Daily Lessons from Life 29 December 2013 - Building a more inclusive society by strengthening social safety nets

"Building a more inclusive society by strengthening social safety nets - CNA 29 December 2013

SINGAPORE: Building a more caring and inclusive society, as well as putting in place stronger social safety nets, were part of a significant shift that put the needs of the less fortunate and the elderly front and centre in 2013.

Channel NewsAsia sums up developments this year, and finds out what to expect in 2014.

In his National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong underlined the commitment of the government and the community to do more on social support.
Some 20 Social Service Offices within HDB towns island-wide will be set up over the next two to three years.  This is to bring social services closer to those who need them most.
Seniors too, now have over 100 access points at restructured hospitals, community hospitals and seniors activity centres to tap on the enhanced Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund.  This is to help them remain mobile and live independently.
There are good news too for persons with disabilities.  SG Enable, which was set up in July, provides them with the necessary skills and training to join the workforce.
The elderly can expect more help - with upcoming changes expected with MediShield Life.
Mr Seah Kian Peng, Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Social and Family Development, said: "We can be assured that the concerns of the elderly need to be addressed, for now and for the future. The elderly will always be on the radar screen of our government."
One challenge, however, will be to ensure seamless access for all elderly needs.
Mr Chua Wei Bin, centre head of Cheng San Family Service Centre, said: "How can we integrate healthcare and social care cohesively for the elderly? Very often, funding bodies fund either healthcare or social care, they don't fund it together."
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: "The government will do more but the ultimate test of our success is not how much the government does or how much we spend, but the outcomes of these programmes."
And this is a challenge that voluntary welfare organisations also recognise.
In 2014, we can expect greater focus in ensuring the effectiveness and coherence between programmes in the social services."

This is JUST one aspect of the many challenges Singapore faced now and in the next 10-20 years. Just on this front alone, the lessons I take away are:

1. rapid ageing and the challenges it will bring can be anticipated clearly as quite a few so-called advanced countries had already felt the impact of such a social and demographical trend! e.g. Japan and China!;

2. that Singapore government recognized the need to provide help to these group of citizens COULD HAVE come a bit earlier and NOT after the destabilizing setback suffered at the GE2012 and the 2 By-Election defeats at the hands of the Opposition Party, the Workers' Party. Alas, it is better late than never! So, there is this 'change of mindset' to put the elderly and the less fortunate front and center of the government's radar screen. This is good. Now let's make sure that the promises are met!;

3. it is clear that the aged will NO LONGER be cared for directly by their children, if they have any, but by maids or in the 'nursing home' or 'retirement village' IF they or their children can afford that after some, or without any, government's subsidies. The challenge is for those who CANNOT afford it. What is to become of them? IF there is NO SUBSIDIES, the aged will just wish to die instead of living to a ripe old age of 85 or more, that being the average lifespan of Singaporeans, give and take 2-5 years between the female and male citizens.

For the 'old' aged, it is a bit too late for those who are already sicked and unwell. Somehow the government SIMPLY just have to pay to take care of them IF they and their children, if any, truly cannot affort the care of these 'aged' people.

For the 'new' aged, hopefully the constant drumming of living a healthy, or healthier, lifestyle will keep them from becoming sick and thus living a quality old age lifestyle. For these group of people, most probably will have some saving and insurance coverage to NOT suck too much resources from the government!

As for the NGOs and people running them, higher compassion and high professionalism will help to stretch the government's funding longer and farther!