SINGAPORE, What Did I Just See?! This Left Me Completely SPEECHLESS! 🇸🇬
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2025
- 👀 What I saw in Singapore left me absolutely SPEECHLESS! 🇸🇬 As a foreigner exploring this incredible city, I was shocked to discover how elderly people here are still working hard, even at such an old age! But what truly surprised me is that some of the older Singaporeans I spoke to said they worked not out of financial necessity but because they wanted to stay active and feel connected to society. Their resilience is truly inspiring!
In this video, we’ll dive into:
✔️ The daily hustle of Singapore’s elderly workers
✔️ Why retirement might not be an option for some
✔️ Cultural and social insights from a foreigner’s perspective
Singapore is known for being one of the world’s most developed cities, but this experience shows there’s more to it than meets the eye. Whether you’re curious about Singapore’s culture, planning a visit, or just love exploring unique stories, this video is for you!
👉 Let me know your thoughts:
Have you ever seen something like this? What do you think about seniors still working in one of the richest countries in the world? Share your opinions below!
#Singapore #ElderlyWorkers #TravelStories #SingaporeCulture #LifeInSingapore
I am 78 and still working full time in the hospital, not because my family cannot support me., but I wish to stay active, connected, able to contribute and most of all enjoy my work
@@jessiechoo6591 Thanks for sharing this with us. I actually got a similar response from some of the seniors in the workforce that I spoke to. Most said they chose to work not because they needed the money desperately but just because they wanted keep themselves positively occupied. Thanks once again for sharing your story with us.
The true fact is majority senior citizens are unable to retire due to the high cost of living in Singapore.
@@Nova1970E The true fact is not binary, everyone got different choices and different reasons to work into their retirement, but for retirees without the burden of growing children and housing loan, i doubt high cost of living is the main reason, unless they're splurging on unnecessities and have no savings during their working years.
@@explorewithkojoThere is a belief that once you stop working, your life span will be cut short and plus the dementia prevention beliefs as well. My parents happen to fall into this group of belief.
@___Danny___ It now makes a lot of sense to me why these hardworking seniors choose not to retire. Thanks so much for the enlightenment. I really appreciate every single opportunity I get to learn something new.
i know a auntie working in mcdonald in my neighbourhood, she stay in a semi-d , her son is a VP in a foreign bank. So not every elderly workforce is working for the money.
Thanks for sharing this with us. Simply put, most elders in SG work because they want to keep themselves active and keep loneliness at bay.
@explorewithkojo In my opinion, taking up a job to keep active is a myth. It's good to know the facts.
Obviously, something is not right in this family!
Our pioneer generation are tough people, they give their life to build our country and provide for the next generations. Their children or government will look after them but they rather be independent and proud of it. For those who can’t, government and many charities will chip in to help them manage in their own homes or nursing home. Many elderly also volunteers their time and energy in helping the less abled. Most employers are also kind and respectful of the older workers. These i gathered from many elderly i encountered in my work. They are mainly HDB dwellers.
It's a good thing to hear that the government steps in to assist elderly Singaporeans from less privileged backgrounds. I wish more governments in Africa would also do that.
In Singapore we have the 'Maintenance of Parents Act allows Singapore residents aged 60 years and above ,who are unable to provide for themselves , to claim maintenance from their children who are capable of supporting them'. But here's the thing, cost of living here is high, to support one's own family and also their parents and it's difficult if only one person is the sole breadwinner unless they earn a lot. Most parents don't want to trouble their children and will go out to work. Financial is not the only factor. Family issues too.
@@peppergirlrocks Thanks for taking your time to make this discussion richer with your comment (which is one of the most enlightening ones here). Really appreciate it.
I’m a Singaporean. Don’t be fooled thinking the elderly in Singapore who still work are poor and uncared for by the children. Many choose to work despite their age because they want to stay in the work force and keep themselves active and useful to society rather than living a sedentary lifestyle in their old age. Working gives them a sense of pride and independence and many don’t want to rely on their children and add to their burdens.
Believe me, many of these Singaporean elderly folks are cash rich. I know a 70-year-old dishwasher lady who has more than $500,000 Singapore dollars in her bank account. Yet, she lives a frugal life just like many elderly folks here do. However, we do have some elderly people who are really struggling but it’s a minority. Most are unmarried or widowed people without families and the government is helping them with monthly handouts and subsidies as well as voluntary help from the various charitable organisations and neighbourhood communities. So, I would say the elderly folks in Singapore are well-taken care of by the government.
