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http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120121-0000052/Singapore-bracing-for-silver-tsunami
Singapore bracing for silver tsunami
15% of population to be above 65 in less than 10 years' time
by Tan Weizhen
04:46 AM Jan 21, 2012
SINGAPORE - From increasing the amenities and services to enlarging the pool of seniors who can benefit from these initiatives, the Government is moving into higher gear in anticipation of a surge in demand that would hit the Republic in less than a decade.
Singapore bracing for silver tsunami
15% of population to be above 65 in less than 10 years' time
by Tan Weizhen
04:46 AM Jan 21, 2012
SINGAPORE - From increasing the amenities and services to enlarging the pool of seniors who can benefit from these initiatives, the Government is moving into higher gear in anticipation of a surge in demand that would hit the Republic in less than a decade.
This, as industry players voice concern that Singapore is not developing the eldercare sector quickly enough, with issues such as funding and manpower impeding progress.
By 2020, some 600,000 people will be above 65, or about 15 per cent of the population. From that point onwards, the society's pace of ageing will start to accelerate.
Speaking at a Ministerial Committee on Ageing dialogue session, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong stressed yesterday the urgency of the situation.
Mr Gan said: "We need to act now ... in view of the more rapid pace of ageing post-2020, we need to ramp up aged care services and facilities significantly ... We cannot wait for the increase in needs to materialise before we start to build more facilities."
Mr Gan reiterated: "2020 is less than 10 years away. We must be ready when rapid ageing sets in."
According to Mr Gan, the Ministry of Health will be looking into new care options and to raise the quality of care.
He added: "In particular, one key direction for us is to enhance care services to support the care of seniors at home or close to home. The best medical care in an institution cannot replace a family member's love and support."
Mr Gan acknowledged that it would be a challenge to ramp up the capacity of the elder care sector in time. Nevertheless, the Government is committed to working with the stakeholders to achieve the objective.
NTUC Eldercare general manager Lim Sia Hoe said at the dialogue that existing funding schemes do not sufficiently address elderly needs. She also took issue with the fact that the schemes look at the income of applicants as a criterion instead of assessing their needs. Said Ms Lim: "Some of the elderly live in four-room flats and cannot qualify but they are in dire straits and need help to be mobile. Such people fall through the cracks. We should be looking at their care needs instead of income."
She proposed a co-funded model between the Government and service providers that is specifically used for serving elderly in the community.
Said Ms Lim: "It could be upfront, let's say, S$1 million (from each side), contributing to this fund. Then every service provider will (be able to) use the money for the purpose of serving the elderly." Such a scheme could operate under loose guidelines so that it will be "flexible enough for us to deliver services based on a very broad, easily administered process", Ms Lim suggested.
Noting the problem of attracting and retaining manpower. Peacehaven Nursing Home executive director Low Mui Lang suggested that jobs in the sector be re-designed in order to attract housewives or retirees. And this could mean introducing flexible work hours and making the salaries more attractive, she said.
Said Mdm Low: "It's a continuous, tedious, mundane kind of work. You really must have the passion..to care for the elderly. If the physical environment is not conducive and the basic wage compensation is not there, it will be very hard to retain (staff)."
MOH Ageing Planning Office group director Teoh Zsin Woon said there are three groups of potential labour that could be tapped on: Retired nurses, housewives between 30 and 60 years old, as well as retirees. In all, these groups comprise as many as 31,000 people, Ms Teoh added.
According to Ms Teoh, MOH is looking at integrating aged care into mature towns, which are "naturally occurring retirement communities".
Writing on his blog later, Mr Gan said the Government will study the suggestions raised at the dialogue "very seriously".
Mr Gan added: "The ramp up in aged care services is more easily said than done. We need a concerted effort across the aged care sector and beyond... Singaporeans must accept the need for more aged care facilities to be developed across the island, and in locations within our HDB heartlands so that they are easily accessible."
