Neighbours for Active Living

Singapore's Neighbours for Active Living programme is a community-care initiative pioneered by Changi General Hospital (CGH) and South East Community Development Council (CDC). The programme supports vulnerable seniors with complex health-social needs, including continued care after hospital discharge, and has expanded from a Bedok and Siglap pilot to the Eastern region of Singapore (South East CDC, updated 28 April 2026).

Care model and senior population

Neighbours for Active Living combines health and social support around seniors whose needs may not be addressed by a single appointment or service. South East CDC describes the programme as supporting vulnerable seniors with complex health-social needs and providing continuity after discharge from hospital. Its proactive approach aims to reduce avoidable hospital readmissions and emergency-department visits, but the public programme description does not publish an evaluated reduction rate or guarantee that participation prevents any particular outcome (South East CDC, updated 28 April 2026). The programme is consequently best understood as coordinated community support, not a universal healthcare entitlement or a replacement for clinical care.

Friend-A-Senior @ South East volunteers

The programme includes the Neighbours Friend-A-Senior @ South East component. South East CDC says that more than 900 volunteers have been trained to provide companionship, monitor health and assist with essential tasks, helping build longer-term relationships between volunteers and seniors (South East CDC, updated 28 April 2026). The volunteer count is a cumulative training figure reported by the CDC, not a count of volunteers active on every date or a count of seniors currently receiving visits. Volunteer companionship and practical assistance should not be confused with a diagnosis, medical treatment, or a promise of professional care at every interaction.

Geography, partners and scale

Neighbours for Active Living began as a pilot in Bedok and Siglap in 2013 and later expanded to the Eastern region. The programme page says it has worked with 70 community partners and provided trusted care to more than 13,000 seniors over 13 years, as stated in the page updated on 28 April 2026 (South East CDC, updated 28 April 2026). These are cumulative programme descriptions, not a current annual caseload, a denominator for all Eastern-region seniors, or proof that every senior in the area is eligible. CGH, South East CDC, community partners and volunteers have distinct roles; the public page does not provide a single universal intake rule or a complete list of referral routes.