Monday, December 29, 2008

It is never too late to quit smoking -- not even if you are a senior citizen

It is never too late to quit smoking.

(By Dr P Vyasamoorthy)

 Has Anbumani  Ramadoss put you in a fix that you have to put off the urge to smoke for long hours? How about kicking the habit taking it as a blessing in disguise? Here is one 'How-to'.

Many senior citizens I know continue to entertain themselves with undesirable habits like smoking, drinking, gambling or overeating. Giving up bad habits is all the more significant in older persons. They have less number of years to go by, they are more vulnerable to diseases, their auto-repair mechanisms are low and dividends of kicking bad habits are high. Most people think of giving it up at a future date. The intentions are pious but the mind is weak. How does one go about becoming a success story to oneself? Giving up bad habits is a positive way of improving one self. It boosts one's self confidence. All that is required is firm resolve.

I gave up smoking when I was 46 -- a habit that I 'enjoyed' for more than a score of years- now with "smoke-free-lungs" for almost 20 years.  Mr Chary, my friend, gave up smoking this October on his 69th birthday.  It is not very difficult. To reiterate, only a tough resolution is needed. I would like to share with you a method that worked for me. I will be brief.

On one of the weekly holidays I had a good breakfast. I locked myself into a room all by myself, telling my wife not to disturb me for about three hours. I smoked two cigarettes at a stretch and drank a glass of water.

I wrote down on a piece of paper all the advantages I could think of if I give up smoking. My health would improve, cough would stop, appetite will increase, taste of food will return, I might avoid cancer, I will save money, atmosphere will be clean, children will be free of passive smoking, my father will appreciate it, my wife will respect me more, No late night trips to Pan walah to stock cigarettes for the next morning and so on. The note ended with a word based picture as to how I will be after quitting smoking -- healthy, happy, satisfied and proud person. It was a nice and effective script -- how I wish I had preserved it.

Then I closed my eyes, sat straight, breathed slowly and concentrated on my breathing for a couple of minutes. Then I read over the notes I had written some 108 times all to myself. Sometimes aloud, sometimes, silently. Drank water in between. Went into shallow meditation (just observing the breath) every now and then. Repeated reading my story.

At the end of some two and half hours, I opened the door and stepped out. I have not touched a single cigarette since then.

After a day or two of stopping, the craving returned. I was so restless my wife suggested: I can not see you suffering.  Why don't you have just one cigarette? No, I said and kept up the struggle. The temptation kept coming up again and again for about a week. Thereafter it receded. I won.

I do not believe in the methods that suggest that you reduce smoking by degrees. Any bad habit can be kicked off only abruptly and once and for all. My investment on quitting the smoking habit? Just 50 rupees. I bought a cyclostyled manuscript that explained this method. I got  it through VPP  after reading an advertisement in Illustrated Weekly of India.

Your investment is just these couple of minutes of reading this real time story. Just do it, as Nike AD says.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

A note on ISCGG - 2008

A Note on ISCGG – 2008

Dr P Vyasamoorthy

 

ISCGG: International Symposium and Conference of Gerontology and Geriatrics and 14th Biennial Meeting of the Association of Gerontology (India). December 16-18, 2008. SV University, Tirupati, India.

 

The Ninth Letter of the English Alphabet participated in the above Seminar as a special invitee. It was hosted by the Center for Research on Ageing, Department of Psychology, SV University. MOSJE, HelpAge India, ICSSR, ICMR, WHO, DST, CSIR, ASI, APSCHE were the sponsors.

 

Participants

 

There were approximately 300 (450 by The Hindu count) participants: 22 from abroad, 138 non-local and 140 local. Foreign delegated came from: Bangla Desh, Pakistan, USA, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, China, Malta and Denmark. Students from Nursing, Psychology and sociology disciplines attended in good measure. Almost everyone prominent in Indian Gerontology was there. I can quickly recollect from the top of mind many participants like: Sri KR Gangadharan, Dr SD Gokhale, Capt Singaraja, Dr PKB Nayar, Dr Indira Jayaprakash, Dr Ilango, Sri Sailesh Mishra and many representatives from SCAs in Guntur, E/W Godavary Districts. I missed seeing Sri RN Mital, Smt Vaithi to name just two. Of course Prof Jamuna and Prof PV Ramamurti were seen everywhere playing the host. Perhaps because they got so much entrenched in our hearts, their names are missing in the participants list given in the Souvenir. Another person who was most visible was Prof JS Troisi.

 

Themes, papers and Sessions

 

The theme of the three day event was: "Health and well being of the Elderly: Mainstreaming Ageing into Development Agenda".  Presentations were grouped under disciplines like Biology, Medicine, Psychosocial gerontology, Geriatrics and Bio-gerontology. These were subdivided into Oral presentations and poster presentations. Oral Presentations were accommodated in combined sessions or concurrent sessions. Besides these, there were sessions for Inaugural, Valedictory, Book Releases, Orations, and Plenary also. Inevitably, the Business meetings of AGI and ICMR were also thrown in.

