Making seniors more aware of environmental issues

SINGAPORE — A programme was launched yesterday to educate elderly residents in central Singapore about environmental issues.

Under the Senior Citizens Outreach and Engagement (SCORE) programme, volunteers will go to the homes of elderly residents, who form about one-third of the population there, and educate them about issues such as reducing trash, anti-littering and dengue prevention.

The 80 volunteers are from the four voluntary welfare organisations and two senior activity centres that have partnered the National Environment Agency and Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC) so far.

They include the Fei Yue Senior Activity Centre and Comfort Keepers, a company that provides home care services for seniors.

Central Singapore CDC Vice-Chairman Lam Pin Min said: “With the dengue epidemic still ongoing, we don’t know how long it will take. Through this initiative, we can take the opportunity to educate senior citizens about the hazards of stagnant water, how to do the Mozzie Wipeout, and ... try to put in as much effort to bring down the incidence of dengue.”

The programme was launched at the CDC’s and NEA’s Clean and Green Singapore Carnival at City Square Mall and hopes to reach out to about 10,000 seniors over a year. MONICA KOTWANI

Updated at 11.20am on Nov 25: The original article said the two senior activity centres had partnered the CDC, and that the programme was launched at the CDC's Clean and Green Singapore Carnival. This is incorrect. The two senior activity centres had partnered the NEA and the CDC, and the programme was launched at the NEA's and CDC's Clean and Green Singapore Carnival.