Vital for eldercare centres to be within community

It is important to site senior care facilities within the community, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Friday, revealing that the Government is looking for more places to build them.

The one at Jalan Batu is the fourth centre to be opened this year. Six to seven more will be opened by the end of this year or by early next year, he said. "Overall, we're looking at 100 facilities of different types but similar to this," he said.

Aside from making it easier for elderly residents to get the therapy they need, it also provides them with a place to socialise and gives healthy residents living nearby the chance to volunteer their services.

He told the gathering of more than 400 residents, care-givers and volunteers present at the opening ceremony on Friday morning: "Part of the reason why we want to locate aged care facilities in the community, aside from making aged care more accessible, is also to tap on the energy and the 'heartware' already existing in the community, to foster a more inclusive environment for our seniors to age in."

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.