WHEN you’re too old to take care of yourself, where will you live?
For most people, Singapore’s nursing homes are a last resort – but according to a new 130-page report commissioned by the Lien Foundation and Khoo Chwee Neo Foundation, even this is no longer an option.
Rising costs have made it un-affordable for some people, who have turned to Johor for an empty bed to live out the rest of their lives. But even for those who can afford it, the conditions are not ideal, argued the report released last week.
Not everyone agrees, however. Representatives from six nursing homes have written in to The Straits Times to say things aren’t that bad – even as they acknowledged there’s room for improvement. Read our story about the disagreement here.
As for the report itself, it’s packed with facts and figures that laid out the challenges ahead for the nursing care industry in Singapore. It’s a fascinating read, but if you’ve no time, here are 10 facts that we found that we think you should know about:
1. There will be 92,000 elderly people living alone by 2030.
That’s more than double the 41,000 elderly people who are now living on their own. Which means if we’re already lacking in affordable assisted living facilities, the problem is just going to get exponentially worse.
2. In some homes, as many as 15 people share one toilet.
Many homes suffer from overcrowding due to a lack of resources. Besides having to share a toilet, some residents in charity-run homes have little more than a bed, cabinet and a toothbrush to call their own.
3. The G spent $360,000,000 on nursing homes last year.
It’s more than triple the $110 million spent in 2011, even though it still accounts for less than 4 per cent of the G’s overall health budget. The bulk of the cost went to patient subsidies.
4. Up to 85 per cent of nursing home staff are foreign workers.
Most nursing home employees are from the Philippines, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka and China. Some of them are paid only $350 a month, which is less than what most domestic workers get these days.
5. There are only about 12,000 nursing home beds in Singapore.
Of these 12,000 beds, about two-thirds or 8,000 are managed by charities or voluntary welfare organisations, which take subsidies from the G to offset operation costs. The remaining third are privately-owned.
6. The cost of a single-bed room for one month is $6,000.
Single beds at privately-run nursing homes can cost up to $6,000 a month. If it’s privacy you want, you’ll have to pay for it.
7. In Malaysia, it’s $750.
Beds in Malaysia are cheaper – by a lot. And they’re nicer too. According to the report, which looked at three of JB’s three largest nursing homes, 15 to 30 per cent of residents there are Singaporeans.
8. Almost half the nursing home residents are aged 80 or older.
A survey of six nursing homes found that 45 per cent, or almost half, were 80 years or older. Interestingly, they were overwhelmingly Chinese – 87 per cent.
9. As many as one of every three residents are tied to their beds – supposedly for their own good.
This is despite the Enhanced Nursing Home Standards stipulating that physical restraints should only be used as a “last resort”. The use of restraints are more common among residents with dementia and similar mental illnesses.
10. No one really knows how long you’ll need to wait for a bed.
While the Ministry of Health provided some numbers, it did not release any data on how long a person in Singapore would have to wait before a bed in a nursing home would be available.
http://themiddleground.sg/2016/10/13...g-homes-spore/
