✦ Grandparents Day was first instituted in 1978 in the United States when President Jimmy Carter signed it into law, designating the first Sunday of September for the celebrations.
This article is contributed by Yong Shan Juan
Since 1979, Singapore has taken the inspiration from the United States by setting the fourth Sunday of November (this year, it will be 28th November) to honour one’s grandparents.
Prior to COVID-19, Grandparents Day celebrations in Singapore used to be large scale community events. They were mainly organised by grassroots organisations and charities that support causes for the family and seniors. The events would include visits to local attractions and parks, holding carnivals and group activities that encourage intergenerational participation - for example, kite flying, picnics.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place, organisations have gone online to conduct workshops on making gifts and cards to express one’s appreciation to grandparents. Home delivery of grandparents’ favourite food would be a fail-proof option, or a simple call to wish them “Happy Grandparents Day!” on the day itself would make their day.
Outing with grandparents is still an option for the family but within the current regulation of conducting outdoor activity in pairs, including dining in. However, there is still a unique treat for grandparents that is worth exploring – a joy ride for the seniors on a trishaw.
Why the trishaw?
For this part of the world, especially in Singapore, the trishaw was the ubiquitous and affordable mode of public transport since the late 19th century. From the man-pull rickshaw of old to the present day foot-pedal trishaw, every senior especially the current cohort of elderly would have ridden on a trishaw; if not regularly, at least once or several times in their lifetime. A trishaw ride will evoke memories of life in their early years.
Cycling Without Age (CWA)
To understand about the idea of offering free rickshaw rides to seniors (trishaw in Singapore context), we need to look to Denmark. Ole Kassow, a cycling enthusiast, had a serendipitous encounter with an elderly man, Thorkild Thim, a resident of a nursing home in his neighbourhood in Copenhagen. For two weeks, Ole saw him seated at a bench with his walking frame morning after morning, enjoying the outdoors.
Ole Kassow’s encounter with Thorkild Thim (seated) inspired him to start and pilot Cycling Without Age into a global movement. Image source: Cycling Without Age.
While flipping through photos of old Copenhagen in the 1930s which captured hordes of cyclists on the road, it occurred to Ole that cycling would have been Thorkild’s daily mode of transport then, and he likely enjoyed cycling too.
So, Ole thought that it might be possible to let seniors such as Thorkild experience cycling again with a crazy new idea – taking them on rickshaw joyrides!
The first person to try Ole’s new idea was a senior in a local nursing home, Gertrude, and one of the home’s staff member. On Gertrude’s request, he brought her to the Lenelegad Broadwalk at Copenhagen Harbourfront. This famous harbourfront had been an intimate part of Gertrude’s early life and held special and precious memories for Gertrude which she shared with Ole.
“After an hour, I felt like I had almost a magical bond with a stranger Gertrude. It almost felt as if I have been on a time journey with her,” Ole marvelled.
The next day, he had a call from the manager of the nursing home questioning him what he had done to Gertrude. The manager subsequently explained how Gertrude was transformed after the ride and the rest of the residents wanted to ride too.
Ole shared how the rides “…gave them (the residents) a whole new mobility, and gave me an insight to my city that I have never experienced.”
Ole would never have imagined the impact of a simple ride on an elderly resident, nor the subsequent floodgate of requests, interest and participation from all walks of life.
Support from city authorities poured in and coverage by the media stirred up a storm of cohesion across all spectrum of age, ability and background. A national movement of kindness was sparked and people rallied in funding and organising more trips.
New communities of care and share were formed, reaching and touching lives. Through cycling, whether in ferrying others or being ferried on the humble rickshaw, ordinary folks found purpose, passion, connection, empowerment.
Ole thus founded Cycling Without Age in Denmark. That was in 2012. Today, CWA has spread and been adopted in 50 countries across the globe.
Hear more of this inspiring and catalytic act of humanity from Ole himself where he chronicled his journey of engaging, enriching and enlivening lives through CWA Cycling without age | Ole Kassow | TEDxCopenhagenSalon - YouTube
Gayl Tan - Making a difference through cycling
In Singapore, we chatted with Gayl Tan, aged 63, who volunteers with various senior care centres and nursing homes.
Trained as a trishaw cyclist with Singapore chapter of Cycling Without Age, Gayl has been supporting the cause in earnest. Since March this year, she has clocked six trips, and counting, whenever the COVID-19 situation in Singapore permits.
Gayl enthused: “In the one-hour ride, the seniors and their loved ones get to enjoy quality time. For these seniors, they can explore a new place in Singapore or revisit old places which have been refreshed or rebuilt. We get really great conversations as the seniors reminisce memories of old or trade stories of personal experiences and encounters. For some, they simply soak in the sights and sounds of the surrounds in companionable silence. It is very satisfying to be able to engage with folks from different walks of life and hear their stories.”
Gayl lives by the motto "always find time for things that make you happy". She is the main caregiver to her 88-year-old mother with severe eye impairment and a 70-year-old sister who is bedridden with advanced stage Alzheimer’s disease. Despite her caregiving responsibilities, she still finds pockets of time to destress, through exercising and volunteering.
Three years ago when she turned 60, Gayl resolved to pursue an active and healthier lifestyle and started gentle hiking. But this solo hiker went from walking the modest Bukit Timah Hill in Singapore to conquering Mount Langtang in Nepal and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in just one year! Those were her wellness breaks from her familial caregiving duties. When COVID-19 landed on Singapore shores, Gayl found new hobbies in kayaking and biking.
It was her twin passions for exercising and volunteering that she learned of CWAS. “I am happy to have made a difference in the seniors’ lives, even just for an hour. I also gain the added benefit of exercising through cycling,” she added.
Cycling Without Age Singapore (CWAS)
CWAS joined the local charity scene in 2016 with the aim to connect people socially, promote health and wellbeing. Its programme and services provide a platform for intergenerational interaction while exploring a local attraction on a trishaw.
There are three programmes for volunteers:
For youth volunteers aged between 16 and 35 years, there is the ‘Moving Generations’ programme where the young have opportunities to learn from seniors through conversations and activities together.
For volunteers above the age of 50, there is the ‘Strengthening Generations’ programme which lets them serve as advocates of active ageing. These volunteers, known as ‘Longevity Ambassadors’, are given training so that they can help other seniors lead purposeful lives.
For youths-at-risks, there is the ‘Building Generations’ programme in which they can learn practical life skills, gain self-confidence and grow empathy as they interact and communicate with seniors.
Safe ride this Grandparents Day
Despite the rising COVID-19 infection rate in Singapore, volunteers and seniors are still determined to have fun. CWAS has implemented a set of strict safety measures to ensure safe rides for all.
These safety measures include mandatory masking throughout the rides, and sanitising everyone hands and the rickshaws before and after the rides. With all these, both the volunteers and seniors can enjoy their outing with peace of mind.
Grandparents Day would be refreshingly different with a joyride on a CWAS trishaw. In fact, any day is a good day for a fun ride, be it a celebration or simply a day excursion with a loved one, or alone. Try it. It will definitely make your day!
Explore, Collaborate & Innovate
If you share similar passion for cycling and a desire to make a difference, do check out more details on your local chapter of CWA at https://cyclingwithoutage.org/
For those based in Singapore, visit CWAS at https://cyclingwithoutage.sg/ on how you can support this cause.
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