Latest news with #activeageing
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘An absolute privilege': Australia's octogenarian basketball team know it's never to late to don the green and gold
Oscar Carlson describes himself, rather self-deprecatingly, as 'just an old bloke that does stuff'. Only doing stuff – in this 84-year-old's case – extends to representing his country on the international sporting stage. Last month, Carlson was a member of the Australian 80-year plus men's team at the World Maxibasketball Championship in Switzerland. The Boomer Boomers, if you will. The championships feature national teams in age categories from 35-plus and upwards; games are played under ordinary basketball rules, with minor modifications for older age categories – including an extended shot clock and smaller courts. Coach Adrian Hurley (top left) addresses the team during a timeout in a game The championship, held in late June and early July across the Swiss host cities of Bellinzona, Lugano and Locarno, are a major undertaking – involving approximately 6,000 athletes, the event is larger than the Winter Olympics. The tournament is organised by the International Maxibasketball Federation, which was founded in the early 1990s; the latest world championship was the 17th edition. The tournament offers a powerful message about the importance of active ageing and the role that sport can play in providing community for older people. The Australians won their opening game in a one-point thriller over Brazil, but then fell to a heavyweight United States. 'We weren't flogged, but we were well beaten by a better side,' Carlson says. 'It was a great experience.' The team huddle. The warmup. Andy Andriejunas with the ball. Frank Tomasi sits on the bench during a game A clash with a second Brazilian team rounded out the group – but their opponent's age advantage was telling. 'They were a bit younger,' Carlson says. 'But they were good games, very competitive. We did OK but weren't up to the standards of those guys.' Carlson comes from a sporting family; his father was a cricketer and his mother was a gymnast. At first, Carlson did not see himself following in the family tradition. 'I was a skinny little kid growing up,' he says. 'Bullied at school, beaten up, until one day …' On that fateful day, aged 12 or so, Carlson found his way down to the surfboat club in Melbourne. It was the start of a lifelong love of sport – a love that has stayed with him seven decades later. The team poses for a group photo in Bellinzona A career in teaching and physical education followed, with a detour into a monastery. 'Swim coach, rugby league coach, etcetera etcetera,' he says. 'The rest is history.' As Carlson passed through the years, more sports followed. He became a basketball coach of one of his schools; later in life he became a marathon runner and an Ironman contestant. 'Sport was my go-to thing – I was active, I wasn't brilliant at it, but I was good enough,' he says. 'It was my way of life.' And now, at 84, representing Australia in international basketball. 'An absolute privilege,' he says. 'Of all things, to represent your country in any sport, for any reason – it's a privilege.' The Australia's men's over‑80 basketball team faces Argentina in front of family and friends in Switzerland The Australian team was coached in Switzerland by Adrian Hurley – who brought serious sporting pedigree to the role. Hurley coached the national team, the Boomers, at two Olympics; he was a torchbearer at the Sydney 2000 Games, and played an important role in establishing the Australian Institute of Sport basketball program in the 1980s that continues to this day. Coaching the 80-plus team required a somewhat different skill set. In a speech to the team ahead of the opening game, Hurley said his first priority at the championship was ensuring all team members returned safe and healthy to Australia. A member of the team takes off his jersey after a game Those were no idle words. While staying active into older age is good for health, playing competitive basketball can come with its own challenges. 'In the Pan-Pacific Games last year, two blokes had heart attacks in consecutive days,' the team captain, Bryan Hennig, says. Fortunately, in one of the cases, a player on the opposition team was a trained paramedic. Some courtside defibrillation followed and the player made a full recovery. 'He was back two days later watching games,' Hennig says with a laugh. Having returned to Australia, Carlson is already on to his next challenge – he wants to win a world title in his age group in kayaking. Sadly for the basketball team, Carlson is not the only player who might not be lacing up again in two years' time for the next championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Players from the Australian team congratulate their Argentina counterparts after a game as the nation's most senior representative At 86, Hennig is already outside the 80-85 age category; he was inducted into the South Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021, including for his work promoting masters basketball. Player-manager Gordon Watson will be over 85 by Buenos Aires – putting both into the 85-plus category. In Switzerland, the team were worried that there may not be enough players in that age group to field an Australian team next time around. 'I'm finished,' Hennig says. 'The hardest part is finding 80-year-olds – they're thinning out!'
