots, but which now has an extreme fear of vulnerability and defeat. It is ironic that Ichinokawa originally wanted to train as a counsellor. Instead of training, he set up his agency and now claims that what he is providing is a kind of counselling. However, in helping clients cover up their problems, the agents seem to be acting more in the role of social prostitutes, giving short-term relief that must be kept secret at all costs. Creating the façade of a life without problems is immensely seductive but it is the client who is fooled in the end. [rc] Coline Covington is a Jungian analyst in private practice in London. She is former Chair of the British Psychoanalytic Council and a Training Analyst of the Society of Analytical Psychology, of the British Association of Psychotherapists, and of the London Centre for Psychotherapy. Copyright of First Post Newsgroup IPR Limited

WORLD: Population is on the increase and the world cannot contain it or sustain it

. LONDON, England / New Scientist / Special Feature / September 23, 2009 This week NewScientist has published an extensive feature on World Population Click here THE POPULATION DELUSION Illustration by Michael Duva/Getty 7 BILLION AND COUNTING… Overpopulation is often singled out as the planet's root problem. If only it were that simple. Leading thinkers on population can't agree on what the answers – or even the questions – are. In this special feature, New Scientist brings the best of expert opinion. The population delusion There are 7 billion of us and counting, but the raw numbers hide a multitude of complexities CURBING GROWTH Enough of us now With more than a billion already going hungry, limiting population growth has to be a priority, say Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich THE OPTIMIST Technology will save us Human ingenuity has always saved us from the burden of our swelling numbers – and Jesse Ausubel is convinced that it can save us even now GREED Overconsumption is the real problem The population timebomb is fast being defused – now we need to fix the habits of the greedy few, argues Fred Pearce DEVELOPED WORLD Europe's problems will grow as it shrinks High population growth is not sustainable – but neither is low fertility, says Reiner Klingholz [rc] © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.

CHINA: Adopted Chinese daughters seek their roots

. LONDON, England / The Financial Times / Reportage / September 25, 2009 By Patti Waldmeir We have all seen them: adorable Chinese girls holding the hands of their (usually elderly, often overweight, but definitely doting) Caucasian parents, strolling the streets from New York to New South Wales, growing up in a white, white world, far away from the land and culture where they were born. Patti Waldmeir with her daughter, Grace. Photo: Ariana Lindquist In some ways, they are a permanent blot on the image of China: surplus daughters the country couldn’t care for, unintended consequences of the 30-year-old “one-child” policy that led to the abandonment of hundreds of thousands if not millions of female infants at birth. But now, as the balance of global economic and political power shifts subtly in favour of China, Beijing is reaching out to all these lost daughters – and welcoming them back home. China has invited thousands of foundlings back to their birthplaces for government-sponsored “homeland tours” which, like last year’s Beijing Olympics or next year’s Shanghai World Expo, give the country a chance to show off to the world. On one level, what the Chinese adoption authorities call “root seeking tours” – filled with extravagant expressions of love and kinship and lavish gifts for the returning orphans – are a transparent public relations exercise aimed at raising money for Chinese orphanages, justifying the decision to export surplus children and countering decades of unfair international criticism that Chinese people “hate girls”. [rc] Click here to read the full reportage © Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2009

KOREA: Ceremony to honor senior citizens

. SEOUL, Korea / The Korea Herald / National News / September 25, 2009 By Lee Ji-yoon Ahead of the Senior Citizen's Day next Friday, the government is holding today a ceremony aimed at honoring elderly people for their contribution to family and society. Some 300 guests, including 180 senior Koreans from abroad, are to join the celebrating event held at the central lecture hall of the Korean Senior Citizens' Association in Seoul. The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs originally had planned to invite almost 3,000 people. But, for fear of possible infection with the H1N1 flu virus among them, the ministry decided to downsize the guest numbers. Considering that elderly people are at higher risk of complications from the new flu, a total of 20 medical staff are planned to be mobilized at the venue, along with thermal cameras, hand sanitizers and air purifiers being installed. During the ceremony, 138 people will be awarded for their achievements in welfare and volunteer work. Recipients include Choi Sung-won, chairman of the Sung Won Foundation, who has donated more than 10 billion won ($8.4 million) to welfare facilities since the 1980s; Bang Bok-sin, 82, who has conducted volunteer work helping underprivileged people; and Lee Young-tae, traditional medical doctor, who has offered free medical services for poor elderly people. A chenopodium crane, known as symbol of health and longevity from ancient times, will be presented to 884 senior citizens, including 170 men and 714 women, who turned 100 years old this year. Except two people attending the event, others will receive the crane at home, considering their ages. Along with the falling birth rate, the aging population is considered one of the urgent issues facing the nation. According to the latest data from the National Statistical Office, elderly people aged 65 and older accounted for 10 percent of the total population last year, with the number first surpassing the 5 million mark. Korea has already entered into an "aging society" in 2000 with its senior population of 7.2 percent. The nation is expected to become an "aged society" in 2018 with the old population reaching 14.3 percent. [rc] By Lee Ji-yoon E-mail: jylee@heraldm.com Copyright 2001 ~ 2009 Herald Media Inc.

