Speech by Minister-of-State for Health and Manpower, Mayor (South West District) Dr Amy Khor at the Opening of the Ageless in Singapore: Towards An Age-Friendly World Conference, Thursday 6 September 2012, 9am, at Mandarin Orchard Hotel

“Building Ageless Cities for the Future”

I am happy to be here this morning. This conference addresses a subject that is vital to the wellbeing of urban societies across the world. It is also a subject that is very close to my heart, not just because my responsibilities in government encompass health and manpower, both of which intersect the issues of ageing in a big way. I am also an observer of cities, because in my previous life, I was a property consultant. And property values are “created” or “destroyed” depending on how cities respond to external stimuli and internal pressures. Ageing issues in a compact city state like Singapore become even more acute.

2     In the next one to two decades, Singapore’s population will age rapidly. By 2030, there will be one senior above 65 years of age, for every five of us. But this is not unique to Singapore. Ageing is a phenomenon which many countries around the world, including those in Asia, have experienced, or will be experiencing.
Building “Ageless” Cities

3     While many cities will face this ageing phenomenon, how each city comes out of it will depend on how well it prepares for ageing. Urban demographers would argue that ageing will be one of the most profound challenges that cities like Singapore will face. But yet, it can also be the catalyst for creative urban solutions that will improve our societies and impact lives for the better. Singapore is an excellent urban laboratory to test various ideas to solve social and economic problems. That can apply to the demographic challenge of rapid ageing. Significantly, the key theme of this conference is “ageless cities.”

4     What is an ageless city? Is it one which has constant rejuvenation of its infrastructure? By that reckoning, some of the major European cities like Venice and Rome would qualify as severely aged cities. No, “ageless” is a descriptor, not of the city itself, not of the inhabitants, but of the tone of affirmative and constructive interaction among its inhabitants across age groups. To me, an “ageless” city is one where, regardless of how old you are, you can, as a member of an inclusive society, live happily and meaningfully and develop to your full potential. Building an “ageless” city is multi-dimensional and requires the collective effort of all stakeholders in society. It must start with a common vision, within the population, of the kind of city the inhabitants want.

5     To achieve this, we need both technological as well as policy innovations in many areas. We need to innovate and review our urban design and built environment, so that our city can continue to be liveable for residents of all ages. We need to invest in healthcare and social care infrastructure and services, and review policies to promote affordability of care, in order to make care accessible to residents of all ages and at all stages of their lives. We will also need to review employment policies and practices to make our workplaces accessible to workers of all ages.

Government Leading the Way

6     Building an “ageless” city requires the effort of all stakeholders from the public, private and people sectors.

7     The Government’s role is to put in place the necessary policy framework and infrastructure to enable Singaporeans to age successfully. Here in Singapore, the Government has taken a “uniquely Singapore” approach for ageing issues – a tripartite, whole of nation perspective. We formulate whole of Government policies and initiatives to respond to this mega demographic trend.

8     Thus far, the Government has invested its efforts in three main areas namely (1) promoting active ageing (2) building an age-inclusive city and (3) enhancing health and age care.

(I) Promoting Active Ageing

9     The public often associates age with illness or disability. However, that is far from the truth. According to the 2010 Census of Population, only 13% of our senior population above 65 have some form of functional impairment, which means that some 87%, the great majority, remains functional and can lead autonomous lives.

10     We have conducted policy reviews and initiated programmes to help our seniors stay healthy and actively engaged in all aspects of society. The People’s Association has promoted the Wellness Programme to encourage seniors to take responsibility for their health by participating in the various activities organised by grassroots organisations. The Wellness Programme involves seniors in regular health screenings, and encourages them to participate in physical activities such as brisk-walking, qigong and bowling. By facilitating the formation of Interest Groups among seniors, the Wellness Programme also encourages seniors to be engaged and active, and be socially connected to the community. The Wellness Programme has been implemented in 42 constituencies and will be implemented in the remaining 45 constituencies by March next year.

11     The Government has also enacted re-employment legislation which is effective this year to enable more people to continue working beyond the current statutory retirement age of 62. There is also a suite of programmes offered by the Workforce Development Agency to help senior workers upgrade and acquire new skills to remain gainfully engaged in the workplace.