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘An absolute privilege': Australia's octogenarian basketball team know it's never to late to don the green and gold
Oscar Carlson describes himself, rather self-deprecatingly, as 'just an old bloke that does stuff'. Only doing stuff – in this 84-year-old's case – extends to representing his country on the international sporting stage. Last month, Carlson was a member of the Australian 80-year plus men's team at the World Maxibasketball Championship in Switzerland. The Boomer Boomers, if you will. The championships feature national teams in age categories from 35-plus and upwards; games are played under ordinary basketball rules, with minor modifications for older age categories – including an extended shot clock and smaller courts. Coach Adrian Hurley (top left) addresses the team during a timeout in a game The championship, held in late June and early July across the Swiss host cities of Bellinzona, Lugano and Locarno, are a major undertaking – involving approximately 6,000 athletes, the event is larger than the Winter Olympics. The tournament is organised by the International Maxibasketball Federation, which was founded in the early 1990s; the latest world championship was the 17th edition. The tournament offers a powerful message about the importance of active ageing and the role that sport can play in providing community for older people. The Australians won their opening game in a one-point thriller over Brazil, but then fell to a heavyweight United States. 'We weren't flogged, but we were well beaten by a better side,' Carlson says. 'It was a great experience.' The team huddle. The warmup. Andy Andriejunas with the ball. Frank Tomasi sits on the bench during a game A clash with a second Brazilian team rounded out the group – but their opponent's age advantage was telling. 'They were a bit younger,' Carlson says. 'But they were good games, very competitive. We did OK but weren't up to the standards of those guys.' Carlson comes from a sporting family; his father was a cricketer and his mother was a gymnast. At first, Carlson did not see himself following in the family tradition. 'I was a skinny little kid growing up,' he says. 'Bullied at school, beaten up, until one day …' On that fateful day, aged 12 or so, Carlson found his way down to the surfboat club in Melbourne. It was the start of a lifelong love of sport – a love that has stayed with him seven decades later. The team poses for a group photo in Bellinzona A career in teaching and physical education followed, with a detour into a monastery. 'Swim coach, rugby league coach, etcetera etcetera,' he says. 'The rest is history.' As Carlson passed through the years, more sports followed. He became a basketball coach of one of his schools; later in life he became a marathon runner and an Ironman contestant. 'Sport was my go-to thing – I was active, I wasn't brilliant at it, but I was good enough,' he says. 'It was my way of life.' And now, at 84, representing Australia in international basketball. 'An absolute privilege,' he says. 'Of all things, to represent your country in any sport, for any reason – it's a privilege.' The Australia's men's over‑80 basketball team faces Argentina in front of family and friends in Switzerland The Australian team was coached in Switzerland by Adrian Hurley – who brought serious sporting pedigree to the role. Hurley coached the national team, the Boomers, at two Olympics; he was a torchbearer at the Sydney 2000 Games, and played an important role in establishing the Australian Institute of Sport basketball program in the 1980s that continues to this day. Coaching the 80-plus team required a somewhat different skill set. In a speech to the team ahead of the opening game, Hurley said his first priority at the championship was ensuring all team members returned safe and healthy to Australia. A member of the team takes off his jersey after a game Those were no idle words. While staying active into older age is good for health, playing competitive basketball can come with its own challenges. 'In the Pan-Pacific Games last year, two blokes had heart attacks in consecutive days,' the team captain, Bryan Hennig, says. Fortunately, in one of the cases, a player on the opposition team was a trained paramedic. Some courtside defibrillation followed and the player made a full recovery. 'He was back two days later watching games,' Hennig says with a laugh. Having returned to Australia, Carlson is already on to his next challenge – he wants to win a world title in his age group in kayaking. Sadly for the basketball team, Carlson is not the only player who might not be lacing up again in two years' time for the next championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Players from the Australian team congratulate their Argentina counterparts after a game as the nation's most senior representative At 86, Hennig is already outside the 80-85 age category; he was inducted into the South Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021, including for his work promoting masters basketball. Player-manager Gordon Watson will be over 85 by Buenos Aires – putting both into the 85-plus category. In Switzerland, the team were worried that there may not be enough players in that age group to field an Australian team next time around. 'I'm finished,' Hennig says. 'The hardest part is finding 80-year-olds – they're thinning out!'
