SPEECH BY MR TAN KIAT HOW, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION & MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT THE DBS FOUNDATION X SUSS Asia Reminiscence Forum on 4 AUGUST 2026

SPEECH BY MR TAN KIAT HOW, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION & MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT THE DBS FOUNDATION X SUSS Asia Reminiscence Forum on 4 AUGUST 2026 

 
Associate Professor Sirene Lim, 

Ms Karen Ngui, 

Distinguished guests, 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

         A very good afternoon. It is my real pleasure to join you today at the DBS Foundation and SUSS Asia Reminiscence Forum. I also warmly welcome our friends and partners from across Asia. Your presence reflects our shared commitment to helping our societies age well. 

A Singapore perspective on healthy longevity 

2.         Across Asia, we are living longer than any generation before us. This is one of humanity's greatest achievements. But it also poses a new question: how do we help people not just live longer, but live well for longer? 

3.         In Singapore, we are already a super aged society. This year, we turn super aged. This has led us to think carefully about what healthy longevity should mean in our context. 

4.         For Singapore, healthy longevity is not simply about adding years to life. It is about helping people continue living the lives they value—staying active, independent, connected and able to contribute. Ultimately, healthy longevity is about preserving the things that make life meaningful, and creating more good years for every Singaporean. 

5.         If that is our goal, then the answer cannot be healthcare alone. Healthcare will always play an essential role. But healthy longevity is not something healthcare systems deliver alone. It is something communities make possible. We must build stronger communities that help people age well where they live, around the home and close to everyday life. 

Communities make healthy ageing possible 

 
6.         Many of the things that help us age well happen outside hospitals and clinics — in our neighbourhoods, through friendships, volunteering, lifelong learning, arts and culture, and meaningful conversations. 

7.         That is why Singapore is investing upstream through Age Well SG — strengthening preventive health, encouraging active ageing, reducing social isolation and bringing care and support closer to where people live. 

8.         This is also the vision we are pursuing in my constituency, Kampong Chai Chee. As one of Singapore's oldest towns and home to one of our largest senior populations in Singapore, we want to show what is possible where neighbours look out for one another, technology quietly supports everyday living, and older adults continue living active, connected and purposeful lives. 

The power of reminiscence 

 
9.         When people hear the word 'reminiscence', they often think about remembering the past. But I believe reminiscence is not just about remembering the past. It is about strengthening relationships today, so that people continue to feel connected, valued and understood. 

10.         Every story shared strengthens a relationship. Every conversation builds confidence. Every memory reminds someone that their life experiences continue to matter. 

11.         For persons living with dementia, reminiscence is especially powerful because it reminds us that they are much more than their diagnosis. They are parents, grandparents, neighbours, colleagues and friends, each with a lifetime of memories, experiences and wisdom. 

12.         So just earlier, we launched the Our Time, Our Stories game, and through this, we experienced this ourselves. A simple question unlocked memories - from Ghostbusters, to earlier workplace experiences, to what teachers have taught us in life, to childhood memories - they unlock memories, spark laughter and brought people closer together. Sometimes the simplest conversations have the greatest impact. 

Older adults as partners 

 
13.         What inspires me most about this programme is that it empowers older adults to become reminiscence facilitators or RFs. Older adults are not simply recipients of care. They are volunteers, mentors, caregivers and community builders. With the right opportunities, they continue contributing their time, experience and wisdom to strengthen the communities around them. 

14.         Their stories remind us that retirement is not the end of contribution. Or as Karen said, it is just a few rewiring. It can be the beginning of a new chapter of giving back to the community, and that is something that’s valuable here in this programme. 

Partnerships and technology 

 
15.         Healthy ageing requires all of us to play a part. The Government cannot do it alone. Healthcare providers cannot do it alone. Universities, businesses, community organisations and families all have a role to play. 

16.         So I am very delighted that SUSS and the National Gallery Singapore are launching this partnership today. It shows how arts and culture can become powerful platforms for cognitive health, emotional wellbeing and social connection. 

17.         Technology can also play an increasingly important role. But technology should never replace human relationships. It should strengthen them. 

18.         The best technology is often the technology we hardly notice — because it quietly helps people remain connected, independent and confident, while giving families greater peace of mind. Technology succeeds not because it is sophisticated, but because it quietly helps people continue living the lives they value. 

Conclusion 
 

19.         So let me conclude by saying that across Asia, every society will find its own path towards healthy longevity. But I believe we share the same aspiration — not simply to help people live longer, but to help them continue living the lives they value. The true measure of healthy longevity is not simply how many years we add to life. It is how much life we add to those years. 

20.         That is why our task goes beyond building better healthcare systems. It is about building stronger communities — where people continue learning, connecting, contributing and finding purpose throughout their lives. 

21.         Because ultimately, healthy longevity is not created by healthcare alone. It’s created by communities that make every stage of life worth living. And I want to leave everyone with a Chinese saying, and the saying goes “ 莫道桑榆晚，为霞尚满天”. What it means is that even the sun sets, evening glow fills the sky. And as Michael earlier mentioned, you are 75 years young, but the last quarter of your life, the evening glow of the sun continues to fill the sky, continues to provide warmth, provide inspiration, provide hope, and a sense that you are more than just a number, you’re more that a statistic. Every senior contributes. You are part of a community and 家有一老, 如有一宝. We will continue treasuring you. Thank you.