Support for Senior Citizens

Mr Deputy Speaker, I declare my interest as a lawyer in private practice. I join my colleagues in this hon House in support of the Motion and echo their proposition to recognise that seniors are a gift to us. Indeed, seniors should be respected, even if they cannot contribute anymore.

Sir, the social compact in Singapore is evolving. The success, stability and economic benefits enjoyed by us today have been built upon the sacrifices, sweat and tears of our seniors. They suffered loss so that we might gain. As a country, we owe it to our seniors to enjoy their golden years in dignity.

More fundamentally, as individuals, we owe it to our parents to enjoy their golden years in dignity. Regrettably, it appears there are some among us who do not agree with that statement. We have all seen many, too many, cases of neglect or abuse of seniors by their adult or even middle-aged children. Yes, there might be bad blood between a senior and his or her children. Notwithstanding that, few among us will condone neglect or abuse of such seniors by their adult children.

Accordingly, Mr Deputy Speaker, whilst I firmly believe that filial piety cannot be legislated, I submit that Singapore needs a more robust and coordinated framework towards ensuring that our seniors will be well taken care of.

The hon Member Mr Henry Kwek proposed three policy changes. I propose three complementary actions: education; bolder use of existing legislation, namely, the Maintenance of Parents Act (MPA); and supplementary legislation.

Firstly, education. Caring for a person is not about how lovable a person is, or how fragrant the person is, or how affordable or convenient it is to care for the person. Particularly in the context of a parent and child, it is about love and obligation. And obligation, even if there is no love.

As a community, therefore, we must continue to emphasise the value of filial piety. It should be taught at home. Parents should set the example, and it should be taught in schools and religious institutions.

We should also recognise that with or without filial piety, financial dependence on children can strain and has frequently strained parent-child relationships. So, let us empower seniors to take control of their financial assets in order to reduce financial dependence on their children.

Whilst it is understandable that seniors would like to give properties to their children, the gifts can be made after they have passed on. In principle, they can reduce their financial dependence on the children and still leave legacies to them using two legal instruments: the reverse mortgage and the Will.

First, the reverse mortgage. We should intensify and expand our ground efforts to inform seniors of the advantages of the reverse mortgage to HDB and other financial institutions and encourage a higher greater take-up rate. The payouts from the reverse mortgage will enable the seniors to reduce their dependence on public assistance or their children. The remaining value of the flat can still be gifted to their children after they have passed on.

Second, the Will. We should encourage seniors to maintain themselves out of their own properties. They should not make gifts to their children in their lifetime. By making a Will, the senior can continue to own and enjoy their property and leave the remainder, after they have passed on, to their children. A Will can be changed at any time by the senior. This means that an unfilial child can be written out of the Will at any time. By using the Will, the senior retains to a large extent the control over his or her assets and finances, and financial independence.

Of course, some children may not be happy to wait so long. If the parent-child relationship deteriorates because the parent had decided to take control of his or her own finances, then all the more the parent would have made the correct decision. Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin, please.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Generally speaking, parents will express their love for their children by bestowing things to them. As a result, many seniors transfer their properties to their children. Only after they do so, do they come to realise that their children are not filial, and they are even mistreated, abused, neglected or even abandoned.

Even if it does not go to such an extreme extent, parent-child relationship often deteriorates as a result of financial or money issues. In order to avoid conflicts, seniors should be urged to reduce their financial dependence on their children. In their lifetime, they should not transfer or give away their financial assets to their children. They should keep their assets to themselves. They should be encouraged to make a will to allocate their inheritance.

Seniors can take up the reverse mortgage through HDB. Not only will they avoid paying the instalments, but also, they will receive monthly payouts. They should make a will in order to allocate their remaining inheritance.

There is another benefit of making a will. The will can be amended at any time. The filial children can receive more inheritance, whereas the unfilial children can be written out of the will. If the children are unhappy with such arrangements, it proves even more that your decision is correct.

(In English): Secondly, I would like to propose a bolder use of the existing legislation, namely, the Maintenance of Parents Act (MPA).

The MPA empowers the Commissioner to make an application on behalf of seniors or parents and represent them in proceedings or appeal under the Act. This is an important power, considering that family relations could be further aggravated where applications are made by parents against their children. Where the Commissioner has sufficient evidence at hand, the Commissioner should make the application, notwithstanding that the parent may not be willing to adduce any evidence against their children. Could the Minister for Family and Social Development confirm the number of such MPA applications by the Commissioner from 2010 to date?

When an order for maintenance is made and not complied with, the Act provides a further mechanism in which securities can be made and ordered out of existing properties. This is also extremely useful and assists the seniors without having to make another round or commence another round of legal proceedings. Can the Minister for Family and Social Development also share the number of such orders that have been made out of section 6 of the MPA?

I would also urge the Government to make express provisions under the MPA to allow attachment orders to be made against the salaries of children, which leads me to my third point: supplementary legislation.

Whilst we are not in any position to legislate filial piety, and we should not, as Prof Walter Woon pointed out in his speech during the Second Reading of the Maintenance of Parents Bill in 1994, we can provide a safety net if filial piety fails. And we should.

Here, I may add that, in my view, the Vulnerable Adults Bill in the form presented to this House at its First Reading is inadequate in that it fails to legislate financial protection for vulnerable adults, including the elderly. I hope to hear more from the Minister on this issue.

At this point, allow me to share a couple of stories which I constructed from incidents made known to me.

Mr Tan was a manual worker. He and his wife had three children, whom they provided for and raised. Before Mr Tan passed away, he added the name of his eldest son as a joint owner of the flat, expecting that his son would care for his mother, Mr Tan’s wife. After he passed away, Mrs Tan continues to stay in the flat with her son and family, but is treated as non-existent by her son and family as far as they are concerned. She sleeps in the living room and cooks porridge for herself, whilst her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren enjoy sumptuous meals. The other two children meanwhile are estranged from Mrs Tan due to the "unfairness" of the flat having been favoured to their eldest brother.

