SINGAPORE: Government to Pilot Wellness Programme for Seniors

SINGAPORE (Channel News Asia), September 4, 2007: The government is taking more steps to get older Singaporeans to stay fit and healthy so that they can have better prospects for employment. It is rolling out a pilot wellness programme next year. The government will also see if there could be better follow-ups to mass health screening exercises and a more coordinated implementation of day care and rehabilitation programmes for senior citizens. The issue of encouraging more senior citizens to work longer so that they can draw down their CPF savings later has aroused much public discussion these days, said Mr Lim Boon Heng, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office. And the key to being able to work longer is staying fit and healthy. So the government is seeing if a wellness programme can help achieve this. The programme will use existing facilities. Mr Lim said: "It can be operating through the premises of a VWO (voluntary welfare organisation), which is already doing this, or it could be operating from a community centre, or it could be operating from a day care centre. We are tapping existing resources. "Then, people will know that if they need to hand out information, they know where to go. That's a focal point for people to seek information and advice. It is also a centre which will work with all the other players to make sure that the seniors in the community are brought out of their homes and involved in community activities rather than being socially isolated." The wellness programme will be piloted in six different constituencies, with one location in each CDC, except for Central Singapore CDC where there will be two locations. That is because there is a much higher concentration of senior citizens in that particular area. The programme will start in three areas in the first half of next year - in Jurong Central at Block 402 at an existing NTUC Eldercare centre; in the MacPherson Division, likely at the MacPherson Community Club; and in Sengkang where a new centre will be set up at Hougang Street 51 at Block 571. Teo Ser Luck, an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, said in an email response: "My area comprises both new and old areas. The location is in the older area. The challenge would be the outreach. "We could promote the programme and create awareness. But both grassroots and myself would like to reach out to those not aware of such programmes/services or do not know where to seek help. "Some of them may not even know they need help. We hope to reach out to them. Even though we have started an Eldercare Committee last year and began to locate where they are during our block visits, we realised we need to step up the pace. Another way is to use the senior citizens network to identify and bring them to these services." At the wellness programme centres, seniors will serve as navigators for those who need information and referrals after taking part in health screening exercises. Mr Lim said: "We hope that the people who are screened and found to have certain risk factors would be referred to their local GPs and the GPs can advise them (on) what they have to do. "At the same time, we would expect that community volunteers would do their follow-up with the people screened and draw them into the community organisations or clubs where they can be more physically active. "For seniors who need more help with personal care, the intention is to provide senior-centric services. At present, we tend to organise services in the community around the provider and have stand-alone services. "So a day-care centre offers day care. A rehab centre offers therapy treatment. Another provider may offer home help. We want more integration of services so that it is convenient for seniors and their families. "We will start with integrating day care and day rehab services in the community so that a senior who needs day care and therapy services can get them at the same place. "In time, we hope the same service provider will look into home-based care for seniors where needed. Where possible, we may also try to co-locate senior-centric services with those for families and youths so that there can be stronger inter-generational ties and bonds." The pilot programme will be reviewed at the end of two years to see if it should go nationwide. - Channel News Asia Copyright © 2005 MediaCorp News.