He said Singapore's growing number of elderly citizens must remain socially engaged and healthy. - ZAOBAO
BY THE end of next year, 420 grassroots leaders will be trained to identify and help suicidal senior citizens.
The programme will cost $25,000 and start this November, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Boon Heng at a media briefing on Friday.
While the rate of elderly suicides is on a downward trend, more can be done to improve the emotional well-being of the elderly in Singapore, Mr Lim said.
In 1997, the suicide rate among adults aged 65 and above per 100,000 population was 32.4. That dropped to 27.6 last year.
Often, senior citizens kill themselves because of loneliness, health problems and depression, added Mr Lim, who is also the chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Ageing.
He said Singapore's growing number of elderly citizens must remain socially engaged and healthy.
Mr Gerard Ee from the Council for Third Age, which promotes active ageing in Singapore, welcomed the new initiative, saying 'members of the community should look out for each other'.
Mr Lim said that the programme for grassroots leaders is an extension of the Community Cycle Geriatric Programme, which reaches out to voluntary welfare organisations and workers who care for the elderly. Already, 120 staff from 10 elder-care agencies have gone through the programme.
With training, grassroots leaders will be able to identify the problems and help families get counselling.
The half-day course will cover mental health problems such as dementia and depression.
Copyright © 2008 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co.
September 5, 2008
SINGAPORE: Helping suicidal elderly
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SINGAPORE (The Straits Times), September 5, 2008:
Grassroots leaders to be trained to identify and help such senior citizens
By Melissa Sim
He said Singapore's growing number of elderly citizens must remain socially engaged and healthy. - ZAOBAO
BY THE end of next year, 420 grassroots leaders will be trained to identify and help suicidal senior citizens.
The programme will cost $25,000 and start this November, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Boon Heng at a media briefing on Friday.
While the rate of elderly suicides is on a downward trend, more can be done to improve the emotional well-being of the elderly in Singapore, Mr Lim said.
In 1997, the suicide rate among adults aged 65 and above per 100,000 population was 32.4. That dropped to 27.6 last year.
Often, senior citizens kill themselves because of loneliness, health problems and depression, added Mr Lim, who is also the chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Ageing.
He said Singapore's growing number of elderly citizens must remain socially engaged and healthy.
Mr Gerard Ee from the Council for Third Age, which promotes active ageing in Singapore, welcomed the new initiative, saying 'members of the community should look out for each other'.
Mr Lim said that the programme for grassroots leaders is an extension of the Community Cycle Geriatric Programme, which reaches out to voluntary welfare organisations and workers who care for the elderly. Already, 120 staff from 10 elder-care agencies have gone through the programme.
With training, grassroots leaders will be able to identify the problems and help families get counselling.
The half-day course will cover mental health problems such as dementia and depression.
Copyright © 2008 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co.
He said Singapore's growing number of elderly citizens must remain socially engaged and healthy. - ZAOBAO
BY THE end of next year, 420 grassroots leaders will be trained to identify and help suicidal senior citizens.
The programme will cost $25,000 and start this November, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Boon Heng at a media briefing on Friday.
While the rate of elderly suicides is on a downward trend, more can be done to improve the emotional well-being of the elderly in Singapore, Mr Lim said.
In 1997, the suicide rate among adults aged 65 and above per 100,000 population was 32.4. That dropped to 27.6 last year.
Often, senior citizens kill themselves because of loneliness, health problems and depression, added Mr Lim, who is also the chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Ageing.
He said Singapore's growing number of elderly citizens must remain socially engaged and healthy.
Mr Gerard Ee from the Council for Third Age, which promotes active ageing in Singapore, welcomed the new initiative, saying 'members of the community should look out for each other'.
Mr Lim said that the programme for grassroots leaders is an extension of the Community Cycle Geriatric Programme, which reaches out to voluntary welfare organisations and workers who care for the elderly. Already, 120 staff from 10 elder-care agencies have gone through the programme.
With training, grassroots leaders will be able to identify the problems and help families get counselling.
The half-day course will cover mental health problems such as dementia and depression.
Copyright © 2008 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co.
