Latest news with #QualityofLife
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Health
- Straits Times
What's key to a good life? Most Singapore residents choose emotional and mental well-being
Within residential developments, respondents also ranked green spaces and rooftop gardens as the most important communal facilities. SINGAPORE – The definition of quality of life is shifting in Singapore, with more people prioritising well-being, mental health and work-life balance over material goods to cope better in a complex and fast-paced city, according to a new study released on July 24. In choosing a home, for instance, accessibility to healthcare services (63 per cent) came out ahead of remaining lease (20 per cent) and proximity to schools (14 per cent) as a priority, though affordability (92 per cent), location (90 per cent) and proximity to public transport infrastructure (68 per cent) remain non-negotiables. On which communal facilities were the most important, food and retail spaces came out on top (87 per cent), followed by parks and green spaces (78 per cent). These were ahead of sheltered walkways (66 per cent), sports facilities (57 per cent), and community centres (45 per cent). Within residential developments, respondents also ranked green spaces and rooftop gardens as the most important communal facilities, ahead of fitness facilities like swimming pools and social spaces such as barbecue pits and function rooms. The inaugural Quality of Life report, by property consultancy Knight Frank Singapore and global market research firm Ipsos, surveyed 1,000 Singapore residents earlier in 2025 to find out how expectations of the city-state's built environment are evolving. The hope is that the study, carried out to celebrate Knight Frank Singapore's 85th anniversary, will be valuable to policymakers and developers in meeting the changing aspirations of the population, said the company's head of consultancy Alice Tan. Respondents, who were spread across all age groups from 18 and up, ranked emotional and mental well-being as the most important factor in quality of life, ahead of economic stability and job security. This was followed by financial stability, and then physical health and well-being. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia At least 2 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border Singapore Boy, 15, charged after being caught with vapes 5 times; ordered to stay 2 years at S'pore Boys' Home Business MOM probing work injury claim flagged by late Sumo Salad boss Jane Lee: MOS Dinesh Business New tie-up offers insurance savings for SMEs committed to workers' health and well-being Singapore Astronomer executives' Coldplay scandal: Why it went viral and the obsession with public shaming World Trump was told he is in Epstein files, Wall Street Journal reports Opinion The US dollar is down, but it has a lot going for it Singapore Ex-COO of Singaporean animal feed company charged with bribing manager at Malaysian firm The report noted that while respondents listed job security, inflation and the high cost of raising a child as their top concerns, they defined quality of life primarily through mental well-being and financial stability. 'These results call attention to a significant shift in how Singapore residents define quality of life (and) reflects a growing recognition that psychological resilience and emotional balance are central to daily life satisfaction, more important than the popular perception that Singapore residents are only absorbed in one-dimensional material gain,' said the authors. At the workplace, 68 per cent of respondents said natural lighting and good ventilation was the most important workplace feature, followed by ergonomic office furniture and quiet zones for focus. On the other hand, perks such as nap pods, shower facilities and nursing rooms were chosen by fewer than three in 10 respondents. Eight in 10 respondents also chose work-life balance policies – such as flexible work arrangements and more paid time off – as the top factor for work fulfilment, ahead of compensation (73 per cent), benefits (66 per cent) and company culture (38 per cent). 'Traditional notions of job satisfaction such as office layout or even career advancement appear to have taken a backseat to more fundamental human needs like rest, autonomy, and financial security,' said the report, which noted that most respondents were satisfied or moderately content with their jobs. 'The modern worker is looking for a sustainable, human-centered experience that supports both their livelihood and lifestyle.' When it came to recreational activities, respondents said ease of access and value-for-money were top factors, with scenic beauty and relaxing environments in third place, followed by warm hospitality and authentic cultural experiences. Conversely, a vibrant nightlife scene ranked low, as did seasonal events and festivals and venues that may photograph well for social media. These findings could signal a pivot away from high-energy activities towards leisure activities that are more focused on introspection and relaxation, with nightlife no longer being a mainstream leisure priority due to high costs and changing social preferences, said the report. A majority of respondents also said they prefer to have their office and leisure amenities between 20 minutes' and 30 minutes' commute from where they live, with fewer saying they want live, work, and play functions to be separate venues or spaced out geographically. The authorities have said that they are aiming for eight in 10 households to be within a 10-minute walk of an MRT station by the 2030s, and to have 20-minute towns by 2040. This means residents should be able to reach the nearest neighbourhood centre within 20 minutes by walking, cycling or public transport. Knight Frank Singapore and Ipsos said the findings signal a societal transition where residents 'are not merely seeking to live well in material terms, but to feel well, cope better, and find stability in a complex, fast-moving city'. More emphasis has to be placed on greenery and parks, as well as sheltered leisure infrastructure, in response to a growing demand for a healthier urban experience, driven by both mental well-being and climate resilience, said the report. The survey also suggested that future urban planning focus on mixed-use developments, mobility infrastructure, and liveable precincts. 'For planners and policymakers, the key takeaway is the need to design a more equitable, biophilic, and flexible city that supports not only infrastructure and economic growth, but also human-scale quality of life across live, work and play,' it said.