The second story: Mr and Mrs Lee worked hard to bring up their only daughter. When she was about to be married, they sold their HDB flat, gave the proceeds to their daughter so that she might buy her own flat. The understanding was that they would move in to stay with her. Things did not work out as planned and they are now left homeless.

Stories, such as the above, abound and we may simply change surnames, number of children and permutations. But the result is the same: parents part with their properties, their sale proceeds, their savings, only to be left with nothing, not even provision from their children.

Many of these parents may not wish to initiate any proceedings under the MPA. Some of them may not even be eligible under the MPA. But all of us can see the injustice and inequity in such situations. The children have taken their parents’ property and left them bereft. It is irresponsible, cruel, unthinkable, but it happens, and often, too.

The law as it now stands is against the parent. I speak with particular reference to cases where property is transferred or given by a parent to his or her child. The current situation is that parents do not have much of a recourse. We do not understand as laymen. When we think that we give a property to our children for them to look after us, we think we can have it back. But the legal position is that once we transfer the property, we cannot take it back, especially if we are a parent transferring the property to a son or a daughter. The law presumes that it is meant as a gift and this is known as the presumption of advancement. The burden falls on the parent to rebut the presumption.

Of course, there are exceptions, such as trust, fraud, undue influence. But it is hard to prove. In each case, the evidentiary burden on parents is extremely high. In addition, adducing evidence may involve other family members and widen the family dispute, which is not at all to be encouraged. The law as it stands also does not take into consideration changes in circumstances, such as where a child has a change of heart towards his or her parent after receiving the property.

So, they are left to suffer in silence. But ultimately, someone has to look after them, right? And here is where the state steps in. But that is not right. We can all see the unjustness in the situation. It is not right. And we cannot encourage such reprehensible behaviour. So, I urge the Government to consider reviewing the law to supplement the MPA and to seriously consider the following.

First, abolish the presumption of advancement in circumstances where an elderly parent transfers property to an adult son or daughter. The law is anachronistic. We have got to change that now. We are faced with vulnerable seniors, mostly with only one HDB flat, not landed gentry. These are vulnerable people who give their property to their children, children who then neglect, abuse or abandon them.

Second, we should legislate conditions under which a trust in favour of a parent can arise or must arise by operation of law, such as where an elderly parent transfers a substantial portion of his or her property to an adult son or daughter so that such son or daughter will hold property in trust for the parent.

Thirdly, we should provide for transfers of property to be voidable, at the option of the parent, in the event that the child fails to provide basic amenities or basic physical needs to the parent after the transfer.

We should legislate to place the evidentiary burden on the receiving party to show that he or she had not defrauded, coerced or exerted undue influence on his or her parent, that market consideration had been paid to the parent, and that such money had not been routed back to him or her.

We should provide that the statutory obligation to maintain one’s parents arises immediately upon the transfer of the property from parent to child, by operation of law. This could apply when the transfer cannot be faulted.

Sixthly, we can amend our penal laws to provide harsher sanctions against those who prey on the financially vulnerable, of which the seniors should, by default, form a category.

In addition, the Government could consider a compulsory savings scheme whereby a part of the CPF contribution is channeled into a new sub-account designated for the purchase of annuities for the maintenance of the member’s parents.

I do note that there are areas of overlap and potential conflicts between the above measures that I have suggested. We should not be deterred. We can and should rationalise and implement the measures holistically to form a robust framework to support seniors and reduce familial strain attributable to money matters.

I am also well aware that enforcement will be difficult since we are dealing with family relationships. But we put the cart before the horse if we say enforcement must be achievable before we can set up a framework. Tell that to an elderly person: I will not give you the right to take back your property because you may not be able to take it back anyway. Can we say that to an elderly person? It is as good as a doctor telling his patient "I will not give you any option for a particular treatment unless I am sure it will work 100%". I do not think doctors will say that and I do not think that this House should be swayed by any argument that we should not have a framework unless we can ensure enforcement.

We need to set our moral and legal principles right and the rest will follow. I wish to emphasise that I do not advocate that we legislate filial piety or, worse still, replace it. Fundamentally, the responsibility, the privilege, remains with the family.

If I may quote Prof Walter Woon in response to any concern that my proposals could be too interventionist. Are we being too interventionist? Prof Walter Woon, from his speech during the Second Reading of the Maintenance of Parents Bill in 1994, said:

“The Bill is not aimed at the majority of Singaporeans who know their duty, who know where morals point and who support and love their parents without having to be told. The Bill is aimed at that recalcitrant small minority that cannot be counted on to do what is right, and therefore it will not affect the vast majority of Singaporeans.”

So, Mr Deputy Speaker, my proposals are “aimed at that recalcitrant small minority that cannot be counted on to do what is right”. Currently, other Singaporeans have to pay for that failure. It becomes an additional expenditure of public funds which could have been diverted to support those who are truly without family, and for other national purposes. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Not just a matter of public funds expenditure, such cruel and reprehensible behaviour, if left unaddressed, will immunise our people against basic human values. It will immunise our children and set the tone for what our children, and society, will become. It will immunise us against responsibility, suffering, justice and equity. What is now unacceptable will soon be common landscape, the way life is. What is now reprehensible becomes our lifestyle, the way we are. The family unit will be threatened, our social fabric will tear.

We have to do something. We have to do it now. We need to set our moral and legal principles right. Otherwise, we fail miserably as a Government and society. Let us do right by our people. On that note, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion.

