YEI News for Seniors – 20 May 2020

YEI News for seniors – local, international, and YEI specific. 

Highlights include Letter from the Editor,  YEI’s viral Facebook post, opportunity for teachers, DStv and more…

 

Greetings YEI readers

 

We trust you are all keeping safe and well in lockdown. 

As I sit writing this on Day 53 of the National Lockdown, thoughts come to mind that some aspects of lockdown may be worth keeping.  While we long for things to get back to “normal” and can’t wait for the day when we can hug our children and grandchildren, we could be better off if our lives do not simply revert to how they were before Covid-19.

We cannot underestimate this hugely cataclysmic situation that we have found ourselves in.  The situation that we are all in together.  This pandemic has stolen livelihoods, taken away our physical connection and left many feeling helpless, lonely, futureless, and hopeless.

And yet, think of the benefits that we have seen while in lockdown, while our lives have been put on “pause”.  These benefits may not make up for many of us being out of work, or having our lives decimated by the virus, but they may just give you a little optimism and perhaps put a smile on your face.

It’s as if we have had a total “reset” of life. We are focusing on what needs to be done on a “day by day” basis, not planning weeks ahead.  Our connection with family has taken on a whole new look.  There are extraordinary and unprecedented bonding family experiences happening.  Seniors are embracing technology and being swayed into Zoom and WhatsApp groups.  We get to know who our real friends are, even if we can’t hug them and can only see them on a screen.  We are keeping in touch with those that matter, not those who occasionally figured in your life.

We know there are those who are suffering in many different ways, and those unable to cope with social isolation.  And they are the ones we need to focus on, to call more regularly, to check that they are not feeling down, alone or depressed.

We see acts of kindness everywhere.   The frontline, those who are battling the virus on a daily basis, are being appreciated at last, by all and sundry.   Even those who can’t afford it, are doing their bit.  The pensioner who has a meagre allowance is sharing her pension with someone even less well off than herself.  There are millions of people contributing to soup kitchens, making sandwiches for the hungry, many sending food vouchers to those who through no fault of their own are not coping.  So many people learning to be kind.

Air pollution has eased.  Our carbon footprint has lessened.  Waterways are clearing.  We are all pretending to be bakers, cooks, artists, singers, dancers.  We are letting our hair return to its natural colour, we are wearing no make-up, we are finding some kind of exercise. We may have a slightly enlarging waistline and have a completely decluttered home (or not!), but the frenetic life as we knew it, has taken a break.  We are making do with what we have.  We are not wasting, as we once did.

When life eventually returns to normality, those little things will never again be taken for granted.  That trip to the hairdresser.  Getting together with a friend.  A trip to the library. That little act of kindness.

The lockdown may have isolated South Africa from the rest of the world, but one needs to look at what you have gained in the last two months and which of these “gains” you need to retain going forward.

Please share your Covid-19 experiences and feelings with us.  Sharing is caring, and someone else might just benefit from your post.

Marilyn, YEI Editor 

 

Welcome to new YEI members 

Welcome to all new You’ve Earned It members! Lovely to have you on board! An introduction to YEI – You’ve Earned It / YEI.  YEI is the online retirement platform for South African over-60s.  YEI’s primary focus is on discounts, savings and benefits for baby boomers, seniors, pensioners and retirees. YEI’s platform (website, newsletter and Facebook page) includes informative and relevant articles, fab competitions and news/views/fun all geared specifically to the senior market.  The fortnightly YEI Newsletter is FREE and features relevant, interesting articles specifically geared at 60-plussers. The newsletter usually includes the latest updates on the latest over-60s discounts, benefits and savings.

If you are not yet a YEI member, we invite you to sign up for this free newsletter here.

To our existing YEI members – we invite you to spread the YEI word to your friends and family by sharing this newsletter.

If you have time on your hands and would like some good reading,
back issues of the newsletter can be seen here.  

