Dr Leahcim Semaj mapped out his regimen to be, in his words, ‘old and agile, not old and fragile’ at the launch of Senior Citizens’ Month, organised by National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) last Wednesday.

Dr Semaj, author of The Best is Yet to Come, a book and workbook for those preparing to retire, believes that exercise is the best drug for longevity. “Do you know that 15 to 30 per cent of longevity is determined by genetics, and a maximum of 30 per cent is determined by your lifestyle? Your longevity is largely determined by your lifestyle and mindset. Exercise impacts every aspect of your being,” he says. “It affects everything, from insulin sensitivity to anti-inflammatory responses. Why are you exercising only three times a week? It impacts your possibility of cancer, metabolic disease, dementia, depression, and more. That’s what it’s all about, folks.”

“I think we associate this thing called old age with a negative connotation. This year I wrote another book called Body Works. The subtitle is ‘Exercise, Fitness, Strength, and Longevity for the Anchor Leg’. I see that the anchor is the strongest part of the leg.”

Dr Semaj affirmed recent research that the decade of the 60s was our most productive, while the 70s is the second most. He noted that when the pensionable age was set at 65 in the late 19th century, the average life expectancy was 45, so only about three per cent were expected to reach 65. Now he says, with a life expectancy of 80 years and upwards, people over 60 are who he describes as “the tried and proven”.

“The tried and the proven are people in the peak of their productivity… Jamaica has more prosperity in this largest growing group of people who are tried, tested, and proven,” he maintains. CCRP, the advocacy organisation, has been receiving an increasing number of requests from companies to advertise vacancies to our members. One such company noted to us that the applicants, mostly 50 years old and over, had the most outstanding resumes it had ever received.

About the 60s, Dr Semaj avers, “It’s a time when you reach the peak of your competence and creativity. How about extending that? …The first thing you have to do is get your body working. If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?”

We also recommend Patricia Reid Waugh’s books on retirement and preparing for retirement: Retirement: A New Adventure and Retirement: The Journey and the Destination. Reid-Waugh, a CCRP board director has also spoken widely on the subject and walks her talk, mentoring, staying active, and learning new musical instruments.

MOHW on Board

Dr Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, chief medical officer at the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), shared statistics at the NCSC event on our ageing population and the role we can play in helping our elderly relatives to achieve healthy ageing. “Local data show that about 12 per cent of the population is older than 60 years, and the proportion of people in that age group is projected to increase to 16.8 per cent by 2025. This is about 400,000 persons. With this expected increase in ageing will come the need for greater access to services, including health and social care for older persons.”

Dr Bisasor-McKenzie acknowledged the shortage of hospital beds at some facilities. She said that the demand tends to increase in the holiday season when attention to the elderly tends to wane. “Just as we are talking about how we prepare for our older years, I want to say to everybody: Let us commit now, in September, to keep our elderly relatives out of the hospital,” she urged. “We can pay attention to ensuring that they are getting their medication, that they are taking it as it is prescribed, that we pay more attention to their diets, to their physical activity, that we make sure they keep their appointments, and that we take the time to visit them and talk to them.”

She said the ministry will be promoting a more focused approach to seniors’ health. “…[T]he Ministry of Health is moving away from a disease-centred approach to a patient-centred approach, focusing on targeted interventions appropriate for the life stage.” Dr Bisasor-McKenzie described seniors as a valuable resource who deserves this attention and care.

In a post recently, someone shared an African saying: “When an elder dies, you lose a library.” We should not see spending time with a senior as a chore but rather an opportunity to learn the stories of your family and your country, which will strengthen family and national pride.

Congratulations to the NCSC on its active calendar for Senior Citizens’ Month. CCRP will be partnering with the NCSC during the month as part of our ongoing outreach to the elderly who have been affected by Hurricane Beryl.

Juici, a Florida Favourite

Juici comes to mind in this Seniors Citizens’ Month because the company’s principals Jukie and Edith Chin have for the over 40 years of their existence been supporting the elderly in the parish. They provide a soup feeding programme for the elderly and organise visits by Juici’s employees to the island’s infirmaries and homes for the aged. This year they will once again be hosting a Grandparents Day Garden Party.

Jukie and Edith were honoured with the CCRP Lester Spaulding Award for Business in 2019. The company deserves every success, and their recent foray into the Florida has seen sales beyond their projections. With four stores now going in Florida, they are setting sights on franchises in Atlanta and New York.

Earlier this year, Edith, a much-beloved citizen, was sworn in as custos of Clarendon and now leads in the protection and welfare of her parishioners.

Relief Boost from AFJ

American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) raised over $70 million, which was increased to $121 million when NCB Foundation matched the sum raised in its support of Hurricane Beryl relief efforts.

The AFJ announced on Friday that it had partnered with Food For the Poor Jamaica to execute priority projects across the south coast. A portion of funds raised on the AFJ platform has been designated to Breds Foundation, which is addressing reroofing of homes and restoration of livelihood to farmers, fisherfolk, and small businesses in the greater Treasure Beach area.

Wendy Hart, president of AFJ, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to assist those in need. “The AFJ is proud to partner with NCB Foundation and Food For the Poor Jamaica to bring relief to Jamaica’s south coast.”

Congrats, STGC Hall of Famers

Congratulations to the four outstanding Jamaicans who were inducted into St George’s College Hall of Fame recently. They are Christopher Berry, chair of Mayberry Investments Limited; Michael Hylton, former solicitor general; Professor Trevor Munroe, founding director of National Integrity Action; and Christopher Chaplin, Jamaica’s honorary consul in Philadelphia and co-chairman of the Philadelphia Organising Committee of Team Jamaica Bickle.

Jean Lowrie-Chin is the founder of CCRP, a legacy project of her company, PROComm. Send comments to lowriechin@aim.com.

Leahcim Semaj

Seniors who exercise regularly lead healthier lives.