Opening this April 13, Reunion is the first social space dedicated to the elderly community, located in the heart of Singapore’s oldest museum. With the support of the Lien Foundation, this cosy initiative was designed with the health and well-being of seniors in mind to provide a non-medical intervention for those with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
As Singapore has one of the world’s fastest ageing populations, dementia cases are expected to rise in the coming years. This collaboration addresses this by creating an age-friendly museum sector that aims to support the needs of Singapore’s senior community. It is also in line with the newly announced 2023 Action Plan for Successful Ageing.
To ensure the space is dementia-friendly and tackles the specific needs of the seniors, NMS also worked closely with their partner and architectural consultant, RSP Architects, seniors, caregivers, partners from health professionals and social care sectors. Stakeholders were also included in the process to help program the activities and select the furniture, colour of the interiors and flooring design.
The idea is to design a space to empower seniors to continue to live their active lifestyle and also exercise independence. Our concept is to turn Reunion into a home that is comfortable and familiar. – RSP Architects
Living up to its name, Reunion is a safe space that aims to reunite seniors through its interactive games and activities that are integrated throughout the 4 main spaces – Memory Lane, Activity Space, Quiet Room and Music Booth. These activities encourage brain stimulation, the building of new relationships through meaningful conversations between both old and new friends, participation in games that utilise the museum’s resources, and more. Visitors can also look forward to filling their stomachs with the yummy food at Café Brera, choosing from either the generic menu or the special menu that caters to seniors with disabilities like dysphagia.
The design of the space incorporates senior-friendly features such as nature elements and calming colours to ensure a soothing environment; a rattan wall at the Memory Lane to incorporate nostalgic textures paying homage to our local heritage; interfaces that use large fonts for easy viewing; and the selection of chairs both with and without arm support to cater to different mobility choices. The design also uses artworks of animals, plants, and fruits from NMS’s William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings.
1. Memory Lane
The Memory Lane is an immersive room for seniors to design their very own virtual exhibition through a facilitated group programme. Elderly visitors can choose from various virtual backgrounds and input their choice of furniture, objects, and whatnot. This interactive activity helps to jolt memories of the past and in turn encourage a two-way conversation between the facilitator and the participating elderly.
2. Activity Area
This is where more of the magic happens. The space can be rearranged by moving the furniture around to suit ongoing activities. Games are also facilitated here by museum volunteers to engage and give the seniors a chance to tell their story, make new friends, and simply have fun.
3. Music Booths
At the Music Booth, people can come together to reminisce old tunes and share fond memories, in turn evoking positive emotions. Music is controlled with the built-in overhead dome speakers. Select from NMS’s curated playlist, categorised into different genres – love songs, kopi tunes, blues, and more.
And the best part is, the playlist is an ever growing one. So if you don’t see something you like, simply drop a song request in the song suggestion box!
4. Quiet Room
For seniors who feel overstimulated, the Quiet Room offers a space to wind down and enjoy some peace and quiet. The sofas and chairs in there are also custom-made with built-in head and leg rests. You can also find objects such as a fidget blanket for some sensory and tactile stimulation.
5. Café Brera
If you’re hungry in between the fun, slide over to Café Brera to grab a bite. From local delights to hearty soups and light snacks, fill your stomachs while enjoying the open kitchen where you can see the chefs at work. The café also has a Gentle Foods menu that caters to seniors with disabilities like dysphagia.
Even though Reunion was designed for seniors, it is a space that welcomes all to come and discover the interactive activities and virtual exhibitions as part of their exploration of the local museum. For more information on the available programmes at Reunion and registration details, visit the museum's website here.