Need for more wellness centres catering to the elderly

ActiveSG, under Sport Singapore, offers seniors aged 55 years and above a top-up in addition to the usual ActiveSG entitlement to use the MyActiveGym, as part of the SG50 Seniors Package. Thereafter, if they wish to continue, a senior concession membership fee applies depending on whether it is peak or off-peak hours.

However, most of the ActiveSG gyms are packed with younger people. Those who are 60 years and above may find it hard to adapt to an environment full of youngsters, who are fitter and train at a faster pace with their peers of the same age group.

Seniors may feel alienated when they do not have peers of their own age around. This is where centres such as St Luke’s Eldercare’s wellness centres for seniors at HDB void decks can come in. St Luke’s centres can be accessed at affordable rates, but do not cover the entire island.

I happened to visit one centre in the central part of Singapore and was impressed with the no-frills equipment specially designed for the elderly. I could see that these seniors enjoyed every moment exercising in one another’s company.

To encourage seniors to be active, we must consider their age and whether they feel comfortable exercising among younger people. Otherwise, regardless of how attractive the ActiveSG gyms are, they will rarely be used by seniors.

Seniors may also not wish to travel far and therefore, St Luke’s centres may be a better option if these are closer to their homes.

Hence, the Agency for Integrated Care should work with St Luke’s to build more of such centres in neighbourhoods, perhaps with funding support from the state.

The Ministry of National Development and the Housing and Development Board should also open up more void-deck spaces and rent them out at special rates to let St Luke’s run the centres affordably as a non-profit organisation.

Recently, the Port of Singapore Authority donated S$1.5 million to St Luke’s Eldercare to set up new facilities for seniors.

This is a good start, and our Government should get involved in funding more such projects together with other volunteer groups to promote health and fitness among seniors.

As our ageing population continues to grow with the declining birth rate, keeping seniors fit and healthy is the cheapest medicine without the need to use the Pioneer Generation card for visits to the doctor.