WARMING THE HEARTS OF OUR AGE WELL EVERYDAY SENIORS DURING PHASE 2 (HEIGHTENED ALERT)
Singapore took a step back towards Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) restrictions on 22 July, which is slated to last for a month. It is indeed a disappointing setback from what Singapore has progressed thus far towards making COVID-19 endemic in the country. While many of us may be feeling down in this situation, the critical concern is the elderly who will be living in extended isolation.
Mind Science Centre (MSC) research findings found out that the number of seniors with depressive symptoms increased to 11.6% during the circuit breaker period last year, which was an alarming increase from 4.6% prior to the pandemic. This was from a study done by our principal investigator Dr Yu Jun Hong, which was reported on the news in June. (See article)
To mediate such impact on our Age Well Everyday (AWE) senior participants, our MSC team pooled in the resources to organize a two-part mini-AWE series on Zoom that will cover Mindful Awareness Practice session, Health Talk, Art Reminiscence and a teaser for our upcoming AWE Handphone Photography Workshop. This is scheduled for the first (31 Jul) and third Saturday (14 Aug) of the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) period.
With a great turnout of 76 participants, the first of the two-part series was held last Saturday morning at 9am and it was well-received by our seniors. Seeing the familiar faces over Zoom brings solace and warms the hearts of all who joined us virtually.
If you missed the first session, here’s some highlights for you!
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
We kicked off the session with a Mindful Awareness Practice guided by our in-house Mindfulness Trainer – Ms Joy Chen. She is also well-known for her works on Self-Compassion and her recent mind booklet publication titled “Midlife Challenges and Self-Compassion for Women” was well-received by the public. (Click HERE to find out more.)
With the mindful attention of the webinar audience, Professor Kua Ee Heok began his talk on ‘Pandemic Fatigue and Mental Health’. Insights on the symptoms of Pandemic Fatigue were highlighted by Professor Kua and he shared further on the 7 habits to prevent Covid-Anxiety.
Thereafter, Ms Rachelle Lee – the Senior Executive in charge of Mind Art Experiential Lab (MAELab) brought the seniors on a virtual tour of the current research exhibition at MAELab. With the pandemic uncertainties and restrictions to physical visits, MSC is in works to bring MAELab’s meaningful curation to the public, where everyone can view it in the comfort of one’s home. Keep a lookout on our space for the upcoming official launch of the virtual tour!
Lastly, Mr Peter Yeo – our trainer for the upcoming AWE Handphone Photography Workshop – shared some quick tips on how we can take great photos with our smartphone. The key to good handphone photography lies in mastering the techniques, capturing the aesthetics and implementing the technical skills appropriately.
Watch the recorded webinar to find out more!
We hope you enjoyed this webinar, and we look forward to seeing you again. Mind Science Centre will be updating on this page when the video is ready for sharing. Webinar videos are for educational purposes, in line with our goals to share knowledge and benefit the community. Please do not replicate the videos or slides without permission.
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AWE Programme
Age Well Everyday is a holistic and evidence-based depression and dementia risk prevention programme designed to delay cognitive deterioration, reduce anxiety and increase socialisation. This flagship programme under Mind Science Centre is derived from the ongoing 10-year Jurong Ageing Study. As of now, the programme includes health education, physical exercise, mindfulness practice, art and music reminiscence, horticultural therapy, choral singing and therapeutic forest. The list may grow as our research team uncovers more beneficial activities.
Click HERE for more information.
Otherwise, feel free to contact us at pcmbox6@nus.edu.sg.
Mind Art Experiential Lab (MAELab)
MAELab is an innovative space for discovery of creative and integrative interventions through art, mindfulness and transdisciplinary research to promote mental wellness and enhance quality of mind. Through this space, we seek to raise awareness on mental health, evoke embodied reflective moments and provide an experiential journey that allows internalisation of learning with personal relevance.
Admission is by booking only.
Check out the available slots HERE.
If you have further queries, please contact Rachelle at wan_yu_lee@nuhs.edu.sg.