A look at the type of residents in our local nursing homes. Estimated to be 14,000 strong.
Today, those residents / patients living in the nursing homes are mostly 70 years old and above. Some may be as young as 50 plus who suffers from stroke.
Most are on wheel-chairs, others are bed-ridden. Probably 10% to 20% are mobile but still need assistance in bathing and changing.
Educational level : Never go to school or had very little schooling in their younger days.
Communication : Mostly speaks local dialects. Hokkien, teochew, cantonese, hakka and a few others. Malays speak malay with a mixture of broken English. Indians speak mostly tamil.
In year 2030 : Those born during Singapore's independence in 1965 will be 65 years old. Most are better educated, a high percentage are either college or university graduates. Their expections are much higher. Quality of life, nursing care and facilities, treatment and handling, professional medical services. Surely, they expected a lot more. Are the authorities prepared