Lim Boon Heng (left) said the family in Singapore is undergoing change, but this does not suggest that the young have become unwilling to look after the elderly. --ST PHOTO: ARTHUR LEE CH
THE family in Singapore is undergoing change, but this does not suggest that the young have become unwilling to look after the elderly.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Boon Heng said this on Saturday, when he was asked to comment on a recent survey.
The survey by the Council for Third Age had found that a third of the young were not willing to care for the elderly.
Some 2,000 Singapore residents aged 16 and above were asked about their attitudes towards ageing. The survey findings were reported on June 6.
He said the survey's findings were not conclusive of the general attitude of Singaporeans as it was the first of its kind.
He suggested three possible reasons for the findings.
'First, family size has gone down,' he noted. With fewer children in each family, the responsibility of looking after parents will be greater.
Secondly, people are living longer. With parents retiring at, say, 62, they will have to depend on their children for 15 to 20 years. 'It's a long time compared to what it used to be,' Mr Lim said.
Lastly, with the home ownership scheme a success, many young couples now have their own flats after marriage, instead of living with their parents.
It means 'there are two household expenses to take care of instead of one, and therefore the financial burden gets higher', he added.
