Ethos Issue 1, October 2006
Successful Ageing - A Review of
Singapore's Policy Approaches
Olivia Goh
In Singapore, the issue of an ageing population
has been on the national agenda since the 1980s, with several
high-level committees formed to study ageing trends.
Given its multifaceted nature, Singapore
has tackled the issue of ageing with an inter-agency approach,
taking into account public inputs when deliberating policy.
1980s – Anticipating Needs
In the 80s, Singapore began to recognise that its population
was ageing rapidly. A “Committee on the Problems of
the Aged” (1982–1984), chaired by the Minister
for Health, was formed to study the implications of an ageing
population and recommend solutions to its challenges.
One of its main recommendations was to improve
society’s attitudes towards ageing and the aged. The
Committee foresaw that the rapidly ageing population would
require a national policy aimed at keeping every senior physically
and mentally fit to continue to lead a normal, useful and
active life.
Addressing the contributions of seniors
in the workforce, the Committee called for the customary retirement
age to be raised from 55 to 60 (later to 65), and to raise
the age for the withdrawal of retirement funds in stages.
It also listed alternative employment options such as part-time
work, flexi-time and work at home as a means of creating more
job opportunities for seniors.1
Acknowledging that the best guarantee of
care for seniors comes from the family, the 1982–1984
committee report also placed special emphasis on the need
to foster filial piety among the young.2
1990 To Date – A Coordinated
National Response
In the late 90s, an Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Ageing
Population (IMC) established a coordinated national response
to the challenges of an ageing society. It sought to realise
a vision of “Successful Ageing in Singapore”,
with a high degree of preparedness for its challenges and
opportunities:
We want Singaporeans
to age with dignity and to remain involved in society…
we must maintain a strong sense of cohesion between the generations.
Singapore should be the best home for all ages.3
Building on the 1982–1984 report,
the IMC made a total of 78 recommendations in six key areas,
viz. Social Integration of the Elderly, Healthcare, Financial
Security, Employment and Employability, Housing and Land Use
Policies, and Cohesion and Conflict in an Ageing Society.
Underlying Philosophy: "Many
Helping Hands"
Singapore’s policies towards seniors have been guided
by a principle of personal responsibility in securing well-being
in one’s old age, with the family as the key pillar
of support. Indeed, the 1982 Committee considered institutional
care as a last resort and most “extreme measure”.
While the emphasis on the family as primary
care-giver has continued, the nature and expectations of “filial
piety” have evolved in the past 10 years and can be
seen in the approach established by the 1999 IMC which involves
“Many Helping Hands”. The community, family and
seniors must work in partnership to ensure the well-being
of the aged:
Every individual
has a personal responsibility to plan and prepare for his
or her old age. The role of the family and the community is
to provide the first and second line of support for those
who need care and support; and the role of the State is to
set out the policy framework, and provide the infrastructure
and resources necessary for the other sectors to play their
part.4
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