Latest news with #AngMoKio
CNA
14 hours ago
- Health
- CNA
Stroke survivors get new tools to lead more independent lives with help from an innovation lab
SINGAPORE: Stroke survivors in Singapore are co-developing solutions with researchers and designers through an innovation lab, which is aiming to help them lead independent and functional lives again. The lab was launched last month by Stroke Support Station (S3), a community-based charity focusing on stroke rehabilitation and wellness. It is currently trialling projects like a wearable robotic device to help with stroke rehabilitation at home and a gym that will provide special equipment for stroke patients to maintain fitness while reducing the risk of secondary strokes. Stroke is one of the leading causes of adult disability in Singapore. The number of cases has gone up by 58 per cent to nearly 10,000 in 2021, as compared to about 6,000 a decade ago, according to the Ministry of Health. S3's executive director Ng Rei Na told CNA that the organisation was set up to fill the gap left by a lack of exercise and activities that stroke survivors could participate in, once they finished rehabilitation after leaving hospital. GYM WITH ADAPTIVE TOOLS Ms Ng said an adaptive gym at Ang Mo Kio Hub will open by the end of the year, with all stroke patients - regardless of whether they were a part of S3's rehabilitation programmes - welcome to use it. Participants will be assessed physically by the specialists on site, and if cleared, they will be allowed to use any of the equipment, just like in a commercial gym. Stroke survivor Kelvin Tan said he is looking forward to using the gym to aid in his recovery process. "A lot of stroke survivors, they are worried about how other people will look at them … if you're walking, like limping … I believe this will give them confidence that they can actually … be like a normal human being,' said Mr Tan. Ms Ng noted: 'For the adaptive gym, it was really from the voices of some of our members who said that after rehabilitation, they actually do want to continue and to push themselves to a higher level of fitness … in order to prevent a second or even third stroke from happening.' Ms Michelle Neo, a senior physiotherapist at S3, said its clients do not usually know where to go or what they should do after they are discharged from rehab. 'The adaptive gym is designed (for them) to continue their fitness journey,' she added. HELPING SURVIVORS REMAIN INDEPENDENT S3's innovation lab is also looking at how to adapt items such as clothing for people who have mobility challenges or only have one functioning side of the body. Ms Ng said that some members have raised issues with putting on regular clothing or having difficulty with very simple activities, including brushing their teeth, washing the plates or cutting their nails. 'Similarly, for the innovation lab, we realised that beyond just rehabilitation and ensuring that you can move well in our clinical setting, we also want our members to be able to move well in their own homes and in the community,' said Ms Ng. Ms Elisa Lim, founder of Will & Well, a company that makes functional clothing for people with disabilities, said she wanted to help stroke survivors maximise their sense of independence even if they may have adapted their behaviour after suffering from a stroke. She noted that another group of customers are those who have already adapted to a certain way of post-stroke dressing but are still looking for 'something different' to wear. Ms Lim added that her company has also been researching different types of apparel, including functional undergarments, outer wear and inner wear. VR AND ROBOTIC GLOVE Another device that is being tested to help stroke survivors to keep up with their rehabilitation process is Omnihuman, a wearable robotic glove that is combined with a virtual reality (VR) headset to act as a personal physiotherapist at home, according to its creator, Orion Dai. 'The challenge we are tackling right now is that stroke survivors do not have a way to track the rehabilitation process from home. So, we're building this home-based device that allows them to do it via virtual reality as well as assistive robotics,' he said. After talking to physiotherapists and stroke survivors, Mr Dai noted many of them are unable to adhere to exercise plans when they go home, due to various issues like fatigue or family and emotional issues. He added that the wearable robotic glove and VR headset aims to use music-based activities to incentivise limb movement. When users are unable to play the virtual musical instruments, the robotic glove kicks in to help them to complete the playing gestures and build a positive feedback loop. Mr Dai said that about 20 participants, most of them S3 clients, are taking part in his trial to validate the product. He added that he hopes to work with more stroke survivors to understand their needs further. S3's Ms Ng said that looking ahead, the charity intends to build a stroke centre of excellence and ensure the services and programmes offered are accessible to patients in terms of cost and distance. It also plans to do more outreach in the community to highlight the danger of strokes. '80 per cent of strokes can be prevented, so the education and knowledge has to be rolled out. The more people that know about this, the more lives we can save,' she added.
