Past Prime
Singapore is set to be home to the fastest aging population in the world when we approach 2050 in the distant future. As it is, we are already coasting on the coattails of the silver wave, with 13.1% of our current population now comprising of people aged 65 and older. Given the bleak outlook of the country's tapering Resident Old-Age Support Ratio, and persistent rising costs of living, many elderly are being forced to leave their armchairs to re-enter the workforce to survive, and help bolster the economy. We examine the state of the elderly in Singapore today as a handful of seniors enjoy the last vestiges of their retirement amongst those already back at the grind.
An elderly lady waits patiently with her tissue packets.
A grandfather with his grandson after a morning of grocery shopping.
An aged gentleman catches a snooze in his trishaw after a grueling afternoon.
Elderly toilet cleaners on their break.
A lady and her elderly mother on a weekday afternoon stroll.
A senior gentleman sells newspapers and magazines well into the evening.
An old uncle on a leisurely ride through the park.
As the statutory minimum retirement age continues to climb, one wonders if, in a few years down the road, we would be hard-pressed to find any silver haired people in the parks or leisure corners. While it is important that we work to our best abilities to do our parts and contribute to the economy, a peace of mind is, at the very least, what one should be afforded to enjoy the little things in life at the end of a long journey.