 

 

I was told that the organizers received some 420 papers / abstracts and had a very tough time screening through the lot. In all, some 240 lectures / papers / presentations were scheduled for the three day event as per the program sheet. Fortunately many speakers were absent. As many parallel sessions were going on simultaneously it was difficult to decide as where to go. I had the dilemma of choosing between 1) known speakers and known topics and 2) unknown speakers and interesting titles -- these groups were mutually exclusive.

 

A simple way to know how many oral presentations were finally made is to count how many certificates / mementos were distributed. The event was so tightly packed with several activities that I am wondering whether this is the most ear-full event of the year.

 

For some details of what actually was discussed read Sri Sailesh Mishra's posting in Silver Innings Website. As far as my talk on Care providers and Care Receivers is concerned, 'I also ran!' In general, most "bigwigs" devour all the time for themselves leaving just a few minutes each for other speakers. One exception is Sri Gangadharan. 

 

Other things:

 

  1. Food provided was superb, wholesome, hot and fresh. Catering arrangements were excellent, well spread out with multiple serving sections on two floors.
  2. Participants, who opted for it, were taken to Tirumala for Darshan of Lord Venkateswara. Three batches were organized. This part of the seminar gave immense satisfaction to many – comfortable, convenient and well organized.
  3. Four publications were released:

                                                               i.      Dr SD Gokale: Spirituality and Ageing

                                                             ii.      Prof PV Ramamurti: Joy of Ageing. (For a review, click here)

                                                            iii.      Dr Irudaya Rajan: Care of the Elderly

                                                           iv.      Special volume of Bio gerontology on "Brain Aging"

  1. Contribution of Volunteers who spent sleepless nights to look after the comfortable stay and local transportation for non-local participants was exemplary.
  2. News clippings about the event were displayed. However no photos were displayed, though the event was well video graphed.
  3. I found it odd that there was no promotion for AGI membership – no application forms or any literature.
  4. The Souvenir volume distributed contains 120 abstracts of papers..
  5. Venue: The venue was the SV University Library Building where a training center is located. Ample lecture rooms for concurrent meetings each well equipped with AV and LCD are available. For combined session a large lecture hall that can hold about 400 persons was used.
  6. Many speakers (irrespective of Age experience or reputation) need to undergo specific training in presentation skills, especially on how to prepare PowerPoint Presentations. I don't know what led them to imagine that binoculars will be given to each participant as a part of Seminar kit. Moreover, the screen was too small for a large hall.

 

It is impossible to cover an event of this magnitude in two pages. On the whole it is an event that will remain fresh in my mind for a long time.

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Book Review: Joy of Ageing

The Joy of Ageing. Prof PV Ramamurti. Published by the Centre for Research on Ageing, Department of Psychology, SV University, Tirupati 517502. Rs 100/- (2008)

A Review by Dr P Vyasamoorthy

This important addition to the field of Psycho-social Gerontology was released during ISSGG – 2008. Let us take a quick pre-view on its contents:

The first chapter sets the scenario, by ending the chapter with the central teaching of the entire book: “Practicing positive thinking and making it an all time habit is the key to keep mental and physical health.” Chapter two gives statistics about older persons in India and the world. Next chapter deals with changes in the body functions as we age. All systems – Cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular-skeletal, digestive, excretory, reproductive, sense organs (like skin, eyes, ears, taste, smell) are covered. Chapter 4 deals with factors leading to good health like hygiene, surroundings, ventilation among others. Many hints are provided for diet in old age in the next chapter. “Keeping fit” talks of Yoga Exercises and what not? Chapter 7 describes living arrangements for the elderly, such as, living with the family, living in old age homes, availing oneself of paid care services or day care services. Criteria for choosing various types of stay are explained. Another important aspect, Money, is discussed in chapter 8. Here, savings, pension, income generation activities, cost of maintaining health are all taken up.

Managing Leisure, managing disabilities of old age and developing an interest in spirituality are explained in subsequent chapters. A self assessment Scale for assessing physical disability in Chapter 11 is very useful. It is simple and easy to use. Excellent tips are offered for maintaining interpersonal relations: this chapter especially addresses weaknesses of older persons and shows how to tackle ageism issues. The most important chapter, chap 13, “building a happy mindset, explains Trigunas of thought and how to make Satvik type of thinking a permanent way of life. Care and welfare of older persons comes next. Rights and responsibilities of senior citizens, National policy directives are listed. The last chapter Epilogue re-emphasizes how developing a permanent positive mindset is absolutely essential to enjoy old age.

As a sort of lagniappe author adds a series of five Top ten listings:

• Top ten Commandments for Happy Ageing
• Ten Tips for better health in old age
• Desirable food habits in Old age
• Tips to prevent falls in Old age
• How the Elderly can be asset to the family

I like this book because

• The chapters are short and the treatment is simple and lucid
• You may pick up any chapter and start reading without losing connectivity
• Cartoons by Raju , sprinkled throughout the book, provoke a smile – something the author wants you to do ever so often
• It offers sane sensible straight forward information / tips/ advice on several aspects of ageing and shows the way to age happily
• It renders itself easy for light reading on a serious subject
• It comes from the pen of Prof PV Ramanurti, an erudite scholar on India Gerontology (Want to know more about him? Click the link)
• Last, but not the least, the author is a member of sss-global.

