Ageing well
A gerontology programme that caters to seniors rather than social work practitioners.
The programme has six sessions and one field trip to do volunteer work in the community.
Seniors can get a better understanding of active ageing topics and its related issues in a practical Social Gerontology programme called “I’m Senior & I’m Loving It”. An initiative which got started in January by the Council for Third Age (C3A) and organised by Fei Yue Community Services (FYCS), those 50 and above learn how to live life to the fullest, improve their memory, prevent and manage chronic diseases, maintain good intergenerational relationships, fitness and nutrition, as well as active ageing policies.
The English programme which costs S$50 is packed into six sessions of 3.5 hours each and one field trip to do volunteer work in the community. The programme has already equipped 50 seniors (the oldest being 72) during its first sessions and is calling for more seniors for its second round of sessions at Tiong Bahru and Bishan, which will start this month.
Shared past participant Ellen Cheng, 64, “Knowledge gives power to ageing well when equipped with the enlightening information presented and digested throughout the course.”
More workshops are planned for each month.
Another past participant 61-year-old Charles Gerard felt the programme is relevant to his profession as a physician, in that he can practise what he have learnt about the elderly and understand them better. He was so committed to the learning process that during one workshop, he closed his clinic for a short time so he could attend.
According to FYCS, it will be organising more workshops every month. C3A also hopes some statutory boards will replicate this programme for their mature workers, and that VWOs and community centres will then follow suit. For seniors interested in taking part in the upcoming or future workshop, contact Chloe Eio at FYCS at 6593 6455 or e-mail to: chloeeio@fycs.org.
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