Ya Biladi
16-07-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Morocco tops North Africa in 2025 World Citizenship Index
Morocco has ranked 100th out of 188 countries in the 2025 World Citizenship Report, which evaluates nations based on five key motivators. The report aims to help global citizens, particularly those considering dual citizenship, investment migration, or relocation, make informed decisions about where to live, invest, or acquire citizenship. Morocco received an overall score of 50.5, with 100 being the highest possible score. Regionally, the Kingdom ranks first in North Africa, ahead of Tunisia (103rd), Algeria (105th), Egypt (106th), Mauritania (113th), and Libya (125th). Within the MENA region, Morocco ranks 7th, behind Qatar (45th), Oman (63rd), Kuwait (66th), Bahrain (70th), Saudi Arabia (73rd), and Jordan. The ranking is based on five key performance indicators. The Safety and Security dimension evaluates a country's ability to offer a stable regulatory climate for business operations and the protection of personal and corporate assets. Global Mobility measures visa-free travel performance. The Economic Opportunity indicator focuses on the economic performance and growth potential of each country. Quality of Life indicator evaluates standards in healthcare, education, and overall well-being. Finally, Financial Freedom looks at a country's economic policy, regulatory transparency, and investor confidence. In terms of performance, Morocco scored highest in the Economic Opportunity category, with 56.1 points, followed by Quality of Life, where it ranked 95th with 62.2 points. In Safety and Security, it ranked 102nd with 52.7 points, while in Global Mobility, it placed 90th with 29.9 points. Morocco also ranked 89th in Financial Freedom, scoring 46.9 points.
Fox News
07-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Higher dementia risk seen in women with common health issue
An estimated 80% of women have some type of menopause symptoms — and the more symptoms they experience, the greater the chances of developing dementia later in life. The findings were published in the journal PLOS One following a study by the University of Calgary. The researchers analyzed the data of 896 postmenopausal women who participated in the Canadian Platform for Research Online to Investigate Health, Quality of Life, Cognition, Behaviour, Function, and Caregiving in Aging (CAN-PROTECT) study. 4 KEY WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED, EXPERT SAYS The women reported their perimenopausal symptoms to researchers. Their cognitive function was measured using the Everyday Cognition (ECog-II) Scale and the Mild Behavioral Impairment Checklist (MBI-C), with higher scores indicating greater severity. Those with greater menopausal symptoms had higher scores for both cognitive tests, indicating more severe decline. "One of the most interesting findings was the association between menopausal symptom burden and mild behavioral impairment (MBI) symptoms — a syndrome increasingly recognized as an early indicator of dementia risk," lead study author Zahinoor Ismail, M.D., professor of psychiatry, neurology, epidemiology and pathology at the University of Calgary, told Fox News Digital. "These novel findings highlight the need to consider not only cognitive changes, but also mood, social interaction and personality changes that emerge and persist in later life following menopause." "These novel findings highlight the need to consider not only cognitive changes, but also mood, social interaction and personality changes." While hormone therapy was not significantly associated with cognitive function, it was shown to have a significant link to fewer MBI symptoms, according to the researchers, emphasizing the need for further research into the potential role of hormone therapy in long-term brain health. "Interestingly, participants who reported using estrogen-based hormone therapy during perimenopause had significantly lower mild behavioral impairment symptom severity," noted Ismail. Alexa Fiffick, a board-certified family medicine physician specializing in menopause, stated that previous data has shown higher symptom burden is somehow related to decreased cognitive function and possibly dementia. Some studies have shown that even when hot flashes aren't perceived by the woman, they are still associated with worsened cognitive function, according to the Ohio doctor. TESTOSTERONE THERAPY COULD HELP BOOST WOMEN'S SEX DRIVE AS THEY AGE, BUT RISKS EXIST, EXPERTS SAY "It is believed that the vasomotor symptoms are correlated with development of white matter hyperintensities in the brain, akin to what vascular dementia looks like on imaging," Fiffick, who was not involved in the new study, told Fox News Digital. "We have yet to obtain the data that treating VMS will prevent cognitive decline, but are hopeful that with menopausal hormone therapy and other non-hormonal options, we may be able to obtain this data in the near future." Potential limitations The researchers acknowledged several limitations of the study. "This study is cross-sectional, meaning it captures a snapshot in time rather than tracking changes over the years," Ismail told Fox News Digital. This means it can only identify associations between menopause symptoms and cognitive and behavioral health, but cannot determine whether the symptoms directly cause the changes in brain health. