Additional Support for Persons Caring for Family Members with Dementia

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Health what are the additional measures that the Ministry will be taking to support families with dementia family members in the face of our ageing population in the next 10 to 20 years.

MOH adopts a multi-pronged approach to dementia care. This includes raising awareness of dementia, expanding care capacity and capabilities in the community and hospitals and supporting caregivers of persons living with dementia.

First of all, to support persons living with dementia and their caregivers after the initial diagnosis, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and Social Service Agencies (SSAs) have set up community outreach teams and community intervention teams. They conduct public outreach and education to raise awareness of dementia and conduct interventions to provide timely support. We have also rolled out 14 Dementia-Friendly Communities to create a conducive environment for persons living with dementia and their caregivers to live well in the community. This is achieved by raising dementia awareness and providing more dementia-friendly services, among other measures.

Next, to increase the accessibility of care services, MOH has set up dementia clinics in polyclinics so that persons living with dementia can receive medical care near their homes. We have also increased the number of Dementia Day Care places, over a five-year period, between 2015 and 2020.

Lastly, we provide caregivers of persons living with dementia with respite care options through senior centres and nursing homes. For instance, the Night Respite pilot offers overnight respite for caregivers of persons living with dementia with behavioural and sleep issues. Families also receive financial support to defray long-term care costs. This includes subsidies for medical care and eldercare services, disability grants and insurance schemes. MOH will continue to review the dementia support required for our ageing population.