MND and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will continue to identify more sites for AACs in private housing and HDB estates.
A new AAC by Montfort Care at the Marine Parade MRT incidental space in Joo Chiat will be set up, while current examples include a “mobile AAC” concept by Presbyterian Community Services Hannah AAC, with vehicles used to transport equipment to Anak Bukit parks for activities, such as K-pop fitness, said MND and MOH in the press release.
“For seniors, it is very important. It’s not just about seeing doctors, taking vaccinations and going for screenings,” said Mr Ong, adding that it is equally crucial to maintain friendships, and keep both the heart and mind healthy.
“I hope with all these efforts we can encourage more of our seniors to come out and play.”
SENIOR-FRIENDLY INFRASTRUCTURE
Beyond AACs, there are also other initiatives to help seniors live more safely and comfortably, such as enhancing senior-friendly infrastructure within homes and in estates, MND and MOH said.
“For HDB estates, MND has rolled out various initiatives, including the Silver Upgrading Programme and Neighbourhood Renewal Programme to improve infrastructure,” they said.
The Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) 2.0 programme, for instance, subsidises a senior-friendly infrastructure, like grab-bars, slip resistant floors and widened toilet entrances, the ministries said.
“For private estates, the first batch of the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) for Silver Estates has been launched, where estates with higher concentration of seniors and have benefitted from EUP some time ago will be selected for senior–friendly enhancements to better support their ageing residents,” they added.
The scope of the EUP for Regular Estates and the EASE programme have also been expanded to cater to the needs of seniors.
Efforts to better integrate age-inclusive and senior-friendly features and amenities into Singapore’s estates will also be incorporated into the ongoing review for the Draft Master Plan 2025, according to MND and MOH.
SPOTLIGHT ON WEST COAST
“Bearing in mind that we have many seniors both in our public estates and our private estates all across West Coast, we need to put in a lot of effort to take better care of our seniors, and Age Well SG is a very important national initiative that needs to be implemented effectively on the ground through tighter coordination,” said Mr Lee.
Mr Lee is currently the anchor minister in West Coast GRC.
He added that his team has been engaging with residents there for almost two years, through house visits and other festive occasions and gatherings, such as National Day and Chinese New Year events.
