MOH developing more aged care capacity and options

8 June 2013, Straits Times

Shorten wait for place in nursing home

RECENTLY, my 83-year-old father was hospitalised in a public hospital.

I am in the process of applying for him to be placed in a government-subsidised nursing home with the help of the Agency for Integrated Care. I was told that the waiting period could be three to six months.

Given Singapore's ageing population, I urge the relevant authorities to find a way to shorten the waiting period, to help elderly patients in their recovery and rehabilitation.

A quicker transfer to nursing homes would also ease the bed shortage in public hospitals.

Sharon Tan Lay Hoon (Ms)

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Reply from MOH

12 June 2013, Straits Times

More nursing homes being built, says MOH

WE WOULD like to assure Ms Sharon Tan ("Shorten wait for place in nursing home"; Monday) that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is building more nursing homes to meet increasing demand.

About 700 nursing home beds will be added this year and more than 4,000 by 2016, with the development of 10 new nursing homes and the expansion of existing nursing homes.

Apart from ramping up on capacity for institutionalised care, MOH is also developing a range of home- and community-based aged care services to support families to care for their loved ones at home in familiar surroundings.

While waiting for a nursing home bed for her father, Ms Tan may wish to contact the Agency for Integrated Care to explore how her father can benefit from home care services in the interim as a possible alternative to nursing home care.

Karen Au Yong (Ms)
Deputy Director
Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health