Mr Deputy Speaker, we often hear people saying they want to live long and live well, to age gracefully and successfully. These are common wishes of many seniors as they age. But the irony of ageing is that everyone wants to live as long as possible, and yet, also do not want to live too long because of the various aches and indignities that old age brings.

Personally, I feel we need to view this in a positive light. Ageing may be inevitable, but the key is to understand the process and identify situations early, thereby enabling us to take preventive actions and decide how we wish to age. It is never too early to ask ourselves what we must do to achieve this.

A person's state of health is by far one of the strongest determinants in our ageing process. I am heartened that MOH has widely promoted the need for basic health screening since September 2017 and heavily subsidised it. While noting that cost and concern about the outcome of health screening are the main deterrents for many seniors, MOH has made the basic health screening free of charge for our Pioneer Generation, and at very low cost for Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) cardholders and other Singaporeans. Also, these screenings can now be done at the polyclinics and regular general practitioner (GP) clinics. This move is an encouraging step for many seniors and has been well-received. Many seniors whom I met in Fengshan have told me that they have since undergone their health screening.

Follow-through actions post-health screening is another key area that is neglected by many seniors. We need to encourage them to understand how to better care or improve their conditions in certain areas. In Fengshan, we are thankful for the support of MOH in establishing the Community Health Post for this purpose. Now, our seniors can have individual coaching sessions from the healthcare professionals to take charge of their health and improve on it. While these efforts are laudable, they are not preventive. The way for preventive action is, of course, to maintain a healthy and active state from young.

Since last July, we have worked with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and Active SG to introduce weekly exercises within the neighbourhood. My residents are excited with the variety of exercises that are available every day, from Mondays through Sundays. Our young working adults now can also enjoy and exercise with us. And for the retirees and seniors, there are day exercises for them, too. Seeing our seniors, working adults, children and grandchildren all in tow participating, I am cheered by the overwhelming response.

This is a headstart for our busy, working adults and it is actually a good start for the journey. I remember one of the residents who told me that she is glad to be on this journey with us now. She said, "It is best to do so before one's body becomes stiff and weakens. When a person is affected by illness, even the most willing heart will be demotivated to exercise." And I totally agree with her.

My concern is: will HPB or Active SG continue these in a long run? Are there sufficient trainers to conduct these sessions? I urge MOH to consider supporting and enhancing this great initiative. MOH can consider collaborating with the People's Association (PA), private organisations and freelancers or to train community interest groups in order to sustain a wider pool of trainers for the future. While these sessions are free of charge, the impact it has on the community and country will be lasting. After all, prevention is better than cure. Furthermore, funding such initiatives will come at a small price, compared to the subsidies that are required for the medical bills and also more medical infrastructural expansion.

Apart from health programmes, community involvement is pertinent for broader awareness outreach and having our seniors to be constantly engaged. I trust that we are doing so in different ways on the ground and will further enhance these areas over time. Meanwhile, let me raise four aspects related to ageing that I would like to highlight for the Ministries to review.

First, to increase the MediSave usage limit on outpatient treatment for seniors aged 70 and above, those with chronic illnesses but have met their Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS). I understand the current position is to decide the appeals on usage on a case-by-case basis. However, I would like to ask MOH to reconsider and put in place a rule for a higher utilisation limit for those seniors who fulfil BHS in their MediSave and/or Minimum Sum in their Retirement Account (RA), particularly if they do not use this for their annual scans or diagnostics. During my house visits and dialogue sessions, seniors have expressed the same request to use more of their MediSave funds for the outpatient medical fees instead of using their cash or their spouse's to up their funds as they are also elderly.

Take the example of a 73-year-old resident of mine who is diabetic and has a heart condition. He shared that he needs to be on permanent medication to manage his health condition. With only $400 allowed to be used from his MediSave for outpatient treatment, he needs $800 out-of-pocket cash for his regular medication each year. But he still has over $55,000 in his MediSave account. By simple mathematics, he recounts that his MediSave funds will way outlive him. Instead, the larger risk for him is when he cannot afford the regular medication to manage his conditions and thus result in complications. To him, his MediSave funds will be worthless if he dies from diabetes or heart attack. For chronic patients like him, I think being able to use their funds freely and at ease will be a huge relief as they need not worry about the cash outlay for requisite medications that sustain their lives.

Second, to promote and encourage seniors to make an LPA by age 55. From the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WISE) study in 2015, it showed that by 2030, one in 10 Singaporeans aged 60 and above is likely to suffer from dementia. That is an estimated 80,000 seniors who may have dementia in their golden years. Early protection is beneficial to both the seniors and their caregivers. Everyone would wish to live their lives in their preferred way and be given a choice.

However, many seniors are not aware of the benefits of an LPA and how to go about it. I know that in order to encourage more Singaporeans to pre-plan to protect their interests, the Office of Public Guardian (OPG) has extended the LPA application fee waiver for two years till 31 August 2018, at least for those filing the LPA Form 1. We should maximise this opportunity to bring the LPA certificate issuers together with the community as we are concurrently doing outreach and communicating about elderly programmes or schemes to seniors. This will be useful for many seniors, especially in Singapore, where couples are usually co-owners of their property. It can prevent situations where the elderly wish to downgrade or monetise their property to support expenses but are unable to do so due to the mental state of their spouse. Similarly, an LPA will allow the seniors to decide in advance on their preferred palliative care if they do require it someday.

Third, caregiver support. Respite care today is scarce and relatively high in cost. We would hope that care support begins with the family and each would play their part and make the effort to provide the needful relief for the caregiver. While the thought is good, caregivers, in reality, face different challenges even in their keenest desire of taking a break.