Get the book, read for yourself and you will not be disappointed.


(I have a few copies of the book available at a special discount of 20% to sss-global members on cash and carry basis.)

Who is Prof PV Ramamurti?

Dr PV Ramamurti is Professor Emeritus and the Founder Director (Honorary) of the Center for Research for Ageing, Dept of Psychology, SV University. He served as the co-ordinator of UGC, DSA Program,and Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, an UGC Emeritus fellow and former President of Association of Gerontology (India). He was a Fullbright Fellow (1983), visiting scholar at the Max Planck Institute Berlin, and at the Institute of Ageing Liverpool UK (1989),and an invitee to the Sandoz Lecture, Basle, (1992). He is associated as consultant with several international organizations such as the United Nations(Agenda for Ageing research), UNFPA, Guest Faculty at the UN International Institute at Malta (since 1998). He is a recipient of Life Time Achievement award of AGI, Swamy Pranavananda Award in Psychology (Research Contribution), Basu Medal (API), Distinguished Gerontologist (Age Care). His biographical citation appears in American Psychological Association Publication "World History of Gerontology in Biography". He has to his credit twelve major research projects (two international), twelve PhDs, eight books and 162 Research Articles.

Friday, December 12, 2008

The young and the Old: Bringing them together

The Young and the Old: Bringing them together

Dr P Vyasamoorthy

 

·        My grandson runs away the moment I call him

·        My granddaughter thinks I am a bore

·        How will I escape that oldie today?

·        Pucca Bore, Yaar, my grandma.

 

These are common conversations heard among elders and kids. Kids feel that their grand parents are to bhttp://lh5.ggpht.com/_YoeTs55_rR8/SUH9h-aEUyI/AAAAAAAAAGY/eBVI4v0dtEU/s144/lohi%20-stamp.jpge shunned. Senior Citizens feel they should be treated with respect, welcomed and be entertained with company and conversation; even it is just some petty small talk. Boys would not listen, leave alone respect. Girls will complain against grandpa or grandma to their mothers. What can be done to bring about amicability, tolerance and love? How to bridge the generation gap? Let us look at a few tips involving many sections of the society.

The best place to mould children and teach them to look at elders with sympathy, care and love is the school.  Andrew Shue, famous American film star, says: "I created an organization [when I was in High School] to help senior citizens. How many high school kids are out there helping senior citizens?" implying, not many.  As a part of "Moral Instruction" classes children may be shown how to help senior citizens. The School may give away prizes for the best student who cares for his grand parents. Local Senior Citizen Associations can institute such prizes by funding the same. During the Annual Day of the School Children may be encouraged to take a suitable pledge that all through their lives they will be "senior friendly" and helpful. Boy Scouts and Girl Guides may be given special exercises in helping old people: Helping them cross the road in a busy junction, running small errands, accompanying them to the hospital, help them get into buses etc. School Magazines may encourage small articles or stories that talk of intergenerational gap and the importance of taking to elders kindly.

Senior Citizens Associations and NGOs working for seniors and Elders them selves can do a lot in bridging the generation gap. Senior citizens Association can adopt a school. 'Senior Citizens Forum' in Secunderabad, for instance has adopted a school where the parents are poor. Whenever members of this Forum go on picnics or tours, some half a dozen kids from the school are also taken along free of cost. This brings about unimaginable benefits as it enhances the perception of senior citizens among children, teachers and parents. Senior Citizens can engage the children in the school by telling stories about culture, mythology, history etc. They can also volunteer as teachers, supplementing regular teachers. As stories attract children, this voluntary engagement is likely to improve relationships. Indirectly they may pick up stories where kids are appreciated for caring about their elders.

Many newspapers and magazines devote special sections for school children. The Saturday Supplement of The Hindu – Young World – is an example. Suitable stories about kids caring for elders may be published. If they are written by children out of their own experience it is all the more better.

Government of India intends building an "Integrated Homes" in every district. This is intended to be an Old Age Home, an orphanage, a Primary school and a home for destitute and disabled, all in the same compound or complex. Keeping diverse persons under one roof will bind these communities to come together increasing interdependency.

As I have always been asking, if you have more ideas, please share them with all of us.

[Tags: Intergenerational gap, Generation gap, Senior citizens]

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Chalk & Talk teacher: Why have we stopped writing letters?

Chalk & Talk teacher: Why have we stopped writing letters?

