SINGAPORE - More elderly residents in western Singapore can soon be cared for at home rather than in an institution, with the official launch of home care services offered by Tzu Chi Foundation (Singapore) on Wednesday.
The Taiwan-based charity, which has two clinics in Redhill and Jurong East providing free health screenings, is also the first overseas-based home care provider here. It hopes to serve 300 elderly residents in three years, in areas such as Bukit Batok and Clementi.
Mr Low Swee Seh, chief executive of the charity's Singapore arm, said expanding its services to cover home care was a natural step as most of its beneficiaries are elderly.
"I hope this gives families and caregivers ... more reason to consider home care as a convenient and viable option to help their loved ones age comfortably and independently at home," he said.
Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor was guest of honour at the launch event at the Redhill clinic. She said the charity's move to provide home care services was timely, given the growing demand for such services.
Singapore has been encouraging home care for seniors so they can age comfortably in a familiar environment, and to help ease the crunch in hospital beds. Dr Khor said the Government is on track to meeting its target of allowing 10,000 people to receive home medical and nursing care by 2020, up from about 6,000 now.
