Japan X Singapore - Ageing well with innovative Japanese Tech

• Age well programme Video

  • 27 undergraduates from Singapore University of Social Sciences
  • 15 elderly from Singapore
  • 5 elderly from Japan
  • 7 days in Singapore
  • 3 special guests from Japan
  • 1 day panel discussion with Senior Minister of State - Mr Tan Kiat How 

  comes together to explore ageing well with innovative Japanese Tech.

  Singapore, 7 March 2023 - Under the SUSS-Nunchi Marine Age Well Programme, Social Gifting (Singapore) has partnered with Baba Lab (Japan) to establish an exchange program that enables elderly individuals to create meaningful crafts, promoting healthier lifestyles and enriching lives.

  Despite having one of the highest rates of super-ageing population, Japan is renowned for its high quality of life. Among the common traits observed among older individuals in Japan is their inclination towards an active lifestyle that involves volunteering and acquiring new skills.

  Twenty elderly individuals from Japan and Singapore will collaborate and exchange ideas through online video conferences, co-creating crafts together. Participants from Singapore will utilize Japanese fabrics to create Azuma Bukuro Bags and Omamori drawstring pouches, while those from Japan will use Batik cloth from Singapore to craft similar items.

  The week-long event will culminate with a Panel discussion on Ageing Well with Innovative Japanese startups with Senior Minister of State - Mr Tan Kiat How as the Guest of Honour on 11 Mar 2023. Please join us @ https://go.gov.sg/iguru-c026997737. 

  Here are a few things we can learn from Japan on the ageing population:

  1. Encouraging active ageing: Japan has also taken steps to promote "Active Ageing," encouraging older adults to stay active and engaged in society. This includes initiatives such as "silver human recentres centers" that offer employment and training opportunities for older persons, and community centers that provide opportunities for socialisation and cultural activities.
  2. Embracing technology: Japan has embraced technology to help support seniors, with innovations such as social robots, telehealth, robotic caregivers, and assistive technologies that can help with the daily tasks of carers. This has helped to ease the burden on caregivers and also ensure that seniors can live more independently.
  3. Addressing social isolation: Japan has recognised the concerns of social isolation among elderly individuals and has taken steps to address them. These include programmes to connect these seniors with younger generations, as well as initiatives such as "community cafes" that provide social spaces for multi-generations.

<Quote from Social Gifting mentor > 
“Ikigai in Japanese means something which provides meaning and reason for living. The SUSS-Nunchi Marine Age Well Programme was set up to promote the exchange of knowledge between overseas and Singapore communities to embrace the spirit of Ikigai and promote ageing gracefully. Baba Lab and Social Gifting partnership embodies this first step with sense-making between multi-generations in Japan and Singapore."

said Dr Kelvin Tan
Head, Minor in Applied Ageing Studies programme
S R Nathan School of Human Development
Singapore University of Social Sciences.

<Quote from SUSS community engagement leaders> 

"Our beliefs are in coming together as a team to empower older people to remain healthy by living meaningful and enriching lives where they continue to influence the younger generation. We are proud to be part of this Age Well Programme, where we get to be involved in the process of exploring how the concept of ageing well from the Japanese can be weaved into Singapore’s context."

said Marcus Kiang & Lim Jie Hui
Community Engagement Leaders
Singapore University of Social Sciences (1^st-year undergraduate)

For media enquiries:
Duygu Sahin
Tel: +65 8756 7208 / +65 9831 8300
Email: Duygu@sgifting.com

About Social Gifting / SGifting Pte Ltd:
Founded and spearheaded by Singapore University of Social Sciences undergraduates, Social Gifting is set to create a community where crafting can bring people together, enable impact and enrich communities. We provide free crafting sessions to co-create exquisite handmade gifts with warriors, empowering them to build on their strengths and enabling them to live an enriching life with dignity. They include people who are fighting their battles with autism, mental illness, physical disabilities, caregivers, and seniors in social isolation.

About Lions Befrienders (Ghim Moh):
LB (Ghim Moh) serves more than 300 seniors staying around the Ghim Moh rental estate. They provide free activities to promote active ageing and combat social isolation among seniors at risk of social isolation.
Social Gifting partners Lions Befrienders by providing free crafting sessions with the seniors and raising funds to empower LB to organise more free and meaningful activities for the seniors to keep them engaged.

About Baba Lab Japan:

Baba Lab creates a place to think about the idea of ​​a system that makes people think that "living long is not bad" and the needs of an ageing society. At Baba Lab, we hold study sessions every month to think about mechanisms and services to create a world where people think that living a long life is not a bad thing.