Independent Singapore
7 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
‘Not my MP?' — SingPost investigates after Aljunied residents were mistakenly sent flyers from AMK MP
SINGAPORE: A resident living at Hougang Street 21 mistakenly received a flyer from a Member of Parliament (MP) from Ang Mo Kio GRC, and apparently, he was not the only one, according to a May 27 (Tuesday) report in 8world. The report included a photo of a flyer from newly-minted MP Jasmin Lau welcoming the recipient to the Seletar-Serangoon Division and announcing the schedule for her Meet-the-People Sessions. 'I will be the MP that will be looking after you and your families from now onwards, and my team and I will do our best to support you. I hope to see more of you join our programmes, and I look forward to meeting and interacting with you,' the flyer reads. Screengrab/ 8world 8world added that the incident had been confirmed by the Ang Mo Kio Town Council, which stated that it had immediately informed SingPost about the error. The postal service is now looking into the matter to determine what caused the flyers to be sent to the wrong recipients. Additionally, the 8world reader who had received the flyer also reached out to Ms Lau, messaging her on Instagram. The MP replied via direct message to say that she would reach out to the Town Council regarding the matter. 8world added that action is being taken to resolve the issue and ensure that it does not recur. 'We understand this may have caused inconvenience to the affected residents and appreciate their patience while SingPost dealt with this matter,' 8world quotes the Town Council as saying. Who is Jasmin Lau? Prior to contesting in this year's General Election, Ms Lau was a longtime civil servant. She has taken on several roles since joining the civil service in 2006. Before she tendered her resignation on April 1, she had been a deputy secretary at the Ministry of Health. On May 3, the slate from the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), which was composed of Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Darryl David, Nadia Samdin, Ms Lau, and former Aljunied GRC candidate Victor Lye, won handily, receiving nearly 80 per cent of the vote. Aside from representing Seletar-Serangoon in Parliament, Ms Lau is also Minister of State for Digital Development and Information. A CNA report from last month said that the 42-year-old new MP had first been invited to join the PAP last year, but she had refused multiple times before she finally agreed. It was a conversation with Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who had once been her boss, that helped her decide to enter politics. /TISG Read also: From rejection to redemption: PAP newcomer who once said 'no' now vows to shoulder the nation's burden
Independent Singapore
27-05-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
‘Now look elsewhere!' People's Power Party candidate Samuel Lee resigns
SINGAPORE: Samuel Lee, who contested in the recent General Election at Ang Mo Kio GRC under the People's Power Party (PPP), announced in a May 27 (Tuesday) social media post that he has resigned from the PPP. 'On May 23, I, Samuel Lee, resigned from the People's Power Party, to pursue new opportunities while continuing my commitment to activism and advocating for a better Singapore. I am grateful for the lessons learned and wish PPP well in its future,' he said in a 20-second video. @samuel_leeyr On May 23 (2025), I, Samuel Lee, resigned from the People's Power Party to pursue new opportunities, while continuing my commitment to activism and advocating for a better Singapore. I am grateful for the lessons learned and wish PPP well in its future. Thank you #SamuelLeePostGE2025 ♬ 原声 – Samuel Lee (李育儒) – Samuel Lee (李育儒) Mr Lee, 33, drew widespread attention on Nomination Day (April 23), when he sang the lyrics from 'I'm Just A Tiny Bird,' a Chinese song, during an interview. 'I look left, look right, look left, look right, for a career path. Is this a request considered too high?' he sang. @woodafook Can't deny this guy will be a legend in times to come #lookleftlookright #legend #therealslimshady ♬ The Real Slim Shady – Instrumental – Eminem The other reason why the former candidate received attention leading up to the May 3 polls is that he had been charged with two counts of reckless behaviour endangering the lives of others. This was for an incident in February 2022 in Toa Payoh, at a pedestrian crossing near Victory Family Centre's technical support centre. While driving a Mercedes-Benz, Mr Lee collided into the gate of the centre after he had an argument with a rider on a Personal Mobility Device (PMD) . Read related: Police investigating roadside jostling for right of way between Mercedes driver and PMD rider He was given a six-week jail sentence in June 2024. Goh Meng Seng, the secretary-general of the PPP, said that the party was aware of the incident. The party added that Mr Lee had been remorseful over what happened and had taken full responsibility for his actions, CNA reported on April 25. 