Be at Ease with Ageing and Dying (BEAD)

Reclaiming our capacity to cope and care for ourselves and others who are ageing and dying.
Length: 4-minute read  

A local survey commissioned by the Ministry of Finance in 2024 revealed that almost 80% of the participants do not look forward to ageing. Among their concerns are poor health (80%), cognitive decline (50%), being dependent (49%), lack of adequate finances (40%) and loneliness (25%). In addition, there is also often-unspoken concerns around death and dying.

It is ironic that despite the many advances in our healthcare, many people still feel less able to deal with ageing and dying issues, either for themselves or for their family members. This may be attributed to several reasons. Collectively as a society, there seems to be a certain hardness and reactivity in the ways we handle ageing and dying matters. There is an eagerness to identify “the problem”, and then hurriedly “fix the problem”, as if once they are fixed, all our distress will dissipate. However, the basis for our claim to “knowing” what these problems are, is usually sourced from the internet, which is often presented without a proper context, and generally highlights what people want to know, rather than what needs to be known.

At the same time, there is also a tendency to leave fixing health matters “in the hands of the experts” (by which we usually mean hospital-based professionals). Unfortunately, having such dependence can lead to unfamiliarity and diminished capability to cope with the actual care, particularly at the pre-hospitalization stage where things may still be reversible. This then sets the stage for more concern, helplessness and even fear of growing old and dying.

So, while having some information is vital, providing accurate information alone is not enough. Knowing how to process relevant information and then apply it needs to be part of this learning process. But to develop a sense of efficacy and ease, one will need to be in a supportive system, such as a caring community, to provide mentoring and guidance in the practice of care.

It is with these considerations that the BEAD program was created. The program seeks not just to provide relevant and digestible information, it also includes reflection, practices, discussions and sharing of experiences. This, we believe, will best prepare the participants to meet real-life challenges in navigating ageing and dying matters.

Related Community: https://maitricommunity.com/community/s/bead/
Note: This community will only accessible for those who are attending the BEAD program.