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$200,000 to help defray costs for low-income elderly
SENIOR citizens in the North East District who have problems footing their health-care bills will now have a $200,000 fund to tap on.
The fund comprises a $100,000 donation from New Moon, a local company, which has been matched dollar-for-dollar by the North East Community Development Council (CDC).
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said the Seniors’ Health-care Fund will support low-income citizens and permanent residents aged 50 and above who have a health condition.
“This will be for families which have a (monthly) per capita household income of below $500, (who) despite all the other assistance schemes available, still require some assistance,” DPM Teo said.
The fund, to be allocated evenly among the welfare committees of the 17 constituencies in the North East District, can also be tapped to pay for day rehabilitation services and non-standard treatment or drugs.
North East District Mayor Teo Ser Luck said this will help defray some of the costs which the lower-income elderly might have problems paying.
He said that with Singapore’s ageing population, there will be an increasing number of the elderly with chronic illnesses – which would cost more in terms of treatment.
In 1997, Singapore had about 217,000 people aged 65 and above, forming 7 per cent of the population. By 2030, the number is expected to increase to about 800,000, making up 18.4 per cent of the population.
“What we hope is that the private sector, the government sector like CDCs, and also families, will come together to help support the senior citizens,” Mayor Teo said.
“With a greying population, this is really something we should think about... National policy can cover to a certain extent, but on the ground itself, we still have to cover some of the gaps.”
He added that the $200,000 is only the start, and that over time, more money will be added to the health-care fund when more additional amounts are raised to help needy seniors.
“We are ready to match up with any other (organisations) willing to contribute... If somebody comes forward with a million, we’ll match it with a million,” said the mayor.
Applications for the Seniors’ Health-care Fund can be made at the North East CDC, community centres and day rehabilitation centres in the North East District, as well as hospitals and polyclinics.
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