Never too old to learn new skills, say retirees

Skilled student: Teong showcasing her newly acquired skills on the ukelele, proving that her fingers are as nimble as those much younger than her.

SERDANG: There is life after retirement – as proven by a group of graduates pursuing courses in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), ranging from painting to ukelele lessons.

Teong Lee Chin, 54, who retired after a career in banking, had always wanted to learn music.

“Unlike my children, we were not so lucky to be able to learn so many things during my day,” said Teong, who was grateful for her second chance.

Teong, who has been taking classes since April, credited her new found skills to the University of the Third Age (U3A) programme organised by UPM, which offers various courses aimed at senior citizens.

“Besides ukelele classes, I have enrolled in photography and Korean and French languages. Each course costs only RM30.”

Former lecturer Easwary Alahakone, 69, who found a new passion in acrylic art, said she had cried during her first lesson in 2008 because her painting was “terrible”.

Today, her paintings are shown at art exhibitions, with the next one scheduled in Putrajaya.

“I feel it is important for the elderly to continue to learn new things,” she said.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun lauded the efforts to keep senior citizens active.

Chew said such efforts were in line with its Pusat Activiti Warga Emas (Pawe) day-care centres across the country.

“Instead of having more old folks homes, we want to integrate the elderly into the community.

“We need to share the responsibility of caring for senior citizens and lighten the burden of individual families, which is why our plan is to build more Pawe,” said Chew who was speaking during the graduation ceremony for participants of the Citi-UPM Financial Empowerment for Mature Women Programme and various courses under U3A.

The country has 51 such day-care centres, serving close to 82,000 senior citizens.

“The ministry has plans to build eight more next year. Ideally, we want at least one Pawe in each parliamentary constituency.”