Never Too Old: Meet the seniors in Singapore who choose not to retire | Full series

Introduction Some people look forward to retiring but some choose to keep going regardless of age. Here are some seniors in Singapore who show us that you are never too old to do what you love. Cardiologist Charles Toh My name is Charles Toh Chai Soon. I'm 93. My working hours now is Monday to Friday and Saturday, half-day. Dr Charles Toh is one of Singapore’s  pioneering heart specialists. He has never retired and still enjoys working full time. I wake up at 7am. I will leave home at 8am and I'm here at 8.30am. I will do a walk around for half an hour if I have patients in the ward. If there are no patients in the ward, I will just have a chitchat with the doctor and have a cup of tea. And the clinic opens at 9.30am, and will go until about 1pm. And from 2pm to 5pm, we run the clinic. The thing that I enjoy most is just  keeping in contact with patients who have different problems, different social lives, different medical health  problems, and many of them  come from foreign countries. And that also is very interesting to me, I’m very interested in history. The other thing I look forward to is sometimes visiting speakers. We have visiting speakers from different countries who come give talks to (the  Singapore Cardiac Society),  to the medical association. So I look forward to that because it's not just the medical side, there's a social aspect of it too. Dr Toh takes a more traditional approach to work, keeping medical records in a cabinet rather than on a computer. He also does not have a computer at his work desk. Can you imagine a patient sitting in front of you, you talk to him, then you look  at the screen all the time, trying to trace his record and all that. To me, that's a little bit impersonal sometimes. I mean, I rather talk to the patient in the face. Dr Toh also relies on a diary for his appointments. I use it for recording friends’ and patients’ names, IC (numbers), phone numbers and of course, medication they are taking to remember. But I write down my appointments, meeting times and all that, which is, of course, nowadays  available on handphones, but I find it much easier in a book because I can flip it much faster. Dr Toh does not have any plans to retire just yet. His family has left the  decision completely up to him. Never mind, you can come tomorrow morning. Any time is all right, okay? Okay, see you then. Bye bye. I would believe that from  the health point of view, you should continue working if you can. Doing nothing, retiring at home watching TV is very unhealthy. But unfortunately, in certain areas of the professions, you have no choice. Surgeons have to retire earlier because they depend a lot on the technical skills. But in the case of a physician, we are really, most of the time, prescribing and giving opinions. My sons are happy that I continue working. I'm not a burden to them. One of my sons is a doctor. So if I keep up with medicine, I keep a closer touch with him. (My children) never said anything, they left it to me completely. Preschool founder Khoo Kim Choo My name is Dr Khoo Kim Choo. I am 77 years old and I am the founder and director of Preschool  for Multiple Intelligences. When Dr Khoo Kim Choo became a grandmother, she started a preschool because she could not find a preschool that she wanted to put her grandson in. 18 years later, she has three preschools and is still actively involved in them. I think age is something that we get too caught up with. I think age is just a number. You can be 40 and you can be  acting like a six-year-old; aches, pains, problems, tired of living, or you can be people who are in the  80s who are doing lots of things. Dr Khoo usually starts her day early in the morning. She tries to be at one of her preschools so that she can welcome the children as they arrive and talk to their parents. The most enjoyable part of my school, basically, is being with the children, or even just listening to them or observing them. So I don't necessarily have to be interacting with them, but just observing them, their behaviour and how they solve problems and their reactions to certain situations. I am quite fascinated by them. You can listen to the sound. Listen to the sound. You hear it? You hear the sound? Yeah, okay. Listen to the sound Do you hear something? Yeah? What's the sound like? You don't know. Okay. Let's listen to another one. What about... This one, it’s a small one. It’s a small one. Aside from mingling with the children, Dr Khoo handles the paperwork for all the preschools. She also helps out with anything she thinks needs doing. There would be a principal  in the school to handle it. But when they are on leave or when the principal is not there, I basically will have to do whatever is needed at this point in time. Whether it’s meeting parents, or to speak to a child, or deal with some issues. Whether it's to do with maintenance or whether it’s to do with sanitising or whatever, whatever is needed then. At this point, I would have to do it. It's not a matter of “can't do”, it’s a matter of whether I want to do it or not. I'm generally a very active person. I'm super active. In fact, I’m too active. Sometimes, I shouldn’t be doing this, I automatically do it. So I think being tired, it is not an issue. It's just compulsive, a bit compulsive. I see it, I do it. Yeah. After 10   steps, I need you to come down, okay? