Social activist still sees the best even in difficult situations, having defeated regression and despair
Irene enjoying the moment.
CLAD in feminine beige knitted jacket donning strings of matching bead necklaces with dangling earrings, Joan Irene Yong sips her coffee latte in the comfort of her favourite joint, an aesthetic café located not far from her house.
I cannot help noticing her red painted nails on the cup handle whilst admiring her slender fingers whenever she swipes her phone.
The amiable septuagenarian derives much pleasure from the lively ambience. Most of the patrons in the trendy café are youngsters and by the look of her, she just fits in with the revelling crowd.
“I’ve come to a stage where I’ve been through many things in life. At this age, it’s important to live a healthy lifestyle. I take care of my body not just to avoid sickness, but also to be able to feel good and enjoy the moment,” she says.
On dialysis for 15 years
She has been on dialysis for 15 years due to failing kidneys and has had high blood pressure for almost her entire life. Going in and out of the dialysis centre three times a week, for four hours each session, may seem inconvenient or even frustrating, but to a positive patient like Irene, it has become part of a lifestyle that she is able to embrace well.
“In the end, those four hours on the machine go very fast especially when you have a creative mind!”
Her current state of affairs must be the result of a positive mindset. As she defeated regression and despair, her stoic-self rose above secular pain. She emerged from the doldrums determined to live a life of gratitude and hope for the future. Dialysis is now routine and her blood pressure is under her control.
The positive qualities in a person only radiate good vibes even as we chat over coffee in the midst of the packed café. The bustling sounds of young people chatting do not distract us a bit probably because our table has more noise – once in a while, it explodes with a boisterous laugh.
“Live one day at a time. Don’t think too far ahead and don’t try to remember the bad past. At this age, what I do first thing in the morning is to move my hands and legs and be thankful to God that I’m alive.
“I never knew I would live this long,” she laughs.
Positivity a sustaining power
“When we were teenagers, we looked at 40 as old. And when we turned 40, we thought we would never live to be 70. But now, at 75, I find life only gets better as you grow older. I think everybody should desire to live to an old age,” says Irene, without blinking an eye.
She has learned to take things easy and be kind to her body. A familiar figure in volunteer work, she has aptly stepped down from active participation in most of the voluntary societies.
Irene has been actively involved in various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) since the mid-1970s.
She had worked in an elderly charity home for over 30 years, had been a member of the management team for intellectually disabled children since the 1980s, and pioneered community-based rehabilitation for intellectually disabled adults – among other things.
In 2013, she received the Chief Minister’s Social Activist Award in recognition of her community work.
Although she has resigned from the majority of the NGOs, she remains a member of the Sarawak Women and Family Council and is heavily involved with the Sarawak Gerontology and Geriatric Society (SGGS), which she founded in 2017.
Irene (right), the founding advisor of the SGGS, with some of the members. At left is the president of the society, Dennis Tan.
“There is a time for everything. When you’re young, you can do so much but now, I’m also happy to be able to work within the confines of what my body can do.
“I won’t push myself further like I used to do, so I can have time to smell the roses,” she says.
Caring for the elderly at the charity home had been a soul-enriching experience for Irene over the past 30 years. It had given her a deeper understanding of life’s journey as well as humanity and ageing.
Indeed, her concern for the welfare of the less fortunate had taught her great virtues that would empower her own life’s journey since she began volunteering in 1974.
A born survivor
Irene is a born survivor. Just a year after her husband passed away in 2006, she was diagnosed with failed kidneys but she took it all in her stride. Despite the loss and predicaments, she continued to help others. All the great virtues that had impacted her life came into play.
Her enthusiasm and positivity must be the fuel that keeps the fire going. The Sarawak Gerontology and Geriatric Society was conceived out of her creative desire to help others live meaningfully through their sunset years, and of course, she would benefit from it as well, having reached that stage herself.
“The idea struck me when I realised that there was hardly any programme for the elderly whose category I now belong to. As a member of the Women and Family Council, I’m familiar with plans and programmes for women, children and child development and all that but the elderly. So I thought we could do something for the latter,” she recalls.
She started by meeting up with some like-minded friends where she brought up the idea of a society for senior citizens.
The response from her peers was swift and positive. The next few meetings ultimately saw the birth of SGGS followed by its registration with the Registrar of Societies (RoS). The first of its kind in Sarawak, the Gerontology and Geriatric Society focuses on healthy ageing.
“The society aims at helping those above retirement age to remain productive and have a healthy and active life. We organise activities that can help reduce idleness, loneliness and depression.
“Our physical exercise is line dancing. Once the music is on, you will see us jumping to the floor and dance. We also have karaoke sessions for those who love singing.
“I don’t sing, but I enjoy clapping and moving to the music, which I think is good for blood circulation!
“We also organise trips to villages and recreational spots just to have fun,” she explains.
Celebrating life at old age
“We must allow ourselves to celebrate our lives, lighten up and enjoy the moment. All this, I believe, can help shorten bedridden age or keep away dementia,” she says.
Most of the members are living a healthy and active lifestyle and are financially self-sufficient.
As the founding advisor of SGGS, Irene gets satisfaction from her involvement in the organisation where fun and responsibilities are balanced.
For her, there is no stopping the elderly from contributing positively to society as long as they are still able.
Worthy of mention is the Kenyalang Gold Card (KGC), a benefit card for senior citizens of Sarawak which was launched by the Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg in early 2020.
Earlier on, the card was proposed to the Women and Family Council by the SGGS. It was intended to enhance the wellbeing and welfare of the elderly in Sarawak through the provision of certain privileges and benefits from various organisations and commercial sectors.
The proposed card was approved by the Women and Family Council, and the Sarawak Cabinet.
KGC is a manifestation of a caring government and society that respects the elderly as stated emphatically by the Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, who is also the chairman of the Sarawak Women and Family Council.
Irene holding a bouquet of flowers just after she received the Chief Minister’s Social Activist Award in recognition of her community work, during Women’s Day 2013 celebration in Kuching.
Kenyalang Gold Card
The introduction of the card was a significant milestone in broadening the base and support for the elderly across the community and hailed as an achievement of SGGS.
Irene envisions herself growing old as a well-groomed ‘sweet old aunty’ as opposed to a ‘grouchy old lady’.
“I remember the quote: ‘Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve’.
“I believe I can be that sweet old aunty, one who is pleasant to be around with,” she says.
“Respect is important in any relationship, much more in a parent-child relationship.
“I would say there must be respect for our children. We need to look within ourselves first if we want our children to respect us.
“I may envision myself as a sweet old aunty, but that too has to be developed. No matter what, respect is the best thing for children to give their parents in their old age, and vice-versa.
“Right now our members are connecting with the Digital Technologies Seniors Programme (DTSP) project team from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak for cyber-training.
“The students mentor us to go digital whilst cultivating intergenerational relationships. We have a session with them every once in a few months. The idea was mooted by the students as they also wanted to learn life lessons from us,” she explains.
“It struck me when they told us that they understood their parents better after mixing with us and that they wanted to learn more from us. This is one way we can narrow the generation gap in the hope that people can treat the aged better,” she says.
Meanwhile, Irene continues to survive on the dialysis machine.
“Without the machine, I will die,” she says nonchalantly.
Much has been accomplished through the life support machine.
She is still making a difference in people’s lives. Even the SGGS that she founded is doing well and is in the process of expanding to other divisions of Sarawak.
The society looks to as far as five to seven years ahead with high expectations of bringing the World Gerontology Congress to Sarawak.
With her positive outlook, Irene remains hopeful and sees the best even in difficult situations.