 

YEI – Viral post on FB 

In Internet terms, “going viral” has nothing to do with malware or catching the flu. A viral post is something that has been shared, copied and spread across all social platforms. On Facebook in particular, going viral means that a post has generated a great deal of attention in the form of a high number of likes, shares and comments.

YEI had an incredible viral post.  Take a look.  A reach of 710,403 is a YEI milestone!

 

 

MultiChoice/DStv 

YEI understands that seniors are battling financially and on other fronts, enduring self-isolation during this unprecedented time, and that TV is likely to be one of your main sources of entertainment during this crisis. YEI knows that it is likely that 60-plussers will have to endure lockdown/self-isolation of sorts for quite some time to come, and we know that many seniors are on their own, which makes for a lonely and difficult time for many.

With this in mind, YEI contacted MultiChoice/DStv in early May 2020 to ask if the corporate could see their way clear to offering South African seniors a really good discount in order to make their days a little easier during this self-isolation.  Please see their response here.

 

Opportunity for experienced teachers 

Calling all experienced teachers!
Educators who are available to work from home as tutor teachers for 4-6 hours per week, per grade, per subject, are being sought for paid positions.
Click here for further information.
Please note that there are mulitple posts that are available 

 

Feedback from YEI member

Feedback from YEI member after booking a Mango Airlines flight prior to lockdown

We have a timeshare at Scottburgh , and because we, and our car , are getting old , we decided to fly down and back and booked for 09/05/20.  Then the virus intervened !!  Within 24 hours of the President advising on 23/04/20 that there would be no travel between provinces , we get an email from Mango Airlines who give us a voucher valid for two years to cover the flights suspended by the virus.   We were stressing a bit wondering quite how we would go about not losing our costs.  Thank you, Mango, for being so on the ball , and customer orientated .  Once again many thanks for your prompt actions
Alan

 

Conversation, inspirational stories and riddles
on the YEI Facebook page  

Do you remember.
These were used in both the office and the home. What was it used for?
A- Thermometer
B- Address Book
C-Hand help computer in the 1950’s
D- Measuring tape

Click here to see the Facebook post

 

A beautiful VE Day celebration in Scotland. World War II veteran and former Wren, Edna, receives her medal 75 years later… Get the tissues out!  Click here to view.

 

A classic ABBA song reworded to inspire you during lockdown.
Click here to view 

• Please note that you will only be able to connect to these links
  if you are a Facebook user.

 

Reviews on YEI and the YEI Facebook page

The YEI team love to hear from you, and thank you for your comments:

YEI does a fantastic job for pensioners, a real essential service.
Gary H

If you would like to post a review on the YEI Facebook page, these are the steps to follow:

• Click here to go directly to the You’ve Earned It – Reviews page –
• You will see a box saying – Would you recommend You’ve Earned It – Pensioner discounts, deals and benefits?
• If you would like to recommend YEI, you click on “Yes”
• A pop up box will appear saying “What do you recommend about YEI..?”
• You simply write your recommendation in this box
• Then click “Post”
• Your own individual recommendation will appear on the YEI Facebook page.

 

#WIN WITH YEI

Thank you to everyone who entered the Old Mutual Mother’s Day competition. Congratulations to Marilyn Murphy!
You have won a beautiful Carrol Boyes hamper valued at R1500. Well done!!
What an awesome prize you have won!

Click here to see winners’ names on the YEI website 

Click here to see competitions on WIN with YEI 

Click here to read the feedback from YEI members and YEI winners

Click here to read the online book reviews on YEI!

 

International news for seniors 

How does isolation affect mental health?  Click here 

7 benefits of weight lifting for life – Click here 

Coronavirus:  Thieves robbing elderly shoppers – Click here

 

And finally, a little humour…

 

 

 Do share your good chuckles and funnies with us..

 

Until next month…
Stay safe, stay home and please keep well

 

Kind regards,
Marilyn and the YEI Team