Project EDEN
Forget-me-not and remember me always
Project EDEN is a student-led nursing community service project, where nursing students learn more about dementia and come together to serve the dementia community in Singapore through different programmes. The project was first founded in 2018 by Lyn Tay and was previously known as Project ADA. However, in 2019, the project name was changed to EDEN, which is short for ‘Embracing DEmeNtia’.
Our Vision: To build A Better Community for people with Dementia.
Our Logo: The Myosotis Sylvatica, also known as the ‘Forget Me Not’ flower. It symbolises true love, respect, and a long lasting connection between people.
In the AY 2024/25, this marks our 3rd year running of volunteering sessions with Yishun Community Hospital (YCH). Project EDEN is grateful for the warm support from YCH’s healthcare team. Our volunteer nursing students planned and facilitated activities to engage with dementia clients. Such activities included festive-themed arts and crafts, bracelet-making, taichi and terrarium- making to name a few. It was truly a meaningful time for the nursing students, the patients, and the people at YCH.
In addition, Project EDEN seeks out-of-classroom experiences to expand our knowledge on dementia to improve our interactions with the community. In 2024, we engaged with Peacehaven Nursing Home to attend music intervention therapy sessions with their clients, and gained valuable insights to therapeutic interventions outside of our nursing curriculum. We also hosted our first Dementia Café which was well received by nursing students, ALCNS staff, YCH SSN Julia and visiting professors.
So, what would it be like to be part of Project EDEN?
You will be able to take part in volunteering and befriending sessions that will allow you to interact with our dementia clients in Singapore. There are also different committees for you to be a part of (Events & Volunteer Management, Publicity & Education, Finance and Fundraising) which will allow you to work with other like-minded peers who are keen to support these dementia clients.
Hear from our beneficiaries and volunteers here.
To find out more about dementia and what we do, check out our Instagram account @nusprojecteden https://www.instagram.com/nusprojecteden/.
If you have any other queries, you can also contact us via email at projectteameden@gmail.com.
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It was a great experience to work with NUS Eden Project! All the volunteers are passionate and caring for the elderly. All the activities arranged by them are creative and interesting. Our patients with dementia/cognitive impairment were very well engaged and participated in the sessions happily. The volunteers brought tons of smiles and laughter to the elderly who stay in the hospital. Definitely I would like to work with them again and recommend the project to any other relevant organisations.
A minor suggestion is that perhaps you could think of more genderless activities hence more male patients could participate.
Thank you for your hard work!
–Dr. Guo Weixiao, Team Doctor of Ward 48, Yishun Community Hospital
My experience in Project Eden has been nothing short of meaningful, inspiring and educational. From late night calls with the team to plan our activities, to bringing joy and fun to the dementia clients, every day I learn something new that I could apply to my clinical knowledge but also all aspects of life.
My favourite memory was the bracelet-making activity, where through observations and conversations, I learnt that dearest Ah Ma was a seamstress that made many clothes for her children back in the day. She breezed through threading the string through the beads and even made more than enough to share with her peers and I. The time spent engaging with her and learning about her stories that reflect the person she became today left me inspired and touched.
I hope to equip all members that enter our doors with the power of a kind touch, a warm smile, a listening ear, and the desire to perform the smallest acts of kindness.
– Ms Xu Ying, Project Director
