New centre for caregivers of the intellectually disabled

Mr Jeffrey Tan (centre), President of The Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) at the opening of the dedicated Caregivers Support Services Centre at Jalan Ubi. ST PHOTO: ALICIA CHAN
Mr Liew Chong Pow (far left) with his son Jonathan and Minds staff (from left) Ms Joie Aludino and Ms Koh Chu Wen at the group’s new facility at Kembangan-Chai Chee Community Hub. ST PHOTO: ALICIA CHAN

SINGAPORE - Caregivers of the intellectually disabled can look forward to more help and support with the opening of a new centre at Jalan Ubi.

The Movement of the Intellectually Disabled (Minds), which serves 2,300 beneficiaries, decided to have a dedicated Caregivers Support Services Centre to give caregivers a space to get to know one another better and refer them to other services if needed. Counseling and respite care services are also provided.

"There is no need for you to struggle alone; so take time to bond with other caregivers," Minds president Jeffrey Tan told caregivers in the audience at the launch. "Share your stories of the challenges you have been through and the obstacles that you have overcome..."

The new centre, launched by Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin on Friday, aims to address the financial, social, emotional and training needs of these caregivers.

It is part of Minds two-storey multi-service facility at the Kembangan-Chai Chee Community Hub, which houses several other voluntary welfare organisations, too.

Besides the Caregivers Support Services Centre, the Minds facility will also contain its largest day activity centre to date.

Minds now has four day activity centres that provide care services and skills training for those with intellectual disabilities. The waitlist for a place at these centres can stretch up to two years and Minds intends to open two more such centres, in Jurong East and Clementi ,in the next two years.

In a speech at the opening ceremony Mr Tan said: "Caregivers experience fatigue, stress and burnout so providing the community support is particularly critical."

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