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 All right, let's go. Down you go. Dr Khoo has no more energy. You walk a bit first, okay? Retirement is not on the cards yet. My husband never says I should slow down. He doesn't mind, he doesn’t complain. He knows I like what I'm doing. But it's up to me, basically. For me, retirement means a  different phase of my life. It doesn't mean sit back, relax,  drink tea, this sort of thing. It’s so boring. To me, it's like going to  the next phase of your life. There are things I still want to do. Once you think of it, then the  stereotype comes into the picture. Okay, now that you're going to be 80, right? That's a big eight-zero. Now you are 77, whatever it  is, what are you going to do? Go to a nursing home? So never get caught up in this number. Don't ever get caught up in it. So to me, no. 100, 130, why not? Basically, whatever it is, keep yourself healthy, keep yourself happy. Do what you really love to do and go do it. That’s it. My name is Ramasamy Krishnan. Kit man Ramasamy Krishnan I'm 72 years old, working for Albirex Niigata. Ramasamy, or Roy Krishnan, has been a part of Singapore football all his life. First as a star footballer and for decades after that, as a kit man. In a past life, he was one of the country's best left-wingers. A former Singapore international, who represented the country from 1970 to 1978. I played for Singapore (in) 1970, at a Under-20 youth tournament in Manila. And then the following year,   I was eligible to play again (at  another) youth under-20 (tournament). It was held in Japan. So we came back to Singapore after the tournament. So at that time, the youth  tournament coach was Sebastian Yap. Then Sebastian Yap introduced a few of the players to Uncle Choo (coach Choo Seng Quee). So that's when I became an international player. The best game and proud moment was against China. First time China coming out from their country. So it was played at the National Stadium. That was about 70,000 or 60,000 crowd. So I thought we got a good  team, supporting and all. Then I had a chance. I beat one, two, three defenders,  I scored the equaliser. 1-1 And when the late Pele came to Singapore, Mr Krishnan skills did not go unnoticed. Then he shake my hand. “You as a left-winger, you should be in Brazil.” “Like Rivelino.” “Brazil.” That time I was young. (I said) “Thanks boss” I just said thanks. But injury changed everything. During an international game, Roy twisted his knee and tore his cartilage. But his career in football didn't end there. I gave up my great playing career due to injury. Then I was placed to the Jurong team first. So from there, I was a kit man for 10 to 15 years. After Jurong Football Club closed shop, I was hanging around in Jurong East. Then I heard Albirex Niigata was coming. Then Mr Bogdan (Brasoveanu), last time he played for Clementi Khalsa, he was a club manager of Albirex. So the late Dollah Kassim and  Quah Kim Song recommended me. In 2004, Roy resumed working as a kit man. This time with Albirex Niigata. He was one of the team's first hires, and Albirex have gone on to win the league six times. The players and staff have grown close to him. Close, close. They like me very much. Every year like that: “Roy-san, Roy-san, how are you?” But his injury has returned to haunt him. In the last two years, my knee gives problems, my ankle also gives problems. Now my duty is logistics. Just take care and I will  tell my assistant this, this. Now he is doing the job wonderfully. So I don't have to tell him every time. He knows already. Musician and model Deborah Choi My name is Deborah. I'm 71 years old this year and I'm a gospel singer and I am a model. Deborah Choi has been a musician  since she was in her teens. She was born in South Korea and travelled Asia as the lead singer  in a girl group for several years. In 1970, early '70, I joined  this all-girls band group. My band was called Gigi Girls - ‘G, I, G, I’. I think it's a French word. This Gigi Girls was formed by five  girls and I was the lead singer. Only now, we call it K-pop. But then, those times, we didn't  call it K-pop, but ‘all-girls band’. Those days, girl bands were not so common, so wherever we went, we were very  popular and we were very well-treated. But of course, with all the young beautiful  girls, after we finished our performances, we’d go out and guys (would be)  waiting for us with flowers. So literally every day we  received so many flowers. She left the band, moved to  Singapore and got married. But nearly half a century on,  Deborah hasn’t left the spotlight. She’s recorded several gospel CDs and continues  to perform weekly at nursing homes and at church.   