At 90, Ratnam searches parks for lonely seniors sitting alone. She knows what they need most
'We never closed or locked our doors. I go into your house, you go into my house. We grew up in that kind of atmosphere,' Ratnam said.
At 90 years old, most people are thinking about retirement and self-reflection. But not Ratnam Periowsamy, a widow, mother of five, and grandmother of six. In the mornings, she heads out of her home and walks around with her stick, reaching out to the elderly in blocks of flats in her Toa Payoh neighborhood and helping them feel a little less lonely with activities and interaction. Her evenings are spent having fun at coffee shops or exercising in gyms. At Care Corner Singapore’s Project Neighbour Network, Periowsamy is the oldest volunteer who trains people to befriend seniors and support them through this vulnerable period of their lives, as described in a November 9, 2026, report by The Straits Times.
'We never locked our doors'
Born in Tamil Nadu, India, in 1936, Periowsamy was brought to Singapore by her parents when she was three months old. The eldest of four children, she spent most of her childhood befriending neighbors from different races and backgrounds. “We never closed or locked our doors. I go into your house; you go into my house. We grew up in that kind of atmosphere,” she described.
She never gives up
Because of her free spirit and generous contribution to the society, the longtime volunteer is well-known in the neighborhood. “If they are sitting alone, I go and sit next to them and ask what is happening. They don’t want to talk; the next time, I go back again. The third time, they're sure to talk already,” she explained.
While some people are receptive, others do not respond to her. But in every situation, she has learned to be nonchalant, unstoppable, and happy. She never lets their changing moods stop her from returning to them again. She fondly recalls a man who vented his frustration for an hour one day. The following day, he was in a better mood and eventually agreed to join the community. Periowsamy would often collect vegetables and bread from bakeries and grocery stores to hand them out to people.
Race and age no bar
Today, she also mentors others in the Project Neighbour Network on how and when to approach the elderly in their homes, since volunteers are not allowed inside their homes. “She does things with all her heart. She doesn’t care what race you are or how old you are. She just wants to find out how to help others,” described the 68-year-old Mustazah Abdul Hamid, a member of the community.
Her inspiration
Periowsamy’s husband passed away more than two decades ago. But it wasn’t her husband’s death that prompted her to step forward and take this initiative. The root of her enthusiasm and inspiration goes back to her childhood. She grew up in a close-knit kampung around Tessensohn Road. Her childhood was filled with volunteering activities. While studying in St. Margaret’s Primary School, she accompanied the principal on numerous missionary stints to help and teach abandoned or neglected children. She also gave tuition to children residing in The Salvation Army, taught mathematics and English to children, and worked with an animal protection organization. Even after getting married in 1955 at the age of 18, she continued to find ways to contribute to society.
Today, she believes that many elderly people are lonely because they “live in concrete cages” and miss the kampung lifestyle. She thinks that many elderly people also feel disconnected from their families. “So, many will tell me that no one even asks whether they have eaten or how they are feeling,” she said.
Adults are lonely
Statistics align with Periowsamy’s thoughts. For instance, 28% of seniors live alone, totaling more than 14.7 million people (5 million men and 9.7 million women), per Consumer Affairs, though living alone does not necessarily mean someone is lonely. A 2024 University of Michigan poll of adults aged 50 to 80 found that 33% felt lonely some of the time or often during the previous year, while 29% said they felt socially isolated at least some of the time, per a study published in JAMA Network. About 29% of seniors feel isolated, while 33% feel lonely. Thankfully, in Singapore, there are people like Periowsamy who have the cure for this loneliness.
She organizes games like Rummy-O to promote social interaction and make people feel less lonely. When she is not volunteering, she is usually engaged in cooking or physical activities like seated Zumba, seated Piloxing (combining Pilates, boxing, and dance), line dancing, and Qigong. Although a fall in November 2023 hindered her efforts, she didn’t let it stop her. Taking aid from a walking stick, she aspires to live a meaningful life as long as she is in good health. “Until the day I go off, I want to walk around and help others. I am for them, and they are for me,” said Periowsamy, whose name has now been added as a finalist in The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award.
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