Connecting the Young and Old -- Bridging Hearts

Written by: Gilbert Goh Jian Tian (25S6C) Edited by: Lei Yanyang (25S61)

Hwa Chong's Values-in-Action Council (VIAC), which engages students to devote themselves in service to the community, has recently concluded their project Bridging Hearts, which aims to strengthen intergenerational bonds.

The project consisted of various fun activities for the elderly at Care Corner Toa Payoh and HCA Hospice Limited across 2 days, such as an interactive gameshow, snakes and ladders, and even a Chinese Calligraphy session with the assistance of Hwa Chong Chinese Calligraphy. 

With the help of students from the Chinese Calligraphy club, groups of seniors calligraph Chinese characters on red paper. VIAC

There was no shortage of activities for the student participants, who played traditional games and even watched the movie How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies, a Thai-language film about a poor university dropout who volunteers to care for his grandmother in the hopes of receiving her inheritance. These activities helped to both "encourage students to reflect on their relationships with their grandparents and families, and to appreciate the time spent with their loved ones," according to a VIAC member whom we talked to.

Additionally, students made custom hand fans that were given to the elderly. VIAC explained how hand-made fans were not only practical and helpful for the elderly in the hot Singapore weather, but also meaningful due to the special and unique designs of the hand fans. The elderly at the homes greatly appreciated the designs on the hand fans and were glad to receive them.

A hand fan with the design of a unicorn with stars, ingots and coins in the background. VIAC

As caring for our aging population becomes an increasingly prevalent issue in our society, VIAC explains that they chose to focus on the elderly as they found it meaningful to "provide the Hwa Chong student body with opportunities to better appreciate and empathise with the lived experiences of seniors in our community, and make a difference in caring for them."