NTUC Health launches digital platform to bring active ageing programmes online

SINGAPORE: Coconut milk is a key ingredient in chendol, but Madam Doreen Ong has found a healthier substitute: sugarless soy milk. 

She also adds chia seeds to the traditional dessert, part of her effort to show fellow seniors that familiar Singapore dishes can be made healthier without losing their character. 

“(In) soya-based milk … they can get more protein, as well as omega-3,” the 60-year-old said. “In my cooking and baking, I try to introduce a little bit of superfoods and healthier versions.” 

Mdm Ong is a senior volunteer at NTUC Health’s active ageing centres (AACs), where she conducts cooking programmes for fellow seniors. 

Her demonstrations will now be able to reach seniors beyond those attending in person, under a new livestreaming initiative by NTUC Health. 

The Digital Active Ageing Platform, a web-based programme accessible at getsetup.sg, was launched on Sunday (Sep 27), as the social enterprise seeks to make activities at its AACs more accessible.

Seniors who need help registering for the website can visit any of NTUC Health’s 27 active ageing centres or write in to the organisation.

It will offer livestreamed programmes such as cooking, exercise and sewing classes, as well as talks on topics such as health and emotional well-being. Sessions will also be recorded so seniors can watch them at their convenience. 

NTUC Health aims to reach 10,000 seniors through the platform over the next two years.

The initiative will complement its network of 27 AACs, particularly for seniors who may not be able to attend programmes in person because of work, caregiving responsibilities or other commitments.

Dr Lily Yeo, head of NTUC Health Active Ageing Centres, said the organisation has also received feedback that space at some centres is limited, meaning seniors have not always been able to secure places in popular programmes.

“By getting onto a digital platform, it helped us to be able to serve this group of seniors, to support them in terms of staying connected together within that community,” she said.

The platform was launched alongside the official opening of NTUC Health Active Ageing Centre (Care) in Geylang Serai.

The centre houses the first of four livestream studios that NTUC Health plans to establish across Singapore.

The other three studios, slated to begin livestreaming next year, will serve clusters in the north, south and west. Programmes conducted at one studio will be broadcast to seniors elsewhere.

The platform also allows seniors to join and participate in interest and community groups from an AAC or from home. 

SENIORS LEADING SENIORS 

The organisation is recruiting more senior volunteers to serve as guides, facilitators and community leaders, conducting programmes and sharing their skills with their peers online. 

Mdm Ong hopes the digital platform will allow her to share her approach to healthier cooking with more seniors. 

She said concerns about the prevalence of diabetes and high blood sugar among older people spurred her to experiment with healthier ingredients in her cooking and baking of local dishes. 

“It's my dream to share my skills and my knowledge on how to use different ingredients to make authentic food that we have in Singapore,” she added. 

Beyond cooking, Mdm Ong takes part in sports and other activities at the AACs, including dragon boating. She is also keen to share exercise sessions through the digital platform. 

A lifelong learner, she has used her SkillsFuture credits to upgrade her skills, including in training and baking. She believes seniors are increasingly comfortable learning through digital platforms. 

“Older people are using a lot of digital platforms such as YouTube and TikTok,” she said. “So, why not we come up with a platform that is healthier and more positive, and they can make use of it to learn to stay active?” 

BRINGING YOUTHS & SENIORS TOGETHER 

Youths will also be involved in programmes delivered through the digital platform. 

In July, NTUC Health rolled out its Youth-to-Senior (Y2S) initiative, which gives young people hands-on experience in community-based eldercare. They help plan and conduct social, wellness and engagement programmes that promote healthy and active ageing. 

Dr Yeo said the initiative has shown that seniors enjoy taking part in activities alongside younger people. 

“Through this experience, we discovered that seniors really love doing things together with the youth,” she said, adding that this has helped create a more “family-like, home-like environment” at the centres. 

Rather than having young people simply organise activities for seniors, NTUC Health wants both generations to contribute their skills and experiences, she added. 

Seniors can draw on their life experiences and strengths to lead and support others, while younger participants can introduce new activities and help seniors become more familiar with technology. 

“It’s not about youth doing things for seniors, but youth and seniors working together,” Dr Yeo said. 

NTUC Health eventually aims to digitalise programmes across all 27 of its active ageing centres, giving more seniors the flexibility to take part while staying connected to their communities.