SINGAPORE: To meet the needs of seniors here in Singapore, a new assisted living model, which combines public housing with care services, is currently being explored.
Speaking during the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) Committee of Supply debate on Wednesday (Mar 6), Senior Minister of State Amy Khor said the MOH and the Ministry of National Development (MND) have plans to launch a pilot “where seniors buy a home, bundled with a package of programmes and services that can be customised to suit their needs and preferences”.
AdvertisementThese services, according to a MOH factsheet, may include health screenings, exercise programmes, housekeeping services, 24/7 emergency support, care coordination and personal care.
“For instance, healthy seniors could buy into basic services such as light housekeeping. Additional services like care coordination can be layered on as their needs change,” Dr Khor said in Parliament.
A possible location has been identified and MND is set to share more details.
Dr Khor added: “The development could comprise flats with senior-friendly features, complemented by communal space like recreation cum dining rooms with light programming to encourage interaction.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementOver the coming months, MOH and MND will hold focus group discussions to “fine-tune this new option for ageing-in-place before going to market”, she said. Seniors, caregivers and eldercare professionals will be involved in the process, with more details to be released this year.
The Government is also tapping technology to benefit seniors.
For instance, MOH is partnering the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office, as well as the Public Service Division, to include a new module under the existing Moments of Life app to support active ageing.
The app, said Dr Khor, will include an Active Ageing Programme finder that can help seniors locate programmes near their homes.
Seniors can also use the app to check their eligibility for Government benefits, such as the Merdeka Generation Package and GST Voucher scheme, she added. Other features, such as allowing programme bookings, will be explored in a later phase.
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