I started to go to old folks’ homes  because after my mother passed away, I realised that old people need  company more than anything. I just took the guitar and went to the  old folks and I knocked on the door and said, “I know how to sing and  I want to comfort old people”. A lot of people were very encouraged  by my singing and I also talk to them. It was great and I'm still doing it. Someday I'll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far behind me Where troubles melt like lemon drops High above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me Somewhere over the rainbow... I sing every day - it’s part of  practice, but just because I like to sing and singing is very therapeutic. When I feel down, I sing. Singing is part of my routine. Early  morning, I get up and I do exercises. I go for a walk, about one hour, come  back and have a simple breakfast. And after that, usually I go and practise. At the age of 70, Mdm Choi started  modelling for the first time. I started modelling last year, and it was a  campaign by AIC (Agency of Integrated Care) on how to grow old gracefully. I had to walk in Orchard Road,   and I had to cross the road when the red light was there and all the cars were stopped. I had to walk very fast; (they) asked me to walk quickly. I was feeling great, although the weather  was hot and I was sweating inside the dress. When I came home, I could really  literally squeeze the sweat out. When I saw the final photo of all  the shots, I was so surprised. It looked nice. All my friends who saw it  said: “Wow, great, Deborah,  I didn't know you can be a model. You look great!” And surprisingly, people who did not know – people, I don't know them – but they called me. They messaged me: “I saw you, you know, and I am so proud of you. I had to message you.” And so a lot of people were so happy for me. Modelling at my age, over 70 - first of all, it gives me  confidence. It's very encouraging. I still can do something, you know? A lot of people at my age, they feel that they  are old already and they are not doing anything. But actually, this is the  age that life is starting. We realise a lot of things and we tend to have confidence  and there's no fear. You don't have to please anybody. I don't have to worry what people think about me. I think it is all part of aging. I actually enjoy myself at this age. I never want to go back to the younger  days: “Oh, I want to be younger; if I am in my twenties or  thirties, I will do this and that.” I never think about that. I never want to go back. I really enjoy this age. Nurse Loke Lye Chan Hello, I’m Loke Lye Chan. I’m 81 years old and I’m a senior enrolled nurse. I’m working in the Sterile Supplies Unit in Singapore General Hospital. Loke Lye Chan has been a nurse since she was 20 years old. It all began when she happened to see a newspaper ad for nursing trainees in 1962. When I see the newspaper, I was thinking, there’s a nursing post. Never mind, go and apply first. Then after that, I got in. I was very happy. We were looking after patients. And then also helping to look after the patient after the operation. Then you have to look after - really, really look after - if not, they turn blue. In 1989, she was transferred to the Sterile Supplies Unit. Her team works round the clock to clean, assemble, pack and deliver surgical equipment to operating theatres and procedure rooms across SGH. There are more than 5,000 types of surgical instruments. And she’s familiar with all of them, and how they are supposed to be washed and handled. Actually, it’s quite okay but everywhere you work is the same, but only you must learn more things. So it’s good for a person to go further, learn more. I come to work at 8 o’clock and I go off at 5 o’clock. Come to work, I do all the keeping of loose instruments that upstairs at OT (operating theatre) did not send down. We have to keep back into the sterile place, on the shelf, put back everything, and then get ready for the next shift. The job requires quite a bit of stamina. I walk upstairs, downstairs, upstairs, downstairs. I work in the TSSU (Theatre Sterile Supplies Unit), I think I walk a lot, because I answer the telephone, after that I come back, I do my work. After that I have to answer the door, then when they press the doorbell, I have to go and answer. And then I haven’t even sit down, then the doorbell will ring again, then I have to go and open In recent years, she’s received a May Day award as well as a 60-year long service award from SGH. I'm so surprised that I had this award at the age of 80 years old. I'm very happy to have this award. I never expect. Then also now I get this one, 60 years (long service award), I'm happy also. Nurse Loke reckons that if she hadn’t seen the ad 60 years ago, she would have likely been a housewife. Because I like to cook, you see. Like New Year especially. I make six, seven courses. And my children all like my cooking My husband says, you can work as long as you like. If you're happy, carry on. If you think you're very stressed or very too much work, he said, you quit. But for me, I'm happy with my work because I like nursing. When I think - at times, I feel like resigning. Then, after thinking: Why must resign? If other people can do, why you cannot do? So I just continue until today. A person must be tolerant and must have empathy and must really care for the patients. Then you can become (a nurse). If you are not kind to patients, can’t be bothered, I think there's no point in joining. Nursing profession is very noble and professional. Life is very short. Today, you don't know tomorrow what happen. But even if you ask me: You want to be a nurse or you want to stay at home? I prefer to be a nurse. I like the job.