Dr P Vyasamoorthy

 

 

Text Box: •	Phone Bill •	Credit Card Statement •	Real estate brochures •	Half a dozen newsletters •	Electricity Bill •	Wedding Invitation •	Lecture invitation  •	Lecture invitationWav! Quite a bunch of mail I could collect as I looked into my mail box when I returned home. Being the beginning of the month, my mailbox was full. Enough to keep me busy for a couple of days. But something struck me as strange. No personal mail? Well, when was it that I wrote a letter to any friend or relative to expect one in return? I can not remember.

 

With the onslaught of Email, Voice and Video Chatting, most of us have forgotten the fine art of sending snailmail. I abhor writing letters with pen and paper and posting them. Just plain lazy, I should admit.

 

My brother and my mother in Chennai are strangers to the computer even now. There must be plenty like them everywhere. How do we reach such people? Only through Landline phone or mobile?  Phones are for business like communication – Do me that, bring me this etc. What do you do when you want to, say,

 

  • Share your emotions in a planned way
  • Send a joke that is better read than told
  • Send a copy of some old archaic family photo allowing him to keep it himself  
  • Tell him how your handwriting has worsened and let him have the pleasure of deciphering your non-medical gibberish OR
  • Leave details of some recipe that he will cook and relish later on?

 

To realize that I have been denying myself such small and simple pleasures was horrifying. Just as "Chalk & Talk teachers" don't we still have "Pen & Paper" only friends and relatives who refuse to be untouched by Computers? Can we deprive ourselves of their company? Snailmail is the only answer in such situations.

 

Just get back to scribbling your thoughts to your friends on paper and post it. They will be happy to see you in flesh – connection being your writing.  As a partial solution to tackle that laziness part I may suggest that you may type in your letters in the PC and send it over Email to your relative through E-Post. E-Post helps you compose an email, transfer the same to the postmaster nearest to your addressee and give him the full address so that the post office may take a print out, put that in an envelope and deliver it like ordinary letter to your friend. Complete details of E-post are available at:

http://indiapost.nic.in/login/login.jsp. Postal department charges just Rs 6.00 per one A4 sheet of message to be transmitted.  Prepaid coupons are available starting from Rs 250/- Presently only text messages but in many local languages are possible.

 

Preaching about pen and paper technology see how I slipped back to ICT! That is the power of technology to make everyone lazy and impersonal. A sensible blend of personal touch in maintaining relationships and friendships and at the same time getting the most of out technology is essential.

 

Well, I will be back to pen and paper; Will you? Don't give in to laziness: Just try & C!


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Chalk & Talk teacher: Why have we stopped writing letters?

Chalk & Talk teacher: Why have we stopped writing letters?

Dr P Vyasamoorthy

 

 

Text Box: •	Phone Bill •	Credit Card Statement •	Real estate brochures •	Half a dozen newsletters •	Electricity Bill •	Wedding Invitation •	Lecture invitation  •	Lecture invitationWav! Quite a bunch of mail I could collect as I looked into my mail box when I returned home. Being the beginning of the month, my mailbox was full. Enough to keep me busy for a couple of days. But something struck me as strange. No personal mail? Well, when was it that I wrote a letter to any friend or relative to expect one in return? I can not remember.

 

With the onslaught of Email, Voice and Video Chatting, most of us have forgotten the fine art of sending snailmail. I abhor writing letters with pen and paper and posting them. Just plain lazy, I should admit.

 

My brother and my mother in Chennai are strangers to the computer even now. There must be plenty like them everywhere. How do we reach such people? Only through Landline phone or mobile?  Phones are for business like communication – Do me that, bring me this etc. What do you do when you want to, say,

 

  • Share your emotions in a planned way
  • Send a joke that is better read than told
  • Send a copy of some old archaic family photo allowing him to keep it himself  
  • Tell him how your handwriting has worsened and let him have the pleasure of deciphering your non-medical gibberish OR
  • Leave details of some recipe that he will cook and relish later on?

 

To realize that I have been denying myself such small and simple pleasures was horrifying. Just as "Chalk & Talk teachers" don't we still have "Pen & Paper" only friends and relatives who refuse to be untouched by Computers? Can we deprive ourselves of their company? Snailmail is the only answer in such situations.

 

Just get back to scribbling your thoughts to your friends on paper and post it. They will be happy to see you in flesh – connection being your writing.  As a partial solution to tackle that laziness part I may suggest that you may type in your letters in the PC and send it over Email to your relative through E-Post. E-Post helps you compose an email, transfer the same to the postmaster nearest to your addressee and give him the full address so that the post office may take a print out, put that in an envelope and deliver it like ordinary letter to your friend. Complete details of E-post are available at:

http://indiapost.nic.in/login/login.jsp. Postal department charges just Rs 6.00 per one A4 sheet of message to be transmitted.  Prepaid coupons are available starting from Rs 250/- Presently only text messages but in many local languages are possible.

 

Preaching about pen and paper technology see how I slipped back to ICT! That is the power of technology to make everyone lazy and impersonal. A sensible blend of personal touch in maintaining relationships and friendships and at the same time getting the most of out technology is essential.

 

Well, I will be back to pen and paper; Will you? Don't give in to laziness: Just try & C!