It’s great to hear that many elderly folks in Singapore work by choice for pride and independence, and that there’s support for those who need it. It really shows a balanced system! Very impressive.
My colleague at a fastfood restaurant has a helper at home. Helper is paid for by her children. She chose to work to stay active & money to spend as she wished & not depend on her children. Another ex-colleague carried an original Coach bag to work.
I am in my early 60s but need to work to boost my retirement fund lost during caregiving time.
The elderly cardboard collector may work out of necessity but there are help available from the government. The government understands the fierce independence of some of these Pioneer Generation.
Thank you very much for shedding more light on this. I actually had the opportunity to speak to a number of these seniors who are still very active in the workforce and I remember one telling me that money wasn't the primary motivation and that he chose to work at that age because he found staying home idling away to be extremely boring torturous to his mental and physical health.
@@explorewithkojo if they already told you so, why post such a video? I find it offensive esp coming from someone from a continent where is there is the least progress.
not depend on her children, depend yourself till death
@@Jackslav Thank you for sharing your perspective. I’d like to clarify that my video wasn’t meant to criticize Singapore or its culture. If you really watched a significant portion of it you'd know that wasn't the case. As a travel blogger and writer, I explore and share my observations about the places I visit, aiming to foster curiosity, understanding, and dialogue.
When I mentioned seeing so many elderly people working in Singapore, it was simply an observation that surprised me based on my experiences living and traveling across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It's a sight I’m not used to in other places, so I was genuinely intrigued and curious to learn more about why this is common in Singapore.
Being from Africa, I am aware that my continent faces many challenges and is considered the poorest in the world. However, that doesn’t take away my right to share my experiences and observations as I travel. In fact, I often discuss the backwardness of Africa in my videos, addressing the issues we face and asking my viewers and guests for ideas on how we can work toward positive change.
My channel is about learning and sharing perspectives from around the globe, and I expected some critical comments like yours. I appreciate your input, but I hope you can also see that my intentions are rooted in curiosity and learning, not judgment.
Let’s continue to engage respectfully and learn from one another. After all, travel is about opening up to new perspectives, isn’t it?
Good on you to share your observation. I’ve lived in different countries too and is an ex Singaporean. You are right about seeing more elderly around, out and about. The people of that generation are not like some of the young entitled people. That older generation are proud of being useful, and also being able to earn an income. But for some they have to work out of necessity and feels too proud to ask for govt help, they feel like if they ask for govt help, it’s like being a beggar. Plus, having to receive money from govt, you have to fill in forms which could seem quite intrusive. For the sake of not wanting to loose face, they’d do what they can for themselves .
Whereas in some countries like England for example, obviously there are some elderly who would like to work if they can, to be able to socialise etc, but the onus is, society there is such that when you reach a certain age, you are considered too old for the job, so less jobs for seniors but you can easily get some financial help from the govt without much problem.
This is my take about the elderly in Singapore. There’s a lot more to be said, having worked as a volunteer in some centres that caters to senior citizens. But I don’t need to say any more.😊
Besides staying active, parents usually do not wish to be financially dependent on their children as they know their children & their families are also coping with the high costs of living here
Many elderly people in Singapore do not want to live with their children or look after their grandchildren. They would rather work and earn money to support themselves.
It could be the other way that many children do not want to live with and support their parents. Forcing their parents to have to work at an old age. Some children still siphon money from elderly parents. This is so sad!
You got the honest answers. We should be proud of them, though they may be an eye-sore to visitors.
I agree with you. The fact that seniors are that age are more willing and capable of being that disciplined in terms of their approach towards work than some people my age is definitely something inspiring. Where I come from, I know so many people in their twenties and thirties who have such poor work ethic that they can barely do half of the things these elderly workers in SG are doing.
You should ask your old folks in your country. If given opportunity to work, will you continue working or stay at home.
