4 caregiving options in Singapore

Deciding on a suitable caregiving service for your loved one can get overwhelming. Read on for the pros and cons of some caregiving options available to the elderly and their families in Singapore.

1. Old folks homes and nursing homes

Source: Ren Ci

While both old folks homes and nursing homes are facilities designed to provide care for the elderly, they are different in the nature of care services provided.

1. Old folks homes are residential healthcare facilities designed for elderly who need little physical assistance. The elderly can independently participate in leisure activities and socialise with other residents. 
2. Nursing homes are care facilities that cater to elderly who require assistance with daily activities like bathing, using the toilet and eating.

Pros

1. There are opportunities for the elderly to socialise and mingle with peers of the same age group.
2. Besides receiving care, exercise activities organised in homes help the elderly stay mobile and mentally stimulated.

Cons

This option might not be well-received by the elderly. For the elderly, going to stay in a home could pose concerns like:

1. Not being around and seeing their loved ones as often.
2. Having limited choices in the meals they eat.
3. Having less freedom to go out in public independently.

2. Home nursing

Source: SingHealth

With home nursing, the elderly receive care and support from their family members in the comfort of their home.

Pros

Most elderly prefer this option. Being in a familiar home environment and among their loved ones allows them access to their daily essentials and emotional support.

Cons

Very often, the responsibility of care lies on younger family members who are also working full-time. 

This puts added stress on the family members. Some might not be able to dedicate sufficient time and energy to caregiving. Others could face difficulties balancing work and caregiving when illness and increased medical appointments for the elderly arise.

3. Day care

Source: Agency for Integrated Care

Day care centres for the elderly provide the care benefits of an old folks home, but still afford elderly the independence and freedom of residing in their own home.

Pros

Elderly enrolled in day care centres get to mingle with other seniors and participate in activities organised by the centre (like games, singing and meals). This provides opportunities for the elderly to socialise and be mentally stimulated.

At the end of each day’s session, transportation can be arranged to ferry the elderly safely back home. For elderly who use wheelchairs, Medical Assistance4u provides wheelchair bus transportation with JIA XIN and JIA AN, elderly-oriented and wheelchair friendly minibuses.

Cons

Some elderly might still find it difficult to accept and agree to the idea of enrolling in a day care centre. 

4. Hiring a stay-home, medically trained maid 

Source: Anglo Caregivers

For elderly who want to receive care at home, an alternative option to home nursing is for families to hire a stay-home helper who can take care of the elderly.

Pros

Hiring a helper ensures the elderly receives the attention and care they require, and eases the pressure of caretaking on the family members.

Cons

In order to provide good elderly care, the helper needs to have the correct skillset and be medically trained. To be certified as medically-trained, helpers need to go through a two-day caregiver training. However, this training might still not be enough as the needs of elderly can evolve with time.

Home visits from Medical Assistance4u’s nurses

To equip stay-home maids with important elderly care skills, the nurses at Medical Assistance4u provide home visit services where they guide helpers on how to properly care for the elderly and their needs.

We also provide delivery services for daily needs products when the home supply is running low. This allows the stay-home helper to focus on caring for the elderly and housekeeping.

At Medical Assistance4u

Our team of medically trained staff at Medical Assistance4u can provide you with consultation services to assist you in providing good elderly care for your loved ones.