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Friday, December 5, 2008

Sleep problems of Senior Citizens

Sleep problems of Senior Citizens

(Dr P Vyasamoorthy)

 

Are you like me? I can not get back to sleep for hours after getting up around 2 am to attend nature's call. Well, this is only one of the several known sleep issues of Old Age.

Nearly 67% of old people suffer from: difficulty in falling asleep, waking up without being refreshed, brief stoppages of breathing or snoring etc. Nearly a third of all women crossing menopause suffer from short term insomnia. Let us see what can be done with reference to common problems related to sleeping.

Before retiring to bed take a cup of warm milk or shower or read a book or try to write a letter. This will induce sleep. Avoid heavy dinner. Say No to alcohol. Pee before popping into bed. Don't be lazy on this count. Keep the bedroom cozy – not too cool, not too stuffy, sufficiently dark -- just right to relax. Go to bed at an appointed time. Make sleeping a routine. For normal people it takes 5 to 7 minutes to pass into sleep. You may take around 15 minutes. Don't panic.

If you get up during the night to go to the toilet and can not get back to sleep, just get up and start reading a book. Or start writing a letter. Or Solve Sudoku or some crossword puzzle from where you left. Such activities will quickly make you sleepy again. Alternately do not indulge in activities that may make you totally awake. I used to brush my teeth, wash my face and drink some water. I used to become so fresh and awake that getting back to sleep is almost impossible.

Many of us may not have compulsions to wake up at appointed time say 6 am in the morning – No milk man, servant maid, paper boy or Safai Walah to attend to. If you are that fortunate then allow yourself to toss in the bed for sufficiently long time. You can get back to sleep automatically after an hour two. But you may wake up late. So what? If you can afford this luxury why not simply go ahead? Try and find out what helps you. After all, each individual is different.

Sleeping safely is also necessary and important for senior citizens, especially those living alone. Keep a glass of water, telephone and switch for a lamp or a Torch light handy.

Some may like to keep hearing aids, walking stick, spectacles, mobile phone or other accessories also handy, but at designated places. Remove rugs that may trip you while walking. Don't keep Mosquito coil so near that your clothes may catch fire. Most importantly don't ever smoke in the bed.

Most of the advice given here are so common place that senior citizens might have read about them many times. But the secret is in heading to the advice! If after taking these simple measures you do not get relief you must see a doctor.  Conditions like depression, arthritis, kidney disease, heart failure, asthma, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, Parkinson's disease and hyperthyroidism may cause chronic insomnia. This requires proper medical attention.

All said and done we should not be foolish to take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night, as advised by Dave Barry.

 

 



Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Global Economic Recession and Indian Senior Citizens

Global Economic Recession and Indian Senior Citizens

 

 

"My son has got the Red Slip last week. I don't know how to pull on"

"My Interest earnings have gone down but inflation is increasing day by day"

"Dependencies are never ending. Our daughter has joined us leaving her husband abroad -- My responsibilities never seem to end"

 

Such are groaning scenarios among senior citizens in any park or in Day Care centers or among morning walkers.. Here are a couple of suggestions to handle this issue.


Present Economic crisis around the world has resulted in many youngsters losing lucrative jobs abroad or having been forced to accept lower salaries elsewhere. This impacts senior citizens back at home. They have to tighten their belts and get used to living frugally or make unexpected sacrifices. To tackle this central government may come up with some kind of Senior Citizens Income generation schemes or self employment avenues or re-employ retired people with a view to rehabilitate them.

Recently SBI has sent me a letter (quoting my PPF account) announcing higher rates of Interest for Fixed Deposits (11%) for 1000 days. It is an indirect hint that I transfer some funds in PPF yielding only 8% to new FD at higher rates. How about the SBI sending a simple letter asking "Do you want the balance in your PPF account to be kept as Special FD at higher rates" and if the answer is yes  transfer the money to FD and reverse it to PPF after 1000 days? This is just a matter of a few clicks on the computer, if properly programmed. Banks want liquidity; seniors have some money to invest and they would like to have better interest. This 'auto-sweep' facility may be applied in the case of senior citizens without asking. Who will not do with a little more money?

 

The same idea may be applied to other FDs in Banks too whenever better and short term schemes are brought out. Banks should be pro-active to help senior citizen customers and it they who would appreciate such facilities best.

Popularize Reverse Mortgage schemes and make them simple to avail. There are a number of problems in the actual implementation and a lot of vagueness and discretion is allowed at each scheme operators level. Streamlining reverse mortgage schemes will be a boon to senior who are waiting for the dust to settle down.

Health Insurance makes sense only when large number of subscribers is involved. BSNL offers free accident insurance to all subscribers for Rs 50K per subscriber.  Why not something similar -- Health Insurance scheme where premiums are affordable and millions are covered in some automatic manner. Instead of lowering Income Tax Rates, Govt may offer free insurance for the premium amount of IT they are prepared to 'sacrifice'! This will ensure a large subscriber base and many companies may come up with new schemes.


