Difficulty rising from a chair or car, even in individuals as young as their 30s or 40s, may indicate early signs of frailty, health experts in Singapore have noted. Frailty, characterized by a reduction in muscle strength and the body's diminished ability to recover from illness or injury, can lead to disability if left unaddressed but is potentially reversible with timely intervention.
At a roundtable discussion on Oct. 6 focused on ageing well in Singapore’s super-aged society—where 20% of the population is aged 65 or older—medical professionals stressed the importance of recognizing early physical decline. Samuel Chew, senior consultant at Changi General Hospital’s geriatric medicine department, highlighted that weaker muscles affecting activities like standing up signal muscle loss, which requires attention. Lim Jun Pei, senior consultant at Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s geriatric medicine unit, added that in older adults, frailty may manifest as difficulty performing everyday tasks such as climbing stairs or carrying groceries.
Rachel Ngo, director of the Health Promotion Board’s physical activity and healthy ageing division, underscored that many Singaporeans mistakenly accept such decline as inevitable with age. However, she said maintaining and strengthening muscle mass through regular, consistent muscle-strengthening exercises can slow or reverse frailty. Despite this, a recent National Population Health Survey revealed that although a majority of seniors aged 60 to 74 engage in adequate overall physical activity, fewer than 40% meet recommended muscle-strengthening guidelines. Barriers include lack of confidence in performing exercises correctly and discouragement following muscle soreness.
Adding to these concerns, Chew explained the risks posed by hospitalisation and prolonged inactivity, which can trigger a cycle of muscle loss, reduced appetite, undernutrition, and further decline leading to frailty. Identifying those at risk during and after hospital stays enables timely nutritional and physical interventions to counteract this downward spiral.
Social factors also play a role in healthy ageing. Lim pointed out that social isolation among seniors may contribute to cognitive decline. Soh Swee Ping, chief of the active ageing division at the Agency for Integrated Care, highlighted the function of Active Ageing Centres (AACs), of which more than 260 operate across Singapore. These centres provide social engagement opportunities and health services in community settings, helping to reduce isolation and encourage a healthier lifestyle.
Soh emphasized that improving the physical environment, such as adding resting spots and hand railings along paths leading to AACs, is part of making neighbourhoods more age-friendly. These enhancements are included in Singapore’s Age Well Neighbourhoods initiative, aimed at supporting seniors to live independently.
Encouraging isolated seniors to participate in community activities requires patience and trust-building, Soh noted. Establishing relationships and boosting confidence are vital steps in motivating seniors to engage with the services and social opportunities available through AACs and the broader support ecosystem.
The panel concluded that aging well requires proactive, daily choices rather than passive acceptance. As moderator Joyce Teo, senior correspondent at the hosting media organisation, remarked, maintaining independence and quality of life in later years depends on the habits and interventions adopted today.