Online portal launched to search and book services with caregivers

SINGAPORE — People in need of respite, step-down and at-home care will now be able to book and confirm their appointments instantly.

Caregiver Asia launched a new online matching portal (http://www.caregiverasia.com) today (Feb 3), which allows people to search and book services with caregivers. It also allows healthcare and caregiving professionals, such as doctors, allied-health professionals and nurse aides, to list their services on the portal.

Practitioners can state their areas of specialty, along with their terms and conditions of service, giving them the opportunity to cast a wider net for those requiring care services.

Caregiver Asia chief executive Yeo Wan Ling said the failure to receive trusted and on-time care, especially when it comes to the care of a loved one, could lead to heartache and stress for a family. “We believe that everyone deserves to have easy and transparent access to accredited, reasonably priced and quality care services,” she said.

The portal will also give those unable to work full time an opportunity to re-enter the workforce as independent health and care practitioners. Towards this end, Caregiver Asia, which was established last February, will partner Silver Spring, a social enterprise that helps mid-career professionals find second careers.

“Through (the) portal, retired nurses and mid-career switchers, who have much to contribute in terms of their expertise and energy ... can find creative outlets to provide their services,” said Silver Spring founding partner and chief executive Helen Lim.

Caregiver Asia has plans to extend the portal, which took half a year to develop, to other parts of Asia, including Malaysia and Hong Kong, and hopes to build a network of one million caregivers across the region by year’s end.