In the case of BPL seniors, sudden demise of the earning member (son/DIL/daughter etc) may worsen the financial position. Compulsory Life insurance schemes (partly funded by Govt -- premium paid) for all employed or salaried persons may be so devised that part of the Proceeds (death claims) go to senior citizens instead of entire money going only to the nominee.

 


Saturday, November 29, 2008

Book review: Spirituality Bytes – A guide to understanding and managing the journey called life

Spirituality Bytes – A guide to understanding and managing the journey called life.

Dr. PV Vaidyanathan. Readworthy, New Delhi 2009 pp170. Price: Rs 195.00

Available from the publisher at: 4662/21 Ansari Road, Daryagunj, New Delhi 110002

Phone: 011-43549197 info@readworthypub.com

(Book Review by vyasamoorthy@gmail.com)

 

Spirituality is a device that helps you understand and accept life as it exists. This easy to read book comprises of ten chapters of varying lengths (Just one page to forty five  pages), the longest one on "Life" and the shortest one on  "Spirituality in a nutshell".

 

While dealing with Life the author touches upon a series of apparently unconnected issues such as: Search for Identity, choosing the middle path, Letting go, quitting the comfort zone, Essence of NOW, Awareness, Freewill, Desire or Deserve, Money and its role etc.

 

The book is purposely designed to be a collection of different topics such as GOD, fear, greed, anger, present moment awareness, the art of listening, how not to take anything or anybody for granted, mind, meditation etc. The very structure of loosely connected topics makes it easy for anyone to start at any chapter and read the sub sections that are only a few pages. The author spells out his views clearly and asks readers to accept or reject them freely. The selection of topics mostly justifies the subtitle.

 

However, one teaching that stares in your face all thorough the book is "to take the middle path". Don't be a control freak and don't let yourself be totally laid back – follow the middle path, he says. While taking decisions, 'balance is the key' – again the middle path approach. While talking about Stress handling ( a subject on which he has written another book) he opines: Don't take much more than you can chew; avoid multi tasking and have a balanced view of life. Allocate your time suitably among family and work

 

Love is all about freedom – allowing the person you love to be free. It is more of giving than of taking.  One of the observations of the author which made me gasp aloud: "How true!" was on 'boredom': "children say they are bored when all that they need is parents' attention".  Who, other than a pediatrician, can know better?!

 

He advises you to celebrate Death everyday. Live today as if there is no tomorrow. Life gives you a second chance but death gives you none. These seemingly simple utterances have a profound meaning for senior citizens in their twilight years. He even says you should cry. Tears cleanse your system of accumulated toxins. Only if you can experience extreme sorrow, you can experience extreme happiness, he says. I too agree that extremes of happiness and sorrow are at the end of a circular spectrum and if you look at it in another way they are close to each other!

 

I will recommend this book to anyone who would like to take his life easy rather than to the one who would like to make it easy going. If you accept life as it is, there is nothing else you need to do specially. Read the book and be your own judge.



Wednesday, November 26, 2008

How can you help lonely senior citizens?

How can we help lonely Senior Citizens?

Have you seen senior citizens lonely and forlorn in parks? Their vacant staring into nothing in particular betrays a number of sad stories. May be they are thinking of their hazy past or insipid future, mulling over the ever gnawing problem – how to keep oneself occupied and getting rid of perpetual boredom haunting them all the time. Instead of just pitying them, can we do something to alleviate their loneliness? Top three tips that come off the cuff are given below:

If the senior citizens you know of are computer savvy having a PC and Internet connection at home, you may enthuse them to become members of some discussion group or the other. There are some Internet spaces where senior citizens can meet and discuss their problems virtually, just remaining in their own houses. They can share a joke, tell a story, read news, get advice on personal issues, find a safe bank scheme to invest money – the list of things they may discuss is endless. One such group on Yahoo is called ‘sss-global’ and to enroll as member (free of course) you may suggest they may contact the author.

Do they prefer to have company of an escort? Such an escort may keep company and take them out for shopping, cinema, restaurant, theater, concert or some exhibition. Membership in clubs organized by Harmony Foundation or the Dignity Foundation in Mumbai or the Heritage seniors Club in Hyderabad are good examples offering such services. This may involve annual subscription and payment of ad-hoc fees.

Senior citizens want to talk. But they get no one to listen to them. This is utterly pathetic. How about entertaining them over phone and offer to listen to them patiently? I am talking of passive listening. No advice or counseling. Just simply listen to what the old man has to say. Say for about an hour on the phone. He may simply want to say how he likes the Cricket match or how his DIL quarreled. Lend him your ears, patience, understanding and some time. You will make him happy and he may sleep peacefully. Society for Serving Seniors, a Hyderabad based NGO has a list of volunteer listeners who listen to seniors for free.

Do you have any suggestions of your own to fight loneliness of oldies? Let me hear from you.

