Helping Seniors Gain Newfound Confidence & Happiness

When Mdm Ivy How, 66, was younger, she used to work as a beauty and makeup artist. However, after having children, she decided to stop working to take care of them full-time. Many years later, she is now able to put her skills to good use by volunteering makeup services for the elderly residents of Ren Ci Hospital’s nursing home in Ang Mo Kio.

 

As part of the Memory Makeover Programme, Mdm How visits the home once a month on a Tuesday with other senior volunteers to provide makeup services. She shares that even though some of the seniors are initially shy and reluctant to put on makeup at first, they all end up in a much better mood after the whole experience.

 

Mdm How said, “Some seniors are very shy at first, they will say that ‘Oh, when people are old, they don’t need makeup’, and some may think, ‘It's not any special occasion, why do you need makeup?'”

 

However, after seeing how youthful they look, they start reminiscing about their younger days and begin openly sharing stories about their youth.

 

Mdm How adds that even though putting on makeup for the seniors is quite a simple process and doesn’t take a lot of time, the joy and happiness that it brings more than makes up for the effort.

 

Makeup can help to build self-confidence 

 

The benefits of good grooming and the confidence gained by putting on makeup is backed by research. According to research done in Japan, such activities helped the elderly to not only strike up conversations with others, but also strengthen their brain activity and reduce the onset of dementia.

 

The Memory Makeover Programme aims to help seniors reminisce the past, recreate beautiful memories and bring about laughter through makeup, photography and scrapbooking.

 

The programme doesn’t end after the makeup session. From there, volunteers will spend about two hours to take personal and group photos for the home’s residents. After processing the photos, they come back on another day to review the photos and create a commemorative scrapbook together with the seniors.

 

The programme so far has been very well received, not only by the residents but by their family members as well. The home’s residents have responded enthusiastically to dressing up, and enjoy looking at photos that remind them of the good old days. Additionally, the scrapbook also provides a good platform for residents to share with family members stories about their past.

 

Volunteering benefits both the giver and the recipient

 

Prior to starting the programme, Mdm How and the other volunteers signed up for several courses to better prepare and equip themselves. The first was a basic makeup course under Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ). For her, it was a good refresher to review the steps of applying foundation, concealer, powder, as well as the techniques of eyebrow drawing and applying lipstick.

 

The volunteers also took up classes on communicating techniques with seniors and how to care for them. For Mdm How, this was not unfamiliar for her, as she already had prior experience being the caregiver for her mother. Moreover, she is able to speak Cantonese and Hokkien, which makes it easy for her to communicate with seniors.

 

Sharing some of her own advice, Mdm How says, “Some seniors will repeat their speech or can't speak clearly, but it doesn't matter. As long as we listen patiently, chat and talk with them, they will be very happy.”

 

Being a volunteer not only brings joy to others, but also benefits the individual. This was certainly evident in Mdm How’s case.

 

She shared that with her children all grown up, she found that she had more spare time, and had begun thinking about volunteer work. Hence, when a friend introduced her to En Community Services Society two years ago, she promptly jumped at the opportunity.

 

Today, she finds that the variety of voluntary activities that she does has made her life more fulfilling and meaningful.  

 

“I’ve made a lot of new friends and expanded my social circle. [In addition to providing makeup services,] we would rehearse and sing and dance together, and present entertainment programmes in nursing homes. Sometimes we would go to nursing homes to chat and joke with the elderly. I am really very happy to be able to bring joy to the elderly.”

 

Becoming a volunteer

 

If you’re thinking of becoming a volunteer, but are worried about the commitment, you’ll be glad to know that you do not need specialised knowledge or a lot of time. You can also choose the kind of voluntary work that best suits your interests or skillsets.

 

If your hobby is cooking or gardening, you can share your knowledge and experience in this area with other seniors; or if you like sports, you may wish to help organise activities, or guide and assist other seniors who need care.

 

Volunteering not only allows seniors to give back to the society, but also makes life more meaningful as you keep connected and continue to live an active life. Older volunteers can become good role models for young people and contribute to society, regardless of their age.

 

About Senior Volunteering Opportunities

 

• The Ministry of Health established the Silver Volunteer Fund (SVF) in 2016 to support community partners in creating volunteer opportunities for individuals aged 50 and above.

 

• The volunteer programmes supported include health and wellness, arts and heritage, horticulture and the environment, as well as learning and community development.

 

• En Community Services Society offers volunteering programmes. To sign up as a volunteer, call 6788-6625 (Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm), or visit www.ecss.org.sg for details.

 

• Call the C3A hotline at 6478-5029 (Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm, excluding public holidays) or visit www.c3a.org.sg/volunteerism to learn more about the other volunteering opportunities for seniors.