Over the years, calls for greater support for caregivers have cropped up periodically, including in Parliament. It is heartening to see that such calls have not fallen on deaf ears. Last week, the Government added a vital piece to the fabric of support, with a new Caregiver Support Action Plan. Measures include a new grant to offset care costs, more options for respite care, and allowing people to use Medisave to help pay for siblings' care, MPs heard in Parliament last week.

The range of caregiver support has been expanding over the years. Grants help caregivers attend training courses. Respite services are available. A network of caregiver support is being built up. Today, government subsidies are available for home-based nursing and medical services to augment family caregiving. Among the new measures, the caregiving grant is noteworthy for representing a small but significant shift in thinking.