STORY PREVIEW

2023

Happy Elderly

Individual

Singapore

MENTOR

kokila betts

Step 1 FEEL

List the challenges or problems in your surroundings (school,neighbourhood etc.) that bothered you.

1. Sad elderly sitting in mobility devices/wheelchairs 2. Recyclables are being thrown away 3. Many people are not exercising enough, passive lifestyles 4. Heavy use of mobile devices among teenagers 5. Littering around the estate 6. Loud noise/music during the weekends 7. More health issues and ailments for those who are not exercising actively

State the problem chosen to work and why.

I see many elderly being taken care of by domestic helpers in my estate and many of them are living very passive and sedentary lifestyles. With their limited mobility and ailments, many elderly are unable to exercise or move around much without the assistance of these helpers. Hence, many elderly, unfortunately, have to sit on mobility devices and be wheeled around. I find this very sad because these elderly can still be taught how to do exercises while seated which can then, help in their mobility issues. Many elderly depend on these helpers to help them exercise but helpers also find it hard to carry and move these elderly around so, I want to help them with my solution so that both elderly and helpers can benefit from exercising. Furthermore, my solution can be used by anyone who has mobility issues and can it can also help people strengthen their hand muscles.

Who were the people affected by the problem? What were their primary concerns?

The people who were affected the most were elderly and those with weak hand muscles which has been affecting many people who work long hours at their computers. Many elderly do suffer from weak hand muscles at some point of their lives and they are unable to get up to do any exercise as they are not able to grip or hold on to anything. Many working professionals also face this occupational hazard of sitting for too long at their desk and computers without taking time to exercise their hand muscles.

Step 2 Imagine

List ALL the different solutions you came up with.

1. Bring the elderly for walks 2. Give the elderly some kids' toys to help with their hand muscles 3. Give the elderly in the estate some exercise mats which will encourage them to exercise at their own convenience 4. Create an exercise app for elderly to follow at their own time 5. Show the elderly hand exercise videos every week so that they can practice on their own 6. Teach domestic helpers hand exercise strategies so that they can teach the elderly they are taking care of 7. Create a portable exercise mat with mini-tasks in it that will allow the elderly to carry everywhere. 8. Create posters and brochures that will teach elderly different hand exercises and disseminate these in their mailboxes every week.

Which solution from those listed above did you choose to implement and why?

1. We decided to create a portable exercise mat with mini-tasks in it that will allow the elderly to carry everywhere. This is our favourite solution as it allows us to create something that is lightweight and convenient to bring around, especially when the elderly are not able to move around much without assistance. This exercise mat will allow the elderly to exercise their hand muscles anywhere, be it outdoors or indoors when they are watching TV. This portable exercise mat comes in a matching bag which can be a beautiful accessory for the elderly when they are going out.

Step 3DO

Describe very briefly the process of implementing your solution(s).

Since I wanted to use recyclables to make my exercise mat as it is more environmentally-friendly and cost-efficient, I gathered available materials and resources from my home and school. I made a portable exercise mat which has mini-tasks for the elderly to do which will allow them to exercise their hand muscles such as using a zipper, tying strings together, fixing a button, using the pincer fingers to move things from 1 pocket to another. I used my old zippers, buttons and twines to make 2 such exercise mats.

What was the result or impact of your project?

I let my grandmother try out the mat when she was free and watching TV. She enjoyed doing the mini tasks and didn't feel tired as she felt that her hand muscles needed the exercise.

How many people were impacted by your solution(s)?

What did the impacted people have to say about your project? Provide 2 quotes or testimonials:

My grandmother said that the exercise mat is good for her to use when she's watching TV as she did not feel like she was exercising as it was very fun to do and lightweight tasks. My grand-uncle also said that he enjoyed doing the exercises as he could bring it with him when he's travelling in the bus.

What challenges did you encounter while implementing your project, and how did you overcome them?

I was afraid that I might not have enough recyclables to create all the mini tasks so I had to ask my friends for some of the recyclables such as paper clips and zippers from old clothes. I was also afraid that some of the mini tasks might be too boring for the elderly so, I asked my grandma what types of exercises she will find interesting.

How long did it take to implement your solution?

15-30 Days

Which global goals does your story align with?

Good health and well being

Please explain briefly why do you think so?

By helping elderly exercise, I am helping them lead more active and healthier lifestyles. My portable exercise mat is able to help both elderly and anyone with hand muscle challenges

Step 4 SHARE

How did you share your project with your school and community? Who did you share your project with? What was their response?

I shared my project with my grandma and grand-uncle who both have hand muscle challenges. They are both in their 60s and retired hence, they are not very active in exercising. My grandma has weak hand muscles as she has been exerting her hand for my daily tasks such as cooking and cleaning. My grand-uncle has motor-neurone challenges as he is unable to bend his wrist for long times. So my exercise mat helped them both to improve their hand coordination over a short period of time. I also shared my exercise mat with my extended family members and my mother's colleagues as they are all working professionals and some have these challenges.

Approximately how many people did you share your story of change with?

0-10

Briefly share your plan to sustain the impact of your project?

I plan to interview more elderly and other people with hand muscle issues on what type of portable exercise mats they would like to have so that I can cater to their specific needs. For example, my grandma has requested for an exercise mat that has longer and shorter zippers so that she can improve her pincer grip for the zip and move her hand up and down easily. I also plan to have simple, intermediate and hard mini tasks in 1 mat so that the elderly can also choose which tasks suit their hands. I also plan to create brochures on how these exercise mats can be used so that helpers can help the elderly that they are looking after and family members can also assist. I will disseminate these brochures in mailboxes in my estates.

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