By 2030, it is estimated that 117,000 senior citizens will be semi-ambulent or non-ambulent, representing 2.5 fold that of the current trend.
Furthermore, in light of an impending silver tsunami, the Singapore government will bolster support for the elderly and efforts to encourage families to embrace home care.
One of the measures include introducing a S$120 Foreign Domestic Worker grant to families adopting home care. The grant will go into the training of the domestic helper and equip him or her with skills on how to care for the elderly.
Another measure is to increase productivity and wean the healthcare industry’s need for foreign manpower through mechanization and changing workflow. This year, the Singapore government has enhanced the PIC Scheme Guide to encourage employers to move up the value chain through automation, training or innovation. The healthcare industry is no exception.