17 December 2015

TODAY

In an article contribution, Associate Professor Thang Leng Leng, Head of Department of Japanese Studies and Deputy Director of the Centre for Family and Population Research, noted that supermarkets can play a role in promoting social well-being among the elderly.

An observation she made revealed that neighbourhood supermarkets are often natural nodes for people living nearby to congregate and thus would be a good-fit to co-locate social activity centres or community centres with supermarkets.

In the article, she also shared that findings from a recent study by students from the NUS College of Alice & Peter Tan showed that interactions between supermarket staff and senior consumers can help forge community ties and give the elderly a sense of care and concern. Such social support is especially important for senior citizens who live alone.

To read the full article, click here.