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Monday, November 24, 2008

Book Review: Wellness of Elderly

HelpAge India and VLCC: Wellness of Elderly. No Date.pages 24.
No price mentioned. Presumably free.

This booklet on Healthy Aging provides health, fitness, Nutrition and diet related information for Senior Citizens. This will help them lead a healthy independent life.

Topics covered include:

1. Information of the human body's nutrition requirements (elders),
2. Common eating problems and their management,
3. medical conditions associated with old age (Diabetes, Hypertension,  Cardiovascular afflictions, arthritis, osteoporosis)
4. Aging and Exercises - how to choose safe activities,
5. Mental and social well being,

Annexure gives a Sample Diet Plan for Elders

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Sunday, November 23, 2008

Newsletters that Senior citizens may read for free

Newsletters that Senior citizens may read for free.

There are a good number of Senior Citizens Associations in every city. Many of them bring out regular newsletters. Most of them are free to members. Even others can get free copies if a polite request is made on your decent letterhead. The trick to ensure getting it free is to assure that news from such newsletter will be disseminated to larger population in your locality or association. Alternately your Senior citizen association can get this in exchange. Following are some newsletters that I know of:

1. Abhilash. Senior Citizens Forum, Secunderabad. Quarterly Newsletter. Free to members.6 to 8 pages. Covers Events (like lectures , Activities, Donations, New Members, obituaries, jokes and tidbits. I like it for its regularity of publication. Contact Editor: Sri VK Narasimhan 040-27894001

2. Newsletter : Association of Senior Citizens Hyderabad and Lions Club of Twin Cities GS Binjajka Trust Day Care Centre for Elders. Monthly. 4 pages. Covers Advocacy news, Past events, Future program for the next month, Birthday & Wedding Anniversaries, Donations, New Members, news about members achievements. I like it for the advocacy content. Contact: Office: 040-27898835

3. Vision of Senior Citizens..Jnanajyothi, BSKII Stage Bangalore: Monthly. 4 pages. Forthcoming meetings, Projects, Achievement of members, Birthday greetings, Tours, trips & visits, Month's events, Detailed profile of a (couple) member, Advertisements, Kannada section. I like it as it shows what seniors may do to community. Contact: Sri Rangaswamy 080-26714434 mobile 9972331947

4. Tarnaka Times. Standing Committee of Tarnaka Resident Welfare Associations (SCOTRWA) Monthly. 6-8 pages. articles, past event reporting, Advertisements, Photographs. Devotes substantial portion to information of Interest to senior citizens, SCAs etc. I like it for its citizen-centric approach and advocacy dealings. Contact: Dr Rao VBJ Chelikani 040-64504993, 040-65214993

5. Cyberhood - For the Common good of all neighbourhood.
Printed Tabloid. Local news about Alwal, Kapra, Malkajgiri, Cantonment areas. 8 pages. Weekly. Regularly covers items of Elders' interests. I like it for its variety, professionalism. Available for picking up in Mediplus & Super bazaars.

4. Walkers International. Dist 301. Newsletter Masab Tank, Hyderabad Phone: 040-23301175 Mobile: 9949970823 As most walkers club members are senior citizens, news about Senior Citizens social activities are plenty. I like it as it deals a lot of Walking the Talk!!

5. The Golden Years. Newletter of Chandigarh Senior Citizens Association. 4 pages. Presidents remarks, News like meetings, tours picnics, training programs, Chapter news, future events, Election results, Donations, Service Providers offering Concessions / discounts are covered. I like it for the variety of news it covers. Contact: 0172-2748611 email: csca1996@rediffmail.com

6. Probuzz... Monthly Newsletter of Probus Club of Chennai. 8 pages.
Editorial, Presidents column, Events & activities, felicitation to Older Old seniors, birthdays, wedding Anniversaries, Obituaries, Donations, Services, Forthcoming Events. This is one newsletter that acknowledges that making mistakes is common and provides a section for corrections. I like it for the standardized way of presentation involving editorial inputs. Contact: Editor: 044-24995290

7. Dementia News. Quarterly Newsletter of Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Scociety of India. Very useful as the disease affects Senior citizens. Printed. Multicolor. 16 pages. I like it because it is unique in content. Contact: ARDSI, cochin, Kerala. Contact: 04885-223801/ 222939

8. Elders - Monthly Journal of Tamilnadu Senior Citizens Association.
(V95 Anna Nagar, Chennai 600040). 8 pages. Details about new members, Donations, News & events, Health Notes, Letters to Editor, Advertisements, Tamil Section are all found regularly. I like it for the tours & travels info provided here. Editor D Rajasekaran. Ph 044-26213908

