March 9, 2010
THREE new nursing homes will be built and three older ones will be upgraded to deliver long-term care for more elderly patients.
But Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan cautioned that while the Government is expanding such services, it must not 'make it too easy for irresponsible children to abandon their parents,' even as abandonment is not a major issue here.
'All elderly patients want to age at home and many children want to take care of their elderly parents at home. We will build up home nursing capabilities, and are working with several partners to do so. We must avoid seniors becoming permanent residents in nursing homes,' he said in Parliament on Tuesday.
Mr Khaw said there are now 62 nursing homes, serving 2 per cent of Singapore's elderly population, which he felt 'is not excessive' and 'not grossly inadequate as we are still a young society and family bonding is still strong.'
The Health Ministry is working with the Home Nursing Foundation (HNF) to scale up their operations, to extend their services beyond the low-income group to the higher-income group.
He noted that many patients do not need subsidies but may not have the knowledge of how to meet their needs. HNF is working with a team from Tan Tock Seng Hospital to ensure a smooth handover for patients newly discharged from the hospital. Once the patient is home, HNF will coordinate with other providers to meet the patient's care needs in the community.
Mr Khaw added that geriatric care capabilities will be ramped up, and the number of specialist geriatricians will be increased by 30 to 40 per cent over the next three years, from the 48 today.
At the same time, geriatric medicine has been incorporated as a core module of medical undergraduate training and incentive allowances are given to geriatric trainees. A community hospital is also being planned next to the new Khoo Teck Puat Hospital to bring community hospital care to its next level. Being considered is an institute of geriatrics and gerontology which will be based at the community hospital.
Over the next five years, about 200 nurses will be upgraded to take on greater responsibilities and deliver more complex care, added Mr Khaw.
SOURCE: The Straits Times
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