Assignment task:
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong discussed the "massive change" that Singapore would experience in April 2023 as a result of its fast aging population. These changes will require adjustments to the built environment, the economy, the healthcare system, and retirement planning.
References: Lee, Hsien Loong, "Book Launch: Singapore Ageing: Issues and Challenges Ahead," April 11, 2023. Taken from the publication "PM Lee Hsien Long at the Singapore Ageing Issues and Challenges Ahead Book Launch".
Question A:
Present a fresh policy proposal, beyond direct monetary support, that tackles the identified challenges in Question A1 that the Singapore government could explore.
Question A1:
The main challenges of population ageing in Singapore can be subcategorized into three aspects which are the state, caregivers and aged individuals. The state on the other hand faces the problems which include long term care planning, funding health care and allocation of resources such as in healthcare, social services and eldercare facilities. Social care services are increasingly demanded and therefore family members will suffer grief and loss of their seniors. Hence, social care services would have to be provided for them so as to assist them while mourning. Moreover, adequate housing, workforce skills gap in terms of re-training and digital literacy as well as increasing the retirement age require attention from the state (Vasoo et al., 2023).
'Seniors go digital', 'skillfuture' encompasses the approaches that are in place to solve the dilemma of the digital illiteracy of the elderly and workforce skills gap. Such measures are to ensure that the workforce is adaptable to the evolving workforce, with subsidies to the skill training workshops as well as ensured none of the old folks is left behind during the digitalisation era. Hence, the provisions already in existence address well the youth and age gap in skills but provide a way for the elderly to be self reliant.
Caregivers would have also more problems and suffer more work-life balance issues. Family values in Singapore especially filial piety comes up as very imperative among the Asian family especially when looking at caring for the elders and coupled with the societal pressure to adhere, the stress in care givers increases. Studies show that there are certain aspects that may result to increased caregivers' anxiety and psychological problems e.g., the patient's symptoms, the level of functioning and the amount of help needed in the patient's activities (Singapore's ageing population, 2011). Moreover, caregivers too do face the risk of depression that goes hand in hand with the intensity of help which the patient needs with the routine living activities.
The government has initiatives like the increase in the number of neighborhood hospitals, nursing homes and the grant for caregivers worth $200 dollars per year which is to train the caregivers in various techniques to provide care for the patients. Besides, the caregivers shall to receive tax relief in taking care of their elderly parents which will lessen caregiver's financial burden. The measures, that are enough to create psychological and financial stability among the caregivers by reducing their burdens, stress on taking care of the elders is there but there are other ways of aiding the caregivers particularly their mental health.
In Singapore elderlies will face loneliness, mental health and retirements planning. All the salaries and depending on the level of income, Injustice of the proportions the distribution of incomes determines the living conditions of the population. Recently there are some single seniors who end up dead alone in their apartments not seen by the neighbours or even their friends as resources are very scarce to take care of them and monitor their welfare. To ensure that aged persons can attain their financial independence and well-being, Central Provident Fund (CPF) is an instrument which is used for securing their basic living expenses, medical and housing needs. Furthermore, Medisave is a national medical savings scheme which enables contributors to save up portions of their fund for retirement purposes. On the contrary, the elderly deserve to be motivated in sussing out for their retirement and sharpening their financial skills (Vasoo et al., 2023).
The government has implemented policies, for example, pension and CPF, to make sure the elderly are financially independent (Vasoo et al., 2023). CPF provides financial security to the individuals through monthly pensions that amount to the an amassed sum which is in the account. Nevertheless, each individual will benefit differently because of the different amount of monetary value in each account which may cause lower benefit for few individuals that will lead to mental health issues. Hence, there should be more efforts to minimize the continuously declining mental health in such elderly in such occurrences, for example, the monthly social meetings could be organized to bring them together allowing them to interact with each other to manage loneliness and more importantly these meetings play a key role in checking their welfare too.
References :
1) Vasoo, S., Singh, B., & Chokkanathan, S. (2023). Singapore Ageing: issue and challenges ahead. World Scientific eBooks.
2) Singapore's ageing population. (2011). Singapore's ageing population: managing healthcare and end-of-life decisions (1st ed.). Routledge.