I remember doing a research on that for an article I was working on some years ago and that really opened my eyes. For example, it is common knowledge that the average African isn't as hardworking as the average Singaporean or Korean or Japanese. There are a number of reasons why this is the case, the number one reason being the environment which tends to give us everything we need to survive. Also, there's a very strong support system here where extended family members easily take care of one another. This encourages the average young person here not to have a very strong work ethic because. You'd find some thinking like this: "even if I don't work, my family will take care of me". This kind of mentality is very common here due to the aforementioned reasons. The thing about a lot of Africans is that we keep complaining that there are no job opportunities here. However, give us the opportunity to work and many of us wouldn't want to work hard because our environment and traditions have pampered us and keep doing so. I know so many strong and healthy adults in their 20s and 30s with kids who are still supported by their parents and family members. Based on my observations and research, if given the choices to work or stay home and be taken care of, the average senior in most African countries would choose the latter.
Maybe you’re still young and finding job is not an issue. When you get older, you will realize companies don’t like to hire old people given so many youngsters available. Nobody wants to stay at home and feel useless 😅
Let's put the right perspective. What u see may not reflect the true situation. Alot of these folks choose to do this not out of poverty or no family support. Alot of them have pride as well as wanting to stay active. About 2 yrs ago during one of my morning walk. I saw 2 old ladies pushing a trolley quite dangerous along yew tee towards sungei kadut area. I engage them in conversation n also help warn traffic coming towards them. They are actually ladies from china with family here. I followed them to the scrap yard about 40 mins away. On reaching the yard I saw them being paid about $200 on those loads. That is good pocket money which they also offered me $10 which i declined. Another instance I approached this "poor man" n passed him some cash n he cheerfully declined n push my hands away. But of course there are those who are financially poor but I know they are not neglected by our government. Most importantly we ourselves must do our parts to meet a need when we see one regardless of their race... N also not forgetting to look after our aged love ones.
yes i keep my daily newspapers n used cartoon boards in a big stack can sell for some small good money too.
@yenchu6660 me too until last i stop as it was taking up space in my store room. So i will decard into the recycle bin every 2 weeks. Also the karun guni man dont come regularly.
actually, besides keeping active. The SG Gov is aware of our health trend of the past generation and even current.
As much as the encouragement that SG gov has been promoting, there are many reasons behind all this. I am going to retire in a few years time, I too is in favour of staying active and fit. part time work, or whatever to stay fit
There are many benefits for doing so. SG Gov is aware of the many health issue related to ageing, the additional stresses on our health care system as many elderly seek treatment more often then ever. Instead of looking on the negative side, it choose to promote and encourages all to stay healthy and especially keep the mind active ....dementia and related issues of the elderly. I work for a Gov related company and when I attend courses on wellness, all these figures surface out in the training program and explain why the Gov is doing what it is doing.
Actually, the Gov is trying to read ahead of the curve and trying to prevent, predict and act in advance before its too late to act unlikely in my parents generation as most of us are better educated than them
That's actually good to hear. I honestly admire the way things are run in SG as compared to where I come from.
In the case of the UAE, I would suspect that all the misery is hidden from wealthy visitors. In African societies there are probably more extended families with the means to care for the elderly than in Singapore. In EU countries, the state often takes exemplary care of elderly people who have little money.
our elderly love hoarding, this include my parents as well.
LOL. I wonder what some of these elderly people use their hoarded items for. I know a particular elderly couple who are experts at this. Everything is precious to them so they just keep on hoarding and hoarding LOL
though we have retired , we , elderly go on working part - time , to interact with outside people or do volunteering social work to pass time ... our government look after well especially the old folks . there's nothing wrong working into our old age as long one is still healthy n happy in our daily lives. thank you for your concern . our culture , our contribution back to society .
There is nothing working into old age? Wat about I say there is oso nothing wrong to do community volunteer works, hobbies like brisk walk, play chess, sing song, drawing, into old age? The truth is sg gohmen brain wash all to self-censor wat to say n praise sg is 'all perfect' but the truth is sg gohmen hate to spend money to take care of it's people when they old, or do bare minimum for old folks and is a very cold society.
That's beautiful to hear. Thanks for sharing this.
It is good to engage with the society and keep ones mind aactive. A lot who retired and had dementia shotrly after.
What causes dementia and how can it be mitigated?
Nobody wanna idle doing nothing even for the elderly……
I am Singaporean , some do it out of poverty .
Name me some. I volunteer as a distributor of free groceries to under-privileged families. There is help if they need especially elderly above 70 yrs old. They don't need to work if they choose to. All my years I have yet to come across elderly people who have to work because poverty. Yes, some are unfortunate to have disfunctional children who live off them heartlessly. But who's fault is that?
