singaporestudytour2019

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Blog Post #8: Post Exhibition Reflection

Given that our group was the only group that did not conduct a site visit to an elderly care home, our target audience was much broader and the problems we wished to address did not necessarily only affect the elderly in ill health who required the services of a primary healthcare setting. Through interviewing local elderly Singaporeans in a coffee shop (who call themselves the ‘Kopi Khakis’) as well as visiting the rental homes, we found that a problem faced by many elderly people is social isolation and loneliness.

Our group consisted of two nursing students from Australia (including myself), a nursing student from Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), an interactive media design student from NYP and a spatial design student from NYP. Based on our site visits, we all contributed initial ideas to resolve isolation and loneliness. However, designing the layout of the garden and its various components was the specialty of the design students, hence I did not contribute much in that aspect except for the design and drawing of our ‘plant booth’. My main role was collating information from group discussions, summarising our key ideas on our poster while pitching how our initiative will contribute to healthy ageing in Singapore.

The core of our design was inspired by a small garden maintained by the Kopi Khakis. We asked them what they enjoyed about their current garden and what they would like to see improved. As our idea developed, we continued to consult them at the coffee shop for further feedback. We also consulted the co-founder of Kydz International, Ms Carrie Chan, for ideas. Through collaboration with the Kopi Khakis and Carrie Chan, we were given ideas and concerns that we had not considered and managed to incorporate them into our final product, the ‘Garden by the Block’.

Garden by the Block

A new urban garden in the Jalan Besar vicinity designed to improve social engagement and learning among the older residents. Participation in community horticulture can improve social connectedness and help reduce social isolation and depression among elderly. Furthermore, studies have shown that contact with nature has positive impacts on mood and improves sleep quality. (Chan et. al, 2017).

1. Community Garden

The centre of our initiative, our community garden is designed to be a place where the elderly living in nearby rental HDBs can congregate and partake in activities gardening in a communal space. As they face considerable social disengagement, we aim to make the community garden an avenue of social engagement as well as community programmes for them.

Farming Zone

Where the plants are grown in the community garden. Includes elevated garden beds, built-in ramps and wider spaces to accommodate wheelchair users. Each elevated garden bed can be rented out by individuals or groups of people.

Tool Storage Zone

A locked shed where gardening tools such as shovels, spades, rakes and hoes are stored for safety purposes.

Community Zone

Surrounding sofa and table to facilitate interaction between residents.

2. Kiosk

Once you enter the community garden, there is a kiosk. The kiosk is a machine with a touch screen that will:

Dispense different types of seeds

Provide plant information & care tips

Provide information about activities within the community

3. Plant Sharing Booth

A Plant Sharing Booth will be set up in the nearby coffee shops, where some of the potted plants grown in the community garden can be ‘rented’ by the residents. The coffee shop is chosen as the prime location whereby residents frequently have contact with as they come during their meal times. The elderly can feel free to bring home the potted plants but are encouraged to return or exchange for another potted plant for someone else to borrow. Providing residents with a plant they need to attend to at home gives them responsibility and a sense of purpose and brings horticultural into their homes. For those who are not keen to take on the responsibility of a house plant, harvested crops will also be made available for residents to bring home.

In addition, brochures with information on ‘Garden by the Block’ will also be available at the booth. This will encourage the elderly to visit the community garden and socialise with others who have an interest in gardening. Therefore, the elderly residents are given a chance to meet other people with whom they may otherwise never interact. Additionally, the plants can act as a conversation starter between elderly residents as they can give each other tips and strategies to care for the ‘rented’ plants.

We hope that our design proposal will improve social engagement for elderly people living in the community. Our initiative that encourages elderly people to come out of their homes, experience nature and become connected to their local community is a starting point of facilitating healthy ageing in Singapore.

