By Rosemary Khoo AND Chiang Hai Ding Published: May 29, 4:01 AM Updated: May 29, 4:10 AM
Many seniors in Singapore, more so in the heartlands of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) than in the bungalow belt, worry about their future. Where will they live in their old age? Can they pay their medical bills? Will their Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings last their lives? Will they die alone and uncared for?
Their worries are quite remarkable because Singaporeans have among the highest per capita incomes and, through the CPF, are among the world’s biggest savers. Singapore has one of the most successful public housing programmes and one of the most effective and cost-efficient health systems. It is also quite remarkable because senior issues have, in fact, received a lot of attention from our Government and there is a lot going for seniors here.
In 2003, the Committee on Ageing Issues was established and in 2006, a minister in charge of ageing issues was appointed.
So, what are the reasons for the worries of senior citizens?
There are two.
NOT SEEING FULL PICTURE
On the part of some movers and shakers, there is, first, an ageist way of thinking. Singaporeans’ life expectancy of 82 years is the fourth best in the world. Yet, instead of celebrating one of the successes of the Singapore Story, they bemoan the impending “silver tsunami”; seniors are regarded as a “burden”.
They point to an antiquated statistic, the “dependency ratio” of the number of working adults who supposedly support one economically useless senior. This overlooks the fact that many seniors are, in fact, asset-rich, having paid for the HDB flats that they live in.
Second, there is the unfortunate tendency towards silo thinking on ageing issues — to look at seniors as a bundle of problems that have to be tackled one at a time. While many “solutions” have been attempted, they address specific problems and fall short of looking after the whole person, the senior.
Recently, about 60 National University of Singapore (NUS) senior alumni and friends — mostly over 65 years old – met at a forum, supported by the Our Singapore Committee, to examine and help propose solutions to issues of our ageing population.
While looking to the Government to adopt a “whole-of-government” approach and to take the lead in some areas, the senior alumni also proposed how they, and other seniors, could themselves contribute to the solution.
VERTICAL KAMPUNGS FOR SENIORS
One starting point is the success story that is the HDB, which houses more than 80 per cent of our citizens. However, Singapore seniors have four basic needs: Housing, healthcare, money and friends. As such, retired architect Andrew Tan proposes that the HDB build “vertical kampungs” — new senior housing units based on a modular design and are located in existing HDB estates.
Seniors could be allowed to trade-in their HDB flats for these new type of units, which could come with a basic healthcare package in the form of health promotion programmes and periodic health screening, as well as a national insurance plan which pays for medical care.
Assuming that an old three-room flat is valued at S$400,000, and a new HDB unit at S$36,000, the participating seniors would be able to afford their healthcare and medical needs and still have spending money left over. This holistic approach would require the HDB to work with the Ministries of Finance, Health and Family and Social Development.
Living within such an HDB community, seniors can then be enabled to seek fulfilment in meaningful social activities. These could include volunteering and lifelong learning.
It is a myth, stressed NUS Professor of Psychological Medicine Kua Ee Heok, that people over 65 are frail and of no economic value. Research shows that many seniors are involved in community activities as volunteers in schools, libraries, museums, children’s centres, seniors’ homes and so on. Indeed, most of the participants at the session were volunteers, and they believe more could be done to create awareness of the needs of society and to equip volunteers with proper skills.
HEALTHY IN MIND AND BODY
What also helps seniors to enrich and prolong their lives is lifelong learning. One suggestion from a group led by NUS Senior Alumni Vice-President, Mr Chua Joon Eng, was: Why not create a fund for seniors to facilitate this — CogniSave, similar in concept to MediSave, since mental health is as important as physical well-being?
Most courses offered in educational institutions here are work-related. For seniors who are more able to enjoy their leisure, there is a mishmash of courses, forums and talks offered by disparate bodies of presenters.
One promising development last year was the start of the Singapore arm of the University of the Third Age — where there are no assignments, tests or term papers.
It provides a space for seniors to interact and where “those who teach shall also learn, and those who learn shall also teach”.
To have peace of mind, dignity and hope in their old age, seniors should be empowered to arrange for their own healthcare costs. One participant, for example, proposed Forward Planning Health Insurance on a national basis, in which higher premiums are paid earlier during one’s working life and premiums get lower as one ages.
Ultimately, as geriatrician Carol Tan reminds us all, good health is essential to ageing with dignity and hope. “Seniors will be less fearful when they are aware that there are services available, affordable and accessible,” she added.
Can we transform the latter years of senior citizens in Singapore into golden years? We believe we can.
Credits: http://www.todayonline.com/commentary/see-seniors-part-solution?singlepage=true
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