9. LinkAge. Monthly Journal of Senior Citizens Bureau, Chennai.
N B30 1st Floor Anna Nagar East Chennai 600102. 16 to 20 pages. Announcements about meetings and events, Advertisements, new members, Birthdays, donations, are all covered. I like it for multitude of activities covered. Annual subscription Rs 100/-)
(Registered as a newspaper for bulk posting on 7th or 8th of every month)
Contact: LINKAGE, C/O SR CITIZENS BUREAU, 90, RAMA NAICKEN ST, NUNGAMBAKKAM, CHENNAI - 600 034 publisher and EDITOR: ER CAPT M SINGARAJA, ph: 91(44)28231388, (91)94441 27704 email: seniorcitizensbureau@yahoo.co.in, singaraja_in@yahoo.com
WEBSITE: http://www.seniorcitizensbureau.org/

10. Aasara Newsletter (Equal Rights and Dignity for Elders).
Quarterly Newsletter of GHMC Elders Helpline and DCC managed by HelpAge, Hyderabad. 4 pages. News about helpline activities, setting up of Day Care centers, Health camps for Seniors are covered. I like it because it contains loads of information in each issue. Phone: 1253 Helpline. Project Director : 040-23226982 / 9704456522

11. Happy Old Age. Quarterly magazine for Senior Citizens.Started in Jan 2008.M174 vikaspuri New Delhi 110018 Why I like it, I have written a whole article!! email premrelli@yahoo.com or happyoldage#gmail.com Online version: www.happyoldage.org
Good Quality printed multicolor with photos. Good number of articles of interest to seniors community. Free.

12. Blazing Twilight. Monthly Newsletter of Andhra Pradesh Senior Citizens Confederation. 8 pages. English & Telugu. It will contain information about the activities of different SCA's in Andhra Pradesh, news of interest to Senior Citizens and Second Career Opportunities etc Subscription Rs 50 per year Rs 1000/- life. Contact: Managing Editor: Dr. TVS Rao , Vizag.Tel: 9866085363, EMail: venkatasubbarao.telikicherla@gmail.com

(For more details: vyasamoorthy@gmail.com) (Updated on 24th November 2008)

Senior Citizens and their frivolous demands

Senior Citizens and their frivolous demands

Serious Issues

(Relatively) Frivolous Demands

Senior Citizens must get maximum tax concession.

Derogatory and disrespectful acts against Senior Citizens must be made a penal offence

They must get free or subsidized health insurance.

There should be separate queues in Temples, Post offices, Banks, bus stops.

Government must provide sufficient pension to poor senior citizens

Reserved seats for seniors in buses

Government must build Old age Homes

Separate pathways to walk in parks should be provided.

Train & Bus Transport must be subsidized for old people.

Free pick up and drop back facility for shopping & entertainment.

Safety & security of Seniors living alone must be ensured by the Police.

Ensure noiseless zones for older people

Seniors must be protected against abuse or cheating.

Children must be taught to look after elders with care affection and love


You will observe that column one by and large talks of serious issues and column two illustrates silly or frivolous demands. During the past few years I have read umpteen resolutions of Conferences, seminars, symposia and such other events connected with senior citizens. They invariably contain a long list of demands on the government, industry, the police and other sections of the society. The above is just a small sample of varied demands. There is nothing wrong in asking for the moon. Neither will the moon come to you nor everyone be offered a free space travel ticket to reach the moon. This IS the reality. Persistent asking may get us something at least, if not all that we want. So far, so good.


Having said that, what I find amusing is that in ANY group in the society anywhere in the world the group thinks only of itself in total isolation. This is a societal phenomenon. I have attended hundreds of librarians meetings in the past. Everything best in terms of money, prestige, facilities, privileges must be given to the librarian. Listen to physicians’ community. Same: We are the life savers, we are the most important gifted persons, the govt. is treating us badly, we are at the risk of anti social elements, our pay scales are poor, our working hours are irregular etc. Are the groups not a part of the whole? I have read hundreds of seminar papers on various topics. Many of them are lists of their demands that other sections of the society should fulfill. Many other papers turn out to be mere imaginary grandiose plans for their own future expansion -- "Every one in the world must be connected by computers whether he is in the huts or Himalayas" type.


Coming back to senior citizens, they claim that they are a mature lot. After all when one becomes older, it is a fact that your contribution to society diminishes. You are more at the receiving end rather than at the giving end. Naturally the treatment meted out by others change from 'respect' to 'contempt'. What is wrong? Merely because of one's age should anyone be respected and treated with all honors? Those days are gone. Senior citizenship is just ageing -- Is it like a government job where one 'works' for 40 years and gets paid pension for the rest of his life, in some cases it is twice the number of years of 'work'?


If we seniors gain any maturity as we age, this should result in tolerance, acceptance of reality of life, and setting practicable targets or demands. Should the community of senior citizens behave just as other sections of the society -- thinking only about themselves all the time in total isolation? Is there anything that we can by ourselves do in tackling the problems faced by us?

(This article is addressed to senior citizens by a senior citizen)

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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

How to serve senior citizens?

I would like to collect your views on how to serve senior citizens?
What do senior citizens want, need, require or would like to have?
How does one go about fulfilling them either singly all by oneself at the individual level or in association with others, or through an Agency say an NGO or Govt machinery. Can the needs be categorized under Physical, emotional, financial, spiritual etc?