‘If you are grouchy, it will show on your face.’ Tips for those hitting their 60s
Published on
06 Aug 2024
Published by
The Straits Times
Five Singaporeans reflect on what their 60s were like.
Turning 60 is a major milestone for many.
It often marks the approach of retirement. Health issues also become more pronounced.
Alongside worries about whether your retirement savings are adequate, there may also be uncertainty about how to spend your time.
But the 60s can also be a time to prioritise your physical and emotional well-being and take life easier, as these interviews with Singaporeans in their 70s reveal.
A time for reflection
Mr Foo Siang Heng, 74, worked in human resources in industries such as air travel, media, manufacturing and information technology services. He and his wife have three children and two grandchildren.
“I retired from gainful employment in 2008 when the company I was working in underwent restructuring.
A former professor of mine asked me to serve on his university’s IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee), which ensures the ethical use of laboratory animals in biomedical research.
Although I was trained in biology, my entire career was in human resources management. I thought it’d be a good idea to do something related to my studies in my retirement. This led to me serving in the IACUCs of other organisations.
I spent a lot of my time reading, jogging and occasionally writing light-hearted poems. At one time, I was jogging distances of 10km three times a week. Social activities also kept me busy. I enjoy organising events for my Raffles Institution’s Class of 1965. Some of us still meet every Saturday for lunch.
I was diagnosed with cancer at the end of last year and am undergoing treatment. I’d always been pretty healthy and had never been warded before that.
The 60s is a good time for one to reflect on what you want to do for the rest of your life. If you enjoy your work, you should carry on. It’s good to be earning an income. I have no regrets about retiring at 58. I spent my 60s well, and I enjoyed myself.”
Be friendly and lend a helping hand
Ms Nora Kang turns 70 in December. The mother of two is president emeritus of the DBS Staff Union, a full-time job. She joined POSB as a teller in 1972 and worked her way up to become a manager of various DBS Bank branches before moving to union work.
“Sixty is old? Knock your head!
I never think about age or have been shy about my age.
I believe you should just be happy with yourself. If you are the grouchy type, it will show on your face. You will get lines and wrinkles. Importantly, be friendly, lend a helping hand, and do good. It’s also best to go to bed early – before 10pm in my case.
I’ve been lucky to be able to continue working into my 60s. I enjoy my work. I sometimes visit union members at home to see how they are doing. It’s good for them to have somebody they can talk to.
But I wouldn’t say work defines my life. Work is just work.
I don’t think I will be retiring any time soon, as I think my services will still be needed.
“People say when you retire, you can go on long holidays. But if I want a long holiday, I just take leave.”
If you can, don’t retire
Mr Martin Pereira, 73, a financial planner with AIA. He and his 69-year-old wife, Joan, have four children and five grandchildren.
“Retirement wasn’t on my mind when I turned 60. I’m still working at 73.
As a financial planner, I’m okay if I maintain a certain quota, and that’s not difficult to do.
But over the past five years, I work a half day. I exercise at least one hour every day. That’s a must. I used to run but now walk and run. I’ve always been controlled about my diet – not a fanatic, but I watch what I eat.
Online trading keeps me occupied as well. I do that at night when the US markets open.
My advice to those in their 60s is, if you can, don’t retire. Your mind will shrivel up and your health will be affected. The worst thing is to have an empty mind and nothing meaningful to do.
If there are any regrets about my 60s, maybe I should have saved more. But other than that, I have none. I’ve had a good life.”
Frailty is the biggest problem
Ms Judith d’Silva, 72, was in the civil service for 44 years, 39 of them in the Ministry of Defence. She retired in 2019 as a director in Nexus, which is involved in national education and Total Defence.
“I retired when I was 67. I was going to hit 70 and wanted time for myself.
I was very active when I was younger but stopped exercising. I was very unfit. The day after I retired, I started brisk walking. The term ‘active ageing’ can seem like another government buzzword, but it’s very apt. I tell my young friends they need to start exercising early, from their 40s and 50s.
A doctor told me that frailty is the biggest problem when you age. People who are frail can fall easily, so you need to build up your muscles.
I also do indoor exercises and follow Jenny McClendon on YouTube. I walk and take the MRT everywhere. My car is seldom used.
After I retired, I joined my former boss to set up Clarity, The Word Factory. We teach young civil servants to write better. If I wasn’t doing this, I’d be volunteering. I wanted to do something productive, to help others. I didn’t want to do things just to fill time.”
Old people need company
Ms Deborah Choi, 71, has a son who is a pilot and an 11-year-old grandson. Born in South Korea, she sang in a girl group in the 1960s and 1970s. She married a Singaporean and became a Singaporean. She was a ground staff at Singapore Airlines and worked elsewhere till she retired at 55.
“I don’t really think about age. I just focus on my life. I was given the talent to sing and have been singing in churches and old folks’ homes for many years. Old people need company more than anything else.
I’ve always been sure of myself when I’m singing onstage. But I discovered my real self when I led a non-profit organisation in the Korean community in Singapore from 2020 to 2022. It gave me confidence and a can-do spirit, which I never thought I had. When you have confidence, it really doesn’t matter how old you are.
Physically, you have to look after yourself when you age because looks contribute to confidence. They all come together.”
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Reproduced with permission.
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