References

Chan, H. Y., Ho, R. C., Mahendran, R., Ng, K. S., Tam, W. W., Rawtaer, I., … Kua, E. H. (2017). Effects of horticultural therapy on                        elderly' health: protocol of a randomized controlled trial. BMC geriatrics, 17(1), 192. doi:10.1186/s12877-017-0588-z

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Blog Post #7: Post-Site Visit Reflection

Our group were assigned to visit a group of retirees (also known as the ‘Kopi Khakis’) at a coffee shop near Lavender MRT; they are a group of approximately 20 retirees aged from 57 to 75 that gather at the coffeeshop almost every day for 1-2 hours. On the day that we interviewed the ‘Kopi Khakis’ there were 6 of them present.

We managed to interview all of the 6 retirees who gathered. Apart from gathering at the coffee shop, they also engaged in fishing trips or outings to Malaysia and Indonesia 2-3 times per month. Most of the interviewees were physically fit, had good relationships with their families and were of high socio-economic status. However, they revealed that the area they resided in had many elderly people living in rental blocks who are less fortunate, and they explained that they faced considerable isolation and loneliness.

One of the retirees offered to bring some of our members around the rental blocks to observe those living in isolation. In these homes, people lived in one room flats for as low as $33 SGD a month. The state of these rental blocks was confronting. In stark contrast to the comfortable lifestyles of the interviewees, the rental blocks were disorganised, unhygienic, cluttered and not easily accessible for the elderly or disabled. We also came to understand that many of these elderly people stayed at home as they were unaware of the activities that are available to engage them.

After the interviews with the retirees at the coffee shop and a tour of the rental blocks, we were invited to the community garden that they maintained as a group. They have slowly developed this garden over time and have a variety of fruits and vegetables. After seeing the garden, we were inspired to create something similar that could be used by the wider community in the local area and encourage community engagement in the elderly.

In the afternoon, our group made our way to KYDZ International. At KYDZ International, our aim was to see how innovative design can provide entertainment not only to children, but to elderly people as well as those affected by dementia. The designs made by KYDZ international were culturally relevant to the elderly Singaporean population and crafted in a way that evoked nostalgia and encouraged conversation. Activities and designs similar to the ones presented at KYDZ international can be utilised to aid in the increasing social isolation and loneliness of our elderly population worldwide. We may incorporate some of the design principles presented by KYDZ international into our design proposal.

Pictured above are some of the activities and games designed and produced by KYDZ International specifically for the elderly population.

From our site visits, the main issue that we found impacted many elderly people in Singapore is social isolation. With declining health that comes as a result of ageing, many elderly people may be reluctant to leave their homes even though they are physically able. We hope to create an initiative that will encourage elderly people to engage with the community and decrease feelings of isolation and loneliness.

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Blog Post #6: Site Visit Prep

Our group is firstly going to visit a coffee shop where retirees gather in order to interview local elderly Singaporeans who may not yet require the health services of a community hospital or nursing home. However, we will be able to ask them what fears that have about ageing and how healthy ageing can be facilitated for them. Afterwards, we will be going to KYDZ International.

Give a brief history of the site you are visiting

KYDZ International is a company started in 2005 that imports and produces educational toys for both children and elderly people (KYDZ International, 2015a). KYDS International decided to expand to creating toys, exercise equipment and cognitive games for the elderly in 2011.

Who runs the site? Is it by a religious group?

The site is run by a married couple and is a family business. KYDZ International is not affiliated with any religious group.

What area of Singapore is the centre located?

KYDZ International is located in Bukit Merah or Redhill in Singapore (KYDZ International, 2015b). Notably, Bukit Merah is one of the areas in Singapore with the highest percentage of people aged 65+ in the country (YourSingaporeMap, 2015).

Is there a predominant cultural group in this area?

The predominant cultural group in Bukit Merah is Chinese, as 80% of the population in the area is of Chinese descent (YourSingaporeMap, 2015).

