Over 230,000 older S'poreans have drawn up lasting power of attorney

Campaign well on track to exceed target of having 240,000 citizens do so by end 2025

- Theresa Tan

About 56,000 Singaporeans aged 50 and older have drawn up a lasting power of attorney (LPA) since the Government launched a campaign in July 2023 to encourage legacy planning.

In total, 233,000 Singaporeans in this age group have completed an LPA, said Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development, at an appreciation event for volunteers and partners involved in the campaign on Oct 25.

The campaign is "well on track" to exceed its target of having 240,000 Singaporeans make their LPAs by the end of 2025, he added.

The LPA is a legal document that allows an individual to appoint another person to make decisions on his behalf if he becomes mentally incapacitated, for example, through dementia.

Legacy planning involves individuals stating and communicating their preferences and decisions on their care and finances, for example, to their loved ones, if they die or lose mental capacity.

This is done through tools such as the LPA, a will, Central Provident Fund nomination and an advance care plan.

An advance care plan documents a person's values and healthcare preferences, which will guide the healthcare team and the person's loved ones in making decisions in their best interest if they lose mental capacity.

In the 15 months since the campaign started in July 2023, more than 13,000 advance care plans were also made, bringing the total number of such plans made to more than 50,000. The campaign is organised by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), the Ministry of Health, the Agency for Integrated Care and the Public Service Division.