SPEECH BY MR NG HOW YUE, PERMANENT SECRETARY (SERVICES), MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT CAREGIVING WELFARE ASSOCIATION'S CAREGIVING FEST 2025

Dr Tan Jit Seng, President, Caregiving Welfare Association,

Distinguished guests, community partners, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. It is wonderful to see so many seniors, caregivers, volunteers, families, and community partners coming together for the 10^th edition of the Caregiving Fest. I thank the Caregiving Welfare Association (CWA) for organising this meaningful event.

Context

2.            Today, let me speak about the quiet heroes in our midst, our caregivers. With our ageing population, and shrinking family sizes, more of us will find ourselves in caregiving roles.

3.            Caregivers love their family members deeply and want to care for them, but are also juggling work, caregiving and their wellbeing. Some may have to make difficult choices – like reducing work hours or putting career plans on hold to look after their loved ones.

Ecosystem of Support

4.            We understand the pressures faced by caregivers. The Ministry of Health will work to support seniors and their caregivers, and we hope our efforts will go some way towards helping families care for their loved ones.

5.            Through national efforts such as Healthier SG and Age Well SG, we hope to keep our seniors healthy and socially connected. We have expanded Active Ageing Centres and enhanced care services across Singapore. We are working with providers to form Integrated Community Care Providers (ICCP). These will oversee long-term care coordination for seniors and help caregivers navigate the system for their loved ones.

6.            We have also launched Community Care Apartments (CCAs), which integrate senior-friendly housing with care services. However, some seniors may prefer to remain in familiar neighbourhoods, surrounded by family members and friends. In communities with higher density of seniors, we will create Age Well Neighbourhoods, starting with Toa Payoh. MOH will share more on this in the coming months.

7.            At Budget 2025, the government announced increased subsidies of up to 95% for long-term care services, as well as enhancements to the Home Caregiving Grant and Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund to defray caregiving expenses. We will continue to watch costs and review our financial support, so that we can keep services affordable to families, regardless of their financial means.

Community Initiatives

8.            Government support is only one part of the equation. In fact, we need a Whole-of-Society approach to support caregivers.

9.            Hence, I am glad to learn of many efforts driven by community organisations, some of whom are here today! Kampung Kakis matches isolated seniors with volunteers in their neighbourhoods, to alleviate social isolation among seniors and create a culture of caregiving. Mindfull Community Limited supports and empowers caregivers, through support groups, and education and outreach sessions. And our hosts – CWA – has supported caregivers for over 20 years, with care services, support groups, and social activities.

10.         Just now, CWA President, Dr Tan Jit Seng, shared about CWA’s plans to roll out the CareJourney programme this year, and the progress in their Remote Monitoring & Support Programme. This is the kind of forward-thinking, community-rooted approach that helps seniors age well in their communities. It’s about using technology not to replace human connection, but to enhance it.

11.         Befittingly, the theme for Caregiving Fest today is “A Lifeline for Seniors”, which underscores the need for efforts to support seniors and caregivers, by encouraging innovation, expanding community-driven solutions, and deepening collaboration. With such efforts across the whole of society, we can ensure no one faces the caregiving journey alone.

12.         I encourage everyone to take part in the activities at the Caregiving Fest today. I wish you all an enriching experience. Thank you.