References

KYDZ International. (2015a). KYDZ - About Us. Retrieved June 13, 2019, from Kydzedu.com website: http://www.kydzedu.com/about

KYDZ International. (2015b). KYDZ - Contact Us. Retrieved June 13, 2019, from Kydzedu.com website: http://www.kydzedu.com/contact

YourSingaporeMap. (2015). Demographics Report of 12 Jalan Bukit Merah Singapore 150012. Retrieved June 13, 2019, from yoursingaporemap.com website: https://yoursingaporemap.com/demographics/12-Jalan-Bukit-Merah-Singapore-150012

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Blog Post #5: Chinatown and Telok Ayer (09/06/2019)

Cultural Custom: Confucianism in Singapore

Several deities are worshipped at Singapore’s Thian Hock Teng temple in Telok Ayer. One of the figures venerated in this temple is Confucius. Confucianism is a highly important aspect of values education for Chinese Singaporeans (Tan, 2013). One of the core values espoused by Confucianism include filial piety, known as xiào (孝), which is the virtue of respecting one’s parents, elders and ancestors—this is an extension of the Confucian value of valuing the needs of others in your group above your own needs. Given the propensity for Westerners to be more individualistic than collectivist, from my observation, I have not seen Confucian values put into practice by many Australians. Confucianism is a core tenet for many elderly Chinese Singaporeans; a consequence of this related to the ageing population is that there is an expectation placed on children to take care of their elderly parents in their old age.

Symbol: Red Lanterns

Made of paper or gauze, red lanterns in Chinese culture are a symbol of prosperity (represented by the colour gold) and vivacity (represented by the colour red). Red lanterns can be found in Singapore in temples and are also hung during important festivals such as Chinese New Year or the Lantern Festival.

References

Tan, C. (2013). For group,(f) or self: Communitarianism, Confucianism and values education in Singapore. The Curriculum Journal, 24(4), 478-493.

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Blog Post #4: Malay Heritage Centre (09/06/2019)

Cultural Custom: Hajj Pilgrimage

The majority of Malays residing in Singapore practice Islam as a religion. A core component of Islam is Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. A pilgrimage to Mecca is considered a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be accomplished at least once in a person’s lifetime as long as they are physically and financially able. As the Hajj pilgrimage is a custom that is religious as opposed to purely cultural in nature, I have seen Muslims in Australia who intend on taking or have already taken the pilgrimage as well. Although many elderly Malays in Singapore are not affluent, and may not even have any savings at all, saving for Hajj is an important savings motive for them due to religious reasons (Haron, Sharpe, Abdel-Ghany & Masud, 2013).

Symbol: Wayang Kulit (Shadow Puppetry)

Shadow puppetry has a long history as a folk art in Malay culture. For many elderly Malays in Singapore, shadow puppetry was their main form of theatre. Continuing the custom of shadow puppetry gives them a sense of nostalgia—a connection to a time that only exists in memory. I have not seen shadow puppetry being performed in Australia as many Australians do not share this sense of nostalgia. However, continuing shadow puppetry and similar customs is an important part of providing comfort to elderly Singaporeans of Malay descent.

References

Haron, S. A., Sharpe, D. L., Abdel-Ghany, M., & Masud, J. (2013). Moving up the savings hierarchy: Examining savings motives of older Malay Muslim. Journal of family and economic issues, 34(3), 314-328.

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Blog Post #3: Asian Civilisations Museum (08/06/2019)

Cultural Custom: Buddhism in Singapore

While Singapore is a secular state, 43.2% of Singaporeans follow Buddhism or Taoism, making Buddhism or Taoism the most popular religion in the region (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2015). As a result of Australia’s multicultural society, there are many people who practice Buddhism in Australia as well. The relation between Buddhism the ageing population, particularly in Singapore, is that many Singaporean Buddhists will have different needs compared to people with a different or no religion. For example, they may have special dietary requirements which will affect how they will be treated when in a primary healthcare setting.

Symbol: Rabbit

The rabbit is one of twelve animals featured in the Chinese zodiac. The Eastern or Chinese zodiac has twelve animals that correspond to years during which a person was born according to the Lunar calendar (Shen, 2017). The Chinese zodiac has such a profound impact on Chinese culture as a whole that birth rates in Chinese countries increase during years of auspicious zodiac animals, such as the year of the dragon (Grech, 2015).

References

Department of Statistics Singapore. (2015). Infographic - General Household Survey 2015. Retrieved from Singapore Government website: https://www.singstat.gov.sg/-/media/files/visualising_data/infographics/ghs/highlights-of-ghs2015.pdf

Grech, V. (2015). The influence of the Chinese zodiac on the male-to-female ratio at birth in Hong Kong. Journal of the Chinese Medical Association, 78(5), 287-291.

