New community healthcare centre in Yishun to provide free massages for seniors and caregivers

SINGAPORE — With its bright cheery colours and the smell of freshly brewed coffee, you would be forgiven for mistaking the Republic’s first centre to offer multi-sensory care to seniors and their caregivers as a new cafe.

However, a peek beyond the neat round tables and coffee counter reveals a room bathed in a warm orange glow.

Here, the aroma of coffee quickly gives way to the comforting scent of lavender as residents from Nee Soon South recline in cosy armchairs while they receive hand and leg massages.

Nestled under Block 838 at Yishun Street 81, the GoodLife!@Yishun centre was officially opened on Sunday (Nov 25) by Nee Soon GRC Members of Parliament Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr K Shanmugam.

Situated just across Khatib MRT station, the centre is run by volunteer welfare organisation Montfort Care and supported by the community.

It is touted as the first in Singapore to offer aromatherapy services for seniors and their caregivers. GoodLife! is the eldercare arm of Montfort Care.

“At this centre, professionals from Montfort Care will help the elderly stay healthy physically and mentally and help to reduce caregivers’ burdens,” said Dr Lee.

The idea of running an aromatherapy centre came about when Montfort Care CEO, Mr Samuel Ng shared with Dr Lee about a similar concept in Taiwan.

“I thought why not. This is another way of helping our residents so that the caregivers will have time to recover and relax,” she said.

Mr Kevin See, the Assistant Programme Manager at GoodLife!@Yishun, said that close to S$500,000 was raised through a golf charity event and a dinner, of which about S$300,000 was used to fund the renovation to turn a former kindergarten into the community healthcare centre.

A team of 56 volunteers from Montfort Care’s Young At Heart (YAH) community outreach programme for seniors, together with staff members from the organisation, take turns manning the centre.

Out of these volunteers, 16 of them are trained as massage therapists.

Mr See said the volunteers are also trained to sensitively ask questions so that those they interact with, such as caregivers, can feel comfortable in raising any issues they might be facing.

“What is important to us is the conversation that takes place,” he said.

One volunteer massage therapist who was eager to strike up a conversation with his clients is 80-year-old Chow Kong Wee.

The long-time YAH volunteer jumped at the opportunity to learn something new, and even used his SkillsFuture credits to further improve his massage techniques.

“As a retiree, it’s so boring staying at home. Here I can make new friends while making others feel good,” said Mr Chow in Mandarin.

While his regular therapist was not on duty on Sunday, 92-year-old Low Tuck Seng said that the techniques used at the centre were “very good” after receiving a massage from Mr Chow.

“I feel more relaxed,” said Mr Low, who added that he felt relieved from his muscle aches and tension in the body and even claims his mobility has improved ever since he started his fortnightly visits to the centre.

Ms Sally Low, who has been diagnosed with stage four cancer and is also the sole caregiver to her mother who suffers from dementia, said the aromatherapy sessions have helped her to relax.

Apart from alleviating the numbness in her hands - a side effect from her cancer - when she receives a hand massage, the 47-year-old student care officer added that the pleasant aroma from the essential oils also helps her to “feel good”.

The GoodLife!@Yishun is open every weekday from 9am to 6pm. While it is closed over the weekend, its operating hours will be extended to 9pm on the last Wednesday of each month.

The centre is open to all members of the public, but those utilising the aromatherapy service will first be interviewed by a staff member.