Activities for seniors move to common spaces like parks and playgrounds for easier access (2025)

SINGAPORE – Seniors here will find it easier to participate in community activities under new initiatives that will see active ageing centres (AACs) carry out their programmes in communal spaces near them or areas such as parks and playgrounds.

These initiatives, announced on April 2 by National Development Minister Desmond Lee and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, will help seniors to stay active and socially connected, especially if they live in areas with fewer facilities.

In a joint release, the Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) said AAC services will be brought closer to more than 20,000 seniors over the next one to two years.

AACs are drop-in social recreational centres that provide support to seniors in the community, offering activities and social connections. Such services include sharing meals, craft activities and exercise sessions.

The move to improve access to AAC programmes comes under Age Well SG, said Mr Ong.

Age Well SG is a national programme led by MOH, MND and the Ministry of Transport to support seniors in ageing well in their homes and their communities.

“Why are we doing all these? We know that for seniors, it is very important. It is not just about seeing doctors, taking vaccinations and going for screenings,” said Mr Ong.

“In our day-to-day lives, having friends and social activities will keep our minds healthy, our hearts young, and our overall well-being at tip-top condition.”

Mr Ong added that his ministry is devoting about $800 million over five years to expand the number of AACs in Singapore, and also to give each centre more resources to organise more activities. Singapore has a total of 223 AACs.

Mr Lee noted how his ministry has been working hard to support MOH in finding spaces for seniors to come together for activities.

“We are very focused on wanting to make sure that all our seniors in Singapore age well and with peace of mind,” said Mr Lee.

“This is not just about treating illnesses, but also about preventative health. Physical well-being, emotional well-being, being socially connected and physically active.”

The ministers were speaking at the launch of Our Residents’ Hub, a pop-up communal facility located at Jalan Mas Kuning playground in West Coast.

Activities for seniors move to common spaces like parks and playgrounds for easier access (1)

The facility, developed in partnership with the Agency for Integrated Care, National Parks Board and People’s Association, will serve as a space for activities like communal dining and even parkour. Seniors can also use the park’s exercise stations to stay active, said the ministries.

Beyond West Coast, similar ways of reaching out to seniors are being rolled out islandwide. The ministries said that in Marine Parade, social service agency Montfort Care will set up an AAC in the MRT station.

Existing AACs have also been stepping up efforts to reach out to seniors. Presbyterian Community Services Hannah AAC, for instance, will trial a “mobile AAC” concept by using vehicles to transport AAC equipment to Anak Bukit parks to conduct activities such as K-pop fitness.

In Sembawang, Blossom Seeds @ East Canberra will conduct exercise sessions at Sembawang Park, while Care Elderly @ Circuit AAC runs weekly Zumba classes at Aljunied Park.

At Braddell View condominium, residents enjoy a variety of activities including karaoke, line dancing, and art and craft sessions.

The ministries also said that the Government is stepping up efforts to make Singapore’s infrastructure more senior-friendly, both within homes and across public and private estates.

This includes the Silver Upgrading Programme and Neighbourhood Renewal Programme to improve infrastructure in Housing Board estates, as well as the Enhancement for Active Seniors 2.0 programme, which subsidises a wide range of senior-friendly features, including grab-bars, slip resistant floors and widened toilet entrances.

The ministries said that for private estates, the first batch is set to benefit under the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) for silver estates, where those with a higher concentration of seniors and which have benefited from EUP some time ago will be selected for senior-friendly enhancements to better support their ageing residents.

They added that MND and the Urban Redevelopment Authority will continue to study more ways to better integrate age-inclusive and senior-friendly features and amenities into estates in Singapore.

“These efforts will be incorporated into the ongoing review for the Draft Master Plan 2025 to ensure a more liveable and inclusive city for our seniors to age actively and independently,” said the ministries.