The Enabling Village is the first community space here dedicated to integrating people with disabilities into society, but the general public may not know that they can use the facilities too.
To raise awareness of the Enabling Village's outdoor fitness corners and promote a healthy lifestyle, a pilot project is now being tried out to introduce exercises that can be done at these corners to the elderly from nearby senior activity centres.
The village, a five-minute walk from Redhill MRT station, was developed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and SG Enable, an agency which helps people with disabilities.
Launched last December, its other facilities include a supermarket, food outlets, an information and career centre for people with disabilities, and job training facilities.
Equipment at the fitness corners, selected with help from Changi General Hospital, is suitable for use by people with disabilities and the elderly. SG Enable hopes the project will benefit 800 seniors by the end of next year.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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The events listed will be held at the Enabling Village, at 20 Lengkok Bahru, Singapore 159053. They are open to people with and without disabilities. E²CONNECT A forum to raise awareness of how infocomm and assistive technology can benefit people with disabilities
• July 21-22, 8am-5.30pm
• Registration is free
'SEE WHAT I SEE' EXHIBITION
This features photos by Ms Isabelle Lim, 22, who was born deaf, with multiple physical challenges. She recently graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts.
• July 23, 3-7pm
• Admission is free
A VERY SPECIAL WALK
A carnival and concert, including a performance by an a capella group from Harvard University, to raise funds for adults with autism.
• July 30, 9am-2pm
SG Enable chief executive Ku Geok Boon told The Straits Times: "As Enabling Village is an inclusive community space, we hope more people use its facilities. The fitness corners allow people of different abilities and ages to exercise together."
The fitness programme in the community project was designed by SG Enable and six students from Republic Polytechnic (RP), mostly health management and promotion students. Standard Chartered Bank donated $250,000 towards fitness classes for low-income seniors and the fitness equipment.
The first pilot session was held last Friday, for 40 seniors from NTUC Health's SilverACE Senior Activity Centre in Redhill. RP students and volunteers from Standard Chartered were present to demonstrate exercises that can be done at the fitness corners.
Another session, involving 40 elderly people from the Bukit Merah branch, will be held this Friday.
Said Ms Low Pei Pei, a lecturer at RP's School of Sports, Health and Leisure: "The exercises aim to increase the seniors' strength, so they are less prone to falls."
Mr Bidin Salim, 79, was one of the seniors who had a go at the outdoor fitness corner. "The equipment is easy to use, even for old people like me," he said.
