SINGAPORE - The NTUC-U Care Fund has donated S$1 million to support the growing needs of the elderly.

Part of the donation will be used to convert selected NTUC Health day care centres into Senior Care Centres, which offer enhanced care services such as community nursing, active rehabilitation and dementia care alongside day care.

Two day care centres at Dakota Crescent and Fengshan have been converted so far, bringing the current number of such senior centres under NTUC Health to four. Punggol South and Jurong Central are slated to complete their conversion by early next year.

The donation was presented on Thursday to the Eldercare Trust, a charity under NTUC, the umbrella body for trade unions here.

Besides the centre conversions, a large part of the S$1 million donation will go towards financial assistance to senior citizens from low- to middle-income families who are using NTUC Health's care centres and home care services.

Thus far, the Fund through the Eldercare Trust has given financial assistance to more than 400 seniors. It aims to help close to 700 seniors next year.