Many seniors who are frail or have mobility challenges rely on wheelchairs for their daily activities. Wheelchairs are prone to wear and tear from daily use and require regular servicing to be kept in good working condition. With well-maintained wheelchairs, seniors can move around safely and stay active in the community.

For elderly wheelchair users, it is important for wheelchair servicing to be made easily available and accessible to them. As such, the Temasek Foundation Cares – Kampung Senang WHEELS programme, a three-year pilot programme funded by Temasek Foundation Cares and administered by Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), in partnership with Kampung Senang, was launched. Through this pilot programme, about 600 seniors living in rental flats in Bedok and Tampines will benefit from free wheelchair servicing and repairs at five Senior Activity Centres (SACs) located near them.

Under the WHEELS programme, 30 active seniors will be trained by Kampung Senang to do the servicing for their wheelchair-reliant elderly peers. Among them is Mr Tan Seng Kin, 73, a member of the Lions Befrienders SAC’s wheelchair servicing team. He used to repair his own bicycle when he was younger and found those skills applicable to wheelchair servicing. He is happy to play a part in ensuring his neighbours’ wheelchairs are properly maintained so that they can travel around safely and independently. Wheelchair servicing includes rust removal, cleaning and basic repair. Should wheelchairs be beyond servicing, Kampung Senang will also provide free replacements under the programme.

Minister for Social and Family Development, Desmond Lee who launched the programme said that the WHEELS programme enables our seniors to continue with lifelong learning and “deconstruct myths and false impressions about our seniors, from being beneficiaries of social services, to being active volunteers and role models for younger people.”

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Where is WHEELS available?

Elderly wheelchair users over the age of 60 can bring their wheelchairs to the following Senior Activity Centres for servicing and repair services:

(Table format)
Senior Activity Centres (SACs) Locations
Moral SAC (Chee Hoon Kog Moral Promotion Society) 544 Bedok North Street 3, S(460544)
Lions Befrienders Tampines @ Block 434 434 Tampines Street 43, #01-77, S(520434)
Lions Befrienders Tampines @ Block 499 499C Tampines Avenue 9, #01-256, S(523499)
Sunlove Chai Chee SAC 31 Chai Chee Avenue, #01-150 S(461031)
THK Bedok Radiance SAC 12 Bedok South Avenue 2, S(460012)

Interested to be a senior volunteer?

Seniors who are interested to join the SACs’ WHEELS servicing teams can call 6783-9023 or walk in to participating SACs to sign up.

About Temasek Foundation Cares

Temasek Foundation Cares is one of the six non-profit philanthropic organisations set up by Temasek and sponsored through Temasek Trust.

Temasek Foundation Cares funds and supports meaningful and innovative community-based programmes for the benefit of Singaporeans. It aims to contribute to the well-being, dignity and livelihood of needy individuals, families and communities by building people, building communities, building capabilities and rebuilding lives.