Singapore's eldercare plans
The Ministry of Health will:
- Expand number of day social and rehabilitative care places from 2,100 to about 6,200
- Increase home-based healthcare services from 4,000 to between 8,000 and 10,000.
- Increase the number of seniors who are eligible for home-based social care, from 2,000 to 7,500.
- Ramp up number of nursing-home beds by some 70 per cent, to 15,600.
- Review aged care financing schemes and make aged care more affordable.
- Take the lead in building more aged care facilities such as day centres.
This, as industry players voice concern that Singapore is not developing the eldercare sector quickly enough, with issues such as funding and manpower impeding progress.
By 2020, some 600,000 people will be above 65, or about 15 per cent of the population. From that point onwards, the society's pace of ageing will start to accelerate.
Speaking at a Ministerial Committee on Ageing dialogue session, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong stressed yesterday the urgency of the situation.
Mr Gan said: "We need to act now ... in view of the more rapid pace of ageing post-2020, we need to ramp up aged care services and facilities significantly ... We cannot wait for the increase in needs to materialise before we start to build more facilities."
Mr Gan reiterated: "2020 is less than 10 years away. We must be ready when rapid ageing sets in."
According to Mr Gan, the Ministry of Health will be looking into new care options and to raise the quality of care.
He added: "In particular, one key direction for us is to enhance care services to support the care of seniors at home or close to home. The best medical care in an institution cannot replace a family member's love and support."
Mr Gan acknowledged that it would be a challenge to ramp up the capacity of the elder care sector in time. Nevertheless, the Government is committed to working with the stakeholders to achieve the objective.
NTUC Eldercare general manager Lim Sia Hoe said at the dialogue that existing funding schemes do not sufficiently address elderly needs. She also took issue with the fact that the schemes look at the income of applicants as a criterion instead of assessing their needs. Said Ms Lim: "Some of the elderly live in four-room flats and cannot qualify but they are in dire straits and need help to be mobile. Such people fall through the cracks. We should be looking at their care needs instead of income."
She proposed a co-funded model between the Government and service providers that is specifically used for serving elderly in the community.
Said Ms Lim: "It could be upfront, let's say, S$1 million (from each side), contributing to this fund. Then every service provider will (be able to) use the money for the purpose of serving the elderly." Such a scheme could operate under loose guidelines so that it will be "flexible enough for us to deliver services based on a very broad, easily administered process", Ms Lim suggested.
Noting the problem of attracting and retaining manpower. Peacehaven Nursing Home executive director Low Mui Lang suggested that jobs in the sector be re-designed in order to attract housewives or retirees. And this could mean introducing flexible work hours and making the salaries more attractive, she said.
Said Mdm Low: "It's a continuous, tedious, mundane kind of work. You really must have the passion..to care for the elderly. If the physical environment is not conducive and the basic wage compensation is not there, it will be very hard to retain (staff)."
MOH Ageing Planning Office group director Teoh Zsin Woon said there are three groups of potential labour that could be tapped on: Retired nurses, housewives between 30 and 60 years old, as well as retirees. In all, these groups comprise as many as 31,000 people, Ms Teoh added.
According to Ms Teoh, MOH is looking at integrating aged care into mature towns, which are "naturally occurring retirement communities".
Writing on his blog later, Mr Gan said the Government will study the suggestions raised at the dialogue "very seriously".
Mr Gan added: "The ramp up in aged care services is more easily said than done. We need a concerted effort across the aged care sector and beyond... Singaporeans must accept the need for more aged care facilities to be developed across the island, and in locations within our HDB heartlands so that they are easily accessible."
Singapore's eldercare plans
The Ministry of Health will:
- Expand number of day social and rehabilitative care places from 2,100 to about 6,200
- Increase home-based healthcare services from 4,000 to between 8,000 and 10,000.
- Increase the number of seniors who are eligible for home-based social care, from 2,000 to 7,500.
- Ramp up number of nursing-home beds by some 70 per cent, to 15,600.
- Review aged care financing schemes and make aged care more affordable.
