More ways now for seniors to be cared for as population ages

Priority will be given to options for ageing in the community rather than in institutions

- Joyce Teo Senior Health Correspondent

As Singapore's population ages, the country is diversifying the ways that senior citizens can be cared for, with priority given to ageing in the community rather than institutions.

On Dec 10, the Government gave the green light to a shared stay-in model for seniors, in which several people can share a home and get support for daily living tasks, meals, housekeeping and social activities from a staff of caregivers.

An option like this offers an alternative to nursing homes, which look after seniors who need a greater level of care, or if they can no longer care for themselves but have no other living arrangements.

Ultimately, seniors should be able to transition from one care setting to another without too much delay or red tape. The Ministry of Health (MOH) will look into this, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.

One way, for example, is for service providers in various sub-regions to form an integrated community care provider scheme to better coordinate how seniors in the sub-region are cared for, said Mr Ong at the fifth anniversary of St Luke's ElderCare's (SLEC) Residential-based Services on Dec 10.

In addition, the Health Information Bill, which MOH will table in Parliament in January, will require data to be shared not just across clinical settings but also with community service providers, so seniors can be cared for seamlessly.

Here are some of the private and public options today:

NURSING HOMES

These offer a structured environment meant for seniors who require intensive medical care. While the homes may provide better living standards today, they remain institutions that necessarily limit the independence of seniors for safety reasons.