Following the initial findings of a major pilot study involving senior citizens of Marine Parade, the final results have been released and are egging the authorities to come up with solutions to combat issues regarding Singapore’s ageing population.
(Among other new elderly-friendly
amenities, water taps with level handles will be installed to make daily
life easier for seniors.)
Among the findings highlighted is that 80% of about 2,600 seniors aged 60 and above surveyed have at least one chronic disease. Even more troubling, 13% reported that they had four or more conditions of chronic disease. 30% of the elderly residents surveyed said they had fallen or nearly had a fall at home or in the neighbourhood. Finally, 48% said they did not participate in exercises of any form.
At a dialogue event involving residents and grassroots leaders, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong commented that the survey findings were important not only for the Marine Parade GRC ward – of which he is a Member of Parliament (MP) – but for the country as a whole as well. “I am glad that the government is placing emphasis on the old,” he said. “We have spent a lot of funds on the young and the middle-aged workforce such as the baby bonus, Edusave and all kinds of training schemes. As for the old, my sense is that we have not paid sufficient attention in the past because the population was not yet ageing, so we did not approach the problem in a comprehensive way.”
By 2030, an estimated one in five (20%) people living in Singapore will be at least 65 years of age.
MP Goh first announced that his ward, which comprises a larger percentage of elderly than most constituencies, would be the focus of a study that will attempt to uncover the different needs of senior residents, almost a year ago in November 2010. The survey is part of a larger five-year multi-agency study that aims to determine the ideal support system to be implemented in Marine Parade and ultimately the rest of Singapore.
As for the action plan, 500 older Marine Parade HDBs are slated to be retrofitted with senior-friendly amenities like ramps at main entrance doors, anti-slip bathroom tiles and level handles for taps. Other ideas so far include a healthy lifestyle corner that could be set up in the neighbourhood’s community centre or residents’ committee, and outreach efforts that could be stepped up to encourage more residents to take part in physical activities and interest groups.
Minister of State for Health Amy Khor, one of the panellists at the dialogue event, said the Singapore Totalisator Board would be covering the retrofitting costs. “We will look into whether this is useful and cost-effective before we can look into the possibility of implementing it on a nationwide basis, subject to discussion with the relevant agencies,” she added.
MP Goh also stated that beyond physical changes, the more difficult task the government faces is to inculcate values of a more gracious society in the younger generation. “This eco-system has to start from young. We have to teach our people to be kind to the old. Those attitudes inculcated will then benefit everyone, as the young would then better understand the plight, vulnerabilities and frailties of the old,” he said.
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anonymous said...
view for more detail , for special offer
December 26, 2011 1:05:00 PM
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