Enhancing Care-Giving Options for Dementia Patients

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Desmond Choo

MP for Tampines GRC

Question No. 333

To ask the Minister for Health how can the Government (i) make professional caregiving for dementia patients more attractive so as to improve the pipeline of professional caregivers; and (ii) provide better training for foreign domestic helpers as many FDWs are neither trained nor mentally prepared to become caregivers for dementia patients.

Written Answer

1        Today, seniors with dementia may be cared for at home, or at aged care facilities such as day centres or nursing homes.  Nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and healthcare assistants work together to care for these patients.  MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) are working to improve the attractiveness of a career in professional caregiving for dementia patients in a few ways.

2        First, through more structured training and capability development.  We promote and fund training for care staff.  Between 2013 and 2015, AIC offered over 2,400 training places in dementia-related courses and talks to equip care staff with the necessary skills to provide better care for seniors with dementia.  In addition, our public hospitals arrange for other dementia care training for their care staff and those from other aged care partners like nursing homes and eldercare centres on skills such as managing challenging behaviours and communicating with dementia persons.  MOH and AIC are now also working on a comprehensive competency framework to better define the skills and competencies required in dementia care.  Besides enhancing skills and career development for the staff, it will help guide us in levelling up the skills content and productivity of the jobs.

3        Second, through better remuneration and recognition.  MOH has provided funding to our subvented aged care institutions to raise the pay of the care staff in these settings to be more competitive.  The remuneration levels will be adjusted further in future, in tandem with progress in our work to raise skills and productivity.

4        Finally, through promoting awareness among locals of careers in community care services, including dementia care.  In January 2016 for example, MOH launched a campaign on job opportunities in the community care sector, and a Community Care Traineeship Programme to train and place locals to take on these jobs.

5        Some seniors with dementia are cared for at home by caregivers and foreign domestic workers (FDWs).  Under our Caregivers’ Training Grant, subsidies are provided for caregivers, including FDWs, to attend caregiving courses.  There are currently 28 dementia care courses addressing a range of needs such as managing mealtimes and creating a comfortable and safe environment for persons with dementia.  Between 2013 and 2015, about 1,000 out of more than 11,000 FDWs who had utilised the subsidy had attended courses on dementia care.  Our public hospitals also provide training and guidance to family caregivers caring for dementia patients where needed before the patients are discharged home.