New active ageing centre in Jurong West welcomes those in their 40s
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Health Minister Ong Ye Kung (in purple) interacting with seniors working out at the Longevity Courtyard of Glow (Nanyang) at the centre's launch on Nov 15.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
- Jurong West's Glow centre targets ages 40+ to promote early active ageing, featuring senior-friendly gym equipment alongside options like battle ropes.
- Glow uses AI to detect social isolation and health decline risks, with AI companions on WhatsApp providing health check-ins and activity suggestions.
- Minister Ong Ye Kung highlights active ageing centres' importance in preventing isolation-related deaths and managing senior health, advocating volunteer outreach.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – While active ageing centres typically cater to seniors aged 60 and above, a new centre in Jurong West aims to flip the script by opening some programmes to people in their 40s to introduce them early to the concept of active ageing.
At the new Glow (Nanyang), operated by Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore), the Longevity Courtyard – a wellness studio created together with fitness equipment provider Hur Solutions – features not just senior-friendly gym equipment, but also battle ropes and a boxing machine for younger users.
About 30 per cent of the studio’s capacity is also set aside for those in their 40s to train and bond with their parents, said Mr Lee Weng Foo, acting community care manager at Tzu-Chi.
People in this age group often first step into such centres for the first time when accompanying their elderly parents, he noted, describing this as the perfect opportunity to introduce them to the concept of active ageing early.
“We take the opportunity to explain to these ‘younger seniors’ – who may, in another 10 years or so, become seniors themselves – how to eat healthily and how to stay active, so that they keep up a healthy lifestyle and do not come to us as frail seniors when they are 60,” said Mr Lee.
There are currently more than 220 active ageing centres islandwide, which provide opportunities for senior citizens to stay physically and mentally active, as well as explore interests and meet other seniors.
Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, who spoke at the launch of Glow on Nov 15, said active ageing centres play an important role in managing the health of seniors.
He suggested Tzu-Chi could work with the National University Health System – the public healthcare cluster serving the west of Singapore – to have a community health post operate at the centre at least once a week.
Mr Ong also said such centres could tap grassroots volunteers to reach out to seniors to ensure they are not living in isolation.
Citing the case of one senior in his constituency who died at home alone, Mr Ong said that volunteers had approached the man at his home, but he had asked to be left alone.
“This is the kind of senior you must disturb,” he said, noting that they are at greater risk of dying alone.
Located at the void deck of Block 706 Jurong West Street 71, the 220 sq m Glow – short for Go! Live Outrageously Well – is an extension of another Tzu-Chi centre.
This centre is called the Seniors Engagement & Enabling Node, or Seen, and is located about 400m away at Block 712B.
Glow is also adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance care for seniors and promote early intervention for them in the community.
Under Project April – an initiative with mobile app development studio WeesWares – AI algorithms will identify seniors at risk of social isolation or health decline.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung (in purple) and West Coast-Jurong West GRC MP Ang Wei Neng (in green) joining seniors in yoga drumming at the opening of the Glow (Nanyang) active ageing centre.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Residents are assessed for their health status and physical ability, and changes such as reductions in the frequency or duration of their activities are tracked.
This allows the platform to detect early signs of decline and identify those at risk, as well shape personalised care plans for seniors.
To complement these efforts, an AI buddy in their mobile devices will act as a digital companion for seniors living alone.
Another AI-powered initiative, carried out in collaboration with start-up Marymount Labs, provides health check-ins and activity recommendations for seniors via WhatsApp.
The AI will use analytics to learn what messages resonate best with seniors, as well as adjust its tone to be more encouraging should it detect hesitancy.
Mr Ang Wei Neng, the MP for the Nanyang division of West Coast-Jurong West GRC, suggested that the new centre could do more to reach out to male seniors, who typically make up only a small percentage of those attending programmes at such centres.
The launch event also saw Tzu-Chi sign an agreement with the National University of Singapore’s Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies on a research project on the use of technology such as digital games, in addition to caregiver support, to help frail seniors stay active and healthy at home.
The foundation will also partner the Singapore University of Social Sciences and Nanyang Polytechnic in creating training programmes and service-learning initiatives for both students and seniors.
