Speech by Minister for Health Mr Gan Kim Yong at the 3rd AWWA Silver Sports Day

Mr Tim Oei, CEO, AWWA

Mr Keith Lee, Director, AWWA Elderly Services

Senior athletes, family and friends

Good morning everyone

2 I am very happy to be here today with all the seniors from the various AWWA centres, and also from PA Community Care Network Seniors Activity Centre, COMNET Seniors Activity Centre and Evergreen SASCO Home @ Hong San. I am really impressed to see so many senior athletes here, all enthusiastic and ready to go.

3 Every year our age increases by one, but as we get older, we need not get weaker every year. Age is just a number. Just by looking at all our seniors here today -- it shows that we can all still live well and live long whatever our age, if we keep active mentally and physically.

4 There is no age limit to exercise. Some of our seniors think that, “I am old already, better don’t go out or move too much in case something breaks.” But in fact, our muscles, as with all things, need to be used regularly. If we do not use it, we lose it. Appropriate exercise helps us to keep our bodies fit and our minds active. It can also help us keep chronic illnesses away or under control. When we exercise often, we can also better maintain our flexibility and balance and we will be less likely to fall.

5 One of the government’s key goals is to get our senior population to stay active and exercise regularly so that our seniors can continue to stay healthy and live well. Currently, about half of our senior population do not engage in enough physical activity.¹ We hope to encourage more seniors to get active, like you do. The People’s Association has introduced the Wellness Programme to encourage seniors to be physically active through activities such as brisk-walking, taichi, and even dragon boating. Such sporting activities also bring seniors together, help them to be socially engaged and we build new friendships in the process. Over the next few years, the programme will be extended to every constituency, and I hope we will be able to get more seniors in our population to exercise regularly.

6 Even as we bring active ageing programmes to every constituency, we are also planning ahead to make every neighbourhood a senior friendly neighbourhood. We are investing in new aged care facilities all over the island so that we can bring facilities and services to the doorstep of Singaporeans as they age. We will be building more social activity centres in the heartlands where seniors can drop in, make friends and also engage in activities together. We will also be building more senior care centres to provide day care and rehabilitative services, as well as nursing homes within the community, so that seniors can have easy access to care services they need.

7 AWWA Elderly Services is an example of how aged care services are an asset to the community. Since 1976, AWWA has provided social support and rehabilitative services to seniors in Ang Mo Kio through its Group Home, Senior Activity Centre and Readycare day rehabilitative centre. One athlete we have today is Mr Loh Seng Huan. Mr Loh received rehabilitation care at his neighbourhood AWWA Readycare Centre. He also received additional training to operate a motorised scooter. Today, he is empowered to move independently, and engages in different physical, social, and recreational activities with his friends and relatives. Mr Loh is an active participant of AWWA Silver Sports Day and is here today to compete as an athlete!

8 Mr Loh and all our senior athletes are inspiring role models for us all. Let me end by thanking AWWA and the partner agencies for organizing this event. I thank our volunteers who are working hard to see to every detail of the event, and I would like to commend family members who are here to accompany and cheer their senior members on.

9 I wish all of you a great sporting day. Have lots of fun! Thank you.

¹ National Health Survey 2010: About 40% of seniors (age ≥ 60) do not get the recommended equivalent of 150 minutes per week of total physical activity