On 11 June 2025, a group of eight dedicated students from the Abnormal Psychology class of SEGi attended an intensive elderly care training session at Golden Sails Elderly Care. The session, led by professional gerontologist Dr Cecelia Chan, served as a crucial foundation for preparing these students to engage meaningfully with elderly residents, many of whom experience dementia and age-related behavioural challenges.
The training offered more than just textbook insights—it provided a human-centred approach to understanding ageing, communication, and behavioural response. Students were guided on best practices for interacting with elderly clients, from recognising signs of cognitive decline to managing emotional sensitivity with empathy and professionalism. It was a powerful introduction to the realities of geriatric care, delivered in a hands-on, experiential format that bridged theory and practice.
This initiative plays a vital role in nurturing future mental health professionals who are not only academically sound but emotionally equipped to handle vulnerable populations. According to the World Health Organization, the global population aged 60 years and older is expected to double by 2050 to over 2 billion. With dementia currently affecting over 55 million people worldwide, the need for empathetic, trained professionals is more urgent than ever.
This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to quality education and community well-being. By embedding elderly care exposure into the academic journey, students are offered first-hand experiences that develop their communication skills, cultural sensitivity, and emotional intelligence—attributes that cannot be gained through lecture slides alone. These skills are critical in building inclusive, compassionate, and competent future healthcare leaders.
Training opportunities like this do more than prepare SEGi College Penang’s students for volunteer roles—they plant the seeds for long-term societal change. When the next generation learns to care for the elderly with dignity and respect, it creates a culture where ageing is honoured, not feared. This is how sustainable, human-centred systems are built—from the ground up, one classroom and care centre at a time.
This event is organised in support of the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
SDG 4: Quality Education
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
