Seniors Benefit from Continuum of Care through First-of-its-Kind Collaboration between REACH Community Services and St Luke’s ElderCare

After having a fall in December 2023, Mdm Chan Ah Chin, 80, fractured her hip and had to sit in a wheelchair. She started going to St Luke’s ElderCare (SLEC) for day rehabilitation services in February 2024 in Jalan Teck Whye and made great progress in her recovery.

Since June 2024, upon the encouragement of the rehabilitation team, she also took part in active ageing activities offered by REACH Community Services – just one level above SLEC’s space, within the same block – enjoying the Age Well Everyday Exercise programme, resistance band exercises, and various cognitive and social activities designed to promote mental well-being and active ageing. Her smooth transition from rehabilitation to active ageing highlights how the benefits of having three services under one roof: day care and day rehabilitation services by SLEC, and active ageing activities by REACH.

Today, REACH and SLEC officially opened the REACH-SLEC Active Ageing Centre (Care) @ Teck Whye Vista. The event was officiated by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Trade and Industry, and Grassroots Adviser to Chua Chu Kang GRC GROs.

Since this three-in-one centre was set up in February 2024, REACH and SLEC have served a total of about 450 seniors and can serve over 1,200 seniors at full capacity. It is also the first, largest and only Active Ageing Centre (Care) in Choa Chu Kang to date, which is being rejuvenated with new mixed-use developments, recreational spaces and better connectivity.

Integrated Community Care

This collaboration between REACH and SLEC to jointly run an Active Ageing Centre (Care) is the first of its kind for the eldercare sector and aligns with Singapore’s Age Well SG initiative to build a future-ready and integrated care ecosystem. It leverages each organisation’s expertise and resources: REACH has expertise in active ageing, while SLEC has had 25 years of experience in offering seniors a range of care services – including dementia day care, maintenance day care and rehabilitation services. Both organisations also jointly run a Senior Care Centre at Senja Valley, which officially opened in July 2024.

Adjunct Associate Professor (Dr) Kenny Tan, Chief Executive Officer of SLEC, said: “This integrated community care model is a significant shift from existing models. Instead of being service-centric, this model is senior-centric, where seniors receive care in a more coordinated, seamless and timely manner. This is especially important as seniors often require multiple services as they become frailer and less mobile with age.

Mr Michael Lai, Chief Executive Officer of REACH, said: “We are grateful to MOH/AIC for supporting this consortium partnership between REACH and SLEC to deliver integrated care to the seniors in Choa Chu Kang. It is a testament of the saying ‘two is better than one’ and as a result, we conceived a unique care model that provides a seamless recovery journey all under one roof. With the combined expertise from REACH and SLEC, together with our seniors, we will co-create a ‘Community that Cares’ in Choa Chu Kang.”

Housing multiple services under one roof is beneficial for seniors’ caregivers and spouses too. Every Wednesday, Mr Foo Sze Keng, 89, and his wife Mdm Lai Mooi, 84, attend the centre for different services. In the morning, Mdm Lai drops her husband off at the day care centre managed by SLEC, then heads to REACH where she attends resistance band exercises and spends the majority of her day. Her husband joins her after his day care ends in the mid-afternoon. Together, they play games and interact with other seniors before going home. This arrangement allows them to maintain their independence while enjoying meaningful time together.

Such a collaboration benefits the service providers too – they can optimise their different resources of funding and space, ultimately delivering more coordinated care to seniors more efficiently.

Moving Forward

Collaboration is a key thrust of SLEC’s strategy in transforming community care. It will co-run an Active Ageing Centre in Bukit Batok East with Fei Yue Community Services, to be opened in 2025, as well as an integrated facility that houses both an Active Ageing Centre (Care) centre and a residence (nursing home) in Bukit Panjang Jelapang with New Life Community Services, to be opened in 2026.