Older adults looking for a mid-to-late career shift will be able to seek industry support and enrol in upskilling programmes at the Career Showcase segment of the upcoming World Ageing Festival 2025 (WAF).
WAF 2025 will be held across two days (8 & 9 April) at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Hall A, though the employment section will happen only on the second day.
The World Ageing Festival is a yearly exhibition and conference for eldercare innovators, care providers, experts and other stakeholders from more than 50 countries. It is organised by social enterprise Ageing Asia, and is now in its 16th edition.
Some 6,000 participants are expected to attend WAF 2025, which for this year is themed Age of Longevity: Living Healthier, Living Happier, recognising the emerging needs of a generation that’s living longer and longer.
This global longevity trend — and the shifts in eldercare systems that it necessitates — are reflected in Singapore as well, where the average life expectancy at birth as of 2023 hovers at around 83.0 years.
Though this is indeed one of the highest average lifespans in the world, it also means that our bodies, brains and, practically speaking, financial assets have to work that much longer to keep us going.
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Programming for World Ageing Festival 2025
Longevity will therefore be the key topic discussed at the latest edition of the Ageing Asia Innovation Forum, a mainstay of the World Ageing Festival since its inception.
It will feature talks from global leaders and experts in the eldercare space on various topics pertaining to the world’s ageing population, including discussions on silver employment, the science of living longer, longevity’s unique challenges for women and the future of healthcare.
More importantly, speakers from nearby countries facing their own silver waves — think Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia — will share key insights and lessons learnt from their own eldercare journeys, with the goal of synthesising better global outcomes.
To that end, there will be regular panel discussions slotted throughout the proceedings – you can head to the World Ageing Festival website for a detailed schedule.
More than 100 eldercare innovations to be exhibited
Guests attending the World Ageing Festival 2025 will be able to interact with the latest and greatest in innovative eldercare products and services at the Ageing Asia Innovation Exhibition. Categories represented by the over 100 exhibitors include Assistive Living, Home & Community Care, Healthcare, Active Ageing, Technology, Wellbeing, Rehabilitation, and Wellness Tourism.
Based on previous editions of WAF, you’re likely to get a firsthand preview of soon-to-market gizmos designed to help seniors age with grace. These range from smart walking canes and specialised senior diet supplements to new workout and rehabilitation tech. Some items will already be available commercially, meaning you’ll get to test them out and address any burning questions on the spot.
Senior-focused employment segment at WAF 2025
As mentioned earlier, there will also be a senior-focused employment segment at the World Ageing Festival 2025.
The Career Showcase segment, organised by Ageing Asia and supported by Workforce Singapore, will highlight organisations doing good in their support for age-integrated work. Job seekers can look forward to presentations by key participating employers as well as success stories from other late-career transitioners.
World Ageing Festival 2025
Location: Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Hall A, 10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956
Date: 8 & 9 April
Admission: Free with registration
Website: https://worldageingfestival.com/exhibition-pass/registration