Yes, in sg, nobardy dare speak truth bcoz self-censor by sg gohmen
Not all is rich .
Uniquely Singapore
These old folks have various support available if they don't have families as most of them do have families. For some reasons, they ply the streets as they do for reasons only they themselves know.
Looks like some of them just want to keep active and interact with other people to keep loneliness at bay.
Visit japan !! Same status !
SG needs labor force workers badly, regardless of age
Then I think that's a good thing - especially for the seniors who don't want to stay at home doing nothing. It is a win-win situation for everyone I guess (:
@explorewithkojo In life, there are many things to do. It does not depend on where you are.
Do you think that such elderly people would have the necessary health care equipment / devices at home to monitor their health as they age? Do you think that such elderly people would have the knowledge / ability to understand and improve their health? Do you think that such elderly would have the ability to seek available government assistance? Are there any detailed studies on this group of elderly to fully understand the facts and address the root causes, or it is just another day? Nobody really cares, even their children!
You raise a lot of important questions! It would be great to see more detailed studies and initiatives aimed at addressing these gaps. Every small step to help them makes a big difference!
Most Singaporeans are hardworking and pariotic . They do not want to rely on Governments handouts and social welfares for a living. It will be a liability to the country. Most Singapore elderly are rich as they are force to save when they came out to work. And most Singaporeans know that if you idle at home, you near to the grave. Before their days come, do something for the country and younger Singapore generation.
There are those who continue to work because of necessity and for these Singaporeans, there is financial help given, especially for their medical needs.
However, a larger proportion of such older workers work, perhaps at lower wages and with a less demanding job, for a variety of reasons:
a) work had been a core part of their self-identity and purpose, without work, they feel uneasy because they have not learnt to replace work with something else as meaningful
b) work ameliorates their boredom because they have failed to find something else to occupy their time
c) unlike African culture with their growing populations, most of us here have very small families where the adult children are at work, leaving the retired elder alone at home, perhaps with a domestic helper
d) while it may appear laudable that African cultures look after their elderly, many have poor lifespans, health spans and are seen as a burden
e) Respect is earned and I’ve seen many elderly lose that earned respect if they are perceived as leeches. Many like to keep their self-respect by being occupied, interacting with society through work- the big ticket items like housing, medical is taken care of by their families but their work gives them a sense of purpose and pride and their own money to indulge freely
Thanks for breaking this down so thoughtfully! I honestly like the part where work provides many seniors in SG with a sense of purpose and helps them maintain their dignity and respect, even when financial support is available. And you are right about most Singaporean families being very small. That's one of the things I first noticed when I came to SG. In Africa, we tend to have extremely large families, which I believe strongly contributes to the high levels of poverty on the continent.
There are those who work because of financial reasons.
Possibly they had not, or had not managed to, save enough throughout throughout their younger years.
Compulsory retirement savings was introduced in the year 1955, and had been constantly revised through the decades, with the goal of ensuring employees have certain retirement funds. So the elderly workers you see are probably those who had CPF, unless they were self-employed or not employed previously, like being full time homemaker.
Unfortunately, there has been reported cases of retirees being swindled or coaxed out of the retirement money when they finally collected the funds.
Financial literacy is generally weak in most people, and financial discipline is not always found in human nature either.
Money can also go quickly in event of medical needs.
I'd say the reasons are varied and every individual has their own story.
Currently, the government's policy of CPF withdrawal is on the intrusive end, trying to ensure the current batch of employees will be able to draw a minimum sum monthly for decades after retirement.
The other source of funding is for retirees who own HDB flats to sell-back or trade into smaller flats of shorter lease.
Again, when there is a sudden lump sum of money available, people don't always make the best choices. Relatives and friends turn up asking to borrow for various purposes, from claims of emergency to get-rich-investment schemes.
As other posters pointed out, there are various public as well as private charities providing living necessities, so there is little risk of dying of hunger or being homeless.
One big difference between Singapore today and your African homeland is probably the shift from traditional communities to nuclear families in Singapore had been achieved decades ago.
The community of extended families living close together with a large pool of young workers supporting a small group of elders no longer exist in Singapore.
Though family ties remain among extended kin scattered across the island, the bonds are different from that of their predecessors.
The situation is worsen by the falling birth rate since the 1980s.
As women being in the workforce was common, the traditional extended family that relied on presence of womenfolk at home cease to exist in Singapore.