- Take the lead in building more aged care facilities such as day centres.
Singapore bracing for silver tsunami
15% of population to be above 65 in less than 10 years' time
by Tan Weizhen
04:46 AM Jan 21, 2012
SINGAPORE - From increasing the amenities and services to enlarging the pool of seniors who can benefit from these initiatives, the Government is moving into higher gear in anticipation of a surge in demand that would hit the Republic in less than a decade.
Singapore bracing for silver tsunami
15% of population to be above 65 in less than 10 years' time
by Tan Weizhen
04:46 AM Jan 21, 2012
SINGAPORE - From increasing the amenities and services to enlarging the pool of seniors who can benefit from these initiatives, the Government is moving into higher gear in anticipation of a surge in demand that would hit the Republic in less than a decade.
This, as industry players voice concern that Singapore is not developing the eldercare sector quickly enough, with issues such as funding and manpower impeding progress.
By 2020, some 600,000 people will be above 65, or about 15 per cent of the population. From that point onwards, the society's pace of ageing will start to accelerate.
Speaking at a Ministerial Committee on Ageing dialogue session, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong stressed yesterday the urgency of the situation.
Mr Gan said: "We need to act now ... in view of the more rapid pace of ageing post-2020, we need to ramp up aged care services and facilities significantly ... We cannot wait for the increase in needs to materialise before we start to build more facilities."
Mr Gan reiterated: "2020 is less than 10 years away. We must be ready when rapid ageing sets in."
According to Mr Gan, the Ministry of Health will be looking into new care options and to raise the quality of care.
He added: "In particular, one key direction for us is to enhance care services to support the care of seniors at home or close to home. The best medical care in an institution cannot replace a family member's love and support."
Mr Gan acknowledged that it would be a challenge to ramp up the capacity of the elder care sector in time. Nevertheless, the Government is committed to working with the stakeholders to achieve the objective.
NTUC Eldercare general manager Lim Sia Hoe said at the dialogue that existing funding schemes do not sufficiently address elderly needs. She also took issue with the fact that the schemes look at the income of applicants as a criterion instead of assessing their needs. Said Ms Lim: "Some of the elderly live in four-room flats and cannot qualify but they are in dire straits and need help to be mobile. Such people fall through the cracks. We should be looking at their care needs instead of income."
She proposed a co-funded model between the Government and service providers that is specifically used for serving elderly in the community.
Said Ms Lim: "It could be upfront, let's say, S$1 million (from each side), contributing to this fund. Then every service provider will (be able to) use the money for the purpose of serving the elderly." Such a scheme could operate under loose guidelines so that it will be "flexible enough for us to deliver services based on a very broad, easily administered process", Ms Lim suggested.
Noting the problem of attracting and retaining manpower. Peacehaven Nursing Home executive director Low Mui Lang suggested that jobs in the sector be re-designed in order to attract housewives or retirees. And this could mean introducing flexible work hours and making the salaries more attractive, she said.
Said Mdm Low: "It's a continuous, tedious, mundane kind of work. You really must have the passion..to care for the elderly. If the physical environment is not conducive and the basic wage compensation is not there, it will be very hard to retain (staff)."
MOH Ageing Planning Office group director Teoh Zsin Woon said there are three groups of potential labour that could be tapped on: Retired nurses, housewives between 30 and 60 years old, as well as retirees. In all, these groups comprise as many as 31,000 people, Ms Teoh added.
According to Ms Teoh, MOH is looking at integrating aged care into mature towns, which are "naturally occurring retirement communities".
Writing on his blog later, Mr Gan said the Government will study the suggestions raised at the dialogue "very seriously".
Mr Gan added: "The ramp up in aged care services is more easily said than done. We need a concerted effort across the aged care sector and beyond... Singaporeans must accept the need for more aged care facilities to be developed across the island, and in locations within our HDB heartlands so that they are easily accessible."
Singapore's eldercare plans
The Ministry of Health will:
- Expand number of day social and rehabilitative care places from 2,100 to about 6,200
- Increase home-based healthcare services from 4,000 to between 8,000 and 10,000.
