Policies

A Committee on Ageing Issues (CAI) was set up in December 2004 to build on the work done by previous committees. The CAI is an inter-agency forum that discusses and puts up proposals related to ageing issues

The CAI has four objectives outcome: 1. Elder-friendly housing 2. Barrier-free society 3. Holistic affordable healthcare and eldercare 4. Active lifestyles and well-being

__**Elder-friendly housing**__ 1. __Provide different housing options__ (Varying the length of land leases) - Shorter land leases will facilitate the development of retirement housing by the private sector - Offer dedicated lifestyle facilities to meet the needs of seniors who have greater expectations for higher quality housing - Varying housing size and types will give the elderly more choices.

2. __Help seniors to monetize their housing assets__ (Working with market players to offer reverse mortgage schemes For elderly HDB flat lessees at commercial terms) - This is because majority of HDB households with the youngest lessee aged 65 years and above have fully discharged their HDB mortgage loans. - This measure would provide another option for seniors to derive some income from their homes to meet expenditure in old age, whilst retaining a roof over their heads.

__**Critical Analysis :**__
This policy will benefit the elderly as it provides them with an alternative source of income when they are unable to find a job or are too weak to find a job. A shorter land lease would generally last longer than the elderly, thus utilizing the time after the flat is vacant after the senior citizens passed away for further development. However, this policy may have several problems -- What happens if the elderly applied for this scheme, but outlives the lease? Does this mean that the elderly has to move out and, most likely end up homeless?

__**Barrier-free Society**__

1. __Make all HDB precincts barrier-free__ ( Coordinated effort to make Singapore an “Accessible City” for all) - Allowing seniors, especially those with mobility challenges, to move out of their homes and into the community and participate actively in society. - Lift-upgrading programs will allow seniors to leave their HDB homes - Should we can make all HDB precincts barrier-free, seniors will have access to shops and services within a precinct - A barrier-free environment allows seniors to live independently and continue to engage actively in society. - Environment must provide seniors with unhindered access from homes to public amenities, communal and recreational facilities.

2. __All new public buses should be elder-friendly__ (Make all new buses low-floor, step-free and wheelchair accessible) - Complements the CAI recommendations to improve our buildings and physical infrastructure, to achieve an environment that is truly barrier-free - Plans for a senior-friendly bus network - This measure will benefit not just seniors but also other groups such as young parents with children in prams and those with physical disabilities - Elder-friendly buses will allow seniors to move around Singapore easily. - Gives them access to Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations and complement the elder-friendly MRT system

__**Critical Analysis:**__
This is an ideal situation as it will facilitate the movement of the Seinor citizens, allowing them to move to places with much more ease. This allows them to feel more welcomed to society and should be happier. It will greatly benefit those who have to move around due to their job or various reasons as well. This is a rather good proposal overall as it not only helps the elderly, but support other groups of Singaporeans, such as the disabled.

__**Holistic affordable healthcare & eldercare**__ 1. __Top up Medisave Accounts when Government shares budget surplus__ (Top up Medisave accounts of less well-off Singaporeans when there are budget surpluses that the Government can share with the people) - Help to defray healthcare costs as Singaporeans depend on Medisave to meet healthcare needs in their old age

2. __Family Practitioner based holistic care for seniors__ (Family physicians should play an important role in the management of healthcare needs for seniors) - Follow-up by a dedicated family physician within close proximity to the client will ensure that seniors’ multiple needs will be comprehensively and holistically taken care of

All this is to ensure that older Singaporeans in need of care have access to a seamless continuum of healthcare and eldercare services. These services should maintain the dignity and quality of life for seniors, and avoid institutionalization as far as possible

__**Critical Analysis:**__
This scheme does support most of the elderly citizens in Singapore, providing help and necessary funds for them to treat their illnesses. Most of them benefit from this policy as they are able to pay for certain surgeries or medicines that they were once unable to pay for. However, these policies only cover Singaporeans up to a certain age--85 years old. Does that mean that the money that the citizens placed in their CPF medishield are voided? Perhaps the elderly may not have encounter many illnesses when they are below 85 years old, but as age catches up, sickness may arise. However, if the elderly is above 85 years old when that sickness arrives, he/she will not be insured under the medishield. This is one aspect of the policy that may have to be looked into.

1. __Promote more programmes and services for seniors__ (Set up a $10million GO! [Golden Opportunities!] Fund to seed more programmes and activities for seniors and by seniors) - They can participate actively and continue to contribute to society - Complements the Committee’s recommendations to provide elder-friendly facilities in all sports centers and within housing estates - More learning opportunities for seniors at our universities and polytechnics - Encourages seniors to pursue the lifestyle of their choice, be it sports, learning, or contributing through volunteering in social organizations
 * __Active lifestyles and well-being__**

2. __Build on strong family ties to ensure that the family continues to be the first line of support__ - To reinforce the role of the family, we have to continually foster strong bonds between generations - Intergenerational bonding can be promoted through the provision of family recreational areas in HDB housing estates - Support to service providers in the development of intergenerational programmes, and greater public awareness of intergenerational cohesion through public campaigns