Many say this is where community involvement should begin. I say it is "Yes" and "No". Yes, to the extent that we can find community befrienders and match them to provide relief for caregivers and give them some time off. No, as there are other considerations that need to be in place. One example is how do we protect the befrienders and the beneficiary, as the person to be cared for has a different engagement and mental state? Can the families entrust their loved ones and the home to a stranger for a period of time? What is the basis of understanding on the tasks that a befriender is supposed to undertake or, for that matter, not to be taken advantage of?

As a start, I would ask the Ministry to consider partnering senior day care centres within each neighbourhood. Once a month, make the centres available on a Saturday or Sunday for those caregivers who wish to place their seniors for a few hours at these centres. At the same time, we can introduce community befrienders to these centres. With the presence and support of the centres’ trained professionals, the befrienders can help to care for the seniors. This would be a known, safer environment and provide assurance for all the parties. We can also consider having a caregiver support network at the same location to give caregivers the opportunity to share experiences, talk amongst themselves or even offer free volunteer care services like hair service, massage, healthy meals prepared for these caregivers, who usually have no time for themselves.

Another option is to manage this through a knowledge-based approach and central management system to match the needs, to work with nursing homes or day care centres to provide respite care for a few hours at subsidised rates. I ask that MOH consider the subsidies not only by household means testing, but to include consideration for whether alternative affordable caregiver option is, indeed, available, given today’s smaller family units.

Lastly, conscious planning and integration of housing with senior friendly infrastructure. We often talk about ageing-in-place. This can only happen with conscious planning, both infrastructures and programmes. We need to consider integrating housing for seniors within the community. Back in 2016, together with the PAP Women’s Wing, we made a study trip to Hong Kong. One of the projects we viewed was an area where the public housing flats of seniors’ studio apartments were integrated with the regular public housing of 2- and 3-room flats for the seniors staying on the same floor, within the same building. This makes it less of a retirement village and enables the elderly to be constantly engaged by immediate neighbours with younger families living nearby. HDB could consider if moving forward we can build the 2-room flexi short lease flats within the same building constituting 3- or 4-room flats. This can enable three-generation families to purchase units next to one another and encourage stronger family units or allow better social mix where the younger families can look out for the seniors next door.

I also encourage MND to plan having town audits throughout Singapore to ensure that the basic amenities and designs fulfil the needs to support an ageing population. For the mature estates, to consider giving guidance on how we can better refit the amenities to suit the growing needs. This will be beneficial in the long haul and save substantial spending when the final designs are constantly constructed with a senior-friendly state in mind.

In closing, Mr Deputy Speaker, I want to draw reference to a book titled "The Colours of Ageing" by Prof Kua Ee Heok. The "Colours" in his book’s title represents the hope, will and the imagination of an "undefeated mind", which is, in my view, as crucial, if not more, to living with one’s faculties intact. In order to have an "undefeated mind" and be physically healthy in our golden years requires proactive actions from early on. I think this Motion is timely, from personal prevention to social activeness, senior-friendly townships to social care networks. It is time we begin to work cohesively as a community towards achieving a country of vibrant seniors whom we treasure and, they, who can live their golden years in comfort. I strongly support the emphasis for us to begin doing more as a nation towards this goal and, together, we will and can become sprightly seniors.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this topic is very close to my heart. With our rapidly ageing population and longer life expectancies, it is important that we strive to help our seniors live a good quality of life for as long as possible. These should be years in good mental, physical and emotional health during which they will be free to work productively and outside their interests. Sir, in Mandarin.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] We all want good health. Our Government has been encouraging Singaporeans to lead healthy lifestyles to build up a strong foundation for their senior years. We help Singaporeans monitor their health through very affordable health screenings. The Enhanced Screen for Life programme is $5 or less for eligible Singaporeans above 40. It is free for the Pioneer Generation.

I would like to ask MOH how many seniors have gone for screening under this programme so far. How can we encourage more to go for screening and follow-up if found to have some unfavourable results?

Good health translates to a better quality of life. The seniors who are in good health will be able to do pretty much everything that they used to when they were younger, to walk, eat, travel, socialise and take part in various activities.

But we can do more. We should have a public education about the appropriate exercises and diets best suited for the seniors. To do this, we need differentiated platforms to engage them effectively. Can we introduce programmes targeting common illnesses among the elderly? For example, for diabetic patients, what exercises are best for them? How can these exercises help to lower blood sugar and weight? These exercises can be illustrated on a chart and distributed to them so that they can do the exercises at home.

The mental health of our seniors is another area of concern. The number of people living with dementia here is expected to double by 2030 and the prevalence of dementia is about 10% among seniors aged 60 and above. We will have to raise public awareness and social acceptance of seniors with mental health issues to enable early detection and treatment. I look forward to seeing the number of dementia-friendly communities like Yishun and MacPherson increase. We can look at how to allow seniors with dementia to age in place as it can reduce the stress on them.

Medical bills are one of the top concerns of the elderly. I urge MOH to include a wider range of mental illnesses for subsidised treatment in our polyclinics and public hospitals. I hope the Government could consider more CHAS benefits for the lower-income groups.

(In English): Back in English, Sir. I support the recommendations by the ElderShield Review Committee. However, the name of the scheme "ElderShield" seems incompatible. This is essentially a disability insurance scheme. I would like to suggest the Government consider updating its name to reflect the intended benefits and coverage more effectively.

Work and employment. If our seniors desire, they can and should continue to work. We should not always think that our elderly cannot catch up. While there will be individuals who experience greater challenges, we must also see them as progressive and willing to embrace lifelong learning. There are many shining examples in every sector and industry. With the latter mindset, we will realise that our seniors are people who can still contribute to our economy and make their mark in society. For example, there was an 81-year-old nurse who was featured in the Straits Times last year. There are many like her in my constituency in Henderson-Dawson still going very strong. It is good to see them progress, too. Such seniors should be lauded for their care towards others, and the Government should work out a scheme to help them advance in their passions and careers.

