The demand for more eldercare alternatives, especially those with a greater range of services, is growing as more Singaporeans reach the age of 65. As the population grows older, it becomes increasingly crucial to satisfy their needs. It ought to be obvious that when their general health deteriorates, older individuals find it more difficult to maintain a high level of living.
As a result, several government organizations in Singapore seek to enhance the assistance and care provided to the older population of the nation to make their lives more comfortable and effective by offering assisted living and care apartments.
HDB Assisted Living Flats — What It Is?
Overall, the health of the patient has been affected as a result of many families not having the money or resources to give their elderly loved ones the care they required. Many actions are being taken to address each of these problems. One example is the foundational housing effort that the Singapore Ministry of National Development launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Housing Development Board (HDB) to increase the availability of decent housing for the elderly.
The apartments are intended to increase the supply of senior housing options and will typically include care services that can be tailored to elders’ requirements. Moreover, by integrating senior-friendly housing with high-quality healthcare, the assisted living and bedroom spaces give the elderly the chance to age in place and independently in a furnished communal space.
The HDB has created a substitute for assisted living for elderly people within the community care apartments. Unlike conventional retirement homes or healthcare institutions, assisted living apartments provide a range of essential services. It claims that elderly people who fit the standards for this type of housing are also eligible for government-funded nursing home care, basic health checks, better housing subsidies, and support.
Is it Possible to Convert HDB Flats Into Assisted Living Apartments?
To offer HDB units with shorter leases a basic service package that could be supplemented as necessary for additional charges, the Housing & Development Board has introduced a brand-new design for community care flats. By Singaporean norms, the program is a ground-breaking demonstration of government innovation because it incorporates housing and caregiving. Unfortunately, it is difficult for them to maintain growth because it takes a long time to build new flats. Yet, converting current HDB and private property into assisted living flats may be more adaptable.
Who Are Eligible to Apply for the HDB Assisted Living Units?
The target demographic for HDB community care units and assisted living facilities is indeed the aging population. This is one to consider, but it’s not the only factor. The elderly needs to meet the requirements listed below to qualify for HDB assisted living and community care apartments:
- 65 years of age or older; Singaporean citizen at the time of application.
- Has a monthly income cap of $14,000
- Not allowed to have formerly rented or purchased a studio apartment or a 2-room Flexi flat.
- The term of the lease is somewhere between 15 and 35 years, with increments of 5 years.
- Until they reach 95 years old or above, the applicants and their spouses, if any, are protected by the lease
- Includes a list of mandatory services that must be provided and will be provided throughout the lease
- Priority has been granted to seniors who need immediate medical care right away
Introduction of HDB Assisted Living Flats under the BTO in February 2021
Following a government advisory on assisted living, the first Community Care Apartments were established in 2021 by the Ministries of National Development, Health, and Housing and Development Board. They were located at Bukit Batok West Avenue 9 and offered seniors 65 and older a low-cost housing option that included senior-friendly amenities and top-notch healthcare services that were tailored to the senior patient’s care needs.
In Bukit Batok’s CCAs, senior citizens can live good, independent lives while planning for their long-term medical needs. Every 32 sq. meter unit incorporates senior-friendly features including handrails and wheelchair-accessible bathrooms with slip-resistant floors to make it more convenient for elders to move around their flats. Other features that make it simple for older people to settle in and need very little in the way of renovations include a built-in closet, drawers, and a fully functional kitchen. For the different stages of assisted living, it also offers communal spaces where tenants can mingle and form social networks.
How Does Joint Balloting for HDB Flats Work?
The most intriguing feature is that HDB permits a joint ballot with a relative or a friend who is also seeking a community care apartment. If both of you have been successful in your respective ballots for a flat, you can reserve your apartments jointly to provide mutual assistance and care.
The following are the procedures to follow to do this:
- The applicants acknowledge that their flat applications will be paired.
- The first household completes and submits the online unit paperwork as usual.
- The second household would then specify in their apartment application that they are requesting shared voting and include the registration number of the first unit.
Should Your Senior Consider HDB Flats Now?
Considering that it took 27 years to fulfill the need for assisted living in an HDB property, the government ought to compensate for that time and create regulations that would incentivize the private assisted living development board to explore innovative models in a secure and long-lasting way. The construction of an active ageing centre must, at the minimum, be hindered by those who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
There is still a possibility that we’ll die alone and declining swiftly, though every one of us aspires to live and age comfortably, probably in our old age. Retire Genie offers outstanding assisted living support services and amenities that will greatly benefit Singapore’s older population and aid in their survival and success, together with Housing and Development Board as an alternative. Retire Genie, undoubtedly offers solutions for assisted living homes in Singapore, and that is relatively unknown in the state.
