MORE OPTIONS FOR SENIORS TO AGE IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE MAINSTREAMED SHARED CAREGIVING MODEL

           From 10 December 2025, Singaporeans will have an additional option to care for their loved ones in the community. The Ministry of Health (MOH) will mainstream the Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving Services model after a sandbox to test out new models to support families’ caregiving needs, as well as to provide more options for seniors to age in their communities.

2.            To facilitate the take-up of the service, a Good Practice Guide has been developed for interested companies, clients and their families. Companies are also welcome to apply for support to facilitate their operations, including work pass flexibilities and new training subsidies to help providers upskill their workforce to better care for seniors.

3.            Launched in September 2023 with support from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), the Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving Services sandbox featured caregiving staff providing basic support with daily living tasks, meals, housekeeping, and social activities to a group of seniors living in the same residence[1], mirroring how caregivers at home support their loved ones. The outcomes of the sandbox have been encouraging, with five companies – Red Crowns Senior Living, St Bernadette and its franchisees (BlueAtria and Muein), and GROW – serving a total of 232 clients as of end-September 2025.

4.             Similar to providers who participated in the sandbox phase, from 10 December 2025, new companies will be able to apply for work pass flexibilities, such as additional foreign worker quotas and more options to hire from other countries. With the service’s mainstreaming, we will also avail training subsidies that can be used to train caregiving staff. Companies can send their caregiving staff for relevant training courses, with up to 90% of the training fees subsidised.

5.            Alongside these supportive measures, MOH and AIC have also published an industry-led Good Practice Guide for Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving Services, to provide guidance on client suitability, service scope, and the recommended good caregiving practices for companies, seniors and their families who are interested in providing or seeking the service. The guide covers: i) Provision of caregiving services; ii) Safety; iii) Living environment; and iv) Contracting.

6.            Central to the Good Practice Guide is the recognition that all stakeholders have important roles to play. Seniors receiving care from the Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving Services still require close involvement from family members, e.g.  in the caregiving decision-making process for their loved ones. At the same time, the companies and their caregiving staff must be responsible for delivering the service safely and professionally. If a client requires a licensed care service[2], the Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving Services providers must engage such services when requested by the family. This collaborative approach between families, providers and caregiving staff is key to the success of the service.

7.            Families interested in Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving Services for their loved ones can refer to the Good Practice Guide at https://go.gov.sg/shared-stay-in-scs-good-practice-guide to understand service expectations and assess suitability. Companies wishing to provide this service can apply for work pass flexibilities and training subsidies through AIC's website at aic.sg/partners/stay-in-scs.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

10 DECEMBER 2025

[1] The types of residences that can be used to provide Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving Services include existing public or private residential premises (e.g. HDB units, condominiums, landed property); and purpose-built assisted living apartments integrated with other social and wellness amenities. Depending on the arrangement, caregiving staff may stay on-site or provide care through regular shifts.

[2] Licensed care service refers those provided by Healthcare Services Act (HCSA) licensees and/or registered healthcare professionals (i.e., registered doctor, pharmacist, nurse and allied health professional). Some examples include home medical and home nursing services.