Singapore has more than 170 eldersitters on board, as at last December, to help take care of seniors suffering from dementia and give their caregivers a break, exceeding the initial target of 160 by 2020.
Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor revealed this as she gave updates of government initiatives to better support the work of caregivers, whose burden is set to rise along with Singapore’s rapidly ageing population.
Citing how one in four Singaporeans will be 65 or older by 2030, up from one in seven today, Dr Khor said the Government has been enhancing existing initiatives, introducing new programmes to help caregivers and also reviewing schemes to ensure affordability.
Dr Khor said the Government is also making the respite care programmes more accessible, with nine eldercare centres across Singapore that can take care of seniors for a few hours on weekends and let their caregivers take a break.
Caregivers of seniors with dementia can also tap the Eldersit programme, where these seniors are engaged in cognitive-stimulating activities.
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Source: The Straits Times, 3 September 2017