SINGAPORE – Arts and crafts, bingo sessions and exercise classes are common offerings at active ageing centres, but social service agency Montfort Care hopes to attract seniors with more diverse interests in areas such as carpentry, digital media and theatre.

As part of its Goodlife Studio branding, it will have five active ageing centres offering programmes and activities based on different themes to draw younger and more educated seniors.

These folk may not be keen on the typical offerings run by active ageing centres to help the elderly stay active, healthy and socially engaged.

Two of the Goodlife Studio thematic centres are already operational, with three more in the works.

The carpentry studio in Bukit Purmei, designed to appeal to men, started in 2023, zooming in on basic carpentry, such as making stools and bookshelves.

In February, a tea studio in Bedok – which runs tea appreciation workshops, among other things – became fully operational. 

Montfort Care launched the Goodlife Studio on April 13 with the aim of redefining “the rules of engagement in eldercare services”, as its founder Samuel Ng said.

“Seniors today are very different from before. They are more active, mobile and discerning. Goodlife Studio is how we engage and empower seniors to become active contributors, and define their personal narrative of ageing, health and wellness,” he added.

In particular, Montfort Care also wants to attract more men to its centres, said its eldercare programme manager Muhammad Afif Arifin, as about 80 per cent of the participants are women.  

“Some uncles say they don’t feel so at ease with all the aunties. Some men don’t really want to talk, but they want to do something and have a sense of purpose,” he noted.

Three more thematic centres are slated to open in 2024.

In May, a digital media studio will be rolled out in Tiong Bahru to enable seniors to produce videos, live streams and podcasts, among other things.

Mr Afif said: “We hope our seniors can also be content creators, as they have lots of stories and experiences to share. We hope to make digital media more accessible to seniors, who may be more averse to technology.”

In August, a Goodlife Studio offering cycling-related activities, such as learning to maintain or repair a bicycle, will take off in Yishun. This theme came from an observation of many seniors becoming drawn to cycling, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, said Montfort Care’s senior director for eldercare Lin Aiting.

In October, it will launch its community theatre in Telok Blangah where theatre and the literary arts, and related activities, such as costume- and prop-making, will take centre stage.

Each Goodlife Studio also offers programmes and activities typically offered at other active ageing centres, such as exercises, social activities and talks.

Apart from the five thematic centres, Montfort Care runs two active ageing centres based on the traditional model. Ms Lin said the charity is reviewing whether to turn these two centres into thematic ones.

At its centres, most programmes that are led by volunteers, such as talks and exercises, are offered for free. However, there are programmes such as woodworking and Nagomi art that charge around $50, depending on costs of materials and the trainer’s fee.

At the carpentry studio, a group of seniors have been trained by professionals and, in turn, they will teach other seniors. Calling themselves Kayu Artisans, they have built stools customised for frail seniors.

These wooden stools are sturdier and lower in height compared with a chair, Mr Afif said, making it easier for seniors to wear their shoes while seated.

The Kayu Artisans made the stool after an 81-year-old woman, who is part of their community, fell and hurt her back when she sat on a plastic stool to wear her shoes.

Retiree Michael Thio, 68, who lives alone, said the carpentry studio has become his second home. He became depressed after his wife divorced him, but his church pastor and Montfort Care’s social workers provided counselling and encouragement, and got him to join its activities. 

Mr Thio, who learnt some carpentry skills while working in a furniture shop previously, is one of the Kayu Artisans. He visits the studio three times a week or more.

“I’m happier now as I have things to do, programmes to join and people to laugh and talk with,” he said.

Mr Jasmiann Jamari, 67, had to stop work as a security guard after suffering a stroke a few years ago. He now relies on a walking stick. 

The father of four sons, who used to work in a shop repairing furniture, is happy to dabble in simple woodwork, such as helping to make coasters, at the carpentry studio.

He said: “Doing something is better than doing nothing, as doing nothing is meaningless. When I’m busy, time is easier to pass.”