How I Acquired a new Superpower at Global Action on Aging By Marium Abdul Sattar

From the first day I came to Global Action on Aging in April, I knew that I would be offering my services to help older persons by researching issues concerning them and advocating for their rights. What came as a surprise to me is that Global Action on Aging also helps the younger generations: the interns. The various research topics assigned to us, and the experiences we shared has enabled GAA to change our perspectives.

Finding articles on pensions and elder rights for the global aging website is one of my responsibilities. On my first day, not knowing what pensions were or how they worked presented a challenge for me. I soon realized that pensions support people in their old age when they no longer have a steady income and is often provided by an employer or insurer. Yet, that is just the icing on the cake since there are several more sources of pensions such as the state and unions. While preparing a report on pensions I learned that Germany was one of the first countries to pioneer this practice. In fact, Otto Von Bismarck suggested this idea as early as the 19th century in hopes that it would encourage Germans to work harder and create a stronger national economy.

Spending time at GAA gave me a certain superpower; it enabled me to see life from the perspective of an older person. After reading vast amounts of material about issues affecting older persons, I was able to learn about some of their primary concerns. I learned that society has the potential to be much friendlier to older persons, and that the word ‘elderly’ is a blanket term which categorizes people. For example, although it is used to describe a range of ages, it puts those aged 60 and above into a category despite the fact that it refers to a huge population; one which is ever-growing as the baby boomer generation begins to retire.

One of my most daunting experiences during my time at GAA occurred when I was near our office and I met an old woman who seemed lost. She also seemed to be tired from standing in the summer heat, and was unable to locate her home. When I asked her how I could help her she became more agitated and upset. I realized that I was not prepared for handling the situation at all! In hindsight, I learned that in this situation, it is best to seek out a police officer and inform him or her of the senior citizen who needs help to locate their place of residence. So I feel that we all have the potential to help our elders, as long as we know how to help them.

Another topic which I have researched is ‘Elder Rights’ which monitors some of the rights that older people enjoy but also, unfortunately, describes the infringements on their rights. At this time, I came across several articles that identify the point when a person needs some form of assisted care. One author indicated that immobility experienced during old age causes some people to lose weight due to their inability to even pick up heavy groceries or travel to the supermarket – something most people take for granted. I realize that this is the difficult side of aging, however, society usually only focuses on this bleak side of aging.

For example, did you know that by volunteering with older persons, you are more than likely to have a rewarding experience? Some have even termed it the ‘volunteer’s high.’ During my time at GAA, I have certainly learned to become more aware of my surroundings and older persons which might need help. On my way crossing a large intersection the other day, I noticed an old gentleman using a walker who was having trouble crossing the road in time before the traffic light changed from red to green. I saw through his eyes, and a seemingly normal road suddenly became a rocky path full of hazards. The gentleman said to me: “It feels like each of these potholes is out to get me.” Those who are shy don’t even need to speak to the older person crossing the street, but just accompany or be aware of them to make sure they are able to manage it.

By becoming more empathetic to the needs of older people, and seeing through their eyes, both old and young can benefit from these experiences. The younger generation can learn from the experience of older persons. We need to know how to help older persons and channel our superpower of empathy rather than sympathy.

Six Months After the Earthquake, Older People in Haiti still need help.

Six months after the earthquake that devastated Haiti in January, older people need further help. As they are often affected by health issues, they can be as vulnerable as five-year old children. According Help Age International, around 800 000 Haitians, or about 7% of the population, are more than 60 years old. The number of older people affected by the earthquake is estimated at 200,000 persons. Many of them are homeless and lonely because they lost their close family members and relatives due to the earthquake or because they left Haiti. Some NGOs are reaching out to them.

One of the most important NGOs that is providing help to older people in Haiti is the charity “Mary’s Meals.” While its main focus remains feeding school children, the organization has extended its program to provide meals to additional vulnerable people, particularly old persons. Mary’s Meals provides them with a daily sit-down meal in schools during the week and gives them rations to take home for the weekend.

'’A lot of older people have been left unsupported because their families have moved away since the earthquake – they really need this support and we intend to continue to give it for the foreseeable future,’' stated Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, the founder of Mary’s Meals.

Older people make up a constituency who can help to rebuild Haiti. They know the country very well and are part of its history. The country should appeal to older people to plan its rebuilding.

Do you think that older persons could help re-build Hait? How could this be achieved? Have you had first-hand experience in a natural disaster? What happened? How did you manage this terrible challenge? Do you have skills that you could share with Haitians? If so, what are they?

Europe Tries to Change Pension Provisions

Many European Union members will try to change their pensions during the next few years. Most want to increase the retirement age to respond to increasing life expectancy.

