by Growing Needs | Dec 2, 2023 | Lifestyle & Wellness, Wellness
A new initiative is set to significantly bolster assistance for older Singaporeans, entailing the establishment of additional active ageing centres and the creation of senior-friendly infrastructure in communities across the country. Read on to find out what are some of the enhancements seniors can expect.
Increased Support for Financial Needs
Existing measures, such as the Workfare Income Supplement scheme, Silver Support Scheme, and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, will receive enhancements to aid seniors in meeting basic financial needs for retirement. To find out more on financial planning for your retirement, click on this article to discover more!
Focused Efforts on Social Isolation
The report emphasises the need for more concentrated efforts to diminish social isolation among seniors, identifying it as a pivotal approach to enabling healthier and more fulfilling lives for the elderly.
Preventive Care and Active Living
The Age Well SG program aims to keep seniors active and engaged in their daily routines by providing access to communal activities, exercise programs, and volunteer outreach for those living alone. Furthermore, Singapore opened its largest ActiveSG gym in Sembawang at ActiveSG Sport Centre @ Bukit Canberra, which also houses four swimming pools. As part of Singapore’s initiative to encourage senior’s active aging, all Singaporeans aged 65 and above have free access to ActiveSG gyms and swimming pools, including the newly opened facilities. Read here to find out more.
Improved Infrastructure
The program will involve making neighbourhoods more pedestrian-friendly, installing senior-friendly amenities, enhancing existing homes, and adding fitness facilities to promote active living.
Senior-Centric Housing:
The Age Well SG initiative is geared towards preventive care by encouraging seniors to stay active and socially engaged, making their daily activities easier. One key objective is to ensure that eight out of ten seniors have access to activities, including communal meals and exercise programs at nearby active ageing centres by 2025.
To accomplish this, dedicated volunteers will reach out to seniors, especially those living alone. The plan also involves constructing more senior care centres offering day care and rehabilitation services, along with expanded home care options for those in need. Care coordination will be improved, streamlining services through a single provider in each region to ensure seniors have a central point for their care needs.
Changes in the physical environment will enhance safety and pedestrian-friendliness, including more pedestrian crossings, wider footpaths, and traffic-calming measures. Traffic lights will be optimised to expedite pedestrian crossings. These changes are part of the Friendly Streets initiative, piloted by the Land Transport Authority in several locations.
Neighbourhoods and existing homes will receive added senior-friendly amenities, such as upgraded pathways, additional shelters, barrier-free access ramps, rest areas, and colourful signage for improved navigation. To promote seniors’ physical well-being, fitness trails, exercise equipment, and therapeutic gardens will be introduced in more residential areas.
Furthermore, an improved version of the Enhancement for Active Seniors program will offer a wider range of senior-friendly features for HDB flats, building upon existing offerings like grab bars, single-step ramps, and slip-resistant treatments for bathroom floors. Additional senior-friendly housing options, including community care apartments, will be made accessible, granting seniors access to care services, social activities, and amenities.
Enhanced Retirement Support
Efforts to enhance retirement support include adjustments to the Workfare Income Supplement scheme, Silver Support Scheme, and the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme. Additionally, the Majulah Package will offer one-time bonuses to individuals in their 50s and early 60s to bolster retirement savings and future healthcare needs. Click here to read our recent article on how the Majulah Package benefits our seniors.
Through this initiative, Singapore emphasises its holistic approach to improve seniors’ wellbeing, aiming to combat social isolation, improve physical well-being, and secure their financial futures.
Growing Needs grew out of our own encounters with caring for our aging parents and reflecting on the Growing Needs that we ourselves would face as we advance in years. We hope to build a community that will learn, share and contribute towards caring for the growing needs of our loved ones.
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