SINGAPORE - After a year's work, the Ministerial Committee on Ageing has come up with a comprehensive slate of measures designed to get seniors excited to enter their golden years. It will cost $3 billion over five years.

The Action Plan for Successful Ageing includes initiatives such as subsidised classes, volunteer opportunities, and improvements to infrastructure so that the elderly can continue leading active lives.

For example, seniors could pick up skills such as ukulele strumming or jewellery-making at polytechnics or community organisations.

The President's Challenge will be used as a platform to get seniors to volunteer their skills and time.

Senior-friendly facilities will also be made available islandwide. For example, the Ministry of Transport is planning to overhaul train, bus, pedestrian and road infrastructure in the next 10 years.The National Parks Board is also looking at piloting a therapeutic park, specially designed to help dementia and stroke patients.

Finally, up to $200 million could be set aside for ageing research. This would include topics such as how to delay the onset of dementia, for example, as well as how to make workplaces truly ageless.