Walk 2 Remember is Singapore’s first non-profit health communications campaign that focuses on encouraging intergenerational walking habits among Singaporean adults and their senior relative(s) to tackle the prevalent issue of dementia in Singapore, while fostering stronger familial ties.
Dementia, a neurological condition with no known cure, has been rapidly rising within Singapore’s ageing landscape. However, unlike most other forms of physical conditions that arise from ageing, the implications of dementia are particularly evident in the lives of caregivers of persons with Dementia – many of which are their relatives who may still be in the workforce. Caregivers often struggle to lead a balanced lifestyle, with caregiver burnout and mental health issues that may surface as a result.
Costs of dementia are also extremely high. In 2015, 2.8 billion was spent on dementia care alone, with this price set to increase to 8.4 billion by 2020. With people as one of Singapore’s key assets, the implications of dementia that ripple through the community is bound to have an impact on our economy and overall well-being.
Watch the video below for highlights of the Walk 2 Remember Walkathon, which was also mentioned in the media.
The Highlights
The campaign ran on both offline and online platforms. Six roving booths were held across various constituencies in Singapore, where the campaign message was shared through collaterals and activities on site. More than three hundred suggestions from the roving booths were collected, which involved the general public providing suggestions for caregivers to bring seniors out for walks. The team also published a website alongside social media content sites such as Facebook and Instagram, in which it was updated with content for viewers. The team accumulated more than six hundred followers on Facebook as a result.
The 8 months of campaigning culminated in a final Walkathon held on 16 March at Bishan-AMK Park, which saw over 400 participants who joined the team for a leisurely walk. The overwhelming response and support from campaign partners resulted in a well-executed event, which included a morning Tai Chi session, walkathon, games, panel discussion and mass workout.
All these efforts resulted in publications on both local and regional news outlets, alongside online and broadcast publications.
Last but not least, the team’s personal encounters with members of the public whose experiences and words of affirmation for the campaign was extremely heartwarming. In particular, one lady at their roving booth told them about how she wished they had done this a few years ago – if she only had known about how much a difference the simple act of walking could make, then perhaps the years of caregiving with her father (who had since passed away from dementia) would have been much more fulfilling and enjoyable.
The Memories
Reflection #1 – The Challenges
Mental barriers
On the team’s first pitch to a potential partner, they were told that their ideas were far too lofty and that they would “never be able to pull this off”, especially given the time and limited budget. Although this initially dampened their spirits, their faith in what they had to do brought them through the tide. Along the way, the rigour and stress (alongside academic necessities) and sheer lack of sleep led to occasional bouts of self doubt. However, the encouragement from one another, their partners, family and friends kept them going.
Insufficient time
There were many things to achieve for this campaign. Every project pitch the team had was a reminder of how little time they had to execute the plans. As a result, some were not willing to support them, while others did their best to help pull them along the way.
Expectations of campaign partners
The extensive list of partners that the team attained along the way resulted in varying expectations that required them to navigate their way through the process intricately. As first timers doing this, it was, initially, a challenge that the team found to be difficult to manage. However, the team has come to realise that, despite all the different partners, the spirit and heart as to why they supported them remained the same. This idea helped the team remain rooted and anchored in truly wanting to bring the best for the people.
Reflection #2 – The Takeaways
Collaboration of the community for a cause is extremely powerful.
The team would not have been able to pull off this campaign if not for the grants that were made available to support the cause, as well as support by their partners. While the idea of an “aged” population may seem daunting to many, the team got to experience how support of the community is key in building a space and a country that will not see this as an adversity, but rather a strength.
Perseverance and humility are key values that help a project move forward.
Although being idealistic allows one to dream big, the reality of the execution process requires him/her to be willing to let go of some things in order to take a step. In addition to knowing that hard work pays off, knowing what to let go and to be always open to listening to people who know the scene better, allows one to grow holistically as a student, leader and citizens of the world.
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