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day
SINGAPORE – Housewife Jenny Tan and her retiree husband Richard Ng, both in their 70s, feel younger than their age when they try new activities like e-sports and drone soccer at the active ageing centre at the ground floor of their Housing Board block. The PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkle Care in Yew Tee has become their almost-daily haunt since the centre opened in 2022. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on July 13 that PCF has been stepping up in senior care, in line with government efforts to provide more support to this segment of the population and to partner organisations to do so. The Government will continue to support families in Singapore at every stage of life, he said at a PCF Family Day event held at Singapore Expo. Recent initiatives include financial support and parental leave for young parents with newborns, and more help for large families with three or more children. 'But these days, when we talk about family support, it is no longer just about supporting young parents with children. Because these days, our society is getting older,' said PM Wong. With an ageing population, providing family support has to also include seniors and their caregivers, he added. The authorities have started work on this through nationwide initiatives Healthier SG and Age Well SG, meant to keep seniors active, engaged and healthy for as long as possible, he noted. They are also stepping up care services, such as at long-term residential facilities and at community nodes. 'A lot of this work has just started. There is still much, much more to do, and we will share more of our plans when we are ready,' said PM Wong. He added that the Government will need partners – such as social organisations and agencies like PCF – to also play their part. PCF is a charitable organisation founded by the People's Action Party, which PM Wong leads as its secretary-general. PM Wong noted that PCF is already expanding its capacity to serve more seniors. A previous report said PCF will have 25 eldercare centres – senior care centres and active ageing centres – by 2027. Madam Tan, 74, and Mr Ng, 73, are among more than 10,000 seniors currently served by 13 existing centres. The couple have seen improvements in their general health, such as their posture, and have also made many new friends since becoming active participants at the Sparkle Care in Yew Tee. They came to know of the centre when a staff member approached them at their door. Madam Tan, who used to just take occasional walks in the park with friends for exercise, was intrigued by the karaoke, K-pop dance and Rummy-O sessions. When her husband retired from his job as a taxi driver, he was convinced by her to join in. The pair have since tried out unique activities like drone soccer and are part of an informal group of senior gamers called Yew Tee Gamers. In drone soccer, players pilot drones enclosed in protective cages and score by flying the 'striker' drone through a circular goal. They are currently training for a Counter-Strike 2 competition in October with a seniors-only category. 'We will be learning how to play Street Fighter next, and (my husband) is very excited,' said Madam Tan, in Mandarin. Street Fighter is a popular arcade game that is now available across consoles. In his speech, PM Wong said PCF can play a unique role of fostering intergenerational bonds, as it also runs many kindergartens and childcare centres. With more eldercare centres, PCF will have more opportunities as an operator to bridge generations, he added. The theme of July 13's PCF Family Day event was Bridging Generations, Inspiring our Future. PCF also raises funds to support different causes in the community, he added. The foundation is donating $60,000 to six charitable organisations covering seniors, children, low-income families, single mothers and those in need of mental health support. The organisations are Blossom Seeds, Bright Hill Evergreen Home, The Salvation Army Gracehaven, Food from the Heart, HCSA-SPIN and Club Heal. Each received $10,000. 'Families have been at the heart of our nation-building journey since the very beginning,' said PM Wong. Going forward, Singapore will be embarking on its next phase of nation-building post-SG60, he added. 'In this new phase, we will face new and more complex challenges. But I am confident that we can weather these challenges, and we can emerge stronger together.' Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
CNA
24-06-2025
- Health
- CNA
New framework to use parks, therapeutic landscapes to boost well-being
More people in Singapore are set to get better health benefits from easier access to nature and therapeutic landscapes, under a new National Parks Board framework. This comes amid ongoing efforts to support active ageing and preventive health initiatives nationwide. Professor Khoo Peng Beng, Head of Architecture and Sustainable Design and Professor of Practice at SUTD, discusses the science behind how therapeutic landscapes can be good for one's well-being. He talks about the considerations and challenges when planning for such spaces and if they can exist at places without greenery.
Malay Mail
22-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Anwar: Retirement age proposal not yet discussed by Cabinet, requires thorough study
KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said the proposal to raise the retirement age to 65 requires careful study before it can be presented to the Cabinet. The suggestion, made by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, was put forward in her personal capacity, citing the concept of 'active ageing.' However, Anwar clarified that the matter has not been raised or discussed in Cabinet meetings. When asked about his views on the proposal, Anwar said: 'Let them (the ministry) study it first.' 'Usually, the suggestion needs to be discussed before it is presented at the Cabinet meeting. There are a lot of implications involved in the proposal, such as the financial cost and new job opportunities. 'The idea deserves attention and consideration, but let the agencies involved discuss it first,' he told reporters after launching the Hadiah Bahasa 2025 award at Hilton Kuala Lumpur today. Since 2012, the mandatory retirement age for civil servants has been set at 60 years. This is also the minimum retirement age for private sector employees under the Minimum Retirement Age Act 2012.
