An equipment rental scheme that was put in place, which provides patients with subsidised essentials like hospital beds, has benefited more than 1,000 Singaporeans so far.
Care providers said it is not just about infrastructure, but also having competent palliative care staff – and there is a shortage.
HIRING STRUGGLES
In fact, demand for such care is rising faster than manpower, with providers saying they need more trained staff to keep up.
HCA Hospice Care, the nation’s largest home hospice provider, said hiring is an ongoing issue.
“One of the things I struggle with is to find the right people with the right heart to do this work,” said its medical director Dr Chong Poh Heng.
“It’s not a terribly glamorous (job) to work in the home, in different settings, some of which are, in my opinion, not quite habitable,” Dr Chong added.
“But the patient is comfortable there, so within those limitations (we must) find the means to deliver the same quality of care to those patients and their families.”
The hospice looks after about 1,400 home patients and will soon increase capacity to take in more.
Among its ways to manage manpower issues is enlisting the help of the patients’ caregivers.
“We teach (caregivers) some of the knowledge aspects, including hands on (care), hygiene care, serving of medication, sometimes giving injections too,” said Dr Chong.
Family members also learn to prepare special food and manage appliances like oxygen concentrators or suction machines, he added.
