GEK2001/SSA2202/GES1003

Changing Landscapes of
Singapore
Bicentennial Version
(2019 only)
LECTURE 8: LANDSCAPES FOR THE
ELDERLY

DR . KAMALINI RAMDAS
 Outline
 Mini Quiz
 Recap – landscapes of familyhood and community
 Today’s objectives
 Some definitions and Singapore’s ageing context
 3 Landscapes: economic, care, and socialisation and
entertainment
 Active Ageing
 Recent issues on landscapes for the elderly
 The future: issues for consideration
 Summary
 Recap
 Definition and link between gender, sexuality, community and
nation
 Ideal type vs. reality of family, community life in Singapore
 Promote certain values, or good behaviour (civic-mindedness):
some strategies more successful than others
 Familyhood and community in Singapore: turning space into
place  shared values: what are these? How relevant are they
today? How important is public housing to building community?
 Dominant landscapes and alternative landscapes (HDB vs Pink
Dot) and (comparative examples within HDB)
 How dominant landscapes are contested (curry incident)
Today’s Objectives
 Understanding ageing vs ageism
 Singapore state policies toward population ageing and its
resultant landscapes.
 Older people’s response to spatial planning.
 Changing landscapes of the elderly in Singapore, recent
issues
Mini Quiz
Upgrading of the estate will help to promote family
values and attract younger generations to move
closer to their parents

Building parks and gardens doesn't promote family

values
Ageing vs. Ageism
All of us are getting older: ageing as a biomedical, scientific
phenomenon

Ageing as socially constructed: socio-cultural processes that

affect how ageing is perceived…
Ageism
 The ascription of an appropriate set of behavior for
people at various stages of their life-course.
 Premised on the idea that people of a similar age share
many other characteristics, including hobbies, problems,
expectations, likes/dislikes.
 Ageism is frequently reflected in/through state policies
(as seen through landscapes).
 A Social Liability or
Wealth of Knowledge
and Experience?
 Older people are not considered as important as the young as
they play peripheral roles in country’s economy and also
deemed as a burden to society.
 Thus, neglect of the needs of, and diminishment of space and
resources dedicated to the elderly in Singapore, particularly as
provided by the state. How has this changed over the years?
 Marginal position of older people in Singapore society.
 Or do we see them as more knowledgeable, wiser, ‘mature’,
serious.
The “Greying” of
Singapore
 Young population has shrunk tremendously in the last 30
years.
 In the early 1960s, those aged 60 and above never
exceeded 4% of the total population.
 Census data show that residents aged 65 and above
constitute 12.4% of the resident population in 2016 (it
was 7.2% in 2000).
 Declining Old-Age
Support Ratio

Source: Population White Paper, pp 12

What does this mean?
 Older people may be growing in numbers but they are
still not yet the majority population. Economy is still
dependent on contributions of the “young” so landscapes
will reflect their influence.
 Changes need to be made to the landscape to reflect the
growing number of older Singaporeans?
 How do we decide what older Singaporeans need? Are
there ageist assumptions that underpin this decision
making process?
Landscapes of Ageing
“The material spaces and places which we live,
work, engage in leisure activities are age graded
and, in turn, age is associated with particular places
and spaces. Our metaphorical social position also
varies with increasing age as old age is
peripheralized into discrete locations while youth is
everywhere” (Laws 1997:91)
State’s Responses to
Ageing Population: Issues
and Contestations
 Economic Landscapes

 Landscapes of Care

 Landscapes of Socialisation and Entertainment

Economic Landscapes
of the Elderly
 To keep more older people in the workforce, the
mandatory retirement age has continually been
revised.
 For example,
1993 – raised from 55 to 60;
1999 – raised to 62; ( in other words cannot be dismissed
because of your age, and can legally work to 62 years of age).
As of 1 July 2017 - employers must offer re-employment up to
67 years (before this re-employment was only until 65 years).

Why?
Keeping the Elderly in
the Workforce
 To ensure that more people in the population are
financially independent.
 To provide opportunities for the elderly to be
physically and mentally engaged.
 To allow older people to fill in employment gaps
in the Singapore economy.
 To harness work experiences of the elderly.
“It would be a big help if Singaporeans stayed on the
job longer…we cant retire at age 55 and then live on
until 80 or more. It’s okay if you retire at 55 and you live
on for five, 10 years – well, you enjoy your
grandchildren – but to work for 30 years of your life and
then to cool heels for 25 more years, I think you will go
ga-ga – cannot be done”.

