The Positive Octogenarian

Mr Anthony Goh Tee Kow may be 82 years old this year, but his mind remains as sharp as ever. Although retired, he currently keeps himself busy with reading and learning new things. He attributes his physical and mental well-being to lifelong learning, positive thinking, an hour of brisk walking every morning and a good diet.

 

To keep up with technological advances so that he can foster a stronger relationship and bond with his daughter, he took up IT courses on the use of email, and browsing of websites and social media sites. One of the courses he took was the National Silver Academy (NSA) course Set Up Web Servers; Create Web Pages and Maintain Websites conducted by the Institute of Technical Education.

 

"I believe learning is a lifelong process. I keep on learning new things and happenings from websites, daily newspapers and cable news. Without any of these activities at my age, life would be boring," said Mr Goh.

 

Staying curious always

 

Mr Goh is a keen learner who adopts a self-starter approach to life, and takes time to solve problems whenever he encounters them.

 

With a passion in reading and writing, Mr Goh started writing when he was 21 years old and continues to write today. Currently, he writes and contributes to the forum and newsletters such as MyAlvernia. He is also working on a book to share his thoughts on life, his values as well as life experiences, and plans to publish the book in the future when the opportunity arises.

 

During his free time, he cooks his own meals and explores different parts of Singapore.

 

"Curiosity has led me to study the importance of diet and fitness on health, and I like to think that I practise what I preach. Curiosity led me to examine the meaning of happiness and how we should lead life with a positive mindset. It is essential that seniors like us stay curious and think positively," said Mr Goh.

 

Giving back to the community

 

Since young, Mr Goh’s parents had instilled the spirit of giving in him, through serving neighbours in need of help. This led to his interest in volunteering, and he wanted to learn how to become a better volunteer. Through a series of NSA courses that focused on senior volunteerism, which included Be an Effective Volunteer, Building Meaningful Befriending Relationships and Developing Servant Leadership for Volunteerism by RSVP Singapore, Mr Goh managed to improve and hone his volunteering skills.

 

Mr Goh also volunteers regularly at the National Heart Centre and RSVP Singapore. As an active volunteer, he spends 3 hours a week at the National Heart Centre to help patients with registration at the registration kiosk.

 

He enthused, "Being a volunteer or befriender is the best way to increase your social circle, since you get to meet people from diverse backgrounds. There are various volunteering opportunities that cater to the needs of different individuals. Through volunteering, we not only give back to the community but also pick up new skills and stay connected at the same time."

 

**Special thanks to Mr Anthony Goh who accepted our interview, we wish him all the very best in his lifelong learning journey.

 

For a full list of short courses, click here.

 

For a full list of exam-free modules, click here.

 

For a list of ad hoc learning opportunities, click here.