AWE PROGRAMME - OUR FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE
“Active Ageing in the community, by the community, for the community.”
Today, 1 in 10 seniors who are aged 60 and above in Singapore have dementia. With increased life expectancy and a rapidly ageing population, dementia cases are expected to triple by 2030. It is important to raise awareness of dementia and focus efforts on prevention.
The programme was designed to encourage people to engage in active ageing, no matter their age. As we live, we age. Healthy ageing is a lifestyle we can start cultivating from today. The community programme is rooted in research and designed to delay cognitive deterioration. Furthermore, it can help to instil a resilient mind and increase socialization amongst seniors. All in all, through the activities, we aim to delay the onset of dementia and improve the senior’s quality of life.
The ecology of resilience is exemplified in this programme, where we build a closely-knitted community with our respective community partners that engage participants, volunteers and trainers. With a self-supporting programme structure, a sustained run of AWE activities is ensured.
For seniors, retirees and caregivers, aged 40 & above, we welcome you to join us as a participant or volunteer for the programme.
For those aged below 40, join us as a volunteer to make a difference in your community. Drop us an email at pcmbox6@nus.edu.sg if you require more information or further assistance.
Available Activities
Health Education
Physical Exercise
Mindfulness Practice
Art and Music Reminiscence
Horticulture
Choral Singing
A Message From
Prof Kua Ee Heok
Tan Geok Yin Professor in Psychiatry and Neuroscience, National University Singapore (NUS)
Emeritus Consultant, National University Hospital (NUH)
Vice Chairman, Mind Science Centre
The AWE programme is the first dementia prevention programme in Asia and was selected for presentation at the World Congress of Psychiatry 2022. The AWE programme aims to instil a resilient mind and increase socialisation among seniors to prevent dementia and improve their quality of life. It is currently available in 8 centres across Singapore and will continue to expand in the near future.
A Message From
A/Prof Rathi Mahendran
Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Dept of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS)
Advisory Board, Mind Science Centre
The AWE program is based on research findings from several intervention studies such as Mindful Awareness Practice, Art Therapy, Music Reminiscence Activity, and Horticultural Therapy amongst others. They were evaluated and translated into activities that provide cognitive stimulation and opportunities for socialisation and engagement. Everyone benefits from participation, from the participants to the trainers and program facilitators.
A Message From
A/Prof Goh Lee Gan
Senior Consultant, Department of Family Medicine, National University Health System (NUHS)
Associate Professor, Division of Family Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS)
DEWSS (diet, exercise, weight control, smoking cessation, and moderation in spirits) is known to reduce the risk of dementia and physical disability. We first launched a health education programme as part of the Dementia Prevention Programme (DPP), a community outreach of NUH Department of Psychological Medicine and PA. With support from donors and interest by community partners, the programme has evolved into the AWE programme which encompasses 4 core items: health education, mindfulness, music reminiscence, and group exercise programme. Throughout the years, that list has expanded to include horticulture therapy and choral singing. As our research continues, we hope to expand the list even further to impact more people in our society.
The Starting Point
Professor Kua Ee Heok, Professor Goh Lee Gan and Associate Professor Rathi Mahendran sparked the idea of using research to guide a community programme that helps the seniors engage in active ageing and possibly, even prevent dementia.
Prof Kua is the Tan Geok Yin Professor in Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the National University of Singapore.
After gathering a group of like-minded researchers and generous philanthropists, they embarked on the idea to translate the then-ongoing Jurong Ageing Study (JAS) to a rolling community programme, called the Dementia Prevention Programme (DPP). To put it simply, the research will investigate the positive impact of various activities on the elderly’s cognitive health. The findings will direct the community programme to roll out actual activities with the community partners.
The Research
Jurong Ageing Study is a 10-year comprehensive research initiated by Mind Science Centre. Its key research area involved investigating various cognitive stimulating activities for community-living seniors. Notably, some of the studies compared the cognitive improvements of elderly with mild cognitive impairment. Generally, it was found that early psychosocial intervention with seniors may help to delay the deterioration of cognitive capabilities and reduce the incidence of depression and anxiety. With an improved quality of life through active ageing, seniors can embrace their golden age with a resilient mind. Beyond that, the family and society benefit from reduced burden of disease.
REBRANDING OF DPP - AGE WELL EVERYDAY PROGRAMME
During the early run of the Dementia Prevention Programme, the managing committee noticed the slow uptake of the programme by the community. It was found that seniors are concerned with the label of ‘Dementia’ and the social stigma associated with it.
As such, the DPP underwent a rebranding exercise to be relaunched as Age Well Everyday (AWE) Programme, encompassing the essence of the meaningful initiative.
Be a Volunteer with us!
We want you if….
- You are enthusiastic about active ageing and ready to share the knowledge with seniors, family and friends!
- You can speak English and/or Mandarin.
- You enjoy interacting with seniors.
- You are able to commit to regular activity schedules as planned by the respective community partners.
As we expand to partner with more communities, more volunteers will be needed to keep the regular AWE activities ongoing for our growing number of senior participants. If you would like to become an AWE volunteer, please approach any of our community partners to find out more.
Beyond that, sign up for the AWE E-Learning Training Course to garner more knowledge about active ageing before becoming an advocate of the programme.
Our Community Partners
| Our Community Partners | Contact Information |
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Bukit Timah Community Club |
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Eunos Community Club |
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Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery |
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Marymount Community Club |
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Queenstown Community Centre |
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RSVP Singapore |
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Tampines-Changkat Community Club |
*Please note that some of the community partners have moved their activities online due to the current pandemic situation.
Couldn’t find a centre near you? Keep a lookout for this space as we are currently in the works to collaborate with more centres and expand our programme outreach to benefit more people.
Join us as a Participant!
For seniors and retirees looking for interesting activities to participate in as a pastime, this programme will be perfect for you! Participate in workshops that will keep you informed about new ways to enhance your physical and mental well-being, as guided by research. Form your own community friend group and enjoy the various planned initiatives by the community partners.
Ready to embark on an active ageing lifestyle? Approach any of our community partners to find out more about their activity schedule.
