Helping Singaporeans in need

TO IMPROVE the mental well-being of elderly visitors who may have dementia, depression, or stroke-linked conditions, the first therapeutic garden was launched at HortPark yesterday, with two more expected in the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and the Tiong Bahru Park. Developed in consultation with a mental health expert, the new therapeutic garden has a restorative zone for rehabilitation and an activities zone for gardening, and according to Senior Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee these parks “can play a big role in realising our vision to be a nation for all ages where seniors can live actively and age in place confidently.”

Some elderly Singaporeans in nursing homes, however, may be affected as some of the smaller nursing homes are downsizing their bed capacities or winding up their operations. Homes were given a one-year grace period to adapt to enhanced standards, such as catering for fire safety and design equipment, engaging registered pharmacists on a regular basis, and having additional facilities such as holding and isolation rooms. Enhanced standards should – in theory – benefit the elderly residents, though the lack of finances, time, and space appear to the main challenges for these smaller operators, and their claims of being “unnecessarily marked down for aspects under the new standards” should be examined.

In a Balestier housing estate, a secular transitional residential programme for former female addicts and drug offenders has proven to be helpful. More than 20 women completed stays at iCare, where residents stay for a few months to a year while securing permanent housing and employment, and such a temporary shelter with minimal supervision can create some structure and discipline for residents. The centre received more than 40 referrals and 100 enquiries in 2015.

And finally, after Singapore’s first confirmed Zika case was announced on Friday, anti-mosquito measures have since been stepped up. The National Environment Agency (NEA) has carried out fogging and has also destroyed mosquito breeding habitats in the Watten Estate in Bukit Timah, where the 48-year-old man with the Zika virus lives. In addition, the NEA is working with schools in the neighbourhood to fumigate the compounds, while increasing the frequency of cleaning and oiling drains in the area to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Moreover, with the ongoing Zika outbreak in Brazil, Singaporean athletes headed to the Olympic Games in August have been advised to take necessary precautions.

 

Featured image from TMG file. 

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