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER "To better understand the long-term impact of menopause on dementia risk, future research should follow participants over time and incorporate biological data, such as hormone levels and brain-related biomarkers (we are, in fact, doing this now)," Ismail added. The study also did not assess the severity of the symptoms, which could play a key role in understanding risk. Another limitation is that the study focused on the most commonly reported menopause symptoms, but it's possible that some participants experienced additional symptoms. "In fact, it's reported that there may be 30+ symptoms that females may experience when undergoing the menopause transition," said Ismail. "While we included an 'other symptoms' category, it may not fully reflect the range of experiences." The study also did not distinguish between different types and formulations of hormone therapy. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Future studies will be able to explore whether specific types of HT have different effects on brain health," Ismail noted. "Brain scans of women in menopause reveal real structural and metabolic changes, and this study reinforces that we can't just brush these symptoms off as 'normal aging.'" Tamsen Fadal, a New York menopause expert and author of the upcoming book "How to Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better than Before," said she was not surprised by the results of the study. "Research has been pointing to this connection for a while," she told Fox News Digital. "Brain scans of women in menopause reveal real structural and metabolic changes, and this study reinforces that we can't just brush these symptoms off as 'normal aging.'" For more Health articles, visit "For too long, women have been experiencing brain fog, memory lapses and mood changes, and many of us have been dismissed," Fadal went on. "This research just reinforces that menopause is a neurological shift as much as it is a hormonal one."
Scoop
17-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Residents Monitoring Survey 2025 Results Released
Wellington has spoken, and while there are positives to take away from the latest Residents Monitoring Survey (RMS), there's also room for improvement. The RMS is Wellington City Council's annual check-in with residents to understand their views on a wide range of topics and, along with the nationwide Quality of Life biannual survey, helps to form a small part of the wider performance story in the Annual Report. While respondents generally agree Wellington is a great place to live, work and play, overall feelings towards the city have shifted significantly over the past decade, with dissatisfaction about the look, feel and vibe of the capital, reflecting a similar downturn in sentiment around the motu. Mayor Tory Whanau says there's a huge amount of work already underway to address the areas where Wellingtonians feel improvements can be made, aiming to make the city more vibrant, safe, and welcoming. 'We're heartened that Wellingtonians continue to value many of the services we provide. We also acknowledge that there are areas where we must do better. We hear you, and the identified areas for improvement will be a priority for us.' Mayor Whanau cites that through a dynamic, multi-pronged City Safety and Wellbeing Plan approved earlier this year, the Council is introducing measures to combat crime, anti-social behaviour, and negative safety perceptions. 'We also have several transformative projects underway to revitalise the city centre and are investing significantly in our communities. This includes $439.1 million to upgrade social housing as well as efforts like keeping Khandallah Pool and Begonia House open and enhancing services for the future. 'Our city centre will be transformed by 2027. The revitalisation of Courtenay Place has already begun, and Te Ngakau/Civic Square is rapidly taking shape and is set to reopen by March 2026. This reopening includes Te Matapihi library, City Gallery, and a newly landscaped Plaza. The Town Hall will also reopen in 2027. We have so much to look forward to,' adds Mayor Whanau. The 2025 results show respondents are highly satisfied with the services and facilities provided by the Council like pools, recreation centres, libraries, events, community centres and sportsgrounds. The city reserves, green space and Botanic Garden ki Paekākā also rate highly. While residents generally feel a sense of safety during the day and at home, they were less satisfied with city safety and the cleanliness and vibrancy of the CBD. The survey also showed a lack of satisfaction with decision-making at Wellington City Council. Highlights from the report: 67% of respondents agreed that overall Wellington is a great place to live, work and play, 76% agreed with the statement 'Wellington has a culturally rich and diverse arts scene'. 