GER502: You are Required to Identify a Specific Senior Community (i.e. a Precinct or Organisation): Ageing and Society in Asia Assignment, SUSS, Singapore

Assignment Brief:

You are required to identify a specific senior community (i.e. a precinct or organisation) in Singapore that could benefit from this case study proposal by applying a best practice from a country overseas. In our local context, the beneficiaries should be seniors belonging to the Pioneer and Merdeka generations.

Of the current situation besetting these two “generations”, you are required to pick two unmet needs emanating from one or both of these target groups which resonate with the Singapore Successful Ageing Plan launched in 2015 by the Ministerial Committee. The plan comprises 70 initiatives in 12 areas. It aims to create more self-awareness of the values embedded in our society and attitudes towards older people. Overall, it was designed to achieve active and meaningful aging.

In this course, we have covered multiple case studies from many different countries that are experiencing challenges similar to Singapore due to the fast aging societies. Most popularly recognized is the multi-dimensional perspective approach in problem-solving due to seniors’ technology efficacies or lack thereof, environmental conditions, social fabric, and policy framework.

In your proposal, you need to indicate two theories of gerontology that are applied to value seniors in our society. It is important that your proposal aspires to create an age-friendly environment, detailing the conditions of the community, social system, an environment that would be conducive for aging well. Key issues of ageism and any challenges experienced by seniors and their caregivers should be adequately articulated in the proposal.

As a program initiative for seniors, you need to anticipate the potential positive outcomes (at least two) and the potential challenges which might be encountered in its implementation. For holistic planning, there should be due consideration given to incorporate the ethical, legal, and social issues relating to seniors.

You will be evaluated based on:

• the rationale and criteria for selecting the specific community
• why the overseas case study is chosen
• why the two unmet needs are selected based on the Singapore Successful Ageing Plan
• localization of the overseas case study for the Singapore context
• proposal (incorporating gerontological theories, ethical, legal, and social issues)
• discussion on the positive benefits, limitations, and challenges

Proposal format and sections required in submission:

1. Write the proposal name and name of the identified community in Singapore.
2. Describe two unmet needs identified from the Singapore Successful Ageing Plan of which your proposed program aims to tackle. Justify the importance of these needs to the identified Singapore community.
3. Describe clearly why the specific overseas case study is appropriate for the Singapore community and its needs. As an advocate for successful aging in society, explain how the multidimensional concept, which encompasses the social, psychological, spiritual/transcendent, economic, and environmental aspects, can be applied to your proposed program.
4. Discuss how you plan to use this overseas case study in Singapore and how the localized case study could develop in you a greater sense of self-awareness of the values, and attitudes towards seniors of Pioneer and Merdeka generations.
5. Assess the needs of the Pioneer and Merdeka generations seniors. What is known about programs which are provided to them in Singapore currently? Critique and state the missing gaps in the present programs which the overseas case study may address.
6. Explain the ways in which gerontological theories may be used to understand and elucidate the rationales for the program in Singapore’s context.
7. Explain and analyze how you think your proposed case study will tackle the issues of ageism and challenges (at least three each) for seniors and their caregivers in Singapore.
8. Describe how the overseas best practice could be localized to manage ethical, legal, and social Compare the original overseas case study in terms of its aims and content and why it could be adapted/localized to Singapore’s context.
9. Appraise the factors that may influence the pilot of your proposed program and how they may influence the targeted outcomes (at least two)g. contributions or benefits.
10. Correctly cite references (at least eight references, using APA format) to substantiate the statements you make in the assignment.
11. Propose any future directions for your proposed program.