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More years, fewer fears:
S’pore seniors share their secrets to living longer, healthier
From teaching dance to giving back through volunteering, seniors share how life after 60 can remain rich and rewarding
BY KAREYST LIN | PUBLISHED 01 AUG 2025
They sat, cheerfully, around long tables. Some were sipping coffee, while others leafed through the morning papers.
Most were singing along to classics like Doris Day’s Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) and Cliff Richard And The Shadows’ The Young Ones.
They were seniors but, as the song lyrics go, they felt young.
It was 10am on a Friday, and 30 seniors were enjoying a lively karaoke session at a senior care centre in Whampoa.
“I like (Que Sera, Sera) the most,” says Madam Martina Kang, who is turning 100 in September, before breaking into the familiar tune.
She recalls first hearing the song in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1956 American remake of the movie The Man Who Knew Too Much. “I watched it six times,” she beams.
The petite, bubbly matriarch has six children, 18 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Singing is Madam Kang’s favourite thing to do at the senior care centre, which she attends from 8am to 3.30pm on weekdays.
At family gatherings, she loves dancing the cha-cha with her daughter-in-law.
Madam Kang has been dancing since her teens. She learnt the cha-cha and tango from cabaret dancers at the New World Amusement Park.
“To be happy, (one) must dance,” she tells The Straits Times in a mix of Mandarin and English. “(There is) no point just sitting at home.”
Madam Kang embodies the aspiration of many Singaporeans: to live well in their later years.
Singapore was dubbed “Blue Zone 2.0” by National Geographic journalist Dan Buettner in the Netflix docuseries Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.
Blue Zones are places with the healthiest, longest living populations, and a high concentration of centenarians. Other Blue Zones include Sardinia in Italy and Ikaria in Greece. Communities in these places have a long tradition of healthy lifestyle habits.
In contrast, the documentary notes that Singapore has engineered its way towards longevity through public health programmes and infrastructure.
Singapore Department of Statistics numbers show that the country’s average life expectancy has climbed from 76.3 years in 1995 to 83.5 years in 2024. The number of centenarians (people aged 100 and above) here more than doubled from 700 in 2010 to 1,500 in 2020.
The average life expectancy of all newborns in developed nations by 2050, according to Stanford Centre on Longevity
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has outlined an even more ambitious goal: For Singapore to become Blue Zone 3.0 – by adopting healthy habits that evolve into new lifestyles over time.
Four seniors share how they’re bringing this blueprint to life and adding more colour to their silver years, through movement, nutrition, purpose and community.
Making movement a habit
Movement is often said to be medicine. Mr Harbans Singh, 75, believes it helps keep illness at bay.
Every Friday, he turns up at 9.30am at the void deck of his Bukit Merah View Housing Board flat for qigong.
Among the Chinese aunties and uncles, Mr Singh stands out with his beard and black turban.
With calm focus, the group of about 30 seniors mirror the instructor’s every move – arms stretched, torsos turned, knees bent softly.
The class is conducted in Mandarin, “but I look at what the teacher does, I do lah”, Mr Singh says, laughing.
The former police officer retired in 2017 and lives in a five-room flat just upstairs with his wife, elder son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. He has a younger son based in the United States.
His retirement days are full and active. Besides the weekly qigong sessions, he heads to the Sikh temple along Silat Road for chair Zumba class every Wednesday.
The Land Transport Authority is focused on engaging communities and designing transport systems around people’s needs, says its group director of policy and planning Priscilla Chan.
On Fridays, he attends steel combat classes, a martial arts-inspired aerobic workout, at an active ageing centre (AAC) in Bukit Merah View.
The AAC is also where he picked up walking soccer, floorball and even hockey, alongside fellow seniors who have become fast friends.
The Agency for Integrated Care currently oversees more than 200 AACs across the island.
These centres offer a space for seniors to participate in a variety of free activities – ranging from sports to music and even cooking classes – and to make friends.
Mr Singh shares that movement wasn’t something he intentionally makes time for; it’s simply part of his daily life.
During his policing days, he had to pass the individual physical proficiency test (IPPT) every year – but he never trained at gyms. Instead, he walked wherever he could, took public transport for longer distances, and played badminton with friends.
This rhythm of natural, everyday activity is at the heart of traditional Blue Zones, where movement is woven into daily life through farming, household chores, or walking to the market.
In Singapore’s Blue Zone 2.0 version, it’s built into the design of the city. Its walkable streets and scenic park connectors make it easy for residents like Mr Singh to integrate movement into daily routines.
“Healthy ageing means to keep yourself active, healthy, (and) avoid going to hospital,” he says. “Seeing a doctor is not fun.”
Daily rhythm at the active ageing centres
First rolled out in 2021, active ageing centres (AACs) are drop-in centres offering social and recreational activities for seniors. They also provide seniors with befriending and referrals for care services.
Here are some of the activities that can be found in the over 200 AACs across Singapore.
Eat well, feel well
Just as exercise puts the spring in Mr Singh’s step, eating well helps Madam Kamsinah Mohamed, 75, feel light from within.
“If I don’t eat healthy food, my body (feels) very heavy,” she says.
