In ageing Singapore, the Sandwich Generation is feeling the squeeze
- Singapore tops the world in life expectancy, but for some of its citizens long lives come with a sting in their tail
- Growing numbers of people in their 60s and 70s are spending their twilight years caring not only for their children – but for their parents, too
Growing up, Kor Ter Ming was always fond of the annual road trips that he, his parents and younger brother would take down the eastern coast of Malaysia.
Cruising down the rustic shores of Pahang and Terengganu, he recalls how his father would remind his sons about the importance of getting away as a family every once in a while.
Today, the 61-year-old carries on the family tradition by making it a point to travel with his wife and two adult children at least once a year.
On some occasions, he is joined by the man who started it all – his father, Kor Hong Fatt, 87.
“The idea of travelling as a family started from my father, so being able to still travel with him and my own family is a blessing and a privilege,” said Kor Ter Ming, a taxi driver. “It means being able to enjoy the trip full circle, both as a son and a father.”
But not everybody is thrilled that their parents are living longer. For Martha Lee [not her real name], being the sole carer for her mother, 92, has derailed her personal and professional aspirations.
