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Population aging is an issue of particular concern to Singaporean authorities. The Lion City has promoted solutions to prepare for a super-aged society in the next few years, including plans to improve the quality of services for the elderly.
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| Elderly people perform at a nursing home in Singapore. |
By 2030, it is estimated that one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above. This is because Singaporeans are living longer, have lower marriage rates and have fewer children. The solution chosen by some seniors is to go to nursing homes to enjoy their old age. According to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the government will expand the network of nursing homes. The services provided at the centers and the reach of the centers will also be enhanced.
Responding to the Singapore Government’s call for improved services, nursing homes have expanded their “active aging” activities, offering a variety of care programs for the elderly. Before May 2021, nursing homes mainly served people living in rental apartments. Each home managed 3 to 4 blocks. However, now each home serves 35 to 40 blocks. While previously, about 3 staff would serve 300 seniors, now the same number of staff serves about 4,000 seniors.
Lions Befrienders Centres are expected to serve 26,000 seniors by 2030, more than double the 11,000 registered at the 10 centres it operates now. Lions Befrienders Centres CEO Karen Wee said the centre is considering recruiting volunteers who can assist aged care staff in line with the expansion.
Technology is also gradually applied in daily health care activities at the centers. Here, in addition to general activities on physical exercises and qigong, there are also acting, singing, filming and music therapy classes. Listening to familiar songs, participating in art classes helps the elderly improve their health, especially their memory, and have the opportunity to pursue their youthful passions.
In addition to plans to improve services at nursing homes, the Singapore government is also promoting a digital transformation program for the elderly called “Seniors Go Digital.” Accordingly, seniors can participate in classes on basic skills needed initially, including familiarizing themselves with smartphone interfaces or understanding how applications work.
At Singapore Digital Community Centres set up in each residential area and senior community centre, social workers are present to provide one-on-one guidance to each senior. Beyond basic skills, the digital curriculum has also been enhanced to be more comprehensive and relevant to everyday life. New topics such as health, cybersecurity and lifestyle have been added to the curriculum.
The guides equip seniors with knowledge on how to use health-related apps that allow seniors to access medical records and book clinic appointments. They can also learn how to use e-commerce platforms and how to spot fraudulent sellers.
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