Debated in Parliament on 5 Apr 2021.
Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Minister for Health given the rise in number of seniors living only with their spouse, should one or both of their health suddenly deteriorate and they are unable to look after each other or afford a foreign domestic worker, what are the programmes they can tap on both if they are staying in HDB flats or private landed homes.
The Ministry of Health works with our partners to put in place various programmes and services to enable seniors with different care needs to age well in the community, regardless of their housing type.
To ensure that seniors remain connected with the community, the Silver Generation Office, eldercare centres, and befriending services regularly reach out to seniors to check on their wellbeing. Seniors can also subscribe to CareLine, a 24/7 telephone service, for personal care support. These outreach channels will help to identify and refer seniors with care needs to appropriate care services.
These care services include home-based care and centre-based care. For instance, seniors can engage in activities such as exercises, music therapy and handicraft sessions at day care, or attend centre-based rehabilitation sessions. Transport services to and from these centres are also available. Homebound seniors can also receive home-based medical, nursing and personal care services or have meals delivered to them if needed. Seniors with significant mobility difficulties can also access medical escort and transport services to help them with their medical appointments. They may also enrol in the Integrated Home and Day Care programme, which offers a combination of home and centre-based care services. Eligible seniors may receive up to 80% subsidies for these home and centre-based services.
The Government also has other programmes to support care in the community. For example, the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) provides a monthly $200 cash grant to eligible individuals with permanent moderate disability to defray the cost of care-giving. Eligible seniors can also apply for the Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund to offset the cost of assistive devices and home healthcare items.
Seniors who require services or caregiving support may call the Agency for Integrated Care's (AIC) hotline or approach a nearby AIC Link for further assistance.
PAPERCUTS