An artist's impression of a therapeutic garden at Chong Boon Heights with sensory planting and spaces for contemplative activities. - Photo illustration: A D Lab Pte Ltd
SINGAPORE: Around 24,000 seniors across 26 precincts in Singapore will be able to enjoy neighbourhood upgrades like gardens and fitness trails by 2029, to help them age more comfortably in the community.
The effort is part of the Housing Board’s new Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP) which focuses on upgrading works in precincts that have higher densities of seniors but which may not qualify for the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), said Minister for National Development Desmond Lee on Sunday (Aug 25).
The NRP, introduced in 2007, upgrades flats and spruces up neighbourhoods with amenities like covered linkways and fitness corners.
Future projects under the NRP will include more senior-friendly amenities that allow the elderly to stay active and safe in their neighbourhoods, it was announced in Parliament in March.
Lee said that some older HDB precincts already underwent estate upgrading programmes in the past, and do not qualify for NRP.
“But some of these precincts, as we have checked, are home to many seniors who will benefit from senior-friendly enhancements,” he said.
The silver upgrading works under the new programme will be carried out for these precincts, Lee said.
HDB said the cost of the SUP will vary from precinct to precinct, as the improvements will be tailored to each precinct.
Overall, the Ministry of National Development will spend S$600 million on Age Well SG initiatives, including SUP, to help seniors age actively and independently in their communities.
The upgrades, which are fully funded by the Government, will start with four precincts in Chong Boon in the second quarter of 2025.
The programme will subsequently be extended to 22 other older precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Queenstown and Toa Payoh over the next five years, with all works estimated to be completed by 2029.
Speaking at a community walk in Ang Mo Kio, Lee said seniors can look forward to new active ageing amenities such as therapeutic gardens and fitness trails, as well as more barrier-free access ramps, and rest points along linkways.
HDB will work with other agency partners like the Land Transport Authority, Agency for Integrated Care, National Parks Board and SportSG to coordinate improvement works, coordinate senior-related initiatives and share design practices relevant to the enhancement works.
The new initiative is in line with nationwide programme Age Well SG, which was launched in 2023 to better support seniors to age actively and independently at home and in the community.
About one in five Singaporeans is aged 65 and older. By 2030, this proportion will go up to around one in four citizens.
As Singapore residents grow older, their needs will change, Lee said.
The Government is making a bigger, more concerted push to improve the physical living environment for seniors in Singapore, he added.
For example, a wider range of senior-friendly fittings in HDB homes was made available with the launch of an improved version of the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme in April.
This includes foldable shower seats and handrails at flat entrances with steps.
For the Silver Upgrading Programme, residents will be engaged to better understand their needs and seek views on the enhancements they hope to see in their neighbourhoods.
Some 30 seniors participated in a Community Improvement Walk on Aug 25 and gave ideas on what they hope to see in the enhancements within the Chong Boon precincts.
Part-time cashier Shanti Thavamani, 65, rides a mobility device around the neighbourhood on most days as she has pain in her legs.
In the past five years, more ramps have been built in the area, making it easier to move around, she pointed out.
In the upcoming upgrading programme, she hopes for more anti-slip features for slippery floors in the precinct as she finds it hard to walk on these floors on days when she does not use her mobility device.
Roslan Pane Anwar, 55, hopes to see more amenities in the area that can allow bonding between generations.
The warehouse supervisor has lived in the Chong Boon area for 25 years, and has five children and one grandchild.
He said that three-generation playgrounds, which combine play areas for children and fitness equipment for adults and seniors, would be a great addition to the neighbourhood.
“I want to have an area where grandparents and grandchildren can spend time together in the neighbourhood and make memories,” he added. - The Straits Times/ANN
