With more to give, S’pore seniors turn a lifetime of skills and experience into volunteer work
Seniors volunteer so that they can age with dignity and purpose and have avenues for social bonding.
In 2022, Singaporean IT professional Santhanam Srinivasan found himself with extra time on his hands during the Covid-19 pandemic. Seeking a meaningful way to spend his time, he discovered RSVP Singapore, a non-profit organization that promotes senior volunteerism. Srinivasan began teaching seniors how to use digital applications and tools, continuing his volunteer work even after returning to his job in 2023.
He now teaches three to four times a month, dedicating three hours to each session and serving on RSVP’s project steering committee to help implement new volunteer and donation management systems.
Retired manicurist Mak Lai Yeong, 74, has spent about five hours each month providing free manicure and pedicure services at the THK Active Ageing Centre @ MacPherson for the past three years. Her skills allow her to help seniors with uneven and crooked nails, often resulting from past injuries, or those with special care needs due to ailments like diabetes and cancer. Lai Yeong believes in dedicating her skills for as long as she can, finding inner happiness in helping others.
As the older population in Singapore becomes more educated, digitally connected, and seeks a flexible and meaningful volunteering experience, RSVP Singapore is seeing more seniors like Srinivasan and Lai Yeong bring their decades of professional expertise to their volunteer work. Beyond traditional roles such as befriending and community outreach, seniors are sharing their knowledge in mentoring students, teaching digital skills, and providing administrative support, data entry, and data analysis.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