THAILAND: Elder citizens ignored by their own children

. BANGKOK, Thailand / The Nation / September 25, 2009 Senior citizens in Thailand are increasingly neglected and abused, both by their own children and by caregivers in state-run shelter homes, the author of a study on the subject said yesterday. The findings of research by Jiraphorn Katesaphitchayawatthana were discussed at a Bangkok seminar. Jiraphorn said violations against the elderly included verbal, physical and sexual abuse; failure of respect for private property; and alterations of conditions and statements in legal documents by children or other heirs to reap more profit for their own benefit. The various kinds of abuse result in elders suffering from distress, depression and other mental disorders while physical and sexual abuses cause injuries and disease. Elderly Thai man. Photo by courtesy of Maiks72, Germany The researcher called on Thai people to be more considerate when it comes to the issue, given the traditional Thai cultural virtue of ancestor respect and worship. She called for sympathy for caregivers, as their workloads can sometimes result in them being abusive, and distressed on their jobs themselves. Citing a controversial television report that documented an old woman mistreating her 90-year-old mother in Sukhothai province, Jiraphorn said the younger woman was intensely disliked by her neighbours and later moved away from her village with her mother. "If you watch the report with more understanding, you will find out that a woman who takes care of her old mother with brain and memory problems can naturalฌly run out of patience and lose her selfcontrol," Jiraphorn said. To solve problems on the caregiver's end, children should agree to take turns caring for their old and ailing parents to spread the burden of stress that often comes with the task. "Caregivers and children also need to remind themselves that old people do not need only your monthly fund transferred to their bank accounts. They need your care at a deeper level," she said. [rc] (c) 2007 NMG News Co. Ltd.

PAKISTAN: Tribal elders gunned down by Taliban

. PESHAWAR, Pakistan / Associated Press / September 24, 2009 By Riaz Khan, AP Militants ambushed a convoy of prominent anti-Taliban tribal elders in volatile northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, spraying their cars with gunfire and killing nine people, police said. The members of the anti-Taliban citizens' group were traveling from the Machikhel area to meet security officials in Bannu district when their three-vehicle convoy was attacked by insurgents, police officer Mohammad Ghani Khan said. People unload a dead body, center covered with sheet, and a badly injured victim of a militant attack at a local hospital in Bannu, Pakistan on September 24, 2009. Militants ambushed a convoy of prominent anti-Taliban tribal elders in volatile northwest Pakistan on Thursday. AP Photo/Ijaz Mohammad Pakistani authorities have urged tribal elders to speak out against the Taliban, and in turn the militants have killed scores of local leaders. With government backing, some elders have raised militias, known as lashkars, to battle the insurgents. The militias have been compared to Iraq's Awakening Councils, which helped U.S. forces turn the tide against al-Qaida there. Nine bodies were recovered from the bullet-riddled cars, including at least four tribal elders who had opposed the Taliban in the region, said Ajaz Khan, another police officer. Six people were hospitalized with injuries, he said. Armed local residents came out of their homes and fought off the Taliban after the ambush, preventing them from killing the survivors, Khan said. Witness Inayatullah Khan said tribesmen killed two militants in the gunbattle. Security forces later arrived in the Khaisur area and joined the fight. Soldiers killed at least six militants in the nearby Malakand region during a clash early Thursday, police said. Insurgents ambushed a vehicle carrying Pakistani troops near an Afghan refugee camp, police official Akram Khan said. The soldiers returned fire and killed the six attackers, he said. None of the troops was hurt. The military said in a statement that 10 suspects were arrested in operations over the past 24 hours and 15 militants surrendered to security forces. [rc] Other contributors to this report Zarar Khan, AP in Islamabad Hussain Afzal, AP in Parachinar Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press.