At the opening ceremony, distinguished guests watered orchid plants together, symbolising hopes for GLOW’s healthy growth. From left: Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, Ong Ye Kung; Member of Parliament for West Coast GRC, Ang Wei Neng; CEO of Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore), Low Swee Seh; and a senior representative. (Photo by Donn Tan)
“We are creating a safe space for the whole family. Grandparents can bring their grandchildren. Youths can drop by to enjoy a cup of tea and some biscuits, or chat with our volunteers who are trained to provide a listening ear, not as teachers or parents, but simply as friends,” said Lee Weng Foo, Acting Manager of Tzu Chi Community Care, at the opening of GLOW (Nanyang).
GLOW is a brand-new Active Ageing Centre (AAC) developed by Tzu Chi, serving as an extension of Tzu Chi SEEN (Nanyang), located just 400 metres away. Currently, SEEN (Nanyang) sees about 300 seniors participating in activities daily, with 2,200 registered members, well above the capacity of 1,850 assigned by Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).
With the support of the government and the community, GLOW has been successfully established. The centre seeks not only to ease the space constraints at SEEN, but also to introduce innovative services by expanding its target group from retired seniors to middle-aged adults aged 40 and above. Featuring dedicated spaces such as a LEGO corner, café, and music room, GLOW creates an environment where residents from diverse backgrounds can naturally come together and build stronger intergenerational connections.
GLOW (Nanyang) was officially launched on 15 November 2025 (Saturday). The opening ceremony was jointly officiated by Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, Ong Ye Kung; Member of Parliament for West Coast GRC, Ang Wei Neng; and CEO of Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore), Low Swee Seh, among other distinguished guests. At the same time, Tzu Chi exchanged Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with six partner organisations, marking a collective commitment to creating a comprehensive support and activity space for seniors.
Tzu Chi exchanging MOUs with six partner organisations. Seated from left: Zacchaeus Chok, CEO & Co-Founder of Marymount Labs; Joseph Wee, Managing Director of Weeswares Pte Ltd; Jiang Ying, Assistant Professor, Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, National University of Singapore; Low Swee Seh, CEO of Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore); Associate Professor Allan Chia, Deputy Provost, Singapore University of Social Sciences; Annika Wohlstrom, Sales Director of HUR Solutions; and Russell Chan, Principal & CEO of Nanyang Polytechnic. Standing behind as witnesses are MP Ang Wei Neng (left) and Minister Ong Ye Kung (right). (Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
Service Innovation to Encourage Intergenerational Engagement
GLOW stands for “Go! Live Outrageously Well”, embodying the spirit of living life with health, vitality, and purpose. To foster deeper interpersonal connections, all programmes are conducted in small class sizes of five to ten participants.
In line with the government’s Age Well Neighbourhood initiative, GLOW integrates the concept of preventive healthcare by introducing Singapore’s first Longevity Courtyard, along with a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) consultation room and a Food Lab.
The Longevity Courtyard, developed jointly by Tzu Chi and HUR Solutions, is equipped with innovative facilities such as Music Boxing Machine, Battle Ropes, and Suspension Trainers, enabling seniors to enhance their physical fitness in a fun and engaging way. Notably, 30% of the slots are reserved for family members, encouraging children to train and bond with their parents.
To provide holistic care for the body, mind, and spirit, GLOW has assembled a professional team that integrates physical training with TCM therapy and nutritional guidance. A total of 33 customised courses have been launched, comprehensively strengthening seniors’ health across physical fitness, mental wellbeing, and diet.
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Tzu Chi’s Acting Community Care Manager, Lee Weng Foo, sharing Tzu Chi’s vision of cultivating an active and engaged senior community with the guests. (Photo by Donn Tan) -
MP Ang Wei Neng delivered his address and affirmed Tzu Chi’s efforts. (Photo by Wong Twee Hee) -
Minister Ong Ye Kung (second from left) and MP Ang Wei Neng (second from right), accompanied by Lee Weng Foo (first from the right), touring the centre’s facilities to better understand seniors’ needs and usage. (Photo by Donn Tan)
In his speech, Minister Ong Ye Kung highlighted that Active Ageing Centres are an essential pillar of the community care ecosystem. Beyond supporting post-illness rehabilitation, these centres also enable seniors to manage their daily health and wellbeing. He emphasised that the operation of Active Ageing Centres should be guided by the CHOPE framework: Coordination, Health, Outreach, Partnership, and Engagement.