- PM Lee Hsien Loong, National Day Rally 2005

Issues
 Many elderly working because they have to rather than
because they want to. Is this a reflection of the failure of
the state to provide for elderly in Singapore?
 Limited types of jobs available for the elderly in
Singapore. Many of them are in low-end jobs.
 Elderly not compensated according to experiences and
contributions. Salary is lower and medical benefits also
affected.
 Remuneration policies reflect that older workers are
deemed as less productive.
 Issues
 Increase in retirement age to 65 years by 2030 and Increase in
reemployment age up to 70 years by 2030 to Assist Financial
Independence as life expectancy at birth increases to 85 years.
https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/national-day-rally-2019-reti
rement-age-to-go-up-to-65-older-workers-cpf-rates-to-be-raised
 Increasing cost of living: Single elderly aged 65 and above need at
least $1,379 a month to sustain
 Aegist attitude towards elderly workers: Negative assumptions
about health and ability to make decisions. health and decision-
maker’s age influence negative attitudes towards older workers.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/retirement
-re-employment-age-raised-cpf-withdrawal-65-68-70-11827194
State’s Responses to
Ageing Population: Issues
and Contestations
Economic Landscapes

Landscapes of Care

Landscapes of Socialisation and Entertainment

Whose responsibility
is aged care?
“It is better for families to look after the aged rather than putting
them into old folks' homes or leaving them to look after
themselves. It is the responsibility of the young to look after
their aged parents. Admission to homes for the aged should
only be a last resort. To enable the aged to continue living in an
environment in which they are familiar with, support services
will be given to families with aged dependents, to help the aged
remain physically and socially active” (Ministry of Community
Development, 1987, p. 2).
Schemes to support
family-based care
 Financial schemes--top-up parent’s CPF; use adult children’s
CPF to pay for parents’ hospitalisation; tax subsidy for
parents staying with you etc.
 These schemes are generally meant to invoke Asian sense of
“filial piety” to encourage children to take care of their aged
parents thus freeing the state from the responsibility of
caring for the aged.
 Maintenance of Parents Act (1995).
 But state also assists: Multiple hands approach: E.g.
 Pioneer Generation Scheme to help defray health-care cost.
 Living with Family
 In the past minimal spaces assigned to care of older persons
because family fulfills that role. E.g. Housing schemes:
Joint Selection Scheme which assists parents and their children (who must be
above 21 years of age) in their application for separate flats but in the same block or in
the same housing estate.
Multi-Tier Family Housing Scheme which grants preferential treatment in flat
application (i.e. a shorter waiting time for the flat compared to the three-year
average that most Singaporeans are subject to), lower down- payments and
maximum loans for those who opt for it. Under this scheme, applicants can ask for
flats which are larger in size with enough space for two independent households.
Living with Family
 But now, changes are taking place. Improving
accessibility in HDB estates and other public buildings
and facilities.
◦ E.g. SkyTerrace@Dawson’s paired unit flats (studio
apartments paired with normal flats) to facilitate elderly
living close to their families.
◦ Double-chances in balloting for a new HDB flat for such
options.
◦ Those buying resale have higher CPF grants of S$40 000
(usu. S$30 000).
◦ Intergenerational facilities to cater needs of both elderly
and the young ones such as children’s playground, elderly
fitness centre and a Taiji court.
 Elderly Living on their
Own
 Studio apartments (400-500 sq ft at a cost between
S$63,000-87,000) with 30 year leases.

Convenience: Ideally located in estates with established transportation

networks, accessible facilities and amenities, your daily needs are well-
taken care of. Ground floor or flats with lifts on every floor.

Ready-to-occupy: floor tiles; built-in wardrobe; window grilles; built-in

kitchen cabinet with stove and hood.

Safety features: Lever taps; non-slip tiles, level flooring; support hand-
bars, pull-cords for emergency etc.
Response to Housing
the Elderly
 Price too high.
 Such estates often become targets of thieves and
conmen.
 All old people is not healthy (sense of isolation;
want integration with main society).
 In new estates, no friends (rooted to old
residence/estate) and unfamiliar surroundings.
 NIMBY
NIMBY
 Not in my backyard
 Residents who do not want their estates to be associated
with the elderly.
 Toh Yi residents objecting to building of studio
apartments for the elderly – citing loss of common green
space.
Challenges for Housing the
Elderly
 Independent elderly Stress on carers:
◦ “You can never know what it
 Ageing singles feels like to be deprived of
sleep for days on end unless
 Stress on carers you live through it yourself…
There were times when I
 Elderly estranged wanted to kill her [mother]. Or
myself” (Mrs. Chia, ST 13 Nov
from family 2010)
◦ Who are these carers?
◦ Support for carers?
◦ Eldercare days off?
Alternatives to Family-based
Care
 What are state provisions of care for the elderly?
Multiple hands approach
 State subsidised but also those run by VWOs (Voluntary
Welfare Organisation) e.g. NTUC Eldercare, Thye Hua Kwan
Moral Charities and TOUCH Community
What more can be done?
Day Care Centres
 In newer housing estates like Bt Batok etc.
but what about old housing estates such as
Kreta Ayer, Kallang, Tanjong Pagar?
 Transport to centers is difficult.
 Lack of publicity.
 Inflexible operating hours.
Residential Homes
 Mostly run by VWOs but there are privately owned
ones but they are expensive.
 Few in landscape; 30 years leases only.
 Stringent criteria for setting up and running such
homes because institutionalised care is not
encouraged in Singapore.
 Most are located in private housing estates.
 Respite care & Hospices
 This is where personal care is given to those unable to
care for themselves.
 Hospices to ease the burden of caregivers.
 Also run by VWOs.

