What they want

ANDRE LOBO, 66 ST PHOTOS: LEE JIAWEN, KUA CHEE SIONG, KELVIN CHNG
PAULINE NEO, 69 ST PHOTOS: LEE JIAWEN, KUA CHEE SIONG, KELVIN CHNG
SUSAN LYE, 80 ST PHOTOS: LEE JIAWEN, KUA CHEE SIONG, KELVIN CHNG

ANDRE LOBO, 66

FORMER OCCUPATION: Senior manager, advertising and promotions, Frasers Centrepoint

LIVING ARRANGEMENT: Lives alone in a three-room HDB flat

WHAT I WANT: I hope our malls can become inter-generational community hubs. They should be a place where the elderly have access to important information, fitness facilities to build our strength and mobility, and common spaces with free Wi-Fi, where we can interact with young people.


PAULINE NEO, 69

FORMER OCCUPATION: Bank teller

LIVING ARRANGEMENT: Lives with daughter and son in a five-room HDB flat

WHAT I WANT: I would like spaces or facilities that let me spend my time meaningfully. I hope for a place that allows seniors to get together to start something new, such as a hobby station that teaches balloon sculpting to children. Earning an income through this station will be a bonus.


SUSAN LYE, 80

FORMER OCCUPATION: Tour guide

LIVING ARRANGEMENT: Lives with daughter in a five-room HDB flat

WHAT I WANT: I go to the voluntary welfare organisation YWCA in Outram Road to interact with other senior citizens every Monday.

But seniors who cannot move around much need more grassy areas where we can gather and motivate one another to participate in activities. A number of gathering spaces have hard cement ground and this is not very safe for seniors who are unstable on their feet.


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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on February 11, 2018, with the headline What they want. Subscribe