Mr Vincent Lim Hai Leong has called on the Government to explore how seniors can contribute on a regular basis through volunteer work ("Find ways to engage seniors in volunteer work"; Sept 7).

Senior volunteerism is part of the Ministerial Committee on Ageing's $3 billion plan ("$3b plan to help seniors live more fulfilling lives"; Aug 27).

However, the committee needs to take into consideration the question of whether seniors have enough strength, energy and brain power to utilise schemes and facilities such as lifelong learning, employment, volunteerism and active ageing hubs.

Providing the physical requirements and telling seniors how they can volunteer is easy. But to ensure the seniors have enough physical attributes to benefit is the challenge.

So, unless that aspect is taken care of, the spending of the $3 billion could easily go to waste if nothing is done by way of health maintenance.

For example, my block of flats in Yishun is surrounded by many senior fitness stations (with more to come), but these are hardly ever used by seniors. Instead, these are "invaded" every evening by hordes of children and their parents "improvising" the use of these facilities.

We must get our priorities right, as $3 billion is not a small amount.

Norman Wee Sin Chuan