Forum: Recognise caregiving as integral part of Singapore’s long-term care strategy

Singapore has made significant progress in strengthening support for caregivers through financial assistance and long-term care subsidies.

However, as our society ages rapidly, there is a growing need to re-examine how caregiving is recognised – not just as an act of love, but also as an essential contribution to our healthcare system and economy.

Family caregivers provide an indispensable service that reduces the burden on hospitals and long-term care facilities. 

Research has valued informal caregiving in Singapore at $1.28 billion annually, equivalent to 11 per cent of government healthcare expenditure.

Despite this, caregiving remains largely unpaid and often results in financial strain, career sacrifices, and long-term health impacts for caregivers themselves.

I am a geropsychologist and my research has found that one in four distressed caregivers of stroke patients remains distressed even a year after the stroke. Caregivers are also joint decision-makers in long-term care, yet they often lack direct support for the financial and emotional costs they bear.

While I welcome Budget 2025’s measures that expand long-term care subsidies and financial assistance, these measures continue to prioritise care recipients rather than recognising the impact on caregivers themselves.

Caregiving is not just a private responsibility; it is a shared societal obligation.

Compensation represents a paradigm shift – moving beyond traditional support measures to recognising caregiving as essential labour.

This is not about asking for more aid but about rethinking how caregiving is valued.

Instead of viewing caregiving as an individual responsibility, we must recognise it as an integral part of Singapore’s long-term care strategy.

Rather than focusing solely on how much additional support caregivers need, we should be asking a more fundamental question: How should caregiving costs be shared across individuals, families and the state? Should caregiving continue to be an individual responsibility, or should the broader economic impact of unpaid caregiving be formally recognised?

As Singapore moves towards a super-aged society, there are existing models which serve as references.

Countries like Australia and Britain provide caregiver allowances to compensate for lost income. Germany recognises caregiving through pension contributions, ensuring caregivers do not face long-term financial insecurity.

A national caregiver registry could also help formally recognise caregivers and ensure structured support.

With one in four Singaporeans expected to be aged 65 and above by 2030, ensuring that caregiving remains sustainable is a national priority. The question is no longer whether or how much we support caregivers – it is how fairly and sustainably we recognise their contributions.

Wayne Freeman Chong