Seniors Learn to Solve Active Ageing Challenges Alongside Youth in New Initiative

How would an active ageing centre look like and what facilities and activities would it have, if a group of seniors were to design it?

- Zhaki Abdullah

Under a new initiative by NTUC Health, Mr Lim Gek Heng, a 78-year-old retired machinery maintenance supervisor, has been learning to design such a centre with 10 other elderly men and eight volunteers from Youth Corps.

One of their challenges is how to get more male seniors to be a part of these centres. Typically, more women than men join the programmes organised by active ageing centres.

Mr Lim said: "I really enjoy spending time with the young people to learn together and brainstorm ideas. They remind me of myself when I was young and they help me to be more open to new things."

The new initiative, called Designing Together, brings together seniors and youth to come up with ideas for the former to lead healthier, more active lives.

Such an inter-generational approach also helps to cultivate empathy and strengthen bonds between the generations," said NTUC Health chief executive officer Chan Su Yee. "Youth bring a lot of positivity and energy and this zest for life, which is really what we hope to ignite in seniors as well," she added. Seniors would be able to share their wisdom and life experience with young people too.