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Central Government, Local Government

Singapore launches internet portal for elderly

By Crystal Low | 14 May 2009

In an initiative to make ICT more accessible to senior citizens, a local council in Singapore created a web site to provide the elderly with social platforms, games and information.

“I Not Old” (www.inotold.com), is the brainchild of the South West Community Development Council (CDC), a quasi-governmental body that functions as the local administration of a district. Designed for easy navigation, the web site allows users to customise the web pages to their preferred font size and language - making it elderly-friendly.

Besides providing fun and facts, the portal acts as a link between approved community groups and senior citizens. Citizens who want to use the portal need to register their particulars which then go into the People’s Association’s Elderly Database Management – a resource which can be accessed by organisations looking to reach out to the elderly.

Currently some senior citizens are not receiving the financial and medical aid which they are eligible for. The portal is intended to link these citizens with approved service providers.

Amy Khor, the Mayor of the South West District commented that the portal would enable assistance to be given to the elderly more evenly.

The online portal is part of efforts to make government more socially inclusive. “The elderly should be socially engaged, which means they should have friends and common interests together. It can be a sport, a hobby, or it could be dancing, and we would like them to be members of their own social groups which will meet regularly,” said Lim Boon Heng, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

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