Thanks for sharing this! The point about the shift from extended families to nuclear families really stood out to me. It makes sense that with fewer young people around to support their elders, especially with the declining birth rate, things have changed so much. The interesting thing is that I’ve actually started to notice something similar happening gradually in the bigger cities in Africa, where the traditional extended family support system isn’t as strong as it used to be. It’s kind of sad to see how these changes affect communities.
My dad chose to continue working at 82. He says he wants to walk when he is still able to.
S'pore is a concrete jungle. Seniors generally want to keep themselves active rather than being coped up in a pigeon hole.
There're seniors, far and few in-between, who fall thru' the safety net. However, by & large, they are relatively better off than seniors elsewhere.
They have lifelong pension, quarterly subsidies, payouts, cash or kind, dished out by the govt. The amount given is skewed twds the less endowed.
Btw, homelessness is the main criterion judging the disadvantaged. This is atypical here.
It’s good to know that seniors in Singapore have support systems in place and that homelessness is rare. I think SG is so far doing an incredible job - especially when you think of the fact that the country has been able to achieve all this remarkable stuff without any natural resources.
From what I know doing social work for more than 3 years, most seniors I know prefer to work because they get an active social life, extra money and useful pastime. It is better than to sit at home and wait to die.
noelah, active can be play chess, singsong ktv, hiking, why must work?
@@stevenlim9640 why not if that is what a senior choose to do? Not all seniors like to karaoke or play chess. To each their choice.
That’s really great to hear! It’s inspiring to know that many seniors see working as a way to stay socially active and engaged, rather than just sitting at home. Thanks for sharing this!
I am 75 need to work,cos my family of 8 are not well off.
Thank you for sharing. It takes a lot of strength to keep working at 75 to support your family. Wishing you and your loved ones all the best!
Did you seek assistance?
Work until your last breath
@@MrEric5452 stop complaining, appreciate small blessings & life will be much more bearable.
And we need to work until we die?
No. Even if you are lazy and reckless in your youth, you still get help in your old age. I know because I volunteer at distributing groceries to underprivileged families. In Singapore, we can't throw anybody out into the streets even if they are disfunctional. They is help to get accommodation and monthly allowance if they reach a certain age.
There's nothing wrong with working at senior age to kill boredom. What's the big deal.. u seem to be wanting to paint a negative picture of Singapore
Thanks for sharing your opinion but I beg to disagree about me wanting to paint a negative picture about SG. Everyone who knows me knows how much I admire the place. That being said, I think you should have watched a significant part of the video to understand that if anything at all, I was actually indirectly talking about the advantages of these seniors working. For example, I categorically stated that most of the seniors choose to do this not out of financial desperation but due to the fact that they want to keep boredom at bay and volunteer to build society in the little way they can. Also, I spoke to a senior who told how important this was to him and that he could even work for free since that greatly improved his mental and physical well being. I wonder how this constitutes painting a negative picture of the society.
I don't think picking cardboards and struggling to push the cart is a way for seniors to keep healthy or prevent boredom. Pls be honest with yourself, she's doing it for her livelihood, she's not living in a condo. His questions are valid, we must be self-reflective. Don't deny now then whine and complain when ge is around. You're probably embarassed, I'm sure most of us don't think that foreigners are observing the bad side of sg. If u want everyone to talk about only the good things, then dun complain when sg is seen as attractive for FT to come and work. Its all about money, when u have u don't care about others, when u don't have enough then u say why others get more.
Hey!! Don't bother man!! As long as they are "chinese " you can be sure they have a big fat account!! Even stashed somewhere at home..Don't bother...they 'll survive..probably more than you & me.
In sinkapo, in private, they will tell you another story, bur never in public for self-censorship. Very old folks working are not enjoy life as told by all sinkapoleans here! I once looked into their hands shaking, bent bones, and into their bitter eyes, i quickly withdraw my eyes contact!
Really?! That’s so surprising to hear!
@@explorewithkojo yes, sinkapoleans praise full of praises of sg n sg gohmen bcoz self-censor impose by sg gohmen , recent years got worse with new laws to curb n silence people, eg POFMA, and other law like : in emergency incident eg protest, NS man die, take video or foto of it you might be arrested
LIFE HV ALWAY BEEN A STRUGGLE...ONCE YOU STOP...IT IS TIME TO GO..😂😅😊 PATHETIC ARE THE MANY..WHO WILL BE ON PERSONAL MOBILE DEVICE...WHEN THEY STILL CAN WALK ! THEY HV GIVEN UP ON WALKING...😢😢😢
You're are right. The struggle never ends. I guess it is a global anthem.