I am happy that the re-employment age had been raised. I hope that, eventually, age will no longer be a consideration and we focus on an employee’s capability.

The digital gap. Many seniors had told me that they feel left behind in our environment of rapid digitalisation. They are especially uncomfortable with the initiatives to go cashless. Even in e-banking, they expressed reservations. Many are so used to the passbook to monitor their debit and credit that the electronic bank statement, to them, is a problem.

Communications via applications, such as WhatsApp and emails, going online to obtain information and perform transactions, are not easily grasped by a significant portion of our seniors. Part of the reason is the language gap. Many of our seniors are not literate or fluent in English. If there are applications and websites in mother tongues, such as Chinese and Malay, I believe it would help tremendously.

There are physiological problems when they use smartphones. The font sizes are small and it is not easy for elderly persons to read the small text and to scroll up and down. Navigating the various icons to get to what they want is a challenge. Many complained that the touchscreens do not respond well to their drier fingertips, and pain in their finger joints is another problem.

Twenty years ago, there were some resistance to automated teller machines (ATMs). However, adaptations went relatively smoothly. This was because these machines pose fewer physical challenges. The font sizes are big. Users can choose the language of communication. And very importantly, these big installations can be trusted because they have been set up by banks. On the other hand, transactions on smartphones or online are unsettling to our seniors because they are not quite sure if their monies are flowing to the right accounts or parties. Frequent news about scams online also make them very nervous. We have to address all our seniors’ concerns through holistic measures, customised education and familiarisation programmes.

Volunteerism. More of our seniors should be encouraged to volunteer as part of active ageing. This is an activity which allows the elderly to stay engaged in the community and derive a sense of satisfaction from giving back and, in turn, enable the community to tap upon their wisdom and years of rich experience.

Research has also shown that the elderly who have meaningful relationships and are engaged in their communities are happier and healthier. Volunteering gives them a deep sense of purpose.

However, getting our seniors to volunteer on a sustainable basis may not be easy. To attract them beyond one-off projects and come out of their comfort zones on a sustainable basis requires greater logistical planning and financial support from the community.

Hence, I would like to propose time banking to draw more elderly to our community volunteering programmes. For example, every hour of volunteering clocked by participating seniors can be deposited, accumulated and exchanged for free or discounted PA courses. It can be extended later to include other parties, including individuals, through platforms which allow bartering of services.

In addition to recruiting and attracting seniors, we should also design programmes such that our younger generation can be involved. This will promote intergenerational bonding. The Ministry of Education (MOE) and PA can continue to assist by facilitating the arrangements between schools and senior groups.

I hope that MOH will consider implementing Community Network for Seniors to all constituencies. It is useful and helpful because it brings together Pioneer Generation ambassadors to coordinate various support services for senior citizens. It also provides an opportunity for seniors to volunteer, with 40% of the ambassadors aged 60 and above.

Volunteers can play a big role to engage the socially isolated elderly. In reaching out to them, they not only bring light and warmth to them, but they also assist beleaguered families and relieve caregivers.

Due to the increasing number of those ageing and those who will be isolated when they become less mobile, it is not feasible to just depend on trained personnel. The community must be involved to complement the reach of social workers and medical health workers.

Initiatives that organise neighbours, volunteers and activists to be befrienders and to reach out to the socially isolated seniors are beneficial to our elderly. When we visit them regularly, we keep them engaged and tend to their emotional well-being. We are also more likely to find out about their issues early and deal with their healthcare and emotional concerns early. Such initiatives strengthen neighbourliness, as we actively look out for one another.

Senior caregiving. There are already initiatives to provide more support to caregivers. However, with smaller family sizes and more double-income households, it is inevitable that, increasingly, families will have to entrust the important responsibility of caregiving to professionals. We have no alternative but to continue work on boosting the capability and capacity of our professional caregiving sector.

MOH is tapping on retired nurses, who can be re-engaged on a casual basis. Building up this network of retired medical professionals will complement what our healthcare community can offer. I would like to ask MOH what is the proportion of retired nurses involved in this initiative.

We should also explore how services at our eldercare centres can be augmented to include short-term accommodation for seniors whose caregivers are temporarily unavailable due illness, work or travel overseas.

I appeal again to the Government to legislate eldercare leave and bereavement leave. This would be very much appreciated for family emergencies involving the elderly.

Lastly, I want to touch on physical accessibility for all seniors. Barrier-free access has mostly been achieved in our heartlands and I really would like to see the same in the designs of our HDB flats. They should be "flats-for-life" – accessible to the elderly which, incidentally, would also be accessible for the disabled and families with young children. Floors should be levelled, switches and sockets repositioned, doors, bathrooms and toilets should be widened to enable wheelchair movements.

For our public transport, I hope directional signs and notices have bigger fonts against high contrast backgrounds to make them easier to read.

In conclusion, most of us here will enjoy the fortune of living longer and healthier years than any of our preceding generations. Thanks to the efforts of our elders, we reap the fruits of their labour. Let us work together to provide them with the best care they deserve in their golden years. I conclude with my support for the Motion, Sir.

Deputy Speaker, if I may first speak in Mandarin and then in English.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion today.

Three years ago, we celebrated SG50 and, once again, confirmed the contributions of our Pioneer Generation. Undoubtedly, it is their contributions and sacrifices that have brought about the achievements we have today. Therefore, respecting and appreciating the elderly is a matter of course. However, respecting and appreciating the elderly require not just words but actions, too.

Much of the infrastructure that we have today was built in a different era when our population was still young. In a rapidly-ageing environment today, we must make adjustments to ensure that the elderly can remain physically and mentally active and age in place gracefully. The Government has done a lot in this area. Many of our colleagues have made various good suggestions. I would like to add several suggestions.

