Age-Friendly Communities
Pilot scheme for elderly: Living together, staying independent
The Government is looking at a new 'group living' concept designed to enable elderly Singaporeans with little or no family support to continue living independently. Under a pilot scheme, two or three frail elderly residents will be housed in a rental flat, and be given help in cleaning the place and even with cooking. Two voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) will try out this arrangement with about half a dozen one-room flats in Pipit Road and another six in Henderson Road.
Healthcare & Wellness
Help to breathe easy - at home
IT WAS a prolonged hospital stay that could have been avoided. Faced with breathing difficulties due to a spinal cord injury, a patient needed a ventilation machine to help him breathe. But the complexities of managing one, lack of home support and financial help meant he ended up staying in the hospital for 13 months, until he died.
Global healthcare brokerage targets Asian market with a wide range of custom-tailored insurance packages
"The understanding of health insurance is not well developed in the Asian market. The idea of telling people to give money for a long time, without expecting returns, is not well-accepted. That's why we decided to start Just Healthcare," says Dr Neil Weston. ‘‘Health insurance is like a good marriage. You must find the right one, and hope it lasts forever,’’ says Dr Neil Watson.
Government / NGO & Economy
Health subsidy scheme gets new name
A programme that gives middle- and lower-income Singaporeans access to medical care by general practitioners (GPs) at subsidised rates has been renamed. Previously going by the name Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS), it will now be called the Community Health Assist Scheme.
Design, Planning, Construction
Campbell Luscombe Architects gain global award in aged care design
Australian firm Campbell Luscombe Architects received some positive international recognition for its work in the aged care sector late last year. Company director Leo Campbell was named ‘Most Outstanding Architect in Over 50s Housing’ in the 2011 Global Over 50s Housing – Healthcare Awards.
Ageing Research
Medicine use by the elderly soaring, study finds
MEDICINE use by middle-aged and older people has skyrocketed, raising the risk of dangerous side effects from interactions between prescription drugs, and inflating out-of-pocket costs for unsubsidised supplements recommended by doctors. Nearly half of people aged 50 or older take at least five drugs or supplements on a typical day, the first comprehensive survey of the issue in more than a decade has found.
