Coverage of Approved Items for Claim under Seniors' Mobility And Enabling Fund

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan

MP for West Coast GRC

Question No. 267

To ask the Minister for Health whether the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund can be used to fund the cost of battery replacement, maintenance and repair of the mobility devices provided by the Fund.

Written Reply

1        The Seniors’ Mobility & Enabling Fund (SMF) provides means-tested subsidies to offset the cost of assistive devices, home healthcare items and transport services to MOH-funded eldercare and dialysis centres. It supports caregivers in caring for seniors at home.

2        Over 29,000 seniors have benefitted from SMF since its establishment in 2011. Of these, about 15,800 seniors received subsidies for mobility devices such as wheelchairs, motorized wheelchairs and walking aids.

3        The demand for devices and transport services for seniors is growing.   We have therefore prioritised our funding to target the purchase of essential mobility equipment, rather than maintenance and repair, including battery replacement. Nonetheless, we have provided, on a case-by-case basis, SMF subsidy to some seniors with a critical need for the device but no financial means to replace a battery or repair the device.

4        We will continue to review the scope of the SMF as needs of seniors evolve, within the fiscal resources available for this scheme.