Take Grandpa and Grandma out to Reunion at National Museum of Singapore, an elderly-friendly social space at the museum. The new space comprises a café and activity space conceptualised to support seniors including those with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
Reunion is so named as it aims to be a space where seniors can reconnect with old friends, make new friends, relax and be rejuvenated from day-to-day routines.
Seniors can look forward to the space decorated with familiar items, listen to their favourite tunes of the past, enjoy programmes organised as well as homely meals.
Here are seven things you can expect at this special space.
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Reunion at National Museum of Singapore: What to Expect
1. Inviting Space just for Seniors
Reunion is designed to resemble a homely space for seniors. The space has plenty of natural light coming through. Farquhar’s collection of Natural History drawings adorn the wall and the surrounding greenery offer a warm and comforting environment.
Given the rapidly aging population, such spaces are welcome for seniors and caregivers who can be encouraged to explore places outside of their community.
2. Evoking Nostalgia & Reliving Memories
It can be challenging to find spaces that take us down memory lane, with wheelchair access, with appropriate ambiance such as lighting and sounds. Reunion aims to fill this gap.
Reunion has five main areas: Music booths, Quiet Room, Memory Lane, main activity area and Café Brera. Each space highlights a different function and experience for seniors and their caregivers.
3. Be Soothed at Music Booths
Choose your favourite pieces that might be a blast from the past at the music booths designed to let seniors enjoy familiar tunes.
With an easy-to-navigate display panel, the elderly and their caregivers can select music options that are then played from overhead domes.
Apart from the device, seniors can also use visual aids to help them make their song choices.
4. Make Your Own Exhibition at Memory Lane Immersive Cave Experience
Visitors can enter the Memory Lane immersive cave experience that has been designed for participants to curate their own virtual exhibition as part of a facilitated group programme.
Pick your own backgrounds – whether it’s the museum, kampong hut, and place your desired items and furniture in.
What’s interesting about this experience is that it involves shared decision-making where visitors have to agree on the backdrops and the placing of objects such as vintage chairs, food storage cabinets and Singer sewing machines.
5. Recharge at the Quiet Room
For a respite from the activities, seniors can use the Quiet Room meant to help them decompress and regulate themselves in a relaxing environment. There are napping chairs, foot-rests, cushions and even sensory tools for self-regulation.
6. Activities for Seniors
Reunion has a large area resembling a living room. It has loose furniture that is designed to be wheel-chair friendly and easily reconfigured for hands-on craft activities to music and movement sessions.
One activity, for instance, is the Mystery Cart activity. Volunteers who conduct the session will ask participating seniors to choose their items and share their memories about them items from the Mystery Cart.
Other programmes that await at Reunion at National Museum of Singpaore including senior-friendly tours, Refresh & Reconnect! Programme and Quiet Mornings.
7. Café Brera: Local Foods & Gentle Foods
Enjoy fresh bakes, wholesome food and even “gentle” foods at Café Brera.
Apart from the popular hearty bakes, visitors can order dysphagia-friendly food suitable for those with swallowing difficulties.
Reunion opens 13 April 2023 and is located at the left wing of the museum.
Click here for more details.
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