Inter-Religious Organisation Singapore. (2019). Buddhism. Retrieved June 9, 2019, from Iro.sg website: https://iro.sg/religions/buddhism/

Shen, T. (2017). Recognition of symbols in different cultures: Chinese culture vs. non-Chinese culture.

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Blog Post #2: Indian Heritage Centre (08/06/2019)

Cultural Custom: Hinduism

In the Indian Heritage Centre, there were many religious artefacts relating to Hinduism. Hinduism is a religion practised by 5% of Singapore’s total population, mainly by Singaporeans of Indian descent. Given that there is a sizeable Indian population in Australia, Hinduism is commonly practised by Australians of Indian descent as well. As with all people from a religious background, those who practice Hinduism will have differing needs as a result of their religious beliefs that need to be catered for when providing care to them.

Symbol: Saree

The saree is a traditional garment worn by Indian women that can be worn in many drapes and styles. The diverse patterns and colours of sarees had various meanings that represent beliefs, merits the region and/or caste of the wearer. Having survived thousands of years of modification, migration, colonisation and globalisation, the survival of the saree as a fashion choice for young and old Indian women for almost all occasions is a testament to a willingness to preserve India’s rich history.

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Blog Post #1: Pre-departure research

AGEING IN PLACE

(Image retrieved from http://www.gs.org.sg/sg50conference/pdf/s4-1.pdf)

The island nation of Singapore is faced with an ageing population problem. The population of individuals above the age of 65 in Singapore rose from 8.7% in 2008 to 13.7% in 2018 (Government of Singapore, May 2019). Alarmingly, the number of people aged above 65 in Singapore is expected to rise to 24% by 2030 as population growth slows (Government of Singapore, May 2019). Consequently, programs facilitating ‘ageing in place’ for elderly Singaporeans must be taken into consideration.

What is Ageing in Place?

Ageing in place refers to allowing seniors ageing in the place of their choice (whether that be in a community setting or in a healthcare setting) while being provided holistic patient-centred care, comfort and dignity. There are various programs implemented by the Singaporean government and by private corporations to help facilitate ageing in place.

(Image retrieved from https://www.ktph.com.sg/wellness-kampung)

Wellness Kampung

Started by Yishun Health, Wellness Kampung (‘Kampung’ meaning village in the Malay language) is a scheme that utilises a network of three care and wellness centres in the north of Singapore. The care and wellness centres provide health and social programs such as daily morning exercises and comprehensive health checks in a close-knit ‘kampung’ setting. These close-knit settings aim to improve mental, physical and social health as well as allow elderly Singaporeans to build support networks, all of which enable them to age in place within the community (Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, 2019).

People’s Association’s Wellness Programs

Launched in 2008, this program provides regular health screenings, physical exercise programs and social interest groups to elderly Singaporeans in 87 districts as of 2012 (Ministry of Health Singapore, 2019). This program was implemented to keep elderly Singaporeans physically, mentally and socially active.

Three Generation Flats

Eligible multi-generational families living under one roof (i.e. married/engaged couples or widowed/divorced individuals living with children and parents) can buy a multigenerational flat under the public housing scheme in Singapore (Housing and Development Board, 2019). This initiative was introduced as a way to encourage care for the elderly by their own families in their own homes.

References

Government of Singapore. (2019, May 16). Population Trends. Retrieved May 18, 2019, from https://www.singstat.gov.sg/find-data/search-by-theme/population/population-and-population-structure/visualising-data/population-trends

Housing & Development Board. (2019). Types of Flats. Retrieved from https://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/residential/buying-a-flat/resale/types-of-flats

Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. (2019). Wellness Kampung. Retrieved from https://www.ktph.com.sg/wellness-kampung on 18th May 2019

Ministry of Health Singapore. (2019). AGEING IN PLACE IN SINGAPORE [PDF]. Singapore: Ministry of Health Singapore. Retrieved from http://www.gs.org.sg/sg50conference/pdf/s4-1.pdf on 18th May 2019