12     I am happy to report that the implementation of the Retirement and Re-employment Act (RRA) has been relatively smooth. Employers are in general re-employment ready. Ahead of the RRA, nearly 97% of the 11,500 local employees retiring in the year ending June 2011 were offered re-employment beyond 62. About 8 in 10 private establishments surveyed had implemented measures to allow their local employees to work beyond 62 in 2011. Among the 2 in 10 that had not implemented measures to enable their workers to work beyond 62, it was largely because they did not have any employee approaching 62 yet.

(II) Building An Age-Inclusive City

13     We are constantly making efforts to improve the living environment such that seniors can live safely and confidently within their existing homes and communities, near their friends and loved ones. Such efforts implemented by the Housing & Development Board include the Lift Upgrading Programme, Home Improvement Programme for its flats, and the provision of barrier free access ramps and universal design features in its towns.

14     More recently, the Government launched a programme called Enhancement for Active Seniors, or EASE, for short to provide subsidised senior-friendly home modifications to Singapore citizens living in HDB flats. The home modifications include grab bars and anti-slip treatment to bathroom floor tiles, and aim to minimise the risk of seniors falling at home.

(III) Enhancing Health And Age Care

15     The government will be investing significantly in expanding healthcare infrastructure across the care spectrum under its Healthcare 2020 plan. We will be building new hospitals and community hospitals, as well as nursing homes and rehabilitative facilities within the community, to bring care right to the door step of residents. We are also investing in expanding social day care, home care and caregiver respite services, to help our seniors age in place.
Involvement of the Community in our efforts

16     However, the Government’s efforts alone are insufficient. Our policies and initiatives for aged care must also leverage on the strengths of the private and people sectors. We need to work closely with stakeholders across the entire society to build an age-friendly eco-system. That is exactly what we seek to achieve via our City for All Ages project. Under this project, government agencies work with local grassroots leaders and voluntary welfare organisations to understand the needs of seniors and make efforts at the local level to better support seniors.

17     For instance, we have worked with agencies such as the Town Council, the HDB, LTA and local grassroots and community groups to make a series of improvements to both the hardware and software aspects of Marine Parade, to make it an “ageless” town. In terms of hardware, we sought to improve the living environment both in the public areas within the town, and within the flats of the seniors themselves. As at end July this year, some 537 senior households in Marine Parade have benefited from home retrofits, including the installation of grab bars, gentle ramps and non-slip treatment to floors, to make their homes safer. Within the town area, volunteers, including seniors themselves, walk the town and identify areas that can be improved to enhance safety. The improvements carried out include additional countdown timers for traffic lights, larger block numbers, and leveled apron and walkways.

18     The improvements made to the hardware have been complemented with a fall prevention programme for seniors, involving fall risk screening and education. More than 70 health ambassadors have also been recruited in Marine Parade to spread the message of healthy living to seniors. Grassroots leaders and community groups have been engaged to outreach and befriend seniors who are living alone.

19     Having piloted this project in Marine Parade, we are now working hand in hand with grassroots leaders and community groups on this same mission in other areas including Whampoa, Bedok and Taman Jurong. We hope that, precinct by precinct, town by town, we will make our city an ageless city.

20     I would say that an ageless city is not built on bricks and mortar alone. The beauty of this City for All Ages project is also in the process – in having different people from the community come on board and say “let me do my part to make the town a better place for our seniors”. Ultimately, it is the social environment that counts. We can build a true ageless city only when our population respects, cares for and embraces seniors as integral members of our society. An ageless society is one that loves and embraces residents of all ages.

Conclusion

21     Building an ageless city is an aspiration worth pursuing. It requires multi-disciplinary discussion and multi-stakeholder collaboration. This conference is therefore timely. By involving the VWOs, service providers, businesses and policy makers, the conference provides a platform on how we can all move together towards an age-friendly Singapore. Our guest speakers today from the various sectors will be sharing on their experiences and thoughts on topics such as caregiving, intergenerational bonding and volunteerism. I hope that all of us will be able to gain valuable insights from these initiatives.

22     Let me end by saying that building an ageless city is not just a good-to-have. Whether we get there matters to the quality of lives of millions. Ultimately, it is our collective responsibility to create a city that allows our seniors to enjoy a high quality of life. As our city ages, how the seniors of today and tomorrow live, work and play will define our society’s texture and speak volumes of the values held by our society.

23     Thank you.