YO! Forum
October 10th, 2009
Contributed by: Tan Tian Hui
What shall I do with this absurdity-
O heart, O troubled heart- this caricature,
Decrepit age that has been tied to me
As to a dog’s tail?
William Butler Yeats expressed in ‘The Tower’ the dilemma of ageing; the denial of it and the resistance towards the notion of old age in the view of an adult undergoing the process of ageing. They feel more passionate and inspired than ever, but because of the stereotypes attached to ageing, they think that they ought not to feel that way- resulting in the difficulty of reconciling the notions attached to old age and their own thoughts regarding it.
Too often, youths like us tend to attach too many stereotypes to ageing. We think of ageing as a process associated with the gradual loss of youthful exuberance and liveliness, we too often think that the older generation unlike us, lack creativity and, if I were to quote another line from the poem, ‘must bid the Muse go pack, Choose Plato and Plotinus for a friend’.
That would reflect my sentiments before attending the YO! Forum. However, the forum has changed my perspective on the issue of ageing, particularly in highlighting causes, which youths like me can serve.
The morning visit to Fei Yue Neighbourhood Link at Bukit Batok was an eye opener for me, as I learnt about the various activities that the centre organizes to encourage active ageing and intergenerational bonding (IGB) and the purposes that they serve in bridging the gap between the young and the seniors, and to allow for better appreciation and setting up common grounds between the two distinctly different generations. We were also fortunate to have a chance to engage in IGB activities, such as fingerprint art, where we were paired up with other seniors and worked with them to create pieces of art. Even though we were all amateurs, it was certainly heartening to see the seniors hard at work, unleashing their creativity, and most importantly working hand-in-hand with the young at the craft project. My group members certainly enjoyed the activity; and I believe the seniors were glad to engage in interaction with the younger generation. I believe that IGB activities are definitely an area where youths can venture into, where we can bridge the communication gap between the younger and older generation. I am sure the other 4 groups that went to YAH! Community College, Silver Circle Wellness @ Punggol South, Lion Befrienders Neighbourhood Link and Presbyterian Community Services Evergreen Circle also had equally engaging experiences.
Also, brainstorming sessions with my teams, as well as the dialogue session with Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan set me thinking. One of the questions that bugged my mind was- How can we, as youths, play our part in engaging with our seniors? During the brainstorming sessions, much emphasis was placed on engaging the seniors in learning, setting up interest groups comprising of seniors, and we even thought of the possibility of coming up with TV programs such as the popular singing competition ‘Singapore Idol’ but with a twist- not just the suave young man or the typical pretty lady, but active seniors who have the courage to sing their hearts out on national TV.
After consolidating our ideas, I believe that youths can play a huge part in interacting with our seniors. As youths, we can contribute our passion and enthusiasm in engaging in IGB activities, such as engaging the seniors in learning new skills. We can equip them with a new skill like art and craft- as art not only communicates, it drives communication as well. Communication is effective in eradicating the barriers between the younger generation and the seniors, who typically have a negative impression of each other- youths are hot headed, impatient and insensitive; seniors are ‘naggy’, ‘old-fashioned’ and too ‘conservative’- in our words, that is- well, not anymore, if we get to know each other better.
Learning does not only take place where youths teach seniors, seniors can teach youths as well- imparting valuable knowledge through their life stories, or just like us teaching them decoupage or cross stitch; they can similarly teach us crafts from their generation.
All in all, the YO! Forum has certainly been an engaging one for me, and has prompted me to think about ways through which youths like us can engage the elderly- So that even as our population ages, we are still full of vitality, vigour and verve.
Entry Filed under: Community & Rootedness, Youth Elderly
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