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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Older people will increasingly play a critical role


Do you know?

Today, 1 October, is International Day of Older Persons

Do you know?

The world is getting older. in the next 50 years, the number of older persons will nearly quadruple, growing from about 600 million to almost 2 billion people. Today, one in every ten is 60 years and older. By 2050, one out of every five will be an older person, and by 2150, one third of the people in the world are expected to be 60years of age or older.

Extracted from http://www.un.org/events/olderpersons/

Do you know?

Older people will increasingly play a critical role - through volunteer work, transmitting experience and knowledge, helping their families with caring responsibilities and increasing their participation in the paid labour force.

Already now, older persons make major contributions to society. For instance, throughout Africa –and elsewhere - millions of adult AIDS patients are cared for at home by their parents. On their death, orphaned children left behind (currently, 14 million under the age of 15 in African countries alone) are mainly looked after by their grandparents.

It is not only in developing countries that older persons' role in development is critical. In Spain for example, caring for dependent and sick individuals (of all ages) is mostly done by older people (particularly older women); the average number of minutes per day spent in providing such care increases exponentially with the carers' age: 201 minutes if the carer is in the age group 65-74 and 318 minutes if aged 75-84 - compared to only 50 minutes if the carer is in the age group 30-49 (Durán H, Fundación BBVA, 2002).

Such contributions to development can only be ensured if older persons enjoy adequate levels of health, for which appropriate policies need to be in place.

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Our Father's 100th Birthday celebration on 24 July 2011

Our Father's 100th Birthday celebration on 24 July 2011






I am 100 today!









Some happy memories 15.7.2007


Sister Wan Lan in her splendorous Kebaya nyonya

Zuraida, my Secretary who was with me for 6 years when I was still working in the Government, accompanied by her son

My sister Wan Lan on the extreme left standing with me and my closest friends of several decades (Meilina to my left, Esah sitting left and Norhayati sitting right)

Tan Sri Arshad and Tan Sri Shahrizaila arriving for the reception

Brother-inlaw Ching

Nephew Meng, his girlfriend Jane, Sister Wan Lan and good friend Ivy helping out with guest registration

Offering tea to grandfather Woon Sang Chew, as a mark of love and respect

My good friends Prof Noor Hadjar from UiTM and Hearry from MAS

The entrance to the hall

me in the middle and cousin in law Anita Woon

Fedelia and her best friends, Yin Lee and Amalia, the three pretty flower girls

Daughter Fedelia in a pensive mood

The main Table

The pelamin

Whimsical flower girl niece Sara

Nephew Meng and girlfriend Jane

Good friend Wan Zawiah's daughter Nadia contributing a song

My three children L-R: Second son Farouk, only daughter and youngest Fedelia and elder son Feris