Cyberguide
The Empowering Seniors Project (FY18 onwards) seeks to increase service user participation in the design and implementation of services for seniors to create more effective and sustainable services. With the insights from NCSS Quality of Life of Seniors
study, seniors have the ability to make decisions in the delivery of services and contribute in various service settings. Hence, seniors should be seen as active participants and contributors instead of passive recipients of services.
An Empowering Seniors workgroup, comprising of eight organisations1 was formed in 2018.
The workgroup is co-chaired by National Council of Social Service and Agency for Integrated Care. Together with the workgroup, NCSS developed the following resources for any eldercare agencies that wish to adopt empowering principles to increase the
level of user participation in the delivery of senior services.
Empowering Seniors Resource Kit (version 1.0)
Download a copy of the Empowering Seniors Resource Kit.
The resource kit is compiled for agencies that would like to implement empowering principles using the Ladder of User Participation. The Ladder helps agencies to concretise the abstract concept of empowerment into doable actions. Case studies of
empowerment initiatives by workgroup members are included for inspiration.
Empowering Seniors Video
Explaining the why and how empowering principles are practised in the various initiatives and services through
the case studies of few eldercare agencies.
Click here for
the video.
1The Empowering Seniors Workgroup comprises of AMKFSC Community Services Ltd, Alzheimer’s Disease Association, Filos Community services, Jamiyah Nursing Home, RSVP Singapore, Sree Narayana Mission (Singapore), Tsao Foundation and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (a member of National University Health System).
Background
The Empowering Seniors Project (FY15-FY17) focused on development of evidence-based engagement framework
to enhance purposeful engagements between practitioners/volunteers and seniors. The Project was a collaboration among 15 social service organisations2 to drive senior empowerment in the sector. NCSS initiated the partnership of
the social service organisations with 3 collaborators - National Arts Council,
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and
National Heritage Board -
to develop three toolkits:- Seniors Life Review through Arts, the Strong Again! Companion Guide and Conversation Starter Kit. The toolkits aim to guide practitioners in their service delivery so that seniors can be empowered to discover their
strength, create purpose for their lives and gain a strong sense of belonging to their community. The toolkits were launched at the Seniors Empowered! Conference on 3 November 2017. Here is a summary of the toolkits and their outcomes:
Senior Life Review through Arts
Encompasses group work activities and takes seniors through personal art journeys and meaningful conversations, to enable seniors to gain confidence to share their life stories, hopes and dreams.
Collaborator: National Arts Council
Strong Again! Companion Guide
Encompasses structured home-based activities, targets frail and home-bound seniors, with the aim to help
them gain strength and mobility, and aspire to re-integrate into their community.
Collaborator: Ng Teng
Fong General Hospital
These toolkits are designed for use by social service practitioners.
Conversation Starter Kit for Seniors
Catered for staff or volunteers to engage with seniors purposefully, through meaningful conversations
and recollections of their memories and past experiences.
Collaborator: National Heritage Board
Join us in this journey of senior empowerment!
Download a copy of the Conversation Starter Kit for Seniors - Places.
Family members and caregivers of persons with dementia are often concerned about their safety and well-being. With effect from 15 April 2021, caregivers of persons with dementia can sign up for CARA Membership to access an ecosystem of personalised dementia support and benefits, including Safe Return. NCSS will be ceasing the Safe Return Card (SRC) with the launch of CARA to avoid duplication.
CARA is an initiative by Dementia Singapore (formerly known as Alzheimer's Disease Association).
Visit www.cara.sg for more information.
The annual Senior Give Thanks! Campaign - in conjunction with International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) has garnered participation from more than 50 organisations since it was first launched in Singapore in 2014. In 2017, NCSS supported RSVP Singapore to organise a celebratory event on 1st Oct for the social service sector.
IDOP highlights the importance of the society coming together to build a loving and supportive community that embraces our seniors.
We have prepared these additional reading materials to support your needs:
International Day of Older Persons Digital Training
>> Training Videos
Session 1 - Background of IDOP and Its Significance
Session 2 - Gratitude and Its Impact on Seniors
Session 3 - Communicating with Seniors to Elicit Gratitude Stories
>> Download Digital Training Facilitator Guide
>> Campaign Videos
International Day of Older Persons 2016
International Day of Older Persons 2015
International Day of Older Persons 2015 event highlights
>> Publications
Removing Barriers - Interacting with Seniors