{"id":11838,"date":"2025-07-21T08:55:42","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T00:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/?p=11838"},"modified":"2025-07-21T16:11:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T08:11:20","slug":"rekindling-my-connection-with-seniors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/communities-and-engagement\/rekindling-my-connection-with-seniors\/","title":{"rendered":"Rekindling My Connection with Seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\u2190 Back to Story Listing<\/a><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Rekindling My Connection with Seniors<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Jacqueline Bernice HOWARD, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Hi! My name is Jacqueline, and I\u2019m a third-year undergraduate majoring in Communications and New Media. For as long as I can remember, I\u2019ve always felt a special connection to seniors. Growing up, my late grandfather was one of the most loving and nurturing figures in my life. He filled my childhood with stories, laughter, and the kind of unconditional love that shapes who you are. After school, I would stay at my grandparents\u2019 home, and spending time with elderly neighbours nearby only deepened my appreciation for the wisdom and warmth they bring to our lives.<\/p>

When my grandfather passed away in 2021, it left a void in my heart. I missed his presence, his stories, and the quiet comfort he gave me. So, when I came across GEN2062Y, I saw it as more than just a course\u2014it felt like a way to reconnect with that lost sense of having a grandfather figure again. At the same time, I wanted to serve and learn from seniors like my grandmother, who has grown frailer over the years. Watching her navigate the challenges of aging has made me acutely aware of the struggles that come with it, from losing mobility to the frustrations of relying on others. I hoped this course would allow me to honour my grandparents\u2019 legacies while giving back to a community that means so much to me.<\/p>

To me, GEN2062Y is more than just an academic course\u2014it\u2019s an invitation to make a real difference in the lives of seniors. As part of the SG Cares movement, this course aims to support local communities through Volunteer Centres, creating activity hubs that help seniors stay active and connected. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to equip students with key concepts in volunteerism and essential skills such as empathy, communication, conflict management, and team building.<\/p>

Throughout the course\u2019s 15 sessions, we applied these skills by designing, coordinating, and conducting activities for seniors at selected Volunteer Centres. It\u2019s a hands-on approach that not only enhances interpersonal effectiveness but also fosters a deeper understanding of collaboration and engagement. For me, it represented an incredible opportunity to combine learning with meaningful action, and it has left a profound impact on my personal growth.<\/p>

At Tzu Chi SEEN @ Bukit Batok, I had the privilege of meeting many seniors, each with their own unique story. One encounter that left a lasting impact on me was with Auntie Ong, a spirited woman who now relies on a wheelchair. She shared with me how she once worked in a school, shaping young minds and finding joy in her work. But a series of fall accidents changed everything. She spoke candidly about how difficult it was to adjust to life in a wheelchair\u2014the loss of independence, the emotional toll, and the everyday frustrations of not being able to do things she used to do.<\/p>

During an Art & Craft session, we gathered around a table scattered with colourful metal wires, beads, and keychain rings, all set for making flower keychains. The atmosphere buzzed with quiet concentration, broken occasionally by bursts of laughter as we fumbled with the delicate wires, trying to twist them into petal shapes. Auntie Ong, with her steady yet slightly trembling hands, carefully bent the wires, but her flower took on a more abstract form. She looked at it, laughed, and said, \u201cAiyaa<\/em>, I was never much of an artist anyway!\u201d Her light-heartedness filled the room, turning what could have been a moment of frustration into one of shared laughter.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Auntie Ong proudly showing off her newly crafted ring and flower keychain.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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It reminded me so much of my grandfather \u2014 how he, too, found humour in life\u2019s imperfections. Whether it was a failed attempt at fixing a broken appliance or a clumsy mistake in the kitchen, he always laughed it off, teaching me that joy doesn\u2019t have to come from perfection but from embracing the moment. Watching Auntie Ong\u2019s playful spirit made me realize that the same resilience and warmth lived on in others \u2014 a reminder that even simple activities like crafting could spark moments of connection and happiness.<\/p>

As I listened to her, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude\u2014not just for my own health and abilities but for the chance to connect with someone like Auntie Ong. She showed me that dignity and joy can still shine brightly, even in the face of life\u2019s challenges. It was in these moments\u2014listening, laughing, and simply being present\u2014that I began to understand what true service means. It\u2019s not about grand gestures or perfectly planned activities; it\u2019s about creating moments of connection and honouring someone\u2019s humanity.<\/p>

This experience inspired me to look for ways to contribute further to the well-being of seniors. I\u2019ve since started exploring an internship with SportSG\u2019s Sportcares division, where we coordinate exercises for seniors in AACs across Singapore. With this, I hope to further promote active aging and community engagement. The lessons I\u2019ve learned through GEN2062Y\u2014about connection, dignity, and resilience\u2014are ones I hope to carry into every future endeavour, especially in creating programs that empower seniors to stay active and connected.<\/p>

My time at Tzu Chi transformed the way I see and engage with seniors, teaching me that working with them isn\u2019t just about providing assistance or organising activities\u2014it\u2019s about building relationships, understanding their stories, and respecting their life journey. These lessons in empathy, patience, and humility strengthened my resolve to advocate for initiatives that enable seniors to lead fulfilling lives, no matter their physical limitations. This has also been a journey of growth, understanding, and rediscovery for me. It brought me closer to the memories of my grandparents, taught me invaluable life lessons, and inspired me to pursue a future dedicated to serving seniors. I hope my story encourages others to embark on their own service-learning journeys\u2014there is so much to learn, so much to give, and the rewards are immeasurable.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\u2190 Back to Story Listing<\/a><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jacqueline Bernice HOWARD shares how engaging seniors reconnected her with fond memories of her grandparents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":11839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11838"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12054,"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11838\/revisions\/12054"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nus.edu.sg\/nuscares\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}