Making the Silver Years Meaningful

All of us dream of a happy retirement. One where we get to indulge in hobbies we have always loved and spend quality time with loved ones, especially grandchildren.

 

Since a friend introduced them to NTUC Health’s Active Ageing Hub (AAH) in Kampung Admiralty, retirees Mr Poo Chee Chiang, 74, and his wife, Mdm Hen Yin Cheng, 71, have discovered a new facet to their silver years with like-minded seniors.

 

AAH is an integrated retirement community, designed as a social platform for retirees to come together, engage in activities and find purpose by giving back as volunteers. They can do this either by helping out at the senior care centre for older, more frail seniors, or by organising activities for fellow retirees.

 

Ever since they were introduced to the centre, the couple have found a new spark and a sense of purpose in their daily routines. They now spend as much as five days of their week at the centre located in Kampong Admiralty engaging with other seniors and volunteers in a whole range of activities, such as painting, dancing, and even reading with children from the neighbouring childcare centre.

 

“Being at AAH is better than being at home. We’ll get bored and end up watching movies on our handphones. Watching too much is also bad for our eyes,” shared Mdm Hen.

 

“Coming to AAH, there are a lot more people. I saw what they were doing and found it very interesting,” shared Mdm Hen, who particularly enjoys the line dancing activities.

 

Mr Poo, agrees, saying that there’s a certain energy that comes with doing things with a group of people. “If we were to do things on our own, it becomes easy to lose interest,” he says.

 

A favourite activity for the couple is the intergenerational programme, where seniors get to interact with children. These engagements range from reading together to making craft and even cooking together.

 

“Reading with the children feels just like I am spending time with my own grandchildren. It makes me feel good and very happy. It stirs up a lot of warm feelings,” said Mr Poo.

 

As volunteers, Mr Poo and Mdm Hen do much more than simply taking part in the AAH’s activities. They also play an active part in organising activities for fellow seniors, as well as taking care of frail seniors at NTUC Health’s senior care centre.

 

For Mdm Hen, she has been able to put to good use her 20 years of experience in Cantonese Opera to teach seniors, ranging from their 60s to the 80s, to sing. 

 

“I feel great satisfaction in being able to spread the love for Cantonese Opera. I’ve always wanted to bring joy to the elderly with my talent. So, as long as they are happy, I feel very fulfilled and satisfied,” she says.

 

Seniors Give Back

 

While they get to enjoy facilities and activities at AAH for free, seniors like Mr Poo and Mdm Hen also volunteer their time to help with different activities. This includes the care of frail seniors at NTUC Health’s senior care centre.

 

Sharing a similar experience was 63-year-old Mdm Janet Wai. Since finding out about the AAH six months ago, Janet has been spending her weekdays at the AAH to share her knowledge and passion for baking with the retirees there through cooking demonstrations and lessons.

 

“I wanted to do charity work when I retired. I knew that there was a senior care centre on the seventh floor of Kampung Admiralty where I could volunteer. And then when I saw the big kitchen, I really felt in love with the Active Ageing Hub because I enjoy cooking and baking. Coming here, I can share my knowledge and we can bake and make cakes and desserts together,” she said.

 

Joking that the AAH has become her second home, Janet said that the AAH has become a catalyst for people like her and those at the centre to lead more active, engaged lifestyles.

 

“I’m not sure if it is because of our age, but everyone here can get along, chat, eat and play rummy-o together. There are no squabbles and we get to spend our time happily together with each other every day,” added Janet.

 

Seniors Helping Seniors

 

Looking at the examples of Mr Poo, Mdm Hen and Janet, it’s quite obvious that the benefits of volunteerism flows both ways. NTUC Health Programme Manager, Chai Chee Mei, further notes that what makes the arrangement at AAH even more unique is the fact that the volunteers are made up of seniors themselves.

 

She explains, “A lot of the times, the ideas for the activities come from the seniors themselves… The ideas come from them. The passion come from them. What makes it special is that these volunteers are tapping on their own life experiences and life skills to contribute to a greater good.”

 

Content attribution to original source: Reproduced with permission from Majority Media Pte Ltd.