MS Originals

Nee Soon HDB Block Signs Are Colour-Coded To Help Elderly With Dementia Get Around

Nee Soon HDB Blocks & Signs Are Colour-Coded In Dementia-Friendly Neighbourhood

Persons with dementia often find it difficult to navigate even their own neighbourhood, and risk losing their way.

But luckily for residents in Yishun, getting around the block becomes easier with colour-coded signs and zoning icons.

Source

They are part of an effort in making the area more dementia-friendly.

21 Nee Soon blocks with colour-coded direction signs

Last Friday (19 Mar), the Nee Soon Town Council (TC) announced the innovative, dementia-friendly initiative on Facebook.

Source

From then on, residents can find 21 HDB blocks in Nee Soon South and Chong Pang with colourful directional signs.

Source

They come in the colours red, green and blue, which stand for different zones in the neighbourhood, comprising block 837 to 850.

Source

 

Signages to nearby supermarkets, coffeeshops, and block numbers come in larger fonts which are more recognisable too.

Source

On top of colour codes, each zone also corresponds to a different icon, such as rubber trees, fish, and pineapples, which are historically significant to Nee Soon.

Colourful signs make it safer & easier for persons with dementia

Through such infrastructure revamps, residents will be able to recognise their surroundings more easily.

This is especially so for seniors with dementia, who need help getting around the housing estate on their own.

With the bigger and clearer signages, the uncles and aunties can hopefully move around with more confidence.

Source

Residents applaud the thoughtful initiative

On Monday (22 Mar), ex-Nee Soon GRC MP Ms Lee Bee Wah shared the campaign on Facebook.

Her post gathered numerous responses from netizens, who sang praises for the dementia-friendly initiative.

One pointed out that not only do these colourful signs help seniors, but children who’re out playing around the void decks.

Translation: It also helps children playing downstairs find their way back home.
Source

Another netizen asks the scientific rationale behind such signages. According to Ms Lee, experts from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital explains that people remember colours for longer periods.

Translation: My question is, do dementia patients still remember colours?
Source

Apart from praising the useful and practical concept, one netizen also reminds Yishun residents to take good care of the signages.

Source

An innovative & charitable concept indeed

It’s heartwarming to see such innovative yet practical concepts being realised in action.

Hopefully, they’ll make uncles and aunties in Nee Soon venture out more confidently and independently.

Would you like to see these colourful signages in your neighbourhood too? Let us know in the comments below.

Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.

Featured image adapted from Facebook.

Qi Lu

Qi Lu has all of 3 states: huh? how come? U sure anot? When not asking questions, she's probably learning herself a new language.

Recent Posts

Tampines HDB lifts malfunctioned due to rain on 22 Nov, workers rushed to repair elevators

One elevator is now functional while repairs on the second are expected to complete by…

23 Nov 2024, 10:39 am

2 community cats die after being hit by cars in Marine Terrace, caregivers seeking footage

The driver who hit one of the cats purportedly denied doing so and behaved angrily.

23 Nov 2024, 1:33 am

‘Tiger Candy’ contains erectile dysfunction medicine, may cause painful & exceedingly long erections: SFA

It has been marketed online as a candy that helps with male sexual enhancement.

23 Nov 2024, 12:11 am

Pop Mart pursuing legal action over unauthorised use of Labubu images by certain brands

"POP MART does not have any official licensed partners in Singapore," it said.

22 Nov 2024, 11:25 pm

Heavy rain on 22 Nov causes flash floods in Yishun & Potong Pasir, 127.7mm recorded in northern S’pore

51% of Singapore's average monthly rainfall in November fell in northern Singapore over less than…

22 Nov 2024, 10:27 pm

Pilot treats passengers to pizzas after emergency landing causes hours-long delay in the US

He made sure all the passengers were served before taking a slice for himself.

22 Nov 2024, 6:32 pm