Seniors in Kampong Chai Chee can test health gadgets at home for free under new community pilot

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SINGAPORE - Seniors in Kampong Chai Chee will soon have the chance to loan and try out health gadgets for free at home before committing to a purchase.

They will be able to do so with a new Care Tech Cafe, located at Heartbeat@Bedok, that will also allow them and their caregivers to have a feel of the care tech devices in person.

The year-long pop-up will showcase innovations like smart watches which can monitor blood pressure, smart rings that guide exercise, virtual drumming apps, medical handgrip devices, and AI companion robots such as LOVOT, Kebbi and Hyodol.

Seniors and their caregivers living in Kampong Chai Chee can loan the gadgets about a month after its launch on Aug 1. They can try out the items, which cost from $100 for a medical handgrip to $10,000 for a companion robot, for a week in the comfort of their homes, at no cost.

The 60sqm cafe, which will be launched at Kampong Chai Chee Community Club’s National Day celebration on Aug 1, will open every Monday and third Sunday from 2pm to 4pm.

The initiative comes as take-up of such technology in Singapore is relatively slow compared with other countries, with common reasons being high upfront costs and lack of awareness and trust, said SUSS associate professor Kelvin Tan, who helms the project.

The cafe will be manned by “baristas” who are seniors from Active Ageing Centres and youth from Heartware Network, a charity that empowers youth through community service by providing volunteer opportunities.

The Care Tech Cafe is a collaboration between Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and Nunchi Marine under the SUSS–Nunchi Marine Age Well Programme, with support from the Kampong Chai Chee Citizens’ Consultative Committee and Kampong Chai Chee Community Club.

Senior Minister of State for Health Tan Kiat How, who oversees the Kampong Chai Chee ward, told The Straits Times that the town is one of Singapore’s oldest and has one of the largest senior populations.

Hence it has both the opportunity and the responsibility to pioneer new ways of helping seniors age well in the community, said the East Coast GRC MP.

Bedok was in May also officially designated as an Age Well Neighbourhood, where seniors can access enhanced care services and senior-friendly infrastructure to help them age independently and comfortably, with a sense of purpose.

“Healthy ageing is not something healthcare systems deliver alone. It is something communities make possible,” said Tan, who is also Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information.

“The Care Tech Cafe is a good example of how community partnerships can help seniors and caregivers discover practical technologies that make everyday living easier, safer and more connected,” he said.

SUSS' Tan said beyond introducing new technologies, the cafe aims to empower older people and caregivers with practical digital skills, encourage intergenerational learning, and provide a platform for organisations and innovators to showcase care technologies.

“We often look at care technology on display at exhibitions. This initiative aims to bring such innovations closer to the community,” he said.

For some, buying a product at $100 without trying it out first might be acceptable. But for larger purchases, the loan scheme hopes to make it more accessible by allowing people to try out the product first, he added.

Following its launch, the café will roll out regular workshops, technology demonstrations, digital literacy sessions and programmes for caregivers. It will also allow startups and companies to test and gather feedback for their innovations, so that the seniors can help “co-create” the products.

Students and schools will also be invited to run hackathons or pitch their ideas for age-friendly solutions.

SUSS’ Tan also started the Society for Gerontechnology in May to focus on ageing and technology, and to help accelerate the adoption of technological solutions for seniors, caregivers and healthcare ecosystems.

Tan, who is also secretary-general of the International Society for Gerontology, said Singapore’s ageing society creates significant opportunities for innovation and technology adoption.

“One of the concerns for ageing populations is not having enough labour to provide caregiving support,” he said. “Technology will help maintain care quality and mitigate manpower constraints.”

He hopes to expand the initiative to other parts of Singapore eventually, including bringing the cafe to the People Association’s (PA) community innovation spaces.

Retiree Emily Choo, a Kampong Chai Chee resident, looks forward to trying the smart watch and smart rings.

The 65-year-old ordered a smartwatch online two years ago to monitor her blood pressure and blood sugar, but stopped using it as it was “not very accurate”.

She also has a social robot which was bought online for about $50.

“I think technology can really help improve our quality of life, and give us emotional support,” she said.

Retired lawyer Prem Singh, 75, said he will try out the smartwatches.

“The cafe is a good concept but seniors must be aware of it. It can work with PA to rope in young volunteers to bring the seniors out of their homes to this cafe,” said the Kampong Chai Chee resident who has authored books on social issues. “This is good for intergenerational bonding too.”