Madam Kamsinah lives in a four-room Housing Board flat with her daughter, 51, and a helper. She cooks almost all her meals at home.
Her approach is simple: use less oil and salt, or none at all.
These habits were instilled early. Madam Kamsinah grew up on her mum’s nourishing home-cooked meals. For example, instead of frying chicken wings, says Madam Kamsinah, her mother would roast them in the oven.
“(She) also taught me to use mushroom seasoning powder to replace MSG, (so that it’s healthier) but very flavourful.”
In the 1990s, Madam Kamsinah brought those same principles to Marsiling Primary School, where she ran a canteen stall selling dishes like nasi lemak and mee siam for 10 years.
Her chicken wings were baked instead of fried, true to her mum’s way.
And her mee siam was a hit. “The students called me Auntie Mee Siam,” she recalls fondly.
During festive seasons like Hari Raya, Madam Kamsinah cooks more indulgent dishes like sambal goreng and chicken rendang for her family. But she remains mindful, preparing them with less oil and salt.
While it’s often easier to eat healthily when cooking at home, Singapore has taken steps to ensure healthier options when dining out.
For example, in hawker centres and food courts, the Healthier Choice Symbol – in the form of a red pyramid – points to dishes made with healthier ingredients or prepared with less salt, oil or sauces.
For Madam Kamsinah, keeping her diet clean has become more important as she grows older. It’s a way for her to manage her diabetes and high blood pressure, besides being part of the national preventive health programme Healthier SG.
The programme encourages Singapore residents aged 40 and above to register with a family clinic or polyclinic to take personalised steps towards preventive care. It also supports those with chronic conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension in managing their long-term health.
Madam Kamsinah checks in with her doctor at Bukit Batok Polyclinic every six months.
At a recent appointment, “my doctor was happy that my weight has gone down,” she shares. “My blood pressure and diabetes are also (under control).”
Encouraged by the positive results, Madam Kamsinah is motivated to keep up her healthy eating habits.
“When I was younger, I never thought about sickness or death. But now, (I know) if I want to live longer, I must eat healthy.”
Watch the video
Finding joy together
For Madam Chew Ah Tee (pictured in red), 84, sharing experiences with others makes staying active more meaningful.
That’s why she looks forward to Tuesday mornings.
Since February 2022, she has been leading weekly dance sessions at the AAC at Wellington Circle near her home, guiding about 20 fellow seniors through simple choreography.
Madam Chew was certified as a dance coach after completing a “train-the-trainer” course in September 2021. The originally three-month programme was stretched to nine months after being interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the Tuesday sessions, Madam Chew also teaches participants how to move safely from chair to floor and back again. It’s an important skill that could be vital in the event of a fall, she says.
A widow with four adult children, Madam Chew shares that she used to be more reserved. “Last time, I would just keep quiet and not initiate conversation.”
She credits the exercise sessions at the AACs for helping her open up. “I’m not so afraid of talking to strangers anymore.”
She adds: “I’m most happy when I see my students improve. After I teach, we can all dance together. That makes me very happy.”
She currently lives in a four-room HDB flat in Wellington Circle with her daughter, 55, who is single. The AAC, which is just a few minutes’ walk away, has become her second home.
Most mornings, Madam Chew is there for activities like zumba and Gym Tonic, a senior-friendly strength training programme that is designed to be gentler on the joints.
She returns home to cook her own lunch, but is often back at the centre in the afternoon to catch up with friends over free coffee.
“My four kids (often) joke that my schedule is busier than theirs,” she laughs.
Since losing her husband last year, the friendships she’s built at the centre have become more important. “(It’s good to) have people to hang out and chit-chat with,” Madam Chew says.
Heart for helping
On the fourth-floor breezy rooftop of Frontier Community Club in Jurong West, 30 seniors move in rhythm to energising K-pop music.
Among them is Mr Daniel Foo (pictured in black), 60, who’s also keeping a close watch on the group. He’s ready to step in if anyone appears unwell.
At times, he gently reminds those who need extra support to hold on to a chair.
Before the dancing begins, Mr Foo would measure all participants’ blood pressure to ensure it is not elevated, or below 140/90mmHg.
Half the group are stroke survivors. For them, this weekly session is more than just a fun workout – it’s also part of their recovery journey.
The class is organised by Stroke Support Station (S3), a non-profit organisation that offers rehabilitation to post-discharge stroke patients.
Mr Foo supports the class as a volunteer under AIC’s Silver Guardian programme. Launched in 2024, the initiative pairs volunteers with roles based on their interests and skills.
New volunteers undergo a full-day training by AIC before being assigned to an AAC near their homes. They help with facilitating centre activities and reaching out to seniors living nearby.
Though focused on senior volunteers, the Silver Guardians programme is open to all aged 18 and above.
Mr Foo, who also works as a freelance tuition teacher, chooses to support S3 for deeply personal reasons.
His father suffered a stroke that left him bedridden for seven years before dying in 2000.
“During (that period), we had a lot of help from social service agencies,” he recalls. “(Now), I want to give back.”
He hopes more people would be inspired to step forward as volunteers too, even if they’re unsure of what they can offer.
“Even small tasks (make a difference),” he says, and that it’s the heart that matters.