'The Party believes strongly in rehabilitation and second chances,' the PPP said in a statement to the media over the matter. According to the CNA report, Mr Lee had been part of PPP since late 2023 and had been a member of its Central Executive Committee, handling matters related to the press. 'Born in a humble family and raised with the values of hard work and resilience, Samuel knows firsthand the challenges faced by ordinary Singaporeans,' wrote the PPP about Mr Lee last month, adding, 'Samuel is 33 years old. His political awakening originated from a simple but powerful realisation that no amount of individual hard work can fix a system that isn't working for the people. Therefore, he is passionate about championing policies that put people first.' On May 27, many commenters online brought back the lyrics Mr Lee sang last month as they commented on his resignation. 'Look right, look left and now look elsewhere!' wrote one Facebook user, who nevertheless gave the former candidate props 'for being brave enough to stand in elections!' Another quipped that he would 'Continue [to] look left, look right, look for a better opportunity.' One asked, 'Look left and right and now look where???' /TISG
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
We tried the trending $1.90 chicken rice at AMK — is it worth the trip?
Though I've been living in the Ang Mo Kio neighbourhood all my life, AMK Central is one place that I hardly travel to unless I've got an errand to run. Recently, a stall called Nguan Express 88 at 704 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 offering S$1.90 has been making waves on various media channels. Since it's just a stone's throw from my place, I figured — why not rope in a colleague and check it out together? We arrived at 9.30am and saw the large signage advertising Roasted Chicken Rice and Soy Chicken Rice sold for just S$1.90. If you're someone who only eats breast meat, I'm sorry, but beggars can't be choosers— just take what you're given. That said, I'm sure there will be a select few who'll still try their luck (speaking from 14 years of experience in the F&B industry). We were informed that the Roasted Chicken Rice wasn't ready yet, so we went for the other option. There's also whole Soy Chickens available for S$8.80 each, though its price is almost the same or higher than the ones sold at supermarket rotisseries. When we opened the polystyrene container, we gasped at the portion size. For S$1.90, the amount given was actually decent! A mix of wing and breast meat (7 to 8 pieces), accompanied by cucumber slices, was served over a generous heap of chicken rice. So, how'd the rice taste? Let's just say it wasn't the best I've had, but it was above average for sure. It wasn't that oily, and I could detect the subtle aroma of ginger and pandan leaves. Each grain was well cooked without any hard bits. Having eaten soya chicken from other establishments, the skin and seasoning of the chicken over here is executed perfectly — exceeding the quality typically found elsewhere. Even the breast meat melted in our mouths, and we both agreed it was exceptionally tender. We slathered the chilli sauce over our pieces of chicken. It favours tanginess and sweetness, rounded off with a mild spice. I didn't mind it at all! Hungry and in a rush? Nguan Express 88 has S$1.90 chicken rice packs waiting for you. And hey, they've got about 3 tables if you wish to sit down and enjoy. We were informed that soya chickens are available throughout the day, while the roasted chicken has limited stocks. The friendly Vietnamese lady at the stall also told us that as long as there's support for this S$1.90 chicken rice, they will continue selling it with a few additional items offered later on. Do note that if you wish to utilise your CDC vouchers for this, you may do so. Soya Chicken Showdown: Chiew Kee Eating House vs Chew Kee Eating House The post We tried the trending $1.90 chicken rice at AMK — is it worth the trip? appeared first on
CNA
20-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Deep Dive Podcast - PAP's Jasmin Lau on saying 'yes' to politics but staying true to herself
PAP new face Jasmin Lau, who is contesting in Ang Mo Kio GRC, went from government scholar to rising up the ranks in the civil service. She tells Otelli Edwards on this special series of the Deep Dive podcast how she copes with self-doubt and why she said yes to joining politics.
