Daily Lessons from Life 01 February 2012 - Residents upset over planned elder day care centre

"Residents upset over planned elder day care centre - CNA 01 February 2012

SINGAPORE: Residents in Woodlands Street 83 are up in arms over the proposed construction of an elder day care centre in the neighbourhood.

They have petitioned their Member of Parliament (MP) Ellen Lee, in a bid to get the centre to move elsewhere.

The Ministry of Health plans to set up a 570 square-metre elder care centre at the void decks of Blocks 860 and 861 at Woodlands St 83.

But nine in 10 residents in the area are against the idea.

Some unhappy residents said the centre will affect the value of their flats.

One resident said: "Actually we are very squeezed for space here. There is a Residents' Committee office at the void deck, and next to it there is a childcare centre. So there is very little space left for children to play in."

MP for Sembawang Group Representation Constituency, Ellen Lee, said: "My conflict is how to balance the needs of these elderly who need this service -- not only the elderly but also their caregivers -- with that of residents who feel that their space has been violated, will be taken away from them."

To deal with a greying population, the Ministry of Health aims to build more elder day care centres in housing estates.

Currently, there are 54 such centres in housing estates, out of which, 41 are located at void decks."

First of all I like to KNOW for sure WHO conducted the survey that showed 9 out of 10 residents in that 2 blocks OPPOSED the building of the Elder Care Center? Also, did the poll cover ALL residents in that 2 blocks, if indeed there was a poll or survey being done?

41 out of the existing 54 such centers in housing estates are located at void decks. This fact tells a truer story of HOW residents in housing estates take to such centers. That they have NO problme with it!!

Lessons for me are:

1. we want RESPONSIBLE reporting from the main stream media. Investigative rather than sensationalizing! The sensationalizing bit can be left for the 'mystery woman' who 'brought down 2 top civil servants' type of news!! For goodness sake!!;

2. the MP should do what is right and try to explain to the 'unhappy' residents on the fact that the elders need MORE help than they. And that they TOO will one day by old and weak and needs such a center to cater to their needs in their twilight years. My block has a handicapped persons care center and I DO NOT believe the value of my HDB flat has been negatively impacted!!

In fact, it is STUPID to talk about VALUE of your flat when you are talking about elders who can be YOUR parents or grandparents. Are MONEY more important thatn your family members?

If so, maybe these residents have FULLY taken on the government's mantra that: money is very important though NOT the most important!! More important than human being!!

3. it is very sad, from my point of view, to learn of such a news. I hope that the reporter, after doing a more thorough investigation, will prove me wrong. That the story was sensationalized and that the residents, only a minority of them, objected to the building of such a center at the void decks of their blocks.

For the sake of Singapore, for the sake of human feeling, for the sake of goodness gracious, let this news be reversed to: residents welcome the building of such a elders care center.

Also, may this also spurs the MCYS to build 'lively elders care center' and CHANGE the perception of such center FOREVER!!