A Critical Review of Singapore's Policies Aimed at Supporting Families Caring for Older Members

Abstract

This article critically examines the family-oriented social policies of the Singapore government aimed at supporting families caring for older members. The sectors focused on are financial security, health, and housing. Singaporeans have been reminded that the family should be the first line of defense for aging families, followed by the community - the state would step in as the last resort. Drawing from recent research and examination of the state policies, the author argues that more should be done to help family caregivers looking after elder relatives. Recommendations for innovative ways to recognize and reward family carers conclude the paper.

The Global Political Economy of the Household in Asia

“…A third and final form of discipline that follows from the earlier two is in the production of norms. Ultimately, even if the CPF system has been shown to be inadequate as a form of retirement funds, particularly for low-income households (Mehta 2006;Ishita 2008;Bhaskaran et al 2012), it shapes Singaporeans' conception of individual responsibility and ties their self-worth to employment and self-reliance. World Values Surveys (World Values Survey Association 2009) reveal some interesting comparative figures that suggest Singaporeans value work highly and indeed see it as having moral worth.…”

Fall concern about older persons shifts to carers as changing health policy focuses on family, home-based care

“…(1,2) Recently, national policies have been implemented to encourage families to undertake the role of primary care provider. These policies, which address the distribution of financial responsibilities, have not been well studied for their societal impact and success.…”

“…(1,3) These expectations imply that the costs and burden of care for older people at risk of falls will be largely family-based. The family system must, therefore, be adequately prepared, supported and resourced to take on the challenges of caregiving with accessible community support.…”

Expressive social support buffers the impact of care-related work interruptions on caregivers’ depressive symptoms

“…While most health care systems rely on informal care or assume that it will be readily available, shrinking family sizes mean that caregiving responsibilities will likely be shared among fewer family members, thereby placing an increased burden on individual family caregivers (Butterworth, Pymont, Rodgers, Windsor, & Anstey, 2010; Mehta, 2006a; Roth et al, 2015; Verbakel, Metzelthin, & Kempen, 2016). Within this context, the mental health of family caregivers requires special attention.…”

“…Thus, it is worthwhile to look at the role of expressive and instrumental social support from family and friends instead. Little is known about how such social support affects working caregivers’ experience of strain (Ayman & Antani, 2008), even though the family environment remains the primary locus of care for most older adults (Mehta, 2006a), and the attitudes and behaviour of family members and friends influence that of caregivers and shape their experiences (Hammer et al, 2002). …”