When it comes to work, 60 is the new 40: Seniors are still clocking in, not cashing out
Said Mohamed’s life is deeply rooted in the Mandai Wildlife Reserve.
Not surprising, as he started working at the then Singapore Zoo at the age of 27 and spent the next 44 years proudly watching his “leafy children” stretch towards the sun, weather the elements and blossom into their full potential under his protective care.
One such “child” is the 50m-tall buah sentul, or cotton fruit tree, that sits at the entrance to the proboscis monkey exhibit at the wildlife reserve. He planted it as a seedling and nurtured it for the next 40 years.
“I also met and married my supervisor at the zoo,” said the 71-year-old, laughing.
With more to give, S’pore seniors turn a lifetime of skills and experience into volunteer work
Santhanam Srinivasan (right) showing digital apps to Leong Wing Sun (centre) and Sheila Lim at RSVP Singapore on Sep 25.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
It was a career break during Covid-19 in 2022 that set Santhanam Srinivasan on an unexpected path.
Looking to fill his time meaningfully, the IT professional came across an open house by RSVP Singapore, a non-profit organisation that encourages senior volunteerism. He signed up to teach seniors digital applications and tools. He returned to work in 2023, but continued volunteering.
The 64-year-old, who retired from GovTech in 2025, teaches three to four times monthly, with each session lasting for three hours. He also serves on RSVP’s project steering committee to help implement new volunteer and donation management systems.
More older Singaporeans like Santhanam are bringing decades of professional expertise to help others, on top of traditional roles like befriending.
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