88% said they participated or engaged with a cultural or arts activity in Wellington at least yearly. Almost all respondents felt safe in their own home after dark (97%) while the vast majority felt safe in the CBD during the day (82%). Walking around the city was viewed as easier than the other forms of transport asked about with 82% of respondents stating that walking around the city was easy. Close to two-thirds (62%) found public transport easy to get around the city on. 51% of those with a view found cycling around the city easy, while about a third (35%) said driving around the city was easy. On average, 83% of recreation centres and 77% of pool users surveyed were satisfied with the facilities. 81% satisfaction with kerbside waste collection, 80% satisfaction for kerbside recycling. 80% satisfaction among users of community facilities – including libraries, community centres and community halls. Local parks and reserves and the waterfront were the most used green/open spaces by our respondents – three-quarters or more said they used these spaces at least monthly. Almost all respondents agreed that Wellington's connection with nature improves quality of life (90%). Satisfaction was consistently high across all of the attractions – around 90%+ for all except Capital E (79%), Nairn Street Cottage (75%) and the Cricket Museum (80%). Find the full report here or at short URL
Qatar Tribune
14-06-2025
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
HMC hosts first-ever patient event to support head and neck cancer survivors
DOHA: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has marked a significant milestone in its ongoing commitment to comprehensive cancer care by hosting its inaugural Patient Awareness Program, 'Enhancing the Quality of Life of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer - A Patient Engagement Event' . The event took place at Bayt Al Dhiyafah, bringing together medical professionals, cancer survivors, and caregivers for an in-depth exploration of survivorship, functional recovery, and psychosocial support. Led by Dr Hanadi Al Hamad, Deputy Chief of Rehabilitation, Geriatrics, and Long-term Care Services at HMC, and Mohamed Shafi, Head of the Oncology and Lymphedema Physiotherapy Department at the Qatar Rehabilitation Institute (QRI), the event represented a pioneering step in patient engagement and multidisciplinary collaboration. The program featured a series of presentations by clinical experts alongside powerful testimonials from patients who shared their personal experiences with recovery and resilience. The event featured the participation of three distinguished leaders who delivered remarks that underscored the significance of integrated cancer care. Dr Mohamed Ussama Al Homsi, Senior Consultant and Deputy Medical Director of Education, Clinical Research, and Quality at the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), emphasized the crucial role of education and research in advancing rehabilitation practices and enhancing patient outcomes. Noora Rashid Essa Al-Mudahka, Assistant Executive Director of Clinical Services and Physiotherapy at HMC, highlighted the initiative as a reflection of forward-thinking rehabilitation practices that support a more compassionate, patient-centered model of care. Dr Hussain Ali Al-Enazi, Senior Consultant in ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, emphasized that healing extends beyond surgery and that collaboration with physiotherapists, speech and dietetics specialists, and mental health professionals is crucial in restoring a patient's quality of life. Throughout the meeting, a diverse team of professionals from various specialties, ranging from ENT surgery, cranio-maxillofacial surgery, radiation oncology, clinical dietetics, and physiotherapy to speech therapy, psychotherapy, and oncology nursing offered insights into best practices in holistic cancer care. Their contributions underscored the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation and the collective responsibility to empower patients throughout their treatment journey. Reflecting on the event, Mohamed Shafi described the meeting as more than an awareness initiative, calling it a transformative step toward integrated, person-centered care in oncology. He emphasized the significance of creating a platform where professionals and patients come together to build a more hopeful, collaborative, and supportive path forward. This inaugural gathering marks a transformative step in HMC's broader mission to enhance cancer survivorship outcomes by expanding access to evidence-based rehabilitation services and fostering a culture of holistic healing rooted in empathy, innovation, and teamwork.
