Social isolation during the circuit breaker period resulted in lower social satisfaction levels for senior citizens, according to results of a monthly survey of about 7,500 people aged between 55 and 75 here. The Covid-19-related findings from the May to July iterations of the longitudinal Singapore Life Panel survey, done by SMU's Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA), were revealed at a media briefing by Centre Director, SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan. Prof Straughan said that the proportion of those who remain single and live alone will increase as Singapore's population ages, and she added that society will have to be redesigned such that every Singaporean, regardless of circumstances, can look forward to growing old gracefully.
Ngee Ann Kongsi announced that it would contribute $15 million over seven years to SMU to support research on the well-being of the elderly and successful ageing in Singapore. The amount is the largest research funding that the University has received from a non-governmental organisation and is also Ngee Ann Kongsi's largest donation for research to date. About $1.5 million of the funding will go towards helping ROSA to translate research into policy insights this year.