Genki Kaki

This 10-part series of short films and articles highlights the rich diversity of services for seniors in Japan – which has the world’s oldest population – and what fast ageing Singapore can learn from them.

Singapore is one of the fastest ageing countries in the world with the numbers of people aged 65 or more set to double to nearly a million by 2030. To build awareness and jumpstart informed debate on ageing issues, the Foundation took two Singaporean retirees to Japan to learn first-hand about options there for seniors to lead active and engaged lives and be well cared for should they fall prey to disability or disease. Elizabeth Seah, 62, and Jelly Tan, 77, visited elderly-friendly malls, restaurants, gyms and places that provide residential and day-care in and around Tokyo, a densely populated, space-starved metropolis not unlike Singapore. The sojourn provided valuable insights into Japan’s successes and failures in dealing with its silver surge.