The National Library Board’s (NLB) signature Time of Your Life (TOYL) Celebration is back for its 14th edition with an exciting line-up of more than 130 talks, presentations and a showcase aimed at enabling greater awareness about active aging. Themed “Connecting Generations through Discovery”, the programmes will be open to seniors, innovators, as well as youths, and gerontology experts to learn together about ageing well, including the technology that is available to aid that. Jointly organised with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), the event this year will be held in collaboration with the National Celebration of Seniors, a multi-agency effort led by the Agency for Integrated Care.
The TOYL Celebration at the National Library Building will be launched simultaneously as the Square Stepping Festival and Seniors Sports Challenge at Heartbeat@Bedok. The key highlights of TOYL Celebration, taking place over the month of October, can be found below.
TOYL Celebration Anchor Event and Other Programmes
TOYL Celebration 2024 is anchored by The Innovation Showcase, taking place from 14 to 16 Oct, 10am to 5pm, at The Plaza at the National Library Building. Admission is free and open to the public. Programme sign-ups are currently open and walk-ins are accepted, subject to availability. Some key highlights are as follows:
Key highlights from The Innovation Showcase
| Innovation | Showcase(s) |
| Gerontechnology & Assistive Technology | A pop-up run by SUSS in partnership with SG Assist: Age+ Living Lab that aims to educate and empower seniors and caregivers to age better. Designed to simulate a typical and authentic home environment, the lab allows seniors and caregivers to experience using different assistive products and better understand how they will fit into their lives. |
| A showcase by bGood (NUS Biomedical Engineering for Good), of their innovative Gerontechnology & Assistive Technology solutions, which were co-created with the community and aimed to enhance the lives of the elderly and people with disabilities. | |
| A booth by students from the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic, where visitors could discover the benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) for elderly well-being and explore how VR enhances social mobility and cognitive function, at a booth conducted by students from the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic. | |
| Humanoid | Get up close with Dexie, Dex-Lab's dementia care humanoid that enhances social interactions, facilitates exercises, leads sing-alongs and offers cognitive games, and thereby reducing staff and caregiver workload. |
| Inclusive Fashion | Explore Will & Well, an inclusive fashion label that is designed for people with diverse needs, providing ease, comfort and dignity in daily dressing processes for everybody. |
| Interactive Health Innovations | Play over 160 Lucynt interactive games available at the idsMED booth, designed to enhance the cognitive function, physical activity, and social interaction for individuals with dementia. |
For more information on TOYL Celebration’s key offerings, refer to the following.
Annex A: The Innovation Showcase at the National Library Building, 14 – 16 Oct 2024
Annex B: Other programme highlights
Annex C: Exhibitions across NLB’s libraries
The full list of TOYL Celebration programmes held over the month of October can be found on https://go.gov.sg/toylc24.
Annex A – The Innovation Showcase at the National Library Building, 14 – 16 Oct 2024
| 14 Oct 2024, Monday | ||
| Time | Programme | Venue |
| 9.30am to 10.15am | · Launch of National Celebration of Seniors · Keynote Presentation: “The Prospects of Intergenerational Interaction” by Dr Lynne Corner *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | Level 1, The Plaza, National Library Building |
| 10.45am to 11am | Healthier SG and You! by MOH | |
| 2pm to 4.30pm | Everyone Doing Oral History: Documenting the Everyday by Taipei Medical University Professor Chiu Chia-Hui and Professor Wang Ming-Hsu | Level 5, Imagination Room, National Library Building |
| 2pm to 3pm | Boogie Down the Memory Lane | Kopi & Music by NLB LearnX Community *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | Level 1, The Plaza, National Library Building |
| 3.15pm to 3.30pm | Healthier SG and You! by MOH | |
| 3.35pm to 4.35pm | Tiny Tales: Snapshots of Memory by Tiny Tales *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | |
| 15 Oct 2024, Tuesday | ||
| Time | Programme | Venue |
| 10.30am to 11.30am | Robo-Revolution: Transforming Eldercare with Dexie and Dex-Lab *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | Level 1, The Plaza, National Library Building |
| 10.30am to 5pm | Old Games, New Designs: Bridging the Generational Divide by Taipei Medical University Professor Chiu Chia-Hui and Professor Wang Ming-Hsu | Level 5, Possibility Room, National Library Building |
| 12pm to 12.15pm | Healthier SG and You! by MOH | Level 1, The Plaza, National Library Building |
| 1pm to 2.30pm | Work that Brain! Mindful Living for Better Cognitive Health by AMP Lab | Basement 1, Central Public Library, Programme Room 1 |
| 2.10pm to 2.30pm | Taichi for Fall Prevention in Older Adults by National Arthritis Foundation *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | Level 1, The Plaza, National Library Building |
| 2.30pm to 2.45pm | Healthier SG and You! by MOH | |
| 3.30pm to 4.30pm | Wassup? Doo-wop! Ukulele Reading Concert with Ageless Bridge *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | Level 1, The Plaza, National Library Building |
| 4.30pm to 4.55pm | Reading Along With You-《陪你看报纸》乐在生活庆祝会特别版 by Chinese Media Group *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | Basement 1, Central Public Library, Programme Room 2 |
| 7pm to 8.30pm | Improving Dementia Care: Novel Approaches & Possible Applications by Dr Lynne Corner *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | Level 5, Imagination Room, National Library Building |
| 16 Oct 2024, Wednesday | ||
| Time | Programme | Venue |