First, we should apply elderly-friendly designs into our hardware and heartware solutions in all aspects of life. Success of any innovation depends on the design.

Second, we must use technology and AI to supplement our shortage of manpower, so that more senior citizens, including those who live alone and are less mobile, can age in place and live independently.

Third, we must strengthen our community service organisations, optimise the allocation of resources and manpower, and encourage more people to volunteer in the community. By doing this, we can not only solve the manpower shortage problem but also demonstrate a human touch.

We must change the negative mindset that "as people age, they become useless". Each age group has its own set of issues, and we all need to be more tolerant and learn to adjust. When we grow old, we may become weaker physically, but we are wiser. As long as we make the necessary adjustments, we can live a fulfilling and colourful life in old age.

We hope the Government can take the lead to create an elderly-friendly work environment and set out human resource (HR) policies that are suitable for mature workers, so that seniors who love working and want to continue to work, can continue to make meaningful contributions.

More importantly, we should encourage the elderly to remain positive and active both physically and mentally, so that they can lead a more meaningful life.

(In English): Our seniors dedicated the prime years of their lives to build the Singapore we are so proud of today. They deserve our respect and we should certainly honour them. Honouring them requires not just words but actions, too. Much of what we have today, including the hardware and social infrastructure, was designed decades ago when our population was still young. It is time to refresh these to welcome a different population landscape with a different set of requirements.

With Singapore undergoing rapid ageing, it is important that we set the right policies, put in the right resources and organise ourselves better in the right way sooner than later. We need to ensure adequate support for our elderly today and tomorrow, so that we are all empowered to age gracefully and actively in the comfort of our own homes and communities.

This Government has increased social spending and will continue to spend more. Public healthcare expenditure more than doubled over the past five to six years, reaching $10 billion in financial year (FY) 2016. Our society believes in each generation financing its own needs, not wanting to burden our children’s generation and the next. Parents will feel this most keenly. Me, too.

However, as our population continues to age, healthcare expenditure will still have to increase to fund enhanced or new elderly programmes for the larger base. Also, infrastructural investments, retrofitting and hardware maintenance will still be needed to create an elderly-friendly environment.

Given our expectations on social spending, it is imperative that we maximise the impact of every dollar spent. We must enable our elderly today and tomorrow to continue leading an independent and graceful life. There are three recommendations that I would like to put forth in the hope of enabling our seniors’ daily lives better.

First is to apply elderly-friendly designs into our hardware and heartware solutions. We must ensure that all our designs are designs for inclusion. We should not take the easy way out, or for the sake of efficiency and design only for that 80%, which would then lead to exclusion, which is definitely an outcome that we wish not to see.

Currently, there are only two silver industry guidelines in Singapore – "Guidelines for age-friendly homes" and "Guidance for digital devices and online services to be senior friendly". These are a good start, but we need to mainstream elderly-friendly designs much more and make them pervasive. We need to apply elderly-friendly designs to the development of common spaces, facilities, machine and software interfaces, workflows, public processes and more.

The key is to make them pervasive. We could create specialisations for students to undertake in tertiary institutions, so that we build up a supply of talent with the expertise. We could also set up a Government department that does research, set standards and audit public and private projects to ensure elderly-friendliness.

Second, proliferate digital eldercare to supplement the shortage of manpower. There may soon be a point in time when there are more who need care than those who can care. By leveraging technology and AI more effectively, we can drastically change how care is provided and help even more Singaporeans to age in place.

Take Japan as an example. Japan is even further ahead of us in terms of ageing. They have an increasing number of elderly with a decreasing number of working adults. They suffer severe labour shortage, especially in eldercare nursing. Yet, they reinvented how the elderly can be cared for by leveraging technology and AI. From Toyota’s Robina and Humanoid, Honda’s ASIMO, Tokai’s Robot for Interactive Body Assistance (RIBA) to the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology's (AIST’s) Puppets for Animal Therapy (PARO), Japan has a full range of robots that can help the elderly with household chores, get out of bed, conduct conversations complete with emotions, and even help paraplegics to walk again.

Imagine if these solutions are available to us in Singapore, many elderly, whom we used to think can only be cared for in nursing homes, can now lead a fairly independent life in the comfort of their own HDB flats.

Alas, while these are all possible, it is still not known if these solutions can be exported and at what price. It would be most ideal if Singapore can leverage our own existing competencies in research and development (R&D) to develop solutions for ourselves. I understand that MOH had introduced a funding scheme to encourage elderly-focused innovations.

Therefore, I would like to ask for an update on the utilisation of funds to support R&D efforts and startups looking into digital eldercare solutions. Could the Government share some of the success cases so far? Could we accelerate developments locally and implement them sooner than later?

Third, institutionalising a network of volunteers. Relying on salaried staff is not enough and, despite my strong support for digital eldercare, I do also believe that the human touch is still very much needed and cannot be replaced. We need more Singaporeans to step in and step up to help. We can leave the professional part of caring of the elderly to the salaried staff and AI robots. But there are many opportunities for volunteers to step in.

For example, accompany the elderly to medical appointments, give them a ride to hospitals, clean their homes, deliver groceries or just offer a listening ear. There are kind souls already helping in these areas, but the need is far higher than the supply of volunteers. Therefore, we need to find ways to involve more Singaporeans.

Assuming a population of about 30,000 in a constituency, with a third being elderly, a third being adults and another third being minors, if the adults can just spare two hours every week, we will have more than 20,000 hours of help available in any week. Scale it across Singapore, we will have millions of volunteer hours available, and so much can be achieved.

