Hello! We are Kezia and Kevyn, both final-year undergraduates at NUS. Although we come from different majors, Accountancy for Kezia and Life Sciences for Kevyn, we crossed paths in the course GEN2062 Community Activities for Seniors and chose to volunteer at the same centre. While our reasons for taking up the course were different, we, together with the rest of our team, worked effectively to plan engaging and creative activities for the seniors at Precious Active Ageing Centre (AAC) Sunshine Gardens. Our goal was simple: to bring joy to the seniors, create meaningful opportunities for connection, and make each session something they could look forward to. Along the way, we also discovered how much we could learn from the seniors’ stories, perspectives, and creativity, making this experience a truly rewarding journey for both sides.
Kezia: Growing up, I did not have many opportunities to spend time with my grandparents. However, the few moments we shared left a lasting impression on me. Over the years, I came to realise that while I was busy pursuing my own goals, I had neglected visiting my grandmother, who gradually became more lonely and isolated as everyone around her focused on their next milestone. I understand that my experience might be shared by many, as more seniors today face growing social isolation and loneliness. This realisation resonated deeply with me and inspired me to take up this course. Through this course, I wanted to connect with the seniors in my community and create fun and lasting memories together. I hope that through my group’s thoughtful planning of the weekly activities, our presence will help ease the sense of loneliness that often comes with aging.
Kevyn: For me, I chose this service learning course because I wanted the chance to work closely with seniors. Having grown up surrounded by many of my aunts and uncles, I saw how, after retirement, it often took them some time to adjust to a slower pace of life, sometimes leaving them feeling bored or lonely. I wanted to be part of a supportive community where seniors can stay active and engaged. With this in mind, I felt that I could play a small part in making a difference. As I am able to converse in Cantonese and understand some Hokkien, I believed I was well-suited for this role, since many seniors feel more comfortable communicating in dialects. This allowed me to connect with them on a more personal level and guide them through the weekly activities we had planned, while also building friendships that went beyond the sessions themselves.
A photo of Kezia playing seated floorball with the seniors, just one of the many sports
the seniors enjoyed during their sessions
Kevyn: I think many people in Singapore tend to stereotype seniors as physically weak, slower, or low-energy. This can lead to the assumption that volunteering at a senior centre requires planning only gentler, easy-to-follow activities. I admit I had this mindset myself when planning our first batch of activities. But I could not have been more wrong. During our first session, which involved creating simple paintings, it quickly became clear just how much energy the seniors had. They were attentive, enthusiastic, cracking jokes, and even asking for extra materials so they could fully bring their visions to life on their mini canvases. After speaking with the centre staff, we learned that many seniors at Precious AAC are actually quite active and they regularly play sports such as captain’s ball, disc golf, and table tennis, and even participate in annual competitions with other active ageing centres. Inspired by this, we started planning activities that involved playing sports alongside the seniors. I even lost multiple rounds of captain’s ball to them! I came to the realisation that the seniors might have more energy than I do.
Kezia: Similar to Kevyn, I initially held the misconception that the seniors would be low-energy and less active. However, this notion was quickly dispelled during our first session with them as we got to experience their enthusiasm and lively spirit firsthand. I was also worried that the seniors might not be receptive to our planned activities, as I assumed that they would have strong preferences and might not participate if they found the activities uninteresting. To my relief, those worries disappeared almost immediately. I was genuinely heartened to see the seniors enthusiastically participate in the activities we planned, sometimes even offering creative suggestions to make the session more fun and engaging. It is through these interactions that make weeks of planning ten times more worthwhile.
Since this centre has hosted batch after batch of NUS students, we found it challenging to come up with fresh activities that would truly engage the seniors, without repeating what previous volunteers had done. Week by week, as we got to know the seniors better, we pushed ourselves to think creatively and tailor activities that suited their interests and energy levels, making each session unique and enjoyable.
Kezia: One of the most memorable activities our group organised was teaching the seniors a few popular TikTok dance trends and filming them as the final product. From my earlier interactions with the seniors, I had discovered that many of them enjoyed dancing. To bridge the gap between the interests of youths today and those of the seniors, I thought that combining social media trends with dance would be a fun and meaningful way to connect both generations. The session was filled with joy and laughter as we learned the dance moves together and watched the clips as a group. We even filmed and edited the dances they performed so that the seniors could have something memorable to take away from the session!
Screenshots from videos of us teaching the seniors how to dance and make TikTok-style videos!
Kevyn: As a biology student, I wanted to plan activities that reflected my own interests, so I suggested taking the seniors on a small learning journey to the nearby Qian Hu Fish Farm. Seeing their eyes light up as they admired the variety of aquatic species, from tiny goldfish to the large and majestic arowanas, was incredibly rewarding. It helped that our centre supervisor, Kai Hong, had previously worked at the fish farm and could share his knowledge about the different types of fish with the seniors. I also drew on my biology background to explain how some fish had been genetically modified to glow, and it was fun to watch their curiosity spark with each new fact. After exploring the tanks and tanks of fish, we treated the seniors to the fish spa within the farm, and everyone, including the volunteers, laughed as the tiny fish nibbled at our feet in the shallow pool. Moments like these reminded me that engaging with seniors isn’t just about planning activities, it’s about creating shared experiences and enjoying the simple joy of discovering something new together.
Pictures from our trip to Qian Hu Fish Farm to learn about aquatic species and enjoy the fish spa!
Photo taken during our final session painting T-shirts with the seniors
As we concluded our final session with these seniors, we both felt a great sense of gratitude for the time we have shared and the lessons we have learned. This experience has reminded us of the importance of slowing down, being present, and cherishing the connections we have built the past year. Beyond simply organising activities, we have learned how meaningful it can be to listen, engage and create moments of joy together. The seniors’ energy, openness, and warmth have truly inspired us to carry this spirit of empathy and connection into our everyday lives. We hope that, in our own small way, we have managed to bring them as much happiness as they have brought to us.
21 Lower Kent Ridge Road
Singapore 119077
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