Once a man or a woman reaches the age of sixty, the age that declares them officially as ‘warga tua’ or senior citizens, there is inevitably also emerging the signs and symptoms of aging which they would find very hard to ignore.

This is why there must be that preparedness of being able to age gracefully and peacefully. This is the stage of life where a senior or elderly person must not be encumbered but be free to live life minus the humdrum of living when they were younger.

In being prepared to face up to aging and old age, it includes being prepared to expect and encounter sickness, diseases and other forms of infirmities and a person in this age category must be taught the necessary coping skills.

Being able to cope at old age is vital and necessary and must not be overlooked, and instead, priority must be given by family members or care-givers to take care of the old as best as possible until a timely demise.

However, old age must not be feared or dreaded, but those who are already senior citizens must be brave and stoic, and take in their stride the possible suffering and anguish they might have to undergo in the twilight of their lives.

But, as the saying goes, “old is gold,” and after the age of sixty it is the entry into the era of the golden years, where the wealth of knowledge, learning and understanding of a senior must be able to hopefully be passed down to the younger generations.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE