introduction We are Team Bowenians, a group of dedicated volunteers who aim to help the elderly in Singapore by raising funds for O’Joy Care Services under the Youth for Causes 2010 Project. navigation About Us Current, Upcoming and Past Events FAQ (Coming Soon) Leave a Comment Contact Us affiliates Youth For Causes Official Website O'Joy Care Services Archives June 2010 July 2010 August 2010 September 2010 Credits Edited @ Juneloves. Layouts @Glamouresque.	Saturday, September 11, 2010 Writeup on the elderly, part i When you are approached by one of our volunteers soliciting for donations, you might pause and wonder – why exactly does O’Joy Care Services need these donations – after all, some people feel that the elderly have the best time of their life. After retirement, they are left to their own devices. They have accumulated vast experience throughout their life and would thus be an invaluable aid to the younger generation. With these good prospects, life should be a breeze and there would be little need for them to be counselled. But is that really the case? Let us take a look at some statistics about the elderly that will probably change your mind. PART I : Elderly Numbers – Demographics of the Elderly in Singapore According to the Statistics Singapore website, 8.8% of the resident population is aged 65 and above. This figure has been on a steady increase since Singapore’s independence in 1965. Back then, the percentage of the elderly was only at 2.5% - an indicator that Singapore’s population is rapidly ageing. So what is the big deal about the ageing population, you may ask. After all, with increased health benefits and advancements in medical technology, most of us would strive to live longer. But then again, living longer presents its own variety of challenges. When one ages, his body becomes physically weaker and is more prone to sickness. This, when coupled with other factors, leads to a gamut of problems. The blunt reality - 2.5 million members of the elderly worldwide face some form of maltreatment. That is equal to half of the population of Singapore as of 2010! In 2007, O’Joy Care Services analyzed the situation of the 58 clients who completed their counselling therapy over the year, of which: - 59% had to deal with relationship issues - 40% had to deal with grief and loss - 37% suffered from caregiver stress - 31% had depression - 21% need to learn self-care - 10% had to deal with death and dying - 6% had mental health issues - 3% had marital issues - 3% suffered from elder abuse From these figures, we can conclude that majority of the clients have emotional issues. We will take a closer look at the various problems faced by the elderly in tomorrow’s writeup. - Team Bowenians
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