SINGAPORE - The Ju Eng Home at Jalan Kayu, which currently cares for 334 patients, will be expanded to a 584-bed facility by June 2016.

When completed, it will be Singapore's largest nursing home, until the Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital opens its new 12-storey, 600-bed nursing home at Serangoon Road in 2017.

On Sunday, the home started construction of the new $26 million complex which includes a new 4-storey nursing home wing, a 3-storey dormitory for its workers and new facilities such as kitchen and laundry.

The groundbreaking of the facility comes a month after the Ministry of Health announced in August that it would be targeting 17,150 nursing home beds by 2020, up from 15,600 previously - a 10 per cent increase. This is to cater to Singapore's ageing population.