慈善音乐剧《与露西同住》为失智症研究及护理筹款 (Charity musical 'Living with Lucy' to raise funds for dementia research and care)

​The National University Health System's Mind Science Centre (MSC), in collaboration with the Inner Wheel Club of Singapore West and the Family Business Network (Asia), will present "Living with Lucy", an English-language charity musical to raise funds for dementia-related medical research and training of care volunteers. Since 2019, the MSC has been presenting a series of musicals to raise awareness of dementia in the community. The musical will be staged on 24 and 25 February at the National Library Drama Centre Theatre.

Health Check Podcast: Why is ageing viewed negatively, and what can we do about it?

​In a podcast on Singapore’s updated action plan for successful ageing, Prof Kua Ee Heok, Tan Geok Yin Professor in Psychiatry and Neuroscience, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and Vice Chairman of the Mind Science Centre, National Univesity Health System, spoke about a 10-year study on positive ageing and dementia prevention in the elderly residents of Jurong.

• Razor TV, 1 February 2023, S1E100: Why is ageing viewed negatively, and what can we do about it?
  

Youth Mental Health-New toolkit aims to help the young overcome stressors

​The Mind Science Centre under the National University Health System (NUHS) launched the Singapore Youth Resilience Scale (SYRESS) on 1 July, and it was included in the "Raising a resilient child" self-help handbook written by clinical psychologists. The guide book contains frequently asked questions as well as scenarios and strategies parents can use in their daily interaction with youths. These resources were launch alongside an exhibition by the Mind Science Centre that aims to destigmatize mental health among youths. Artworks by a commissioned artist and 16 primary and secondary school students are among the items on display. SMS Dr Janil Puthucheary, the Chair of the Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being and who is also the Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, and Health, opened the exhibition. The exhibition is located at MAELab on level 2 of Block 29 of Alexandra Hospital and will be displayed from 1 July 2022 to 31 October 2022. It is open for public booking by appointment only via pcmv11@visitor.nus.edu.sg.

• Berita Harian Online, 1 July 2022, Sumber baru beri sokongan lebih baik bagi kesihatan mental belia (‎New resources provide better support for youth mental health)
  

• Berita Mediacorp, 1 July 2022, Rangka penilaian, panduan ibu bapa antara sumber baru bantu belia jaga kesihatan mental (Assessment framework, parental guidance among new resources to help youth take care of mental health)
  

• CNA Evening News, 1 July 2022, Youth Mental Health-New toolkit aims to help the young overcome stressors
  

• Vasantham TV News, 1 July 2022, The National University Health System,NUHS, is providing new resources to assist youth in maintaining mental health
  

• Suria News, 1 July 2022, New guideline to help youth overcome stress feeling
  

• Warna 94.2 Evening Radio News, 1 July 2022, New guideline to help youth overcome stress feeling
  

• Lianhe Zaobao, 2 July 2022, 去年378人自杀身亡青少年占三成 本地自杀率下降但年轻人寻短增加 (378 committed suicides in 2021, 30% of whom were young people; local suicide rate dropped, but number of young people committing suicide goes up)
  

Ageing with Dignity

​Ageing with dignity is a subject that's current and relevant in the context of Singapore's ageing population. Prof Kua Ee Heok, Vice Chairman of National University Health System Mind Science Centre and Editor of the book, 'Ageing with Dignity', shared more about who will benefit from reading this book and how useful the book will be for readers. He also discussed the Mind Science Centre's Age Well Everyday programme and how the programme is being refreshed.

传授正念天天康龄 (Imparting mindfulness to age well every day)

Zaobao featured Mrs Wee Geok Hua, a volunteer instructor who teaches mindfulness in the NUHS Mind Science Centre's (MSC) Age Well Everyday (AWE) programme. The AWE programme is one of MSC's signature programmes aimed at preventing dementia and depression.

Mrs Wee is responsible for leading AWE participants to conduct mindfulness to mediate their emotions and improve daily behaviour and attitude. She pointed out that mindfulness practice originated from Eastern thinking, but many teaching materials were from the West, thus localisation adjustments must be made to suit the cultural background and language habits of Singaporean seniors.

