To promote care of elderly parents, give extra paid leave
I refer to the Prime Minister’s National Day Rally speech (“A clarion call to keep S’pore special”; Aug 24).
I refer to the Prime Minister’s National Day Rally speech (“A clarion call to keep S’pore special”; Aug 24).
He mentioned that fathers will get more paternity leave, newborns will get more in Medisave, parents will get more in Baby Bonus, low-income earners will get more housing grants, et cetera.
There is, however, another group of people who must care for their elderly parents. For example, I am a 57-year-old single person living with my mother, aged 93. Due to her age, I must take her to the doctor for monthly check-ups to ensure she is all right and to get medicines prescribed for her heart and arthritis.
To fulfil this duty as a filial son, I take 12 days of annual leave. She may also fall sick sometimes and need to visit the doctor for treatment — about six days a year. I am left with no more annual leave for myself.
To promote filial piety and care of elderly parents, the Government should consider giving people like us a few days of extra leave entitlement.
While we welcome babies, let us not forget that carers of the elderly must also make personal sacrifices. Owing to the love of our elderly parents, we do not shrug our shoulders; I have witnessed many unmarried individuals caring for their parents in silence.
I hope the Government could pay for a week of leave, implemented on a voluntary basis, for those with parents aged 75 and above. Only one child of each elderly individual, preferably one living with the parent, should enjoy this privilege.
The individual must produce a document, signed and stamped by a medical practitioner, to the employer to qualify. Employers must submit this to the relevant authority, which would subsequently ensure only one child of the elderly person claims this privilege, and reimburse the employer. The leave would be withdrawn if it is abused or when the elderly person has died.