SINGAPORE: At a common area resembling a void deck, retiree Margaret Ho explains interest rates to two business students a third her age.
Nearby, at an outdoor pickleball court, three youths are locked in a game of doubles with a wizened elderly, who chuckles as she keeps them on their toes with well-placed serves.
They are all at a unique co-living project housed in the former Henderson Primary School, designed to bring together residents of different generations under one roof.
Mdm Ho, who used to work in the banking sector, chose to stay in the shared living facility to give her children a peace of mind.
The 69-year-old told CNA she looks forward to activities, such as calligraphy lessons taught by a senior resident and gym sessions organised by youth residents.
Retiree Margaret Ho explains interest rates to two business students at the common area of their co-living facility.
“The seniors just like to be able to talk to (their younger neighbours). My digital literacy is not as good, maybe they can teach me some skills. This kind of exchange … is interchangeable,” she said.
Any young person between the ages 18 and 25 can rent there.
But so far, those signing up are overseas students on study stints, who pay S$1,000 (US$800) a month to share a room with three others.
“For me, speaking English with the elders is a challenging but very important thing. It helps improve my English proficiency and makes me enjoy speaking English more,” said resident Bai Haochuan, a student from China.
Fellow Chinese student Chen Linghang said: “This feels really great, interacting with the seniors, teaching them how to use apps and software.”
The location can accommodate about 100 youths and seniors.
Senior rooms are between S$4,000 and S$6,500 a month, depending on care and meal options. An on-site clinic and caregivers are available.
The former school building does not have elevators, so seniors stay on the ground floor while younger residents live upstairs.
To encourage intergenerational interaction, all shared facilities are located downstairs. They include a basketball court, a table tennis area and a gym that has senior-friendly machines.
Residents use senior-friendly gym equipment.
TSTAP Henderson, the company behind the project, won a public tender from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) to operate the space last year.
It is targeting people from age 60 – whom they call "young seniors".
“They have a lot of experience to share. The younger generation also wants to learn from these young seniors,” said the firm’s director Tome Oh.
For instance, youths who aspire to become entrepreneurs can learn from seniors with business experience, he added.
Currently, activities between the two groups are optional, but grocery vouchers could soon be offered to encourage people to join, said the facility’s management.
It is also looking for a community leader among the students who can spearhead the activities.
A similar multi-generational co-living space is also being set up at Admiralty Road East.
Twenty heritage black and white bungalows will be turned into serviced apartments – a first for such conserved sites.
Covering about 245,300 sq ft – more than four football fields – SLA manages the lease for the area.
Heritage black and white bungalows that are slated to be turned into serviced apartments for a multi-generational co-living project.
“We recognise this demand for seniors looking out for more options on co-living concepts, as well as having interactions with the young generation, which helps with active ageing,” said Ms Carrie Wong, the statutory board’s director of business planning and development.
She added that SLA maintains a steady stream of state property released to the market to meet such demand.
Since last year, two out of four tenders were granted with concepts that encourage independent senior living options.
The authority said it is looking at market response and will consider letting out more state-owned properties for such uses.
Industry players said that contrary to popular belief that co-living appeals only to the young, they are seeing growing demand from older customers.
Habyt, for example, a company that provides short- and long-term rentals, saw the percentage of tenants over 55 staying at its co-living facilities increase to 6.1 per cent last year, up from 3.5 per cent in 2023.
The operator said the growing interest among the older folks is driven by flexibility, a sense of community and shared resources offered by such housing solutions.
St Bernadette Lifestyle Village, a private assisted living provider, also stepped into the intergenerational co-living concept with its new site at Duku Road earlier this year.
There, seniors occupy the ground floor while younger families stay on the second storey, each with their own amenities.
The areas where the seniors roam are fitted with grab bars, smoke alarms and barrier-free access.
For the older residents who need care services, monthly rental can go up to S$5,000.
“We've come up with a list of activities which we think are suitable. It gives people something to look forward to. We're seeing a lot of idealistic young people who actually want to get involved,” said Dr Belinda Wee, the company’s director and co-founder.
Her team is looking at boosting digital outreach and working with co-living operators to attract younger tenants.
The operator hopes to get a longer lease so the project can be a stable, long-term investment.
Youth residents speak to a senior resident at a shared living facility in the former Henderson Primary School.
Analysts said the concept is a shift away from nursing homes – these housing solutions are more casual and fluid, giving seniors more freedom, options and autonomy.
“The families are always invited to visit them. It's not a nursing home where there are hours of restriction. It’s so important that family is still part of the whole community,” said Dr Kelvin Tan, programme head of the Singapore University of Social Sciences’ minor in applied ageing studies.
Such efforts foster a more inclusive society, combat loneliness, encourage intergenerational learning and understanding, while also providing affordable rent options for some groups, experts said.
Dr Tan added that with Singapore’s ageing society, an increasing number of people will be seeking companionship.
"This is what we really want: the young helping the old and old helping the young. There's this exchange of relationship and wisdom," he said.
"If we could encourage the two age groups to learn together, live together and to see that kind of respect under that whole principle of care, I think we will be a much more empathetic society."