| 11am to 11.30am | The Power of Song: Melodies of Memory | Kopi & Music by Emmanuel Symphonic Orchestra *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | Level 1, The Plaza, National Library Building |
| 11.45am to 12pm | Healthier SG and You! by MOH | |
| 2pm to 3.30pm | Our Beloved Tunes of Yesteryear | Kopi & Music by Intune Music School *Hybrid programme: livestream will be available | |
| 3.45pm to 4.15pm | Learn with SG Digital Office by IMDA | |
| 4.15pm to 4.30pm | Healthier SG and You! by MOH | |
Annex B: Other programme highlights
| Date/Time | Programme | Venue |
| 19 Oct 2024 Saturday 10am – 12pm | Learning Journey to a Funeral Home | Ahead of Your Time by Ang Chin Moh Funeral Directors | Ang Chin Moh Funeral Directors 4 Toa Payoh Industrial Park, #01-1345A, #01-1345A Singapore, 319056 |
| 23 Oct 2024 Wednesday 3pm – 6pm | Preserve Your Treasured Memories with MemoryLane | Level 1, Programme Zone, Jurong Regional Library |
| 26 Oct 2024 Saturday 10am – 12pm | Reducing Social Isolation: Helping Seniors Stay Connected and Fulfilled | MWS Charis ACE Active Ageing Centre – Geylang East 125 Geylang East Ave 1, #01-05 Singapore, 381125 |
| 26 Oct 2024 Saturday 2pm – 3.30pm | Seniors Back in School: Fostering Intergenerational Interaction by Ms Janice Chan and Dr Florence Fong | Online, over Zoom |
| 26 Oct 2024 Saturday 9am – 2pm | Rummi-Con | Heartbeat@Bedok |
| 27 Oct 2024 Sunday 2pm – 4pm | Inspire the Spirit of Care: Meet the Faces behind the Stories by the Silver Generation Office | Level 6, Programme Zone, Tampines Regional Library |
Annex C: Exhibitions across NLB’s libraries
| Date/Time | Exhibition |
| 1 Oct – 24 Oct 2024 Level 2, Tampines Regional Library | Innovation Showcase On-the-Go Catch a glimpse of fascinating innovations that improve the lives of seniors at our Innovation Showcase: On-the-Go! |
| 14 – 16 Oct 2024 Level 1, The Plaza, National Library Building | Slice of Life A selection of Flash Fiction works written by seniors at series of workshops |
| 4 Oct – 30 Nov 2024 Level 4, Punggol Regional Library | Paradise in Your Hands An intergenerational art exhibition featuring clay works by seniors from St Luke’s ElderCare and youths from Heartware Network who participated in NLB’s Once Upon A Youth project |
| 14 – 29 Oct 2024 Tampines Regional Library 4 – 14 Nov 2024 Jurong Regional Library 16 – 28 Nov 2024 Woodlands Regional Library | Inspire the Spirit of Care: Celebrating a Decade of Empowering Singapore’s Seniors Marking the 10th Anniversary of the Silver Generation Office, this exhibition features 10 stories inspired by the spirit of care from our Silver Generation Ambassadors and the unstoppable lives of the seniors we met during engagement outreach in the community. |
| 1 – 31 Oct 2024 Level 2 Jurong Regional Library | givingBAC2024: Celebrating Our Life Stories Inspired by artworks from the collection of National Gallery Singapore, elders from St Luke’s ElderCare Senior Care Centre @ Marine Parade were led by community artist Joanne Lio responding to the theme of “Telling My Lifestory”. This showcase is supported by the Agency for Integrated Care and RSVP Singapore The Organisation of Senior Volunteers. |
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About the Time of Your Life CelebrationThe Time of Your Life (TOYL) Celebration is an annual event held in October, in conjunction with the International Day of Older Persons, to celebrate our seniors. This signature event under NLB’s TOYL series for seniors aged 50 years and above, aims to celebrate seniors, encourage active ageing and lifelong learning. It features a variety of talks, workshops and activities that are suitable for seniors, caregivers, and industry practitioners.
About National Library Board
The National Library Board (NLB) nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through its network of 28 libraries, the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore. NLB also forges strategic partnerships that encourage awareness, appreciation and greater discovery of Singapore's history through its rich collections on Singapore and the region.
NLB achieves excellence through innovation, focusing on citizen engagement and co-creation, resource and digital innovation. This creates learning opportunities, greater access to library resources, services, and archival collections, as well as a continual development of innovative library spaces. Established on 1 September 1995 as a statutory board, NLB is under the Ministry of Digital Development and Information(MDDI).
For more information, please visit the NLB website, and NLB’sFacebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube channels.
About Singapore University of Social Sciences
At SUSS, we have a singular vision to be a university that inspires learning for life and impacts lives, regardless of age, background or life path. Our university is a vibrant tapestry of ages and experiences. From recent JC and polytechnic graduates to seasoned professionals, parents seeking new horizons and individuals redefining their careers in their golden years—our diverse community comes together for one common goal: to empower themselves with an education that impacts lives and society.
We offer more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programmes, available in full- and part-time study modes which are flexible, modular and interdisciplinary, catering to both fresh school leavers and adult learners. SUSS also offers a broad range of continuing education and training modular courses for the professional skills upgrading of Singapore's workforce.
To date, over 47,000 graduates have experienced our unique brand of education. More than 21,000 students are currently pursuing their full- and part-time studies with us.
The Institute for Adult Learning (IAL), as part of SUSS, leads in the field of research on adult and workplace learning and training of adult educators to build capabilities of the training and adult education sector in Singapore and beyond.
For more information about SUSS, please visit www.suss.edu.sg.
