Active Ageing to Gerotranscendence.

Introduction Ageing, old age and death have piqued the interest of philosophers and writers since antiquity. Confucius related ageing to maturity and wisdom,1 while Shakespeare described it as a “second childhood”.2 Cicero, perhaps with premonitions of his own demise, viewed death with fondness in a metaphor, likening it to a ship approaching a harbour.3 Confronted by ageing demographics, Singapore has embraced “active ageing” like many developed countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) defi nes active ageing as “the process of optimising opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life”.4 This entails harnessing the elderly’s instrumental value, while mitigating healthcare utilisation from chronic illnesses.