I’m a Singaporean, welcome to Singapore and PAP Government Crony Capitalism, Bad Meritocracy, artificial economy, low productivity, lack of innovation, huge widen income and wealth gap, money laundering for those ultra super rich billionaires Africans, China Chinese etc, driving up the cost of land thereby increasing the cost of living sharply and drastically. Don’t forget Mr Lee Kuan Yew Bilingual policies rendered many young Singaporeans of that time into the streets without graduation.
Many of these seniors have no choice and are financial pressures, very few do it out of boredom, there’s a Chinese saying “hands stops mouth stops”. You should not listen to much to state media as Singapore is basically like China, it’s an evolve version of Communism called State Capitalism, all the media are state propaganda. You also also read into alternative media, also beware certain foreign media are paid by PAP to speak well of our governance also.
For how many years did you live in China to draw this comparison. ‘Singapore is basically like China’ - really??😮😢
@@SunnyDaze-x1g Why do living in China got to do with not knowing it is Communism? Whatever it is China or not I don't care, not my business, most impostant is the problem with Singapore it is not true Democracy, like China.
WOW. U CAN, LAH !
Bullshit.
@ you’re bullsheet yourself. My own mother of one of them. You idio.
Where are you from?
@@IsaacChunHoweChai I am from Ghana, which is located in the western part of the continent of Africa. But I've had the opportunity to grow up and live in many places across the world and observe and understand different societies and cultures.
I don't think picking cardboards and struggling to push the cart is a way for seniors to keep healthy or prevent boredom. Pls be honest with yourself, she's doing it for her livelihood, she's not living in a condo. His questions are valid, we must be self-reflective. Don't deny now then whine and complain when ge is around. Most ppl are probably embarassed, I'm sure most of us don't think that foreigners are observing the bad side of sg. If u want everyone to talk about only the good things, then dun complain when sg is seen as attractive for FT to come and work. Its all about money, when u have u don't care about others, when u don't have enough then u say why others get more.
How do you know that is her case? Have you talked to her? What is her financial position? Please know your facts before jumping to conclusion.
@@AndrewYeo-si7hjit’s quite obvious dude…if she is well off, she would be doing things to keep active, not picking cardboards. Agree?
How much can she earn by picking cardboards? Can she support herself by picking cardboards in today situation? So the answer is obvious. She doing it out of habit. There are elderly people going around collecting unwanted items and once in a while the volunteers need to dispose for them because the items attract cockroaches and rats.
@@AndrewYeo-si7hjSo you have talked to her?
@@patrickjeowof course not enough to afford what you eat. But certainly enough to buy economy rice with maybe two types of vegetables. These people often have to pick cardboard for whole day to earn a few dollars. They lived in one room flats (heavily subsidized) without savings and don’t have enough to get by for daily expenses, hence these few dollars meant a lot to them as they don’t have means of other income.
Who in the right mind, if can afford to njoy golden years, would want to toil like cow and horse?
Who don wan to go holiday, play with grandchildren, or even great grandchildren? 😂
Welcome to Singapore
When your descendants are too busy to entertain you
@@LennethSimmayb your children are toiling cow & horse to make ends meet, mayb you hv no grandchildren or even great grandchildren, mayb u cant afford holiday, mayb your spouse had passed on, mayb u cant afford to retire, mayb u r fated to toil like cow and horse until u die on the job.
@@LennethSimmayb your children are toiling cow & horse to make ends meet, mayb you hv no grandchildren or even great grandchildren, mayb u cant afford holiday,
@@LennethSimtesting why i cant reply?
I lived in Singapore for 6 years and often wondered about this.
I remember once I got a taxi back home from Changi airport. The driver was extremely elderly and was only capable of applying either full throttle or full brake. What a dreadful ride. I never normally get travel sick, but had to insist he stop several hundred meters before my place so I could walk the rest (pulling my case) or I was going to throw up in his cab.
I wondered then what was behind this ‘work until you drop’ practice and if it was a good thing.
