Forum: Consider introducing formal caregiver leave
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The recent commentary by Adrian Tan, “The S’pore caregiver who snapped: Abdul Rani’s 14-year burden went unnoticed until it was too late” (July 11), highlights the often invisible pressures faced by family caregivers.
As Singapore ages, more working adults are balancing employment with caring for elderly parents, spouses or siblings, often at personal and emotional cost. Employment policies should evolve to reflect this reality.
While annual leave is intended for employees’ personal rest, and maternity and paternity leave recognise parenting responsibilities, there is no comparable workplace recognition for employees with eldercare responsibilities.
Cases such as those the writer described reinforce findings from studies showing that prolonged caregiving can affect psychological well-being. This may, in turn, affect work performance, family relationships and overall resilience if caregivers are left without adequate support.
In Singapore, support for family caregiving has largely focused on financial assistance and training, such as the Home Caregiving Grant, Caregivers Training Grant and Migrant Domestic Worker levy concession, to help families care for loved ones at home.
These measures are valuable but do not address the employment challenges faced by working family caregivers.
While foreign domestic workers can help with daily care, family members continue to hold responsibilities such as care coordination, healthcare decisions and providing emotional support. These responsibilities often require flexibility at work.
Introducing formal caregiver leave would acknowledge these realities. It would give employees the capacity to fulfil essential caregiving responsibilities without exhausting their annual leave or feeling penalised for meeting family obligations.
Singapore has rightly recognised the importance of supporting parents through workplace leave provisions. As our population ages, it is time to consider extending similar recognition to employees with substantial caregiving responsibilities.
Seng Ann Sim
