The ageing population of Singapore is particularly at risk for depression, according to Channel News Asia. Some areas of the city are enabling the elderly to receive some extra assistance with their grocery shopping, housecleaning, and other aspects of everyday life. Without that vital help, older Singaporeans may succumb to sadness, exhaustion, and depression brought on by their inability to keep up with common tasks. Discover how a little extra care and compassion can make a difference in these elderly citizens’ lives.
A Health Ministry Initiative
In the Kallang Whampoa constituency, a group of individuals are stepping forward to provide a variety of services for the senior community. The Kwong Wai Shu Community Care Centre is transforming into an Active Ageing Hub, one of Singapore’s first such locations. The initiative is linked to the Health Ministry’s push for better physical and mental health in Singapore. The Hub functions as a branch of the Kwong Wai Shu Hospital, which has spent 106 years ensuring better health for the community.
Resources and Care
The Active Ageing Hub will be a one-stop shop for seniors, whether they need daytime care, rehabilitation, home care, or treatment at a traditional Chinese medicine clinic. Also included in the complex are spaces for hair care and personal care. A karaoke spot offers entertainment, while a daytime activity area with beach-themed decor lifts the spirits of lonely or depressed seniors. A garden at the Hub provides sensory stimulation and refreshment, particularly for elderly visitors suffering from anxiety or dementia.
Patient Transitions
The Active Ageing Hub will also be a place of help for elderly patients who have spent time in the hospital and are transitioning back into their lives at home. The Hub offers physical therapy, shopping assistance, and housekeeping help for these recovering seniors, guiding them to more independent living as their health improves.
The Inevitable Decline
Along with ailing physical health, seniors often suffer a decline in mental health. The mind grows old as the body’s health wanes, and dementia and other ailments begin to take their toll. Feelings of loneliness, sadness, and helplessness can make this phase of life a painful one for the elderly. That’s why it is vital to seek out good mental health care for your ageing loved ones.
Friendly faces, assistance with daily tasks, effective therapy, and good medical care can go far towards improving a senior’s state of mind. When someone is depressed, no matter what their age may be, taking a walk or visiting a garden can do wonders for the spirit. The exercise, combined with the exposure to living, growing things, calms anxiety and refreshes the mind.
If an elderly person in your life is suffering from loneliness, anxiety, and depression, consider bringing them to Adelphi Psych Medicine Clinic. Our Singapore psychiatrists are caring, kind, and experienced, and they can provide counselling and other support services to ease your loved one’s mental distress and help them cope with new challenges. With help from our friendly staff and skilled Singapore psychologists, your senior relative may feel like a younger, happier person.
News Feed from Adelphi Psych Medicine Clinic
Source: Channel News Asia, 3 December,2016