At present, I am aware that the Government has piloted the Community Networks for Seniors and it has been very helpful in providing a suite of comprehensive services for our seniors. I hope this scheme can be rolled out nationally so that all seniors can benefit from it. But I also believe that we need to be more ambitious than this. We should aspire to having all Singaporeans do community service and on a long-term sustainable basis. If each person could just spare one to two hours per week engaging in a specific volunteer "vocation" with clear roles and responsibilities spelt out, we can achieve a lot more.

Today, we have a myriad of formal and informal groups of volunteer organisations doing community service, serving from their hearts. We have seen passionate Singaporeans, young and old, dedicating days of their weeks serving the less fortunate. Still, we also see Singaporeans who would like to serve but are unsure of what they can do, what needs are still unfulfilled and whether the time commitment will be too great for them.

Hence, we need to find ways to make serving a priority and organise ourselves better so that busy Singaporeans can just "plug and play" when serving the community. Could there be a national coordinating body for volunteers in Singapore that consolidates and monitors the list of needs in the communities and resources that are already available, identify the roles and corresponding manpower needed, coordinate and help everyone clearly see how they can fit in to help?

At present, SG Cares is perhaps the best place to play this role but it will need a clear structure, concrete programmes and strong support to do so. I would like to think that inside each of us, we want to help others who need help and we want to contribute to a caring society. I hope Singaporeans will see community service as a priority in life and respond to the call to get involved in a bigger way for a more sustainable future.

Finally, I firmly believe that our seniors are much more capable than being mere recipients of care. As we enhance our healthcare, we can expect longer and more healthy years. As our economy evolves, there will be less reliance on physical strength at the workplace but more use of intellect and wisdom. As each population becomes better educated and more savvy with the digital space, there will be less fear and deeper entrenchment of technology in our lives.

Some hold the belief that, in Chinese, "老了不中用", which means that you become useless as you age. While I understand that there are some constraints that come with age, I do not agree with this belief. It is self-defeating and we risk a self-fulfilling prophecy. We need to keep active and keep trying. We have seen elderly in their 90s who remain active and sharp, even learning a new language. It is possible.

Of course, we hope we do not have to work into our old age because we have to, but because we love to. It brings meaning to life. It helps us to look forward to every new day. Is this not wonderful? Hence, we should do three things to help our seniors keep active and continue to do well in their old age.

First, create a favourable environment and employment opportunities for seniors. Stem out ageism. The Government can take the lead in testing how the work environment, workflows, job role designs and even compensation and benefits, such as health benefits, can be optimised for senior workers.

Second, incentivise the elderly to volunteer more. The Pioneer Generation Ambassador is a wonderful programme. Can we expand it to recruit more and cover more functions?

Third, introduce health programmes tailored to meet the needs of the elderly. Decentralise the implementation of these programmes, cascade them down to the precinct or even to the individual HDB blocks. Make it easy and inexcusable for everyone to keep fit and stay social.

Ultimately, we need to transform our culture and mindsets. Every Singaporean needs to believe that we each have a role to play beyond our family and employment obligations. We need to recognise that it is not enough to rely on salaried staff because they are financially obliged to carry out the care. A caring and inclusive society cannot be one that the citizens only talk about it and expect someone else to do it. We have a duty to one another.

I believe that seniors are a gift to our society. Their wisdom, resilience and this legacy that they have built for Singapore are a gift to us and our young. We must, therefore, strengthen our support to enable successful ageing and create an environment where our seniors can continue to thrive. I support the Motion.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I serve in Bukit Batok East, which is an old estate. Many residents have lived there for 20 to 30 years, some with other family members living within the area. Bukit Batok East is their kampung and most do not want to move out of the area. I meet many elderly residents regularly at events, house visits and my MPS.

Today, I would like to touch on three areas which have been raised as concerns by some of my elderly residents and my observations of the efforts in place to help the elderly: one, financial sustenance; two, mental wellness; and three, community support.

Many elderly residents I meet at MPS have sought financial assistance to cope with their daily living expenses. I believe my experience is no different from that of other Members. Some of these seniors have insufficient income or sources of funds to pay their bills, medical expenses or even food. They may not meet the criteria to receive financial assistance because of the fact that they are working or have children who are expected to support them. In many cases, the seniors are reluctant to seek assistance from their children and the most common reason cited is that their children are having financial difficulties, too. The children may also not truly appreciate the issues that their elderly parents are facing.

One of my residents shared with me that her children had scolded her when they found out that she sought financial assistance. Instead of supporting her, they chided her and told her she needed to adjust her lifestyle. Her lifestyle was by no means lavish, so she was hurt by her children's response. She was crying when she told me that her son told her that if finances are so tight, she should just eat rice and soya sauce.

I acknowledge that not all of the residents fall into the category of needy beneficiaries but the reality is that day-to-day living is a challenge for them. It will not be feasible to expect financial assistance for all these families and I also believe that, to some extent, there must be personal and familial responsibility. Therefore, the solution is not to give more money to more people. I think that there is scope though to review the existing support structures in place to better assist seniors to cope with their financial challenges.

One area that could be reviewed is the Lease Buyback Scheme. I note the enhancements that have been made over the years and more seniors have now successfully applied for the scheme. Could there be further expansion of this scheme by extending it to bigger flats, such as 5-room and executive flats? Could there be additional outreach to enhance awareness and acceptance amongst elderly residents?

There is an ongoing call for the scheme to be extended to bigger flats. I note the indication from the Minister for National Development earlier this year that it is not likely to happen anytime soon as it is not an effective use of space and a more feasible option is to right-size. I would ask, however, that the Ministry reconsider this view. Ageing-in-place is a key component in ensuring an elderly person ages successfully with dignity. Being able to continue staying where they are living has an impact on their mental and, therefore, also physical well-being. At a practical level, there may be further costs and implications of having to move to a new location. This scheme provides an opportunity to alleviate the elderly from their financial challenges. If this scheme is extended, more can benefit from it. That means more elderly residents have the chance to improve their financial situation.

