Speech by Minister for Health Mr Gan Kim Yong at Man Fut Tong Nursing Home’s Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration

Venerable Tang Wai Sum

Venerable Seck Cheng Charn

Ladies and gentlemen

Good afternoon.

Introduction

2     I am very happy to be here to celebrate Mid Autumn Festival with you.

3     The moon is supposed to be the roundest at Mid Autumn and so this festival has an added meaning of reunion. It is very heart warming for me personally, to see that our seniors in the nursing home have their families and loved ones celebrating this festival with them. I think nothing can matter more than for seniors to feel loved, embraced and treasured, whether in health and even more so in sickness.

4     I am particularly touched to see so many students here as well, to visit and bring warmth and cheer to our seniors here. As some seniors will tell you, what matters above all, is whether you have the heart for them, “你有无这个心” (Cantonese) for them. What you are saying through your actions, rather than words, is that you do care, and that is so important.

New Aged Care Facilities in Every Neighbourhood

5     In fact, this love and concern for the seniors that I witness today, is what I think will make us a richer society in the next 10 to 20 years.

6     We are now in a national conversation about the Singapore we want to see in the next 20 years. By then, 1 in 5 of us will be above 65 years, myself included. How well we respond to the needs of some 20% of the population will surely define us as a society. PM spoke about being a society with a big heart. Indeed. I hope that we will be a society that embraces ageing and our seniors with a big and loving heart.

7     And having a heart for our seniors mean planning ahead to ensure that they will be well supported when they need to be cared for. Therefore, the government is taking action now. We will be building new aged care facilities, including 10 new nursing homes, 39 Senior Care Centres and 56 Senior Activity Centres, across the island to cater to the needs of our senior population. These projects will cost an estimated total of about $500m.

8     As we believe that we should preserve family ties and community bonds as much as possible, we intend to develop these facilities within or near residential areas so that it is convenient for families to visit their seniors and to make it easier for the community to play a part in caring for them, as we can see happening here today at Mun Fut Tong. By locating these facilities within the community, seniors can continue to age-in-place gracefully near their loved ones and within an environment they are familiar with.

9     When I toured the home just now, I met Mdm Tan Cheng Jang, a 102-year-old patient, and her son, Mr Tan Tau Tin. Mr Tan shared with me that he had looked after Mdm Tan at home, until five years ago, when he suffered a fall. This made it difficult for him to care for his wheelchair-bound mother. He lives just a stone’s throw away from the home, and he visits Mdm Tan every day. Mdm Tan and her family members remain close as they can visit her regularly, and Mr Tan also has the peace of mind that she is being well cared for here.

10     I also met Mdm Chong Chew Pong at the day rehabilitation centre, who comes here every weekday for therapy after suffering from frequent falls. Mdm Chong lives in Woodlands itself. Having an aged care facility sited near her home has made it much more convenient for her to go for her therapy sessions. I am happy to see that she is now able to walk again after physiotherapy treatment.

11     Our goal is to eventually make every neighbourhood a senior friendly neighbourhood, by having aged care facilities that can provide accessible care to seniors living all over the island. Many of these seniors are our pioneers, our parents and our grandparents. We too will age. So this investment in aged care facilities is for Singapore and for our future. I therefore hope that residents living near these new facilities will welcome and embrace these facilities as needed amenities. Let us show our appreciation for our seniors by supporting the facilities that will benefit them. On our part, where conditions permit, we will also be working with operators to enhance the services provided by such facilities. For instance, we can enhance nursing homes to provide day services or respite care or even caregiver training, such that our nursing homes, like Mun Fut Tong, can benefit the community in more ways than one.

12     Now let me say a few words in Mandarin. 今天我很高兴可以参加这个中秋庆祝会. 在这里我看到了家人对年长者的关怀和社区对年长者的爱心. 这些年长者是我们的家人, 是我们的亲人, 是对国家有付出的国人. 我们应该在他们的晚年好好爱护他们. 政府将在未来五年在全国各区加强护老设施, 就如我们在各区加强幼儿设施一样. 一来可以加强对年长者的照顾, 二来方便他们的家人, 三来加强社区义工和年长者的交流. 我们希望可以和国人一起,塑造一个充满爱心，尊敬长者的社会.

中秋节快乐! 谢谢.