70 y/o footballer and part-time actor: "Old age isn't about waiting for illness"

Who says that after retirement, life is only about waiting for children to come home for dinner or going to the park for a walk or a game of chess? Now 70 years old, Siu Bo leads a vibrant and colorful retired life. He plays football as a striker every week, works as a part-time actor, and travels extensively, living a truly exciting retirement. For him, "being old does not mean waiting to get sick!"

The Facebook page of "Lo Chi Ho - Hong Kong Society of Geriatric Medicine" posted a video featuring 70-year-old football enthusiast Hung Po-cham, affectionately known as "Siu Bo." Retired for about six or seven years, he originally worked in the garment industry. He once imagined his retirement would be quite dull, perhaps just looking after grandchildren or chatting with elderly men in the park to pass the time. Unexpectedly, his actual retired life is full and colorful.

Not only does Hung not have a full head of white hair (and he has never dyed it), but his physical stamina is also impressive, often leading people to assume he is only in his sixties. An avid sportsman, he plays badminton to build stamina and plays as a striker when he takes to the football pitch. He laughs, "I wait for my teammates to feed me the ball so I can shoot. I even scored two goals last week!" Besides sports, he has traveled to various provinces and cities across the country with his wife. He has even participated in drama training and worked as a part-time actor. For him, old age is not about "waiting for illness," but rather a wonderful new chapter in life.

The 3 Core Elements of Active Ageing

Dr. Stanley Tam Kui-fu, President of the Hong Kong Society of Geriatric Medicine, stated that as a geriatrician, seeing elderly people live such healthy and vibrant lives is truly gratifying and perfectly exemplifies the "Active Ageing" concept promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO). To achieve Active Ageing, one should strive for the following three core elements:

1. Health and Happiness
2. Good Quality of Life
3. Doing as One Pleases

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the founding of the Hong Kong Society of Geriatric Medicine and the 50th anniversary of the development of geriatric medicine in Hong Kong. Tam emphasizes that the Society has always been committed to promoting "Joyful Golden Years," hoping to enhance the quality of life for the elderly. He urges the public that elderly people should not choose to sit idly at home waiting to get sick just because of their age. He encourages them to actively prevent diseases, strive to control and maintain various bodily functions, and make long-term life plans, living with dignity and vitality.

Source: Lo Chi Ho - Hong Kong Society of Geriatric Medicine HKGS (Authorized for reprint)

 

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