Reflection and celebrations

"Keeping a young mind and staying in-touch with the modern world are very important for senior people." - Liu Caidi

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The Shanghai native has just celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary with husband Wang Rongfu, 68, and they are celebrating by joining a tour to Hebei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region starting in early September.

"I always say that elderly people should carefully plan their life and never lock themselves indoors all day," she says.

Liu retired from work at the age of 50, but it is only recently that she has found herself also free from family duties, she helped take care of her granddaughter when the child was young, and has embarked on filling her senior years with fun and leisure.

Aside from travel, Liu has developed a wide variety of hobbies including swimming, martial arts, singing, playing piano, and textile printing. She is also taking part in volunteering initiatives in the community.

Keeping a young mind and staying in-touch with the modern world are very important for senior people, Liu says. She knows how to get information on the popular mobile messaging service WeChat, and is learning how to use a tablet computer.

Recalling her most memorable Mid-Autumn Festival, Liu recalls the celebration three years ago, when she and her husband were invited to their son’s apartment.

Instead of eating out or helping to prepare a meal, like they did in previous years, she and her husband enjoyed a feast solely prepared by the young couple.

"Their jobs have kept them busy and they don't have time to work on their cooking skills. But the moment they served us with well-prepared shrimp, fish, chicken soup and other dishes, I knew they were all grown up," she says.