French news reports have fixed on the daily struggle between the government and many of it citizens. In mid-June, the government unveiled its planned overhaul of the pay-as-you-go pension regime. It claimed that without major changes the system would run up deficits of 100 billion euros ($134.2 billion) by 2050. To avoid this cost, the government wants to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 years. In reaction, French labor organizations mobilized a nationwide strike. Hundreds of thousands of workers took to the streets to protest. But the government announced that it would stick to its plan.

In Germany, the current retirement age is 65 years. The government wants to raise mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67 years. Between 2012 and 2035 the initial retirement age will go up by one month a year. The government also intends to enhance job prospects for older employees through a program called, “Initiative 50 Plus.”

In the United Kingdom, the Guardian (June 23, 2010) disclosed that the government had decided that “The state pension age for men was going to be raised to 66 as early as 2016.” Moreover, the government wants to raise the retirement age to 68 years to "be fair to the next generation of taxpayers." Women are already experiencing a gradual increase in their state pension age from 60 to 65 years by 2020.

Spain faces one of world’s most severe demographic challenges. The retirement age is currently 65 years for both men and women. The Socialist government adopted legislation to raise the retirement age to 67 years .The reform will be introduced gradually, beginning in 2013.

Under significant pressure from other European countries, the Greek government introduced pension system changes to reduce its debt. Currently, the retirement age is 65 years for men and 62 years for women. Soon Greek women’s retirement age will go to 65 years. In addition, the planned Greek changes would eliminate most early retirement schemes, merge pension funds and cap auxiliary pensions.

What are your worries at your age about retirement? What do you want for your support, for your children and grandchildren? Where does your government stand in allocating sufficient monies for its citizens’ retirement?

Older Persons and Computers by Susanne Jayawickreme

We are meeting my Mother via Skype. The retired lady on the right and her husband have also learned to Skype in the meantime.

My mother is 87 year old, born in 1923. She is still very active, lives in an apartment, still drives her car to do her shopping, plays in 2 bridge clubs and does an hour of long walking in various shopping malls every day.

Since my mother feels uneasy, walking in the forest nearby, she started driving to a different shopping mall every day independent of the weather condition. She takes a shopping cart to have support during her hour-long walk, enjoys being among people, and strolling through the shops and departments. She feels safe in the case that she fell or felt unwell all of a sudden etc, because there are so many people all over the place and security cameras, which ensure that help will be there for her immediately. Only heavy snow fall and really bad weather would keep her away from her daily shopping mall fun.

My mother played cards all her life. She used to play bridge in 3 different clubs until recently, but 2 clubs are left only as my mother survived the members of the other club. My mother loves playing cards. The youngest bridge player in my mother's 2 groups is 22 years junior to her. They all love my mother, her good humour, optimistic spirit and her playing skills.

But a couple of years ago, my sister and I discovered the most admirable surprise my mother had in store for us when I visited Germany. I have been living in Sri Lanka since 1994 and I go back home to Germany once a year. My mother can't cope with long distance flights any longer. Therefore we had to rely on phone calls, which were faint and full of awful noises more often than not. When I returned home a couple of years ago, after coming home from the airport, my sister pointed to a brand new laptop waiting to be used in the centre of the dining table. After the long warm welcome, my mother smiled with a twinkle in her eye and said that she bought the laptop the day before my arrival so that I could teach her the basics during my stay in Germany. But most important for her was to learn how to Skype and to use the camera so that we can see each other when we speak together when I am abroad again. To cut a long story short: My then 85 years young mother made myself, my sister and her 3 grand children feel like fools when we saw how quickly she picked up the functions after my brother-in-law installed all the programs. When I left she even played cards online and she googles everything she wants to know now. Her grandchildren help out immediately when the laptop crashes, which hardly happens.

My mother and I enjoy seeing each other via skype.

My sister and her family take their laptops with them when they travel in order to be in visible touch with my mother. When my husband and I have visitors at home and where ever we travel we Skype with my mom, so that she can join us and be with us as often as possible. As my mother puts it, "The only thing missing is that we can't hug and touch each other." But be assured of all our flying kisses circling throughout cyberspace.

With her knowledge of computing my mother solves her homework she has to do for her memory training class. She googles and also skypes with me to solve word puzzles and together we crack other hard brain teasers. Her memory jogging friends call her to get the results and you guess it: her group is doing very well!

I would like to not only encourage older people to start computing, but also to get the entire families involved in the computer fun with grandparents and other older relatives. It could be such fun for several generations of the family. But most importantly, it helps to fight the loneliness of old people, as they can't move around like they used to, and due to the natural effects of old age which leave them with less and less friends to talk to.

My husband talks with my mother. A German friend looks on. He and his wife retired a long time ago and learned to Skype as soon as they returned to Germany.