NTUC Eldercare officially opened its second Senior Activity Centre (SAC), Silver ACE @ Redhill today. The event was graced by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong, Grassroots Advisor, MP for Radin Mas SMC and Mayor of Central Singapore District, Mr Lim Boon Heng, Chairman of NTUC Eldercare, and other community partners.
The new Silver ACE @ Redhill will serve the needy seniors living in designated clusters of HDB rental blocks in Redhill - Blocks 71 and 72 at Redhill Road and Block 78 at Redhill Lane. These blocks house an estimated 350 seniors. Prior to the opening, a survey was done by NTUC Eldercare to find out more about the profile of the seniors living in the area, so that the centre can better customise its services to these seniors.
Based on the response from more than 75% of the 350 seniors, key findings from the survey show that:
In response to the findings, NTUC Eldercare plans to
Five Other New Senior Activity Centres To Be Opened In Next Two Years
On 7 Oct 2011, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) announced its plans to provide more resources and support to community-based eldercare services, especially those for the lower-income elderly, by increasing funding for Day Care Centres, Home Help Services and Seniors Activity Centres. The intention is to extend the reach and affordability of these services to more seniors.
As a significant provider in eldercare services, NTUC Eldercare plans to proactively expand its services in the area of SACs. Aside the two existing centres, there are plans to set up another five or more SACs in the next two years, which translates to a total outreach of at least 3,200 seniors around the island by end 2013. The next five SACs are expected to be located at Bukit Merah, Lengkok Bahru, Taman Jurong, Telok Blangah and Whampoa. The first Senior Activity Centre by NTUC Eldercare is currently located at its Henderson Senior Citizens’ Home, serving the seniors staying in the rental units of Blk 117 Bukit Merah View.
Mr Tan Han Chiew, 64 years old, shared about how he benefited from the SAC at Henderson Senior Citizens’ Home. He said, “A few years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer but I continue to participate actively in the SAC at Henderson Senior Citizens’ Home. I take part in the daily exercise activities and outings and eventually became a regular volunteer in the centre. I feel happier and healthier as a result. Recently, the doctor told me that my cancer is under control and I am so glad to be able to continue to help out in the centre.”
The SACs serve as an information and referral counter which can provide needed and timely advice or help to primarily the seniors (60 years old and above) who live in the identified clusters. They will also organise activities and programmes to engage the seniors socially.
U Care Fund Donated $1 Million to NTUC Eldercare Trust
The expansion of the range of eldercare services is in line with the Government’s objective of helping seniors “age-in-place”. To show its support towards this purpose as well as to help the needy elderly in our community, the Labour Movement’s U Care Fund will be donating $1 million to the NTUC Eldercare Trust. It is estimated that half of this $1 million donation will go towards enhancing NTUC Eldercare’s current day care & home care services. The remaining balance will go towards subsidising part of the fees, making it affordable for low-middle income families who enroll their seniors in the programmes.
The key donors who made this meaningful donation possible are the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Singapore Labour Foundation, ComfortDelGro Corporation, NTUC FairPrice Foundation, NTUC Choice Homes, and the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union.
NTUC Care and Share Director, Mr Zainudin Nordin, said, “We have been supporting the NTUC Eldercare Trust since 2004 because we believe strongly in its purpose, that every senior should be given an opportunity to age actively and purposefully. We are glad that NTUC Eldercare will be putting the $1 million donation from the U Care Fund to good use, in terms of its expansion plans and helping more seniors to afford community-based eldercare services.”
Labour Movement Continues To ‘Do Good’ As A Family
At today’s event, free soups sponsored by Dian Xiao Er, a chinese restaurant were given out to the seniors present. As an ongoing effort, Dian Xiao Er has also committed to give out 5,000 bowls of soup to the seniors who will be served by both existing and upcoming SACs. Volunteers from NTUC’s U Family will take care of the serving of soup at the centres and delivering them to the doorsteps of the seniors at home.
For a start, U Family has garnered the support of 120 volunteers to help with the distribution of the soups at Redhill for the next four weekends starting from today. Through these activities, U Family wishes to inspire its members with the volunteering spirit and at the same time, encourage more people to volunteer as a family.
It is the mission of NTUC Eldercare to provide a suite of integrated eldercare services, to enable these seniors to age-in-place. But together as a Labour Movement, with the other 11 NTUC social enterprises as well as the communities under NTUC like U Family, greater social impact can be achieved. The common goal remains to continue to ‘Do More Good’ and bring about needed and timely assistance to more people.
About Seniors Activity Centres
Programme Objectives:
Programme Description:
The primary target clientele of the SACs are seniors (60 years old and above) who live in the identified service cluster of the SAC. The SAC manages the Alert Alarm System (AAS), provides information and referral services, organises socio-recreational and keep-fit activities for the seniors. The centre staff also conducts regular visits to the frail, homebound and lonely senior residents.
