Speech by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Health, at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital's Community Care Day, 24 March 2018

Mr Patrick Lee, Chairman of Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital

Mr Heng Chee How, Senior Minister of State, Prime Minister Office

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning.

1.     It is my pleasure to join you this morning at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital’s Community Care Day 2018. Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital has been a key part of this community, having established its roots in this area more than a hundred years ago. It has evolved its role and services in tandem with Singapore’s needs and more directly, the needs in the surrounding areas. I am heartened to see Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital continuing to build on its strong rapport with this community and further strengthening its links to residents around this area with today’s Community Care Day.

Supporting Ageing at Home and in the Community

2.     To enable our seniors to age gracefully and purposefully in the community, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will continue to partner organisations like Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital to meet the needs of our ageing population and local communities. We want our seniors to remain healthy, active and independent for as long as possible, and have timely access to care services when they are frail and require help. MOH is ramping up efforts to achieve this vision.

3.     First, we are injecting services to keep seniors physically and socially active, and supporting them to live as independently as possible. MOH is building at least ten Active Ageing Hubs (AAHs) across Singapore. This includes Kwong Wai Shiu Community Care Centre @ McNair, which is the first AAH built in a public housing development. I officially opened it late last year and since then, the Centre has more than 600 active ageing members registered. These members can enjoy a range of social and health activities at the Centre, and also tap on services like grocery delivery or handyman services. Seniors staying in studio apartments can also activate the Alert Alarm System installed in their homes in case of emergency, and the Centre will attend to them. The AAH also caters to seniors who are frail. Seniors who require more care can make use of day care services at the Centre as well as home care services which are also available for seniors who are homebound.

4.     Second, we are building more communities of care across Singapore. As announced at Budget 2018, we will be making three changes to achieve this. We will expand Community Networks for Seniors (CNS) nationwide by 2020. CNS is a community-based support system which connects different stakeholders in the community to promote active ageing to keep seniors well, befriend seniors living alone, and sew up health and social support for seniors with needs. The Pioneer Generation Office will be renamed the Silver Generation Office and housed within the Agency for Integrated Care. It will allow us to reach out to seniors aged 65 and above, proactively identify those in need and connect them with the relevant services. The Ministry of Social and Family Development will also transfer its eldercare functions to MOH from 1 April this year onwards, so that MOH can oversee and coordinate the full spectrum of aged care services across both health and social domains. These changes aim to provide seniors with integrated and person-centric care so that they can age healthily and confidently within the community.

5.     Third, we are enhancing care services to provide timely care for seniors when they require it. We are strengthening primary care services as the first line of care for Singaporeans. Last year, we announced the development of the new Kallang Polyclinic under the National Healthcare Group Polyclinics to better meet the needs of residents in this area. Together with General Practitioners in this vicinity who are participating in the Community Health Assist Scheme, residents will have better access to subsidised primary care treatment within the community. We are also expanding our aged care services such as nursing homes. Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital’s new nursing home, which has over 600 beds, can care for seniors in the community when they develop care needs. I am also happy to note that Kwong Wai Shiu will be adding to its suite of services by operating a Chronic Sick Unit (CSU) which will be co-located with the new polyclinic. The CSU will provide care for patients with long term complicated medical conditions who require frequent maintenance nursing care.

6.     Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital’s suite of services allows it to provide a continuum of care for seniors in the area. One of the seniors who has benefited is Mdm Lim Siok Choon. She was alone at home when she fell. Luckily, she managed to sound the Alert Alarm System in her studio apartment, and Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital’s staff from the Community Care Centre’s Active Ageing Wellness Club responded. The physiotherapist from the Centre attended to Mdm Lim at her apartment and called for an ambulance after suspecting she had dislocated her hip. Mdm Lim underwent an operation, and is now undergoing rehabilitation at the Community Care Centre. I am glad to hear that Mdm Lim is making good progress, and I wish her a speedy recovery as she recuperates in the comfort of her home.  

Community Partnerships

7.     Providers like Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital will not be able to support our seniors well without committed healthcare staff and community volunteers. To address this, Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital is signing a memorandum of understanding with Republic Polytechnic today to offer training and internships based in the community for its students. About 10 to 15 students each year from the Diploma of Health Management and Promotion course and the Diploma in Health Services Management course are expected to participate in these internships. Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital’s partnership with Republic Polytechnic not only benefits students, but also helps to grow the sector and enhances the quality of care for patients and seniors.

8.     I would like to take this opportunity to recognise Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital’s volunteers and the important role you play, by engaging seniors in befriending sessions and conducting activities such as storytelling, singing sessions, craft activities and recreational outings. The interaction and engagement with volunteers like you enhances the mental and social well-being of our seniors and enables them to stay connected to the society. I applaud you and encourage more people to come forward and contribute to the community as well.

Conclusion

9.     The Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital Community Care Day brings together healthcare partners, volunteers, sponsors and seniors. All of you present today are a testament of Kwong Wai Shiu’s efforts in establishing strong partnerships with stakeholders, and your commitment to serving the community and seniors in the area. Everybody plays a crucial role in achieving our vision of having healthy seniors age happily and purposefully while remaining active and socially engaged with the community. I look forward to Kwong Wai Shiu’s continued support in providing quality and affordable healthcare and eldercare services.

10.     Thank you. Let me say a few words in Mandarin.

11.     大家早上好！很高兴能参加广惠肇留医院的社区关怀日。广惠肇留医院在这一带服务了一百多年，不断进步，以顺应居民，特别是年长者，的需求。我们希望能继续跟广惠肇留医院合作，协助年长者原地养老。

12.     例如，我们跟广惠肇留医院合作推出新的活跃乐龄项目。广惠肇社区关怀中心是本地第一家活跃乐龄中心。活跃乐龄中心的宗旨是鼓励年长者保持活跃的生活，中心也提供代购日常用品和杂工服务，让年长者可以继续在区里独立地生活。中心同时包括提供护老设施，身体衰弱的长者可以利用中心的日间托管和居家护理服务。

13.     我很感谢广惠肇留医院和在座的义工为居民跟年长者所付出的一切。你们的努力有助于他们在邻里获得良好的医疗保健服务并优雅迈入晚年。希望你们会不断地为年长者服务，帮助他们健康地养老，同时跟社会紧密联系，在他们衰老时提供护理和帮助。谢谢！