Ju Eng Home building S$26m eldercare complex

SINGAPORE — Voluntary welfare organisation Ju Eng Home is building a new four-storey complex to meet rising demand for elderly nursing care. This will add 250 beds to its existing capacity, of which 100 will be set aside for dementia patients.

The projected is estimated to cost S$26 million. When completed in June next year, the home will have 584 beds. Dormitories will also be built for its 250-strong staff.

Dr Intan Azura, Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, who was at the ground-breaking ceremony for the complex yesterday, noted that there is a long waiting list at nursing homes. However, she said Singaporeans must not be over-reliant on such homes to take care of their aged parents.

“While nursing homes are still needed, especially for families who really cannot take care of their parents, we would want to encourage Singaporeans to take care of them first at home. If they have to work and can’t take care of their parents during the day, there are day-care centres where they can leave them for rehab and interaction with other seniors,” said Dr Intan.

Last month, the Government announced it was increasing its original target of 15,600 nursing home beds by 2020 to 17,000.

It is also considering operating three or four nursing homes with a total of 1,000 beds as part of efforts to expand and offer more options in the eldercare sector.

Making the announcement then, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said greater nursing home capacity is needed to meet an anticipated increase in demand as the population ages in the next few decades.