More nursing homes in housing estates

3 May 2009

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03 Mar 2009, My Paper

Question

Name of the Person: Mr Jolly Wee

More Nursing homes in housing estates

There have been discussions in the press recently about nursing homes.

It saddens me as a Singaporean to see how little attention is given to the feelings of old folk in nursing homes.

There seems to be more concern about the cost of building and maintaining these homes than their residents.

Nursing homes may be an inevitable reality in today’s world, where circumstances are such that many families have little choice but to leave seniors in a home.

But have Singaporeans given enough thought to what else can been done to make seniors’ remaining years in a nursing home truly happy?

No amount of modern amenities and parties organized by caregivers can replace the joy of the old folk when their family members and friends visit them often.

How can visiting seniors in nursing homes be made a routine, effortless matter for family members?

I suggest that the Government take the lead by relocating the aged to or building homes for them in the heartlands, close to where their family members live, so that it is easier for them to visit.

To take it one step further, the Government could set aside a part of the Budget for aged care as a way of rewarding this group of citizens for their contributions to nation-building.

Reply

Reply from MOH

Mr Jolly Wee suggested that we "Build accessible nursing homes in heartlands" (MyPaper, 27 Feb) so that regular visits by families are made easier. We support this approach.

There are 64 nursing homes in Singapore. Half of them are located in the heartlands, close to the community and are accessible by public transport.

As our population ages, we will need to set up more nursing homes. Based on current projection, we will need to increase the capacity from the current 9,000 to 14,000 beds over the next 10 years. Within the next 2 years, we plan to set up 5 new nursing homes which will provide 1,300 more beds. They will be sited in housing estates.