quote: “People might think it’s weird that I don’t want to take it easy or just stay at home to rest since I’m older," she laughed. "But I actually think it’s weirder that people would want to just stay at home and not do anything."     in short work til u die mentality, not everyone  is born to work till die, i rather explore, hiking, cook, relax, go massage, go watch movies then to work my whole life non stop

SINGAPORE: It is 9am and Ward C5 at Jurong Community Hospital, which cares for patients with neurological conditions, is bustling with activity as nurses help them get ready for the day. A diminutive, about 1.55m-tall woman weaves in and out of bedsides, attending to her patients with brisk efficiency.  Quick on her feet and agile, it may come as a surprise that Ms Cheng Oi Keung could be a few decades older than her colleagues. Ms Cheng preparing a patient for an electrocardiogram. (Photo: CNA/Vanessa Lim) At 67 years old, the senior enrolled nurse is well above Singapore's median age for those in her profession, which was 35 last year. Ms Cheng is part of a small but growing number of nurses aged 60 and above.  According to the Singapore Nursing Board’s latest annual report, there were 2,748 registered and enrolled nurses in this age bracket last year, up from 2,563 in 2021 and out of more than 30,000 nurses in total. Ms Cheng's sheer tenacity and quiet strength prove, however, that age truly is just a number. When CNA spoke with her on a Friday morning in September, she had just finished a 12-hour shift, and was rostered to work the night stretch again that evening. If she was tired, she showed no sign of it; nor did she rush the interview. Instead, the soft-spoken woman smiled often and exuded an air of relaxed calm as she patiently and thoughtfully answered questions in a mixture of English and Mandarin.  “Just because I’m older doesn’t mean that I do less work. I do the same as my younger colleagues," said Ms Cheng.  “I also see that the manpower situation is very tough and there’s not enough people, so I never ask people to help me. I can do it myself." The 67-year-old is part of a small but growing number of older nurses aged 60 and above in the workforce. (Photo: CNA/Vanessa Lim) Ms Cheng's daily routine includes taking vital signs and documenting patient care and their progress. It also involves tasks that can be physically demanding, such as repositioning patients or helping them move around. But there are ways to make it easier on her.  For instance, instead of lifting a patient from a lying position, she uses the reclining bed to bring the patient to a sitting position first. “Some nurses may not do this because it takes more time,” said Ms Cheng.  “When my patients ask why I adjust the bed instead of pulling them up to a sitting position, I tell them that this helps me to save energy so that I can take better care of them." To keep fit, the 67-year-old also regularly goes hiking after work or on her off days.  Ms Cheng said she regularly goes on hikes after work or on her off days to keep fit. FINDING HER CALLING - IN MIDLIFE It was just over a decade ago that Ms Cheng decided to make a career switch.  For years, she worked as an accounting clerk in various companies before becoming a patient service clerk at the Singapore General Hospital in 2008, where she assisted doctors in the consultation room. There, she discovered that she enjoyed interacting with patients, and felt a sense of satisfaction whenever she could help them. Equally important was how patients seemed to like and trust her.  “Sometimes patients would get agitated while waiting for the doctor because of the long waiting time, so I would talk to them to help them calm down,” she said.  “They always came back to thank me." That's when she started thinking about becoming a nurse and after her colleagues said she would make a good one, Ms Cheng, at 55 years of age, took the plunge. In 2011, she enrolled in a two-year full-time nursing course at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).  “I was so shy because all the students were so young and below 20, and I was so old already,” she said. “But I liked being with them because they were so full of energy and cheerful … and being around them made me feel young too.” While on a hospital attachment during her studies, she came across a case that would shape her outlook as a nurse.  A construction worker in his twenties had fallen from a great height, and arrived still unconscious. Despite the hospital's best efforts, the man died. And the image of him lying on the stretcher, with one arm hanging limply, has stayed with Ms Cheng since. It was the first time she had seen a young person die. “It made me realise how important life is." ONTO THE FRONTLINE  After graduating in 2013, Ms Cheng joined Ng Teng Fong General Hospital’s emergency department. Thrust into a fast-moving environment, her first few months were stressful and hectic. “We would see road accident victims, who were coming in bleeding with lacerations (on their body)," she said. "There would be long queues of patients waiting to be attended to, so we would have to work quickly." "Just keep moving” became her personal mantra, and it's served her well. She later received an offer to join the nursing team at Jurong Community Hospital, which remains her employer today. During the pandemic, Ms Cheng was transferred to the COVID-19 ward, where she was tasked to take care of infected patients. She was already 64 years old at the time, and admitted to worrying about getting infected.  “(I) even told my daughter that if anything happened to me, she needs to take care of herself. “But I never thought about saying no because I am a nurse … this is my responsibility," she added. “My daughter was worried about me, but she understood and encouraged me. Actually, she is very supportive of me in every decision I make, even when I wanted to go and study (nursing).” Ms Cheng said her daughter had been supportive of her decision to pursue a career in nursing and remains her pillar of support. NO SLOWING DOWN  As Ms Cheng takes CNA on a tour of the ward, she walks at a brisk pace, while assuredly pointing out and explaining aspects of her job. A patient sitting upright on his bed smiles and calls out her surname as she enters. The nurse waves back. “I have never thought about (retiring) and will continue as long as I can," said Ms Cheng. "This job is meaningful to me and I am happy with my working environment; my relationship with my colleagues and (supervisors). We’re like one big family." Ms Cheng and her colleagues pose for a selfie during a group hike. She's not just hanging on to her nursing scrubs. In her bid to continue learning and continue helping people, Ms Cheng hopes to take a step up and become a registered nurse, which requires either a diploma or bachelor's degree. “People might think it’s weird that I don’t want to take it easy or just stay at home to rest since I’m older," she laughed. "But I actually think it’s weirder that people would want to just stay at home and not do anything."

是很特别 消费也特别贵  

Pervert… you’re back early today

In after @The_King