I recently applied for respite care for my aunt, who is a stroke patient, because her maid would be away for a home visit in Indonesia.

Respite care, as its name suggests, means putting one’s loved one into short-term care, allowing caregivers to take a break from caregiving. This could be day care at a senior care centre, or staying at a nursing home.

We wanted a residential care setting, and explored the nursing home option. However, there seem to be different views regarding the duration of respite care, with some agencies stating a maximum of two months – with one month applicable for subsidy as determined by means testing – and others stating one month.

It is also unclear what subsidies a patient is entitled to, despite means testing. And the wait for a vacant bed can be between four and six weeks.

A one-month stay at a private nursing home can cost around $6,000 for a four-bed room. Respite care has become a luxury item, costing a lot more than a stay at an acute hospital, despite offering fewer medical and treatment services.

With the implementation of the Healthcare Services Act, under which healthcare providers will be licensed based on the healthcare service provided, perhaps the Agency for Integrated Care, private healthcare providers and the Ministry of Health can come together to more clearly define respite care services at nursing homes.

Ng Weng Keong