*terminally ill where is at the last stage of their life

 Other Issues: Supply is
still not meeting demand
 Long waiting times for many of the residential homes and
hospices;
 Limited doctors trained in geriatrics;
 Shortage of manpower:
 Low pay and long hours;
 Stigma attached to the job;
 Stress on professional carers.
 Older Singaporeans not aware of the different services, and
schemes available in terms of health care support.
State’s Responses to Ageing
Population: Issues and
Contestations

Economic Landscapes

Landscapes of Care

Landscapes of Socialisation and Entertainment

Landscapes for socialisation
and entertainment

 Senior Citizens’ Club

◦ Located in midst of HDB estates; for a one-time fee of $3,

members can drop by weekdays 8am-5pm.
◦ Games, hobbies, keep-fit exercises and educational tours;
advice;
◦ Peoples' Association in charge;

 Senior citizens’ corners.

 Community centres.
Older People’s Response
 Problems of Apathy, Affordability and Mobility?
 Lack of inter-generational activities?
 Health care facilities better patronised than community centre
activities?
 Low participation rate of Muslims in planned social activities and
utilisation of other services?
 Preference for spontaneous vs. Planned spaces?
 Are elderly landscapes
changing in Singapore?
 Specific improvements made to public spaces catered specifically
to the older generations e.g. Green Man Plus; Studio Flat sensors
etc.
 Funding for the Silver industry: MSF set aside S$20 million fund to
encourage senior entrepreneurs to organize activities for the
elderly.
 More hospitals and nursing homes: e.g. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in
Yishun; another planned for Jurong ; ageing facilities at SGH/ KTP;
 Active ageing: providing for needs of healthy, and active as
opposed to just the needs of sick elderly.
Active Ageing Council
 Set up by the People’s Association (PA) to reach out to,
and help the elderly, stay healthy and more engaged.
 Wellness Programme – encourages people aged 50 and
above to eat right, exercise, stay active and make friends
through various activities.
 Activities incl. cooking, gardening, dancing. Future plans
include Sudoku championships/ conferences on ageing.
 How successful/popular?
“… the thing that I worry about with such images [of
Singapore’s campaigns promoting active lifestyles for older
people] is the tendency for everybody in there to look like
they are 45 years old and swimming, playing tennis and
dancing. People really do age and get more disabled. It
doesn’t mean that they are not viable citizens and that they
cannot still be productive… Campaigns need to be honest,
they need to portray ageing in all of its permutations”
- Robyn Stone, US Ageing Services Expert
Recent Issues
 New skills for the elderly
 More inclusive and safe spaces for the elderly
 Community life for the elderly
 ‘Exporting’ the elderly
 Caring for the elderly
 Recent Issues:
Community life for
elderly
Focus on active aging: Boxing, mini Soccer and other sports facilities
@ Senior care Center in HDB blocks such as Telok Blangah
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/senior-citizens-stay-active-
with-boxing-soccer-and-mini-golf-at-telok-blangah-senior-care
Community-oriented wellness programmes e.g. Wellness time @RC
(Resident’s Committee): Provides health checkups, sports and
interest based social group activities for elderly
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/pa-takes-activities-for-seni
ors-closer-to-their-homes
 Recent Issues: Caring for the
elderly
 Ageing in place: Continued focus on family and home as site of
care
 “New vertical 'kampung’” for elderly: Flats and elder care facilities
in the same building @ Yew Tee, Choa Chu Kang, and Kampong
Admiralty
(https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-vertical-kampung-
to-be-built-with-flats-for-elderly
)
 AWARE suggests caregivers and caregiving families need more
government support (
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-support-needed-f
or-caregivers-of-elderly-family-members-aware
The Future: Issues for
Consideration
 Near future generation of older people with more income
—from a burden to a consumer.
 Impacts on landscapes?
Privately developed old folks homes and villages with golf
courses, gyms and clinics; tourism landscapes affected by
the silver market
 The Future: Issues for
Consideration
 More Singaporeans work overseas, impact on ageing in
Singapore? Elderly living alone? More reliance on foreign
domestic workers
 How will we accommodate changing formation of families?
More single elderly? Elderly friends living together?
 Greater reliance on institutionalised care?
 Cost ageing increases (health, medication, disposables, FDW
salary) – lease buy back for HDB? Pioneer/Merdeka
generation benefits.
Summary
 Ageism influences state planning for older people in
Singapore both in terms of economic policies (employment
policies) as well as spatial planning for housing, elderly
care facilities, health and social and recreational services.
 Elderly response to such planning has been mixed.
 Landscapes of older people are going through changes
particularly in the recent years.
 What do you imagine Singapore’s landscapes will be like
when you are older?