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Nearby, at an outdoor pickleball court, three youths are locked in a game of doubles with a wizened elderly, who chuckles as she keeps them on their toes with well-placed serves.
They are all at a unique co-living project housed in the former Henderson Primary School, designed to bring together residents of different generations under one roof.
Mdm Ho, who used to work in the banking sector, chose to stay in the shared living facility to give her children a peace of mind.
The 69-year-old told CNA she looks forward to activities, such as calligraphy lessons taught by a senior resident and gym sessions organised by youth residents.
Retiree Margaret Ho explains interest rates to two business students at the common area of their co-living facility.
“The seniors just like to be able to talk to (their younger neighbours). My digital literacy is not as good, maybe they can teach me some skills. This kind of exchange … is interchangeable,” she said.
Any young person between the ages 18 and 25 can rent there.
But so far, those signing up are overseas students on study stints, who pay S$1,000 (US$800) a month to share a room with three others.
“For me, speaking English with the elders is a challenging but very important thing. It helps improve my English proficiency and makes me enjoy speaking English more,” said resident Bai Haochuan, a student from China.
Fellow Chinese student Chen Linghang said: “This feels really great, interacting with the seniors, teaching them how to use apps and software.”
The location can accommodate about 100 youths and seniors.
Senior rooms are between S$4,000 and S$6,500 a month, depending on care and meal options. An on-site clinic and caregivers are available.
The former school building does not have elevators, so seniors stay on the ground floor while younger residents live upstairs.
To encourage intergenerational interaction, all shared facilities are located downstairs. They include a basketball court, a table tennis area and a gym that has senior-friendly machines.
Residents use senior-friendly gym equipment.
TSTAP Henderson, the company behind the project, won a public tender from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) to operate the space last year.
It is targeting people from age 60 – whom they call "young seniors".
“They have a lot of experience to share. The younger generation also wants to learn from these young seniors,” said the firm’s director Tome Oh.
For instance, youths who aspire to become entrepreneurs can learn from seniors with business experience, he added.
Currently, activities between the two groups are optional, but grocery vouchers could soon be offered to encourage people to join, said the facility’s management.
It is also looking for a community leader among the students who can spearhead the activities.
PROJECT IN ADMIRALTY
A similar multi-generational co-living space is also being set up at Admiralty Road East.
Twenty heritage black and white bungalows will be turned into serviced apartments – a first for such conserved sites.
Covering about 245,300 sq ft – more than four football fields – SLA manages the lease for the area.
Heritage black and white bungalows that are slated to be turned into serviced apartments for a multi-generational co-living project.
“We recognise this demand for seniors looking out for more options on co-living concepts, as well as having interactions with the young generation, which helps with active ageing,” said Ms Carrie Wong, the statutory board’s director of business planning and development.
She added that SLA maintains a steady stream of state property released to the market to meet such demand.
Since last year, two out of four tenders were granted with concepts that encourage independent senior living options.
The authority said it is looking at market response and will consider letting out more state-owned properties for such uses.
MORE SENIORS IN CO-LIVING
Industry players said that contrary to popular belief that co-living appeals only to the young, they are seeing growing demand from older customers.
Habyt, for example, a company that provides short- and long-term rentals, saw the percentage of tenants over 55 staying at its co-living facilities increase to 6.1 per cent last year, up from 3.5 per cent in 2023.
The operator said the growing interest among the older folks is driven by flexibility, a sense of community and shared resources offered by such housing solutions.
St Bernadette Lifestyle Village, a private assisted living provider, also stepped into the intergenerational co-living concept with its new site at Duku Road earlier this year.
There, seniors occupy the ground floor while younger families stay on the second storey, each with their own amenities.
The areas where the seniors roam are fitted with grab bars, smoke alarms and barrier-free access.
For the older residents who need care services, monthly rental can go up to S$5,000.
“We've come up with a list of activities which we think are suitable. It gives people something to look forward to. We're seeing a lot of idealistic young people who actually want to get involved,” said Dr Belinda Wee, the company’s director and co-founder.
Her team is looking at boosting digital outreach and working with co-living operators to attract younger tenants.
The operator hopes to get a longer lease so the project can be a stable, long-term investment.
Youth residents speak to a senior resident at a shared living facility in the former Henderson Primary School.
BETTER THAN CARE HOMES?
Analysts said the concept is a shift away from nursing homes – these housing solutions are more casual and fluid, giving seniors more freedom, options and autonomy.
“The families are always invited to visit them. It's not a nursing home where there are hours of restriction. It’s so important that family is still part of the whole community,” said Dr Kelvin Tan, programme head of the Singapore University of Social Sciences’ minor in applied ageing studies.
Such efforts foster a more inclusive society, combat loneliness, encourage intergenerational learning and understanding, while also providing affordable rent options for some groups, experts said.
Dr Tan added that with Singapore’s ageing society, an increasing number of people will be seeking companionship.
"This is what we really want: the young helping the old and old helping the young. There's this exchange of relationship and wisdom," he said.
"If we could encourage the two age groups to learn together, live together and to see that kind of respect under that whole principle of care, I think we will be a much more empathetic society."
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