SINGAPORE: PM Lee Joins Seniors In Walk, Raises Awareness To Care For Elderly

SINGAPORE (Channelnews Asia), November 4, 2007: As Singapore's population ages, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the elderly will need to be organised, to socialize, and to stay healthy and well. Mr Lee took a walk Sunday with some 500 senior citizens at Bishan Park. With some 1,200 participants, it was a resounding success to this first walk, said organisers of the Befriending Walk. Participants of the walk included about 500 volunteers who accompanied the 500 senior citizens. The other 200 younger participants paid S$15 to walk around 2.2 kilometres of Bishan Park. The prime minister said activities such as Sunday’s walk should raise awareness among younger Singaporeans to bond with and care for the elderly. "I hope that through these activities, we will be able to get Singaporeans more conscious of what is really a social issue which affects all of us, and which we can all do something to make a difference to. And so prepare in good time, so when we reach our silver years and golden years, they will really be silver years and golden years, and we will be able to enjoy," he said. For now, the walk has encouraged the elderly to take a step towards active ageing. "For this Befriending Walk, we are also encouraging members to play a part in trying to get the seniors at home to age actively in terms of being active in a wide variety of programmes, like bringing the elderly to such event… and walk and so on," said Lions Befrienders’ executive director Jennifer Yee. By Lynda Hong ChannelNewsAsia