Groups that support seniors to receive more integrated Govt support
SINGAPORE — Starting out as a humble activity centre for senior citizens in Kampong Glam in 1995, PEACE-Connect today provides social and medical support to about 80 per cent of the 2,000 elderly residents in the area.
SINGAPORE — Starting out as a humble activity centre for senior citizens in Kampong Glam in 1995, PEACE-Connect today provides social and medical support to about 80 per cent of the 2,000 elderly residents in the area.
About 300 elderly residents also visit its two centres daily for various activities.
Over the years, the role of PEACE-Connect has evolved along with the needs of Kampong Glam’s residents as they grow older.
Mrs Lucy Tan, PEACE-Connect’s cluster director, said: “The situation became more complex. We begin to realise that we cannot just be a seniors’ activity centre where people come together to ‘makan’ (eat) and enjoy. We also have to move into something which is needed as they grow older: (Responding to their) medical needs.”
Groups such as PEACE-Connect will soon benefit from more integrated support from the Government in caring for senior citizens through Community Networks for Seniors.
The networks will comprise local stakeholders, such as voluntary welfare organisations, community volunteers, schools and businesses.
“At the core, the network will have a small team of full-time officers to study the health and social needs of seniors and draw together stakeholders to provide coordinated support,” Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said in announcing the pilot during his Budget address yesterday.
Mrs Tan also noted that as the ageing residents’ medical needs grew, PEACE-Connect had to partner other agencies to provide specialist care since it could only attend to their less complex needs.
For instance, a mobile doctor from MW Medical Centre now comes by once a week to check on residents suffering from chronic illnesses, while a physiotherapist from Saint Andrew’s Community Hospital helps residents who are recovering from mild strokes.
Mrs Tan has been developing such partnerships independently with the help of PEACE-Connect’s adviser, Ms Denise Phua, a Member of Parliament for Jalan Besar GRC.
Mrs Tan is now looking forward to tapping onto a bigger network under the Community Networks for Seniors.
The pilot programme will also appoint Pioneer Generation Ambassadors to help encourage seniors to stay active and connect them to relevant support services where needed.
“With this kind of networking, we are able to link everybody up and things are done better, faster, and with better coordination,” said Mrs Tan.