Debated in Parliament on 9 May 2016.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Health whether the Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund can be used to fund the cost of battery replacement, and maintenance and repair of the mobility devices provided by the Fund.
The Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF) provides means-tested subsidies to offset the cost of assistive devices, home healthcare items and transport services to Ministry of Health (MOH)-funded eldercare and dialysis centres. It supports caregivers in caring for seniors at home.
Over 29,000 seniors have benefited from SMF since its establishment in 2011. Of these, about 15,800 seniors received subsidies for mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, motorised wheelchairs and walking aids.
The demand for devices and transport services for seniors is growing. We have, therefore, prioritised our funding to target the purchase of essential mobility equipment, rather than maintenance and repair, including battery replacement. Nonetheless, we have provided, on a case-by-case basis, SMF subsidy to some seniors with a critical need for the device but no financial means to replace a battery or repair the device.
We will continue to review the scope of the SMF as needs of seniors evolve, within the fiscal resources available for this scheme.
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