SINGAPORE — Many elderly persons with chronic conditions often lack the knowledge to ask the right questions about how to better care for themselves. So, a health management programme, following a successful pilot, is being extended to more of these people who make use of community facilities such as Senior Activity Centres (SACs), wellness centres and Family Service Centres.

The programme, called Self-Care on Health for Older Persons in Singapore (SCOPE), is developed by the International Longevity Centre Singapore, and centres on health promotion, disease prevention, health-seeking behaviour and chronic disease management.

Under the programme, seniors are informed about common chronic conditions and health problems such as hypertension, diabetes and their causes.

They are also trained to understand health systems, assess good medical care and how to ask doctors the “right questions”, such as what kind of medication they have been given and how often to take them.

“One in four older persons in Singapore has at least one chronic condition, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and hypertension,” said Mrs Susana Harding, Director of the International Longevity Centre Singapore, an initiative of the Tsao Foundation. “However, most have poor knowledge of self-care practices that can prolong active ageing. Providing health education, particularly to those in high risk of chronic illness, will help improve their knowledge, skills and attitudes in managing their health better.”

With the programme, the centre hopes to improve the elderly’s overall health, lower their utilisation of healthcare facilities, while improving communication between them and healthcare providers.

It will be provided free to seniors and is expected to benefit some 88,000 seniors suffering from chronic conditions.

Some 400 seniors aged 55 and above from 14 SACs across Singapore participated in the two-hourly 28-week pilot which commenced in June last year. It was followed by 10 weekly two-hour long support group sessions, all facilitated by SCOPE Community Health Trainers.

“Besides learning about how to live and eat healthily, I get to interact with other seniors and it makes me happy,” said Madam Kau Yun Pai, 72, a participant.

The programme’s trainers, who are volunteers, undergo four days of training, where they learn about the content, how to deliver it and also observe how their trainers communicate with the elderly.

“For instance, when we speak to the elderly, we should move closer and be more sensitive to body language when we interact with them. We are also taught to ask positive questions,” said Mdm Patti Ho, 70, a trainer.

Currently, there are 16 trainers aged between 47 and 70 who are from various backgrounds such as nursing, social work and physical therapy.

The trainers are selected not only based on educational and professional qualifications but also on their personal motivations, commitment to learning and passion for working with older people.