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15 Sep 2008
Question No: 607
Question
Name of the Person: Ms Sylvia Lim
To ask the Minister for Health how many persons are on the waiting list for places in subsidised nursing homes particularly those offering dementia care and what is the affordability of such care in Singapore.
Reply
Reply From MOH
1 There are around 8,600 nursing home beds in Singapore, of which about 4,800 or 56% are subsidised beds. Most nursing homes can take in patients with dementia.
2 The number of patients on the waiting list for subsidised nursing home fluctuates. During the past year, it ranged from 68 to 193. There were about 100 vacant beds available in subsidized nursing homes for placement during the same period. Some mismatch occurs as some patients have specific preferences such as location, operator and even diet. Some waiting is perhaps also sensible to minimise nursing home admission becoming too convenient a substitute for taking care of the elderly within the family. The majority of patients on the waiting list are placed within a month.
3 Care is generally affordable as my Ministry provides the nursing homes with an operating subvention to help the lower income patients pay for their bills. For those who are more needy, Medifund is also available to assist.
4 That said, the demand for long-term care is growing with the ageing of our population, and this will pose a continuing challenge for us. We are investing more resources, including manpower, to expand the nursing home sector to meet this rising demand. We will also help upgrade the skills of the nursing home staff so that they can provide a higher service level and be more competent to care for patients with greater severity, particularly those with dementia.
5 We hope Singaporeans can also help to play a part. First, stay active to delay or avoid the onset of long-term disability. Second, subscribe to ElderShield and its supplements to ensure that we are better able to pay for any long-term care. Third, care for our elderly at home for as long as possible, so that they can be in the company of their families and friends.