Based on many of the comments here, it seems like for most seniors, working isn’t always about financial necessity. According to them, it’s often about staying active and feeling purposeful. I actually spoke to a few seniors who shared similar sentiments, though there are definitely others who work out of financial need. It’s such a complex issue with no one-size-fits-all answer!
If we don’t work we cannot eat
Let me say. MSF comcare woodland branch office make senior citizens life difficult. Okay
No choice. High cost of living , insufficient savings or financial support from families
Hmmm... life can be tough.
The chinese are v proud and independent. As long as they can work they will. Nit sll but many will. I once gave $10 to this weather beaten old chinese man collecting cardboard. He flatly refused. I admire snd respect him. Wont think any less if he accepted the money. What is $10 these days. Enough to huy a bowl of noodles snd coffee. Everything so expensive. After i retired i continued working fr a few yrs. once i adked fr s govt jib. Was told’yr age we dont want! Just 60 plus. ! So proud. Yah easy to employ foreigners thats why. . 😡if that old lady can earn let her.
I hate these fake videos. Esp from ill informed foreigners!
@@jessiejames7492 How is making a video about what I observed in a foreign place I visited fake? Like I said I'm the video, this was something I'd never in such huge numbers before and was genuinely curious about it. Take a moment to think carefully about what you just said about this video being fake. You did a good job by shedding more light on the situation for me a foreigner to understand why that is very common in SG. There was no point being negative in the course of educating me. If you were a blogger who visited Africa and saw something (like weird poverty or a particular culture that was very alien to you) and made a video about it hoping to better understand what you just observed, how is that tantamount to fake? I'm a blogger operating in the travel and culture space. My job is to explore different cultures and places across the globe and basically create content about my experiences and different cultures in a respectful way. Can you tell me exactly what is wrong with this video that makes it a fake video. Just look at the comments' section - most commenters (including yourself) are making the space richer with their knowledge and experiences about this. That's what this channel is all about. Exploring and learning new things in a respectful manner.
Yr very video ! The video showed a shot of sn old woman, her face obscured and your profile there! There are lots of such videos online.
You could go about spore tslking to older workers if you really want to get the full story. Dont cluck bait.
Change that shot on yr video. Its in bad light. Then i will change my opinion
Singapore is heading for big trouble. The seniors have No choice Singapore government care Little for the senior's. Okay
But I was told otherwise. A lot of Singaporeans confirmed that the leadership has special programs and packages to take care of these seniors that are financially handicapped. Actually a few of the working seniors I was fortunate enough to speak to said they worked not necessarily because of financial reasons. According to them, they were still in the workforce to keep boredom and loneliness at bay.
you have mistaken, our million dollar paid minister say these old folks are just exercising.
That's interesting. Actually some Singaporeans also said that they do it to while away time. For example, I once spoke to an elderly Grab driver who said he has a good pension and that his kids are financially sound enough to take care of him but he has chosen to do Grab because he often gets too bored of staying at home doing nothing.
It's financial pressure... There's no social security net from the country. The only ones who has any savings are those who works for the major corporations. Despicable place and people. Almost everything is a facade.
Hmmm... I understand that this is a sensitive topic, and I appreciate your perspective on this. That being said, some elderly Singaporeans I spoke to said they work to stay active, but I understand financial pressure is a reality for others.
some work to keep themselves occupied, but others, including tissue paper sellers work, as they need the money.
sg gov gives old people n weaker people money, but its not enough.
and many charity organizations help the old and the poor.
costs of iving is v high here, the poor and old have difficulties paying their medical bills n other bills. their kids, if they are well off do help them.
there are others, old and poor, or poor, who are usually alone, with less savings that are still working.
sg gov has build social safety nets, rental flats, silver support, chas, discounted public transport for 60 and above, public aid.
but it may not be enough.
Thanks for sharing this! It’s really interesting to hear about the support systems like Silver Support and public aid. I honestly didn’t know much about those. I get that it’s not always enough, especially with the high cost of living. It’s sad to think some people are struggling while others work just to stay busy. Appreciate you shedding more light on this! All in all, I still think SG is one of the greatest nations on earth.
@@explorewithkojo thanks for your kind words, in sg, you have to slog, working from 9 am to 9 pm, Mon to Sat.
and sg gov imported tons of cheaper foriegn labor to depress pay, steal jobs and increase costs of living. one of the most expensive city.
wait till you visit US!!! 😂😂😂😂