He also encouraged seniors to embrace ageing with a positive and graceful mindset. He said in his speech, “Greet and welcome longevity, all of us will grow old, no point in saying, ‘Oh, I’m old already, I'm very sad, I cannot run, I cannot play football.’ We must welcome longevity because we must live our lives wisely and grow old wisely. Wisely means when you grow old, don't think about all the things you cannot do. When you grow old, you can do a lot more things that young people cannot do.”
Energetic seniors welcomed the distinguished guests with a lively percussion performance using yoga balls and cheerfully posed for photos together afterward. (Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
The establishment of GLOW in the Nanyang community was also made possible with the support of MP Ang Wei Neng. He affirmed Tzu Chi’s efforts in community care and expressed high hopes for its future development. He noted that many Active Ageing Centres currently have a relatively low participation rate among male seniors, at only about 30 per cent. He hopes that more male seniors will join such centres and take part in the activities in time to come.
Integrating AI to Deliver Care with a Human Touch
Another major innovation at GLOW lies in the integration of artificial intelligence with humanistic care, extending support beyond the Active Ageing Centre into seniors’ homes and outdoor spaces, enabling them to enjoy a more fulfilling later life.
Acting Manager of Tzu Chi Community Care, Lee Weng Foo, explained, “You can have a care plan that is developed in less than 10 seconds, based on the algorithm that we set. Whereas previously, we needed to spend two, three, four hours writing one care plan. So with this kind of efficiency, we are no longer constrained by the number of people we have.”
Among the collaborative projects between Tzu Chi and Weeswares is an AI companion named “April”, which provides digital companionship for seniors. Powered by AI algorithms, April identifies potential health risks and signs of social isolation in seniors, enabling timely support and intervention.
The AI companion features a cute, compact design that is easy to carry, and is equipped with GPS tracking to enhance seniors’ safety. (Photo by Donn Tan)
Weeswares Managing Director, Joseph Wee, added that each senior has a personalised database within the system, which stores their medical records and mobility data. As seniors interact more frequently with the AI companion, the system is able to analyse their physical condition through accumulated data.
He explained, “Whether it’s physical data such as step count and movement patterns, or behavioural changes, like visiting the supermarket regularly in the present month and suddenly stopping the next. The AI companion can detect changes in behavioural patterns and issue early alerts, enabling truly personalised care.”
Juliana Tong, 66, one of the users of the AI companion shared, “It feels reassuring to use the AI here because there is a dedicated system managing everything. The AI companion adds colour to our lives as active agers, especially the points system, which motivates us to go out and take part in activities.”
While using the HUR Solutions exercise equipment and participating in Tzu Chi activities, seniors can also accumulate points, which can be redeemed within the community for services such as meals and haircuts. (Photo by Donn Tan)
Another partner, the Marymount Labs team, has developed a WhatsApp-based smart care messaging system. Through interactive messaging, the system analyses seniors’ emotional wellbeing while also encouraging them to participate in activities. To cater to seniors’ communication habits, a voice-to-text transcription feature has been incorporated. To date, the pilot programme has received positive responses from more than 80 per cent of participants.
Marymount Labs Co-Founder and CEO, Zacchaeus Chok, shared, “What we learned was that it is important to build trust before recommending activities. Simple ‘good morning’ messages actually work better than jumping straight into programme promotion. We also found that most seniors respond very positively to these messages, regardless of their gender, age, or background.”
Tzu Chi also collaborates with A Good Space to document the life stories of 100 seniors. During the opening, three of these stories, printed in bound booklets, were specially showcased to the guests. (Photo by Donn Tan)
Care at GLOW also extends to daily nutrition. In partnership with Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Tzu Chi provides internship opportunities for students. One student-developed mobile application allows users to upload a photo of their meal, and the system will automatically analyse its nutritional content, including calories, carbohydrates, protein, and fat, offering seniors a more intuitive reference for managing their diet.
With the official opening of GLOW (Nanyang), the integration of multiple AI-driven technologies with humanistic care is expected to empower seniors in the community to unlock lives of safety, health, and happiness — Go! Live Outrageously Well!
GLOW (Nanyang)
Address: 706 Jurong West Street 71, #01-58, Singapore 640706
In celebration of SG60, a special promotion for GLOW’s 33-class course package will run from 15 November to 31 December: $60 for 33 classes (usual price: $7 per class).
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