June 4, 2025
Why seniors look forward to Golden Age Academy
By Joy Rojas
Desiree Llanos Dee describes her 77-year-old mom Lily as an extrovert, a Tzu Chi volunteer who actively participated in the foundation’s numerous relief programs all over the country until the pandemic struck. Yet it was when she signed her up for Tzu Chi’s Golden Age Academy, a weekend program for seniors, that she discovered a side to her mom she didn’t realize existed.
Session 4 of the five-session program saw the 22 seniors in attendance perform sitting and standing exercises, shoot ping pong balls into a basket attached to a volunteer’s head, hand-paint 3D clay shapes, play makeshift musical instruments, and dance in a conga line.
“It’s fascinating to see her do art. Also, singing publicly is not something she would do before,” marvels Desiree. “It's a different chapter of her life that I'm happy she gets to spend with all these other people.”
“Tzu Chi is her Disneyland, it’s her playground,” she adds. “These are people she loves and she likes spending time with. She looks forward to coming here every weekend to see everyone and do the activities.”
Golden Age Academy has also been good for Mary Chua, 82. Once perennially on the go, she slowed down considerably in the years of COVID-19 and in 2022, with the passing of a son. “Now all she does is sleep, eat, and watch Netflix,” says her daughter Jacqueline.
But four sessions with the program have given Mary “a sense of purpose. When she wakes up in the morning, she does her assignments,” she says. In time, Jacqueline would like to see her mom become more vocal about her choices. “I hope she regains her sense of self, to make her own decisions instead of depending on other people telling her what she should do.”
Launched on May 10, Golden Age Academy doesn’t simply give seniors something to do on a Saturday morning. Engaging and fun activities benefit them physically, mentally, and socially.
In charge of the seniors’ art sessions, Tzu Chi volunteer Helen Go picks exercises that stimulate seniors’ different senses. A bilateral brain gym worksheet has them draw patterns using their left and right hands. Apart from painting on paper, she had them paint clay shapes made of cornstarch and baking soda. It’s an activity that requires them to hold the shape on one hand and a paintbrush on another.
For Helen, Golden Age Academy complements the active lifestyle of her mom Rosa Kho, who, at 87, exercises after her morning prayers and sees friends on a regular basis.
It’s also a safe and comfortable place for her 90-year-old uncle Sy Ang Hong, whose wife passed away last year. Reluctant to join at first due to his vision problems, he attended the third session and has told his son that he’s having so much fun, he looks forward to future sessions.
Mission accomplished for Tzu Chi volunteers behind this special endeavor. “We want to give them attention,” says co-organizer Josephine So. “We want them to feel loved.”
Golden Age Academy’s fifth and final session is on June 14.
(From left) Lucy Co, Rosa Kho, Andrea Ong, Juanita Yap, and Vivian Go gamely don costumes in a group singing and dancing activity.
Like previous Golden Age Academy sessions, Session 4 began with sitting and standing exercises.
Seniors take turns shooting ping pong balls into a basket attached to a volunteer’s head.
Seniors accompany a song with makeshift instruments.
A bilateral brain gym exercise challenges seniors to draw patterns using their left and right hands.
A bilateral brain gym exercise challenges seniors to draw patterns using their left and right hands.
Desiree Llanos Dee (left) assists her mom Lily in painting a clay shape. Before Golden Age Academy, she had never seen her mom paint or sing in public. “She looks forward to coming here every weekend to see everyone and do the activities,” says Desiree.
Painting shapes made from cornstarch and baking soda requires seniors to hold the shape with one hand and a paintbrush in another.
Helen Ong admires the artworks of the seniors. When choosing activities for their art sessions, the Tzu Chi volunteer makes sure the activities are fun, engage the senses, and stimulate brain activity.