- Increase the number of seniors who are eligible for home-based social care, from 2,000 to 7,500.
- Ramp up number of nursing-home beds by some 70 per cent, to 15,600.
- Review aged care financing schemes and make aged care more affordable.
- Take the lead in building more aged care facilities such as day centres.
This, as industry players voice concern that Singapore is not developing the eldercare sector quickly enough, with issues such as funding and manpower impeding progress.
By 2020, some 600,000 people will be above 65, or about 15 per cent of the population. From that point onwards, the society's pace of ageing will start to accelerate.
Speaking at a Ministerial Committee on Ageing dialogue session, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong stressed yesterday the urgency of the situation.
Mr Gan said: "We need to act now ... in view of the more rapid pace of ageing post-2020, we need to ramp up aged care services and facilities significantly ... We cannot wait for the increase in needs to materialise before we start to build more facilities."
Mr Gan reiterated: "2020 is less than 10 years away. We must be ready when rapid ageing sets in."
According to Mr Gan, the Ministry of Health will be looking into new care options and to raise the quality of care.
He added: "In particular, one key direction for us is to enhance care services to support the care of seniors at home or close to home. The best medical care in an institution cannot replace a family member's love and support."
Mr Gan acknowledged that it would be a challenge to ramp up the capacity of the elder care sector in time. Nevertheless, the Government is committed to working with the stakeholders to achieve the objective.
NTUC Eldercare general manager Lim Sia Hoe said at the dialogue that existing funding schemes do not sufficiently address elderly needs. She also took issue with the fact that the schemes look at the income of applicants as a criterion instead of assessing their needs. Said Ms Lim: "Some of the elderly live in four-room flats and cannot qualify but they are in dire straits and need help to be mobile. Such people fall through the cracks. We should be looking at their care needs instead of income."
She proposed a co-funded model between the Government and service providers that is specifically used for serving elderly in the community.
Said Ms Lim: "It could be upfront, let's say, S$1 million (from each side), contributing to this fund. Then every service provider will (be able to) use the money for the purpose of serving the elderly." Such a scheme could operate under loose guidelines so that it will be "flexible enough for us to deliver services based on a very broad, easily administered process", Ms Lim suggested.
Noting the problem of attracting and retaining manpower. Peacehaven Nursing Home executive director Low Mui Lang suggested that jobs in the sector be re-designed in order to attract housewives or retirees. And this could mean introducing flexible work hours and making the salaries more attractive, she said.
Said Mdm Low: "It's a continuous, tedious, mundane kind of work. You really must have the passion..to care for the elderly. If the physical environment is not conducive and the basic wage compensation is not there, it will be very hard to retain (staff)."
MOH Ageing Planning Office group director Teoh Zsin Woon said there are three groups of potential labour that could be tapped on: Retired nurses, housewives between 30 and 60 years old, as well as retirees. In all, these groups comprise as many as 31,000 people, Ms Teoh added.
According to Ms Teoh, MOH is looking at integrating aged care into mature towns, which are "naturally occurring retirement communities".
Writing on his blog later, Mr Gan said the Government will study the suggestions raised at the dialogue "very seriously".
Mr Gan added: "The ramp up in aged care services is more easily said than done. We need a concerted effort across the aged care sector and beyond... Singaporeans must accept the need for more aged care facilities to be developed across the island, and in locations within our HDB heartlands so that they are easily accessible."
Singapore's eldercare plans
The Ministry of Health will:
- Expand number of day social and rehabilitative care places from 2,100 to about 6,200
- Increase home-based healthcare services from 4,000 to between 8,000 and 10,000.
- Increase the number of seniors who are eligible for home-based social care, from 2,000 to 7,500.
- Ramp up number of nursing-home beds by some 70 per cent, to 15,600.
- Review aged care financing schemes and make aged care more affordable.
- Take the lead in building more aged care facilities such as day centres.