In respect of outreach, there is awareness of the existence of the scheme. However, there is still some resistance to it. The family home is seen as sacred and many fear the implications of outliving the lease period or not leaving anything as inheritance to their children. I feel though that given that more Singaporeans are asset-rich rather than cash-rich, an equity release product like this is an effective measure to meet the elderly's financial needs. It may, therefore, be worth the effort to generate more acceptance of this scheme.

Another scheme which should be reviewed to help improve the financial circumstances of seniors would be CHAS. CHAS enables Singapore Citizens from lower- to middle-income households to receive subsidies for medical and dental care at participating general practitioner and dental clinics near their home. Singapore Citizens who qualify receive an individual blue or orange CHAS card. I often receive appeals to qualify for CHAS and for an "upgrade" to the blue card. Typical issues that arise include the fact that an adult child is using the home address but not living there or living in the same address but is not contributing to the household expenses. The elderly feel that they are unfairly assessed and deprived of the much sought after CHAS card. The CHAS cards are precious and meaningful for the seniors and the scheme goes a long way in helping them with their expenses, especially for those who have to seek regular medical treatment. I would, therefore, request that some adjustments be made, for example, to raise the income ceiling so that more elderly residents would qualify for CHAS or to increase the subsidies available within the scheme.

One other proposal I would like to make is for a review of the role and branding of the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents. This Tribunal was created as a means for parents to seek maintenance from their adult children. The work done by the Commissioner for the Maintenance of Parents and the Tribunal is not just adjudication though, as there is a lot of effort in conciliation and mediation. Over 80% of the cases that are referred to the Office of the Commissioner from 2014 to 2016 are settled through conciliation.

There is, however, great resistance from the elderly when they are asked to approach the Commissioner or the Tribunal, as a prelude to an application for financial assistance. At this juncture, I should just declare that I am also a mediator with the Tribunal for Maintenance of Parents. Many have approached me and explained that they are uncomfortable about pursuing claims from their children. I feel that there is scope for a review of efforts that could be done in educating the public about the family being the first line of defence and how the family can handle financial issues together. I would propose that the role of the Tribunal be reviewed and enhanced to assist families beyond just adjudication and mediation. Perhaps there could be more services provided to the elderly and their family members, such as counselling or financial planning classes, akin to the extended support available to families in the Family Justice Courts.

I move to the second issue of concern – mental wellness. Through house visits and feedback from grassroots leaders, it has come to my attention that there are many seniors who are living alone and who may not participate in community activities. Some may not have children or close relatives and end up being isolated. There are clearly undesirable effects of isolation, as we worry about the safety and well-being of the elderly. Another important aspect though is the impact on their mental well-being. Being disconnected with the world does not encourage active and healthy ageing. The elderly may not always want help but I believe it is important to set up an ecosystem where the elderly feel connected to the community and can seek out assistance when necessary.

It is a constant work in progress to reach out to the elderly residents. I feel that we should continue to encourage neighbours and grassroots leaders to look out for and connect with the seniors. Various agencies should also join in this effort. I, therefore, look forward to the extension of the Community Network for Seniors which aims to enable a more systematic collaboration between Government agencies and community-based stakeholders. This is a meaningful endeavour which should be built on further.

This leads me to my last point relating to community support. We have many schemes and programmes in place but there will always be gaps and those who fall through the cracks. I believe that the community plays an important role to complete the support structure for the elderly and close the gaps.

For example, in Bukit Batok East, some of the elderly residents who may not be eligible for financial assistance receive monthly food rations which had been donated by merchants, community partners and grassroots leaders.

Recently, we also introduced the "Belanja-A-Meal" scheme at one of the coffee shops. This scheme, which is a collaboration between the coffee shop and the Residents’ Committee (RC), is extended to all needy residents within the zone. Basically, patrons of the coffee shop are encouraged to buy an extra meal and these paid-for meals could then be redeemed by beneficiaries identified by the RC. Although this scheme benefits all needy beneficiaries regardless of age, there is a high concentration of elderly residents in that area who will find this scheme meaningful and will benefit from it.

My youth volunteers also follow up on many MPS cases involving elderly residents to ensure that there is closure and they receive the support that they need.

These are just some examples of organic support from within the community which helps to augment the schemes and services made available by the Government. It is important that ground-up initiatives are supported and encouraged so that we could build a better support structure for the elderly residents within our community. Deputy Speaker, Sir, allow me to say a few words in Malay.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In the Malay language, we refer to the elderly as the golden group. This obviously has a deep and meaningful connotation. Seniors are a group who should be appreciated and looked after well. We must recognise their contributions towards nation-building. Today’s Motion calls on us to view the elderly as a gift to society, as a key asset.

Many seniors are still working and contributing to their families and the national economy. If the seniors’ health are looked after and they stay active, they can certainly continue being the movers of the community and the nation.

Therefore, it is important for us to update the current policies and schemes to ensure the well-being of our seniors are looked after. The Lease Buyback Scheme and CHAS, for instance, must be continuously enhanced. In addition, it is also important for the general public to continue playing their role and complement the support given to the elderly. I am certain that, with a joint effort by the Government, families and the community, a comprehensive network of support can be established.

(In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, I will conclude in English. We need to take care of the elderly because it is the right thing to do. But we should also remember that we will all grow old one day. We will all be that statistic, that group that would tap on Government funds, that would add to healthcare costs, that would need to be cared for. It is, therefore, in our interests to invest and build an ecosystem that would allow for seniors to age well and with dignity. Deputy Speaker, I support this Motion.