About 1 in 3 young people in Singapore has mental health symptoms: Study

​Associate Professor John Wong, Senior Consultant, Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Hospital and Director of National University Health System Mind Science Centre, noted that there has been an increasing number of youth, especially those from secondary school, who have been seeking help from professional services. He noted that it is challenging that their parents, who may not have the equivalent level of mental health literacy, are "very resistant or very hesitant". A/Prof Wong called for mental health education for the population at large.

Led by A/Prof Wong, the Singapore Youth Epidemiology and Resilience Study mainly explored the incidence of mental illness and emotional resilience in adolescents in 2020 to March 2022. The research project, which interviewed 3,336 young people aged 11 to 18, found that anxiety and depressive symptoms peak between the ages of 14 and 16, which suggested that this age group needed closer attention, and relevant mental health services could also be more targeted to support them.

• Lianhe Zaobao, 23 May 2022, Page 8, 本地调查:约三分一精神疾病在青少年期被发现 (Local study: About one-third of mental illnesses detected in adolescence)
• The Straits Times, 21 May 2022, Page B2, Public urged to help develop kids' mental health programme
• TODAY, 20 May 2022, Parents worried about stigma over mental health may be obstacle to youth seeking help: Forum panellists
• Berita MediaCorp, 21 May 2022, Parents worried mental health stigma prevents youth from getting help
  
  
  

New book highlights nationwide dementia prevention effort

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean officiated the launch of the book, Ageing With Dignity, on 8 May 2022. The book was published by the National University Health System Mind Science Centre (MSC) and written by researchers and volunteers of MSC's Age Well Everyday (AWE) programme.

The AWE is a dementia prevention programme, mooted by Mr Teo's late wife Mrs Teo Poh Yim, that combines health education, art, music, horticultural therapy and physical activities. It has led to the training of more than 110 volunteers to reach out to more elderly people, and more than 3,000 seniors have benefitted from it.

In his speech at the launch, Mr Teo said: "The AWE programme is designed to delay cognitive deterioration, reduce anxiety and increase sociability, and in so doing, help to delay the onset of dementia and improve the quality of life of seniors." He added that he and his family are honoured that the book has been dedicated in the memory of Mrs Teo.

On the significance of the book, editor Professor Kua Ee Heok said: "There's a lot of negativity about ageing. Some may think that old people are a burden to society. But what we want people to know is that old people play a big part in the country. So a sense of dignity for them is so important."

• Lianhe Zaobao, 8 May 2022, 新书 【有尊严地变老】 10年研究历程预防失智症经验荟萃 (New book [Ageing with Dignity] assembles 10 years of research on dementia prevention)

• Berita Harian, 11 May 2022, Program cegah demensia idea mendiang isteri SM Teo meluas seluruh negara (Dementia prevention programme mooted by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean's late wife extended nationwide)

Sow the seeds of health. Gardening for mental health and resilience

​According to a Singapore-based study conducted by National Parks Board (NParks) and the Department of Psychological Medicine at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, simply viewing a purpose-built therapeutic garden can improve mood and supplement treatment for depression. The Straits Times also mentioned that a study by researchers from NParks and National University Health System Mind Science Centre found that people who spent time gardening in Singapore during the pandemic reported higher levels of mental resilience compared with those who did not.

Take on midlife by taking care of yourself

To help middle-aged women keep up their well-being amid the pandemic, the NUHS Mind Science Centre (MSC) has launched a booklet of self-care tips. Midlife Challenges And Self-compassion For Women, which was released online on March 31, is meant to help women cope with stress by encouraging them to attend to their own needs and be kinder to themselves.
 
Women tend to take on a greater share of caregiving and domestic tasks and the pandemic has saddled many women with heavier workloads, according to a recently released Deloitte survey of 5,000 women in 10 countries. Besides these responsibilities, middle-aged women may also have to cope with physical changes brought about by menopause.
 
