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Living Longer, Living Better: Shining in Our Golden Years
Professor Andrew Scott, a member of the International Advisory Panel for the Health District @ Queenstown HD@QT, shared insightful perspectives on healthy aging during a talk based on his book The Longevity Imperative: Building a Better Society for Healthier, Longer Lives. Historically and currently, it's conventional to work until one's fifties or sixties with most leisure saved for retirement. However, as life expectancy increases, the normal working age might need adjustment.
The time for leisure is now, Professor Scott, an economist from London Business School, advised during his talk at NUS on his recent book. He suggested that instead of wting until retirement to fully enjoy life, society could consider implementing a four-day work week, part-time jobs, or even join the workforce later in life.
If we live longer...we do need to work for longer, but in return, let's get leisure now let's not save it all until then, Professor Scott sd. He was speaking at NUS during a talk on his recent book at an event organized by HD@QT and moderated by Professor John Eu-Li Wong, Executive Director of the NUS Centre for Population Health and Co-Chr of the HD@QT Steering Committee.
The 19 August 2024 gathering, atted by over 140 guests including Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry; Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth; and Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Ministry of Social and Family Development.
Professor Scott advocated rsing the retirement age to keep pace with growing life expectancy. He also pointed out that many developed economies are tackling challenges associated with aging populations, particularly a decline in workforce participation rates among those aged 55 to 60 years old. Singapore, known as one of the world's fastest-ageing nations on track for super-aged status within decades, faces less of this tr with its retirement age set at 63 and a high employment rate of 70.6 in seniors aged 55-64.
Addressing questions about reskilling and staying fulfilled into the nineties, he sd that silver societies needed to invest heavily in lifelong learning for people to remn relevant as they age something Singapore is doing through its SkillsFuture framework.
If we're living longer, it's essential that we invest our capitalour health, skills, relationships... We can't just focus on educating people early; we need to think about lifelong learning, he stressed.
He highlighted the pivotal role of HD@QT in advocating disease prevention beyond productivity and purpose during old age.
Mntning health is different from treating diseases, and our healthcare system focuses on disease treatment, Prof Scott explned. In contrast, he pointed out that HD@QT emphasizes preventive health more than traditional intervention methods.
Since 2021, the Health District @ Queenstown has been implementing a range of activities to promote healthy aging through collaboration between public and private institutions like NUS, NUHS, and the Housing Development Board.
He urged younger people to recognize that aging isn't just an issue for distant future generations; it's influenced by personal choices and habits today impacting their quality of life as they age.
An aging society is not about old people; it's about you, Professor Scott sd. What are you doing now to support your well-being in later years?
He concluded: We're embarking on the second longevity revolution. We must change how we grow old.
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