<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>June 20, 2009
DISABILITY ASSISTANCE
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>81-year-old dad caught in red tape
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE Interim Disability Assistance Programme for the Elderly (Idape) is for Singapore citizens aged 70 and above as at Sept 30, 2002, and those aged 40 to 69 as at Sept 30, 2002 who were unable to join ElderShield at its launch in September 2002 due to pre-existing disabilities.
To claim its benefits, those who fall under the scheme have to be certified as 'disabled', which means unable to do at least three of these activities - eat, dress, bathe, go to the toilet, move around and transfer from bed to chair.
The Health Ministry has engaged NTUC Income to administer Idape. And NTUC Income has appointed a list of private doctors to conduct the assessment.
Problems arose when my 81-year-old father was admitted to Singapore General Hospital (SGH). It was only when I checked about his ElderShield with the Central Provident Fund Board was I told that his name had been listed under Idape and sent to NTUC Income.
While all ElderShield members are reminded every year, no reminders are sent to Idape members, though they are mostly less educated, elderly sick or even alone, without next of kin.
Worse, no assessor is appointed in government hospitals, where many Idape patients are eventually admitted.
I engaged a housecall assessor to go to SGH as a normal visitor, but she was not available during visiting hours due to the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak. I sought permission from SGH for another visit but this was rejected.
SGH insisted that its doctors must be present 'to supervise'. This led the assessor to eventually decline the assessment.
It is hard to believe that SGH is so inflexible and unsupportive when dealing with a government welfare programme as no medical practice is required by the assessor in this instance and I doubt if SGH could prevent such a visit if not for H1N1.
After NTUC Income refused further assistance, I approached the Health Ministry for help. Despite many phone calls, I received no solutions but statements to this effect:
SGH is not part of the health-care body under the ministry;
It is best to wait for the patient to be discharged;
SGH is looking to appoint a doctor but it may take time; and
It will not help even if I approached the Health Minister.
Needless to say, I am disappointed, as I am certain, will other patients faced with the same problem. Kelvin Tan
DISABILITY ASSISTANCE
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>81-year-old dad caught in red tape
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE Interim Disability Assistance Programme for the Elderly (Idape) is for Singapore citizens aged 70 and above as at Sept 30, 2002, and those aged 40 to 69 as at Sept 30, 2002 who were unable to join ElderShield at its launch in September 2002 due to pre-existing disabilities.
To claim its benefits, those who fall under the scheme have to be certified as 'disabled', which means unable to do at least three of these activities - eat, dress, bathe, go to the toilet, move around and transfer from bed to chair.
The Health Ministry has engaged NTUC Income to administer Idape. And NTUC Income has appointed a list of private doctors to conduct the assessment.
Problems arose when my 81-year-old father was admitted to Singapore General Hospital (SGH). It was only when I checked about his ElderShield with the Central Provident Fund Board was I told that his name had been listed under Idape and sent to NTUC Income.
While all ElderShield members are reminded every year, no reminders are sent to Idape members, though they are mostly less educated, elderly sick or even alone, without next of kin.
Worse, no assessor is appointed in government hospitals, where many Idape patients are eventually admitted.
I engaged a housecall assessor to go to SGH as a normal visitor, but she was not available during visiting hours due to the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak. I sought permission from SGH for another visit but this was rejected.
SGH insisted that its doctors must be present 'to supervise'. This led the assessor to eventually decline the assessment.
It is hard to believe that SGH is so inflexible and unsupportive when dealing with a government welfare programme as no medical practice is required by the assessor in this instance and I doubt if SGH could prevent such a visit if not for H1N1.
After NTUC Income refused further assistance, I approached the Health Ministry for help. Despite many phone calls, I received no solutions but statements to this effect:
SGH is not part of the health-care body under the ministry;
It is best to wait for the patient to be discharged;
SGH is looking to appoint a doctor but it may take time; and
It will not help even if I approached the Health Minister.
Needless to say, I am disappointed, as I am certain, will other patients faced with the same problem. Kelvin Tan