Ms Joy Chen, clinical psychologist at the NUHS MSC who wrote the booklet, says: “Most women at their mid-life stage may tend, or even be expected by others or social cultural norms, to put the needs of others first, neglecting their own needs and well-being as they attempt to balance family and career.”
 
The booklet is available for free on the MSC website, while physical copies can be found at the NUHS Mind Art Experiential Lab at Alexandra Hospital, where admission requires prior registration.

研究：自觉有抑郁与焦虑症状年长者 比率较疫情前高 (Study: Seniors observe higher levels of depression and anxiety since pandemic started)

During the circuit breaker last year, the NUHS Mind Science Centre carried out a questionnaire survey to follow up on the psychosocial outcomes and Covid-19-related behaviours among senior participants from the community. Prior to this, pre-Covid, the centre had already obtained the baseline of the participants from a community health survey. Subsequently, the centre carried out another follow up survey when the Covid-19 situation eased (phase 2 and 3). These three time-points of data had provided the centre with a comprehensive picture on the evolving psychosocial situation in the community.
 
Lianhe Zaobao reported a key point from the study was that before the Covid-19 pandemic, the seniors’ mental threshold (with depression symptoms) stand at 4.6%; during the circuit breaker, it jumped almost three-fold to 11.5% and during phase 3 re-opening, it was 7.9%. 
 
The Mind Science Centre is also organising an upcoming webinar together with Voices of Singapore – “Navigating the Pandemic – Overcoming COVID-19 Fatigue through song” – on 5 June. The free webinar is open to all members of the public. Prof Kua Ee Heok, Advisor to the Mind Science Centre, was on CNA938 to speak on benefits of Choral Singing and how it can have a positive impact on the mental health of the elderly.

Forging good habits

As 2021 approaches, Ms Joy Chen, Clinical Psychologist, NUHS Mind Science Centre shares more about habits – making good ones stick and parting bad ways with bad ones.
 
She highlighted that forming a habit involves a self-reinforcing cycle with three elements – a trigger, behaviour and reward. To break a bad habit, she pointed out that it is important to be aware of the trigger that causes it as it helps one discern if the habit is helpful and makes it easier to stop.
 
She also talked about five tips to make habits stick, which included understanding and appreciating the rewards of the desired behaviour, repetition and guarding against self-criticism in the event of a setback.

Hundreds of allotment garden plots up for balloting

​Professor Kua Ee Heok backs up NParks plans to have more allotment garden plots for people to pick up gardening and to enjoy its benefits with findings from NUHS Mind Science Centre’s Nature and Mindful Awareness Study (NaMAS). The study led a group of 20 seniors in weekly mindful walks through the botanic gardens for 10 weeks. The study revealed that the participants’ physical health had improved with participants experiencing fewer muscle strains and aches, better mental health and social cohesion within the group.

疫情冲击生活节奏规律 国人心理健康不容忽视 (Mental health issues should be not be ignored as circuit breaker disrupts daily lives)

​Channel 8 Morning Express featured local families whose daily lives have been disrupted by the circuit breaker. Professor Kua Ee Heok and Associate Professor John Wong from the NUHS Mind Science Centre offer their expert advice on mental health awareness and issues to look out for during and post-circuit breaker.

New study on seniors aims to help them age well

The Mind Science Centre (MSC), a research centre under the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the National University Health System (NUHS), will be conducting a new study to gather more information on the elderly who live in the western part of Singapore, to help them develop mental resilience and other resources needed to age well.

The principal investigator of this Community Health and Intergenerational (CHI) study, Associate Professor Rathi Mahendran of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at NUS, said: “There has not been an ageing study in Singapore that is as comprehensive as this.”

“A similar one was done in Jurong, but this study will be a broader investigation on issues affecting the elderly and the interventions that can be developed.”

She added: “We know that drugs cannot help reverse cognitive decline, so we hope to offer the elderly more options and activities that are stimulating to delay or reverse cognitive decline.”

• The Straits Times, 23 September 2019
  
• Lianhe Zaobao, 23 September 2019