December 2019

Bringing Joy to Others

Over the past eight months, apart from Yong-en Dementia Day Care, the group has also been invited to perform at Hua Mei Senior Day Care, Jamiyah Nursing Home and Dover Close outreach by St John and Margaret Church. Their energetic and uplifting performance injects lots of joy and gladness to those seniors every time.

Yong-en’s Joy Club made its first debut

performance, bringing cheer to many, at

Advance Care Plan (ACP) Outreach event held

at Chinatown Point in May 2019.

Joy Club is a singing and dancing club made

up of volunteers and seniors from Yong-en’s

Active Ageing Programme. Since then, their

repertoire has expanded to bring joy to many

more at Senior Activity Centres and Nursing

Homes in our little red dot.

Encouraging Silver Volunteerism is a part of

Yong-en’s Active Ageing aim. We motivate

them to not only age well but also

meaningfully. In giving and doing good,

seniors from the Joy Club also feel uplifted and

fulfilled after each event.

Our appreciation to enthusiastic volunteers,

Doris, Kym and Terrance, who spend every

Thursday afternoon choreographing and

practicing with our seniors. It is a fun time

which the seniors look forward to every week.

Yong-en provides many opportunities for

seniors to participate and volunteer in, such

as, English/Mandarin classes, Active Ageing

Programme, Bread Distribution to low-income

households, Outings, Crafts, Befriending of

other seniors, and of course, Joy Club.

Yong-en’s Active Ageing Programme is funded

by like-minded public who believes in

providing platforms and opportunities to keep

seniors well and active. For more information

on how to participate or to give to the

Programme, please refer to

www.yong-en.org.sg or call 6225 1002.

To make a donation, please visit www.yong-en.org.sg for more information for non-cheque donations. For cheque donations please issue to "Yong-en Care Centre" and mail it to “Blk 335A Smith Street, #03-57, Singapore 051335",

and indicate: •Organisation Name (for corporate donation) and contact person; •Name as in NRIC and NRIC number (for tax deduction for individual donors) •Mailing address (for us to send you the receipt) •Email address.

Your donation for 2019 is eligible for 2.5 times tax exemption benefits.

Reflections @Yong-en

“Caring for seniors with dementia is not easy.

It takes a special person to intentionally create

an environment for the seniors to be happy

and to do so with joy – I am glad to see this

mind-set in action at Yong-en.

I began to learn more about the various types

of dementia and to experience interacting with

individuals with dementia first-hand. I found

myself enjoying the interactions.

The programmes held currently for the clients

are based on the Montessori Approach in

dementia care, and each client is placed in

different rehabilitation purpose groups such as

physical, cognitive, psychosocial and sensory

using this approach.

It is very effective to me as it enables clients to

engage in activities that they are capable of

doing and instil independence amongst them.

For example, for a psychosocial group activity

such as handicraft, clients are encouraged to

be independent through asking for the items

they need from one another instead of staff

helping them. The physical activities are also

modified in a way that it can involve everyone,

including clients who have difficulty in moving

their limbs.

I learnt to see ageing differently and positively,

plus, how little things can make lives better for

seniors. I find my journey at Yong-en Care

Centre very worthwhile and one that I will

remember dearly.”

Adeline Tan, Intern

“I learnt about

the varying

activities that engage seniors with dementia,

which compose of physical, cognitive,

psychosocial and sensory. Each aspect is

unique and taps different areas to improve

the state of their condition. For example, the

modified physical exercises that we engage in

aids the seniors with slowing down their

mental decline, having better sleep and

lowering fall risks by improving balance and

strength.

From being apprehensive about managing

the clients, I became comfortable with them

and reacting to their ever-changing moods.

I feel extremely touched when seniors open

up to me and we are able to have a proper

conversation together as it shows a certain

level of trust they had for me.

One takeaway is realising that although the

clients have this illness, it does not stop them

from being active, participative and show

their grit and fighting spirit.

Overall, it was an enjoyable, enriching and

memorable experience for me, interning at

Yong-en Care Centre."

Jermine Loo, Intern

Yong-en’s Internship Programme for 2019

is sponsored by Tan Chin Tuan Foundation

(TCTF). Our grateful thanks to TCTF for

partnering Yong-en in capacity building

for the sector.

Social Science in Gerontology, Temasek Polytechnic Students at Dementia Day Care for a 12-week internship.