Health

In Older Women, Risk of Breast Cancer increases with Age

Based on American statistics, the risk of breast cancer in one’s lifetime is 1-in-8, making cancer the #2 leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer. If you are a women at 40, the risk is 1-in-68, but as women grows older, the risk increases to 1-in-28 at 60 and 1-in-26 at 70. According to Harvard Medical School, “Half of newly diagnosed women are over 60, and more than a fifth are over 70”.  The good news is that death rates from female breast cancer has declined by about 40% from 1989 to 2007 due to better screening and medical advancement. Here is what older women should know about breast cancer.

Continue reading “In Older Women, Risk of Breast Cancer increases with Age” →
Advertisements
Health, Spirit

Seniors: When should I give up my Drivers License?

For seniors who have been driving since getting their driver’s license in their twenties, giving up driving is not going to be easy. Most seniors equate driving to independence and mobility – and taking that away from them can be crushing. But we all know that as we grow older, the day will come when we have to give up our car keys. So, when should seniors stop driving? Well, the answer is not that simple.

Continue reading “Seniors: When should I give up my Drivers License?” →
Politics

Raising the GST to 9%: Should Singaporean Seniors Support this Move?

If you listen to the budget speech, seniors are of course looking for the “goodies” that was promised by the Prime Minister a few months back such as the Merdeka Generation Package(MGP). All the social spending, including defense, education, health care and social support expenditures, need to be paid for by the government without raiding Singapore’s hard-earned reserves. To maintain a “balanced budget” and still pursue a policy of social spending that is much need in Singapore’s ageing population, the government of the day needs to increase tax revenue as it spends. Sometime between 2021 to 2024, the government plans to raise the GST from 7% to 9%. On the surface, it looks bad for seniors — but when we look deeper, I believe seniors should welcome this move. Here’s why.

Continue reading “Raising the GST to 9%: Should Singaporean Seniors Support this Move?” →
Health

What’s the difference between General and Community Hospital in Singapore?

Being admitted to a hospital can be quite unsettling and confusing. That’s why it is important for seniors to understand the difference between general hospitals like Singapore General Hospital(SGH) or National University Hospital(NUH) versus a class of hospitals referred to as community hospitals – such as Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital or Jurong Community Hospital.

Continue reading “What’s the difference between General and Community Hospital in Singapore?” →
Finance

Retirement Investing: Steady Passive Income from REITs is Good!

Many Singaporeans love investing in real property. There are many seniors who own apartments with the idea of collecting rent when they retire. However, direct investment in real property requires a pile of cash and lacks liquidity if you need to cash out in a hurry. REITs may be a better option.

Continue reading “Retirement Investing: Steady Passive Income from REITs is Good!” →
Travel

Checklist for Seniors Travelling Overseas

I remember my younger days when I can just throw together a few clothing items and my toothbrush, hop on a plane and I am off to my holiday adventure. But for seniors, that approach is probably not advisable. A little planning can save you from a lot of pain if the unexpected happens during your holiday. Here is a simple checklist you should keep handy when planning your holiday overseas.

Continue reading “Checklist for Seniors Travelling Overseas” →
Entertainment, Tech

Borrow Great Books from the Library Without Leaving Home

In Singapore, your local library is one of the best perks of citizenship and there is probably one near you. But there is another part of the library that you may not be aware of – the digital or virtual library. In keeping up with technology and to make reading even more accessible, the National Library Board (NLB) has been at the forefront of digital media and its convenience to the public. All you need to use this is to get a basic Android or IOS tablet that is large enough so that it comfortable for reading – and you are ready to go.

Continue reading “Borrow Great Books from the Library Without Leaving Home” →
Health

Buying Health Products: Be Very Skeptical

Preying on the old, sick and dying with promise of hope is sickening but it happens at all levels. I have seen so-called good Samaritans trying to hawk purported drugs or tablets that they claim can cure or treat cancer. For example, if you go online, you will find many products that makes wild claims complete with convincing testimonials. There are also pyramid marketing schemes that put on road shows parading to would-be sales agents “personal success stories”. If you think that scammers are the only ones doing this, think again. Seemingly legitimate companies are also cashing in on the game. Seniors who are not well versed in the deceptive nature of the internet are the best customers for these less than scrupulous sellers. Here is what you should do.

Continue reading “Buying Health Products: Be Very Skeptical” →
Health

Growing Old and “The Big C” (Cancer) … What Should I Do?

One of the most feared diagnosis is “the Big C” – or cancer – for most seniors. We often hear of friends and relatives doing battle with this dreadful disease and it has a lot to do with ageing. Based on UK statistics, 36% of all cancers are diagnosed in people over 75 or older and 53% of all cancers are diagnosed in people between 50 and 74. Noting that cancer can strike at any age, it is a statistical fact that the incidence of cancer is highly correlated with ageing. For men, the top three cancers are prostate, lung and colorectal. For women, they are breast, lung and colorectal — with breast cancer being the most common by far at 30%. Age is a major risk factor but in reality, there is not much we can do about ageing (unless science discovers the proverbial “fountain of youth”).

Continue reading “Growing Old and “The Big C” (Cancer) … What Should I Do?” →
Finance

How to Make Passive Income Work for You in Singapore?

When you decide to retire, this is when you stop actively working for money. This is the time when your savings, assets and investments should begin working for you – by generating a steady stream of passive income. Of course, it is everyone’s dream to be “paid regularly” without actually working a regular job. But it take planning. Here are some of the passive income strategies that you should consider.

Continue reading “How to Make Passive Income Work for You in Singapore?” →