Bridging gaps between generations

The Star

22-05-2025

Understanding and inclusion go a long way in bridging generations, as what Sunway's 'human library' pilot project hopes to accomplish.
The project brings together people from diverse backgrounds who act as 'books' that others can 'borrow' to learn their knwoledge and experiences.
Project participants – Sunway Sanctuary residents and volunteers from Sunway University's Jeffrey Sachs Centre (JSC) on Sustainable Development gathered recently for an enriching experience.
The participants met at Sunway Sanctuary, a premier senior living facility by the Sunway Healthcare Group in Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Those gathered include 10 residents, 20 university volunteers comprising students and alumni and 10 Sunway Sanctuary and JSC staff members.
They headed to Sunway Lagoon Wildlife Park in the nearby Sunway Lagoon theme park.
The initiative aimed to connect students with residents for a day trip followed by a human library session.
For the residents, the day out was a fulfilling one with personalised support, while for the students, the trip fostered empathy and skills in caregiving.
The outing also served as a way of assessing and improving Sunway Lagoon's wheelchair accessibility as well as to kindle intergenerational learning through storytelling and reflection.
The human library concept was founded in Denmark in 2000 to promote human rights, social cohesion and empathy.
While JSC usually focuses on environmental issues like climate resilience and carbon management, the centre realised that true sustainability must also address social wellbeing.
This led them to explore topics like ageing, purpose and community.
Partnering with Sunway Sanctuary has allowed JSC to apply these ideas, the centre said.
JSC head and associate professor Dr Chen Jit Ern said care was part of their sustainability goals.
He said JSC staff wanted the students to experience navigating urban spaces with senior citizens, including those in wheelchairs.
From ramps to weather shelters, he said the trip uncovered gaps in accessibility and offered feedback for improvement within the Sunway ecosystem.
'The coordination to run this outing was a challenge but we will continue to do something every year,' he pledged.
Sunway Sanctuary sales and marketing director Vivien Lim said they had been toying with the human library idea a few years ago.
'As we grow into the senior living industry, we need to improve our operations and consider the individual needs of our residents, and the activities,' she explained.
For Anisa Mirza Khan, 78, the outing was a rediscovery.
'I haven't been to a zoo in years,' she said, her eyes lighting up at the memory.
'Animals have feelings, and you can feel that if you just pause; this trip reminded me of that,' shared the retired English teacher who moved from Singapore and chose to live in Sunway Sanctuary where she now fills her days with poetry and reflection.
'I'm an active person at heart.
'The young people on this trip were so helpful,' Anisa added.
Roziatul Akmam Osman, 58, an accountant and frequent visitor to the facility, said she had read about the human library years ago and had suggested the idea to Sunway Sanctuary's general manager.
'After two years, it's now a reality,' said Roziatul, who added that the facility's hydrotherapy was helping her build core strength.
For Deanna Goh, 82, the zoo wasn't her favourite part.
'I prefer shopping,' she said candidly, adding that she appreciated the students' kindness.
After a fall and arm fracture last year, Goh moved to Sunway Sanctuary for access to dialysis and care.
That human connection was also what students like Yap Wai Lek, 25, hoped to cultivate.
'Sustainability is about people, planet and profit. But people often get sidelined,' he said, explaining that the human library taught them what inclusivity really means beyond theory.
Fellow volunteer and PhD student Idris Mohammad Hoppie echoed the sentiment, noting that while the government has ideas on sustainability, many of its staff are not trained to execute this effectively.
'So, community-driven initiatives like this create real ecosystems,' he said.
Yong Joon Yee, 28, an ecologist and Life Sciences alumnus, described the experience as 'a practical reality check'.
'Policies and projects sometimes feel abstract.
'But, here, you meet the people and they, together with the environment, have to be part of it,' Yong said.
At the end of the trip, a one-hour human library session was held between the volunteers and the residents, where the latter shared life experiences.