Healthy Ageing in Singapore: Opportunities, Challenges and the Way Forward (Social Policy and Development Studies in East Asia)

Singapore is the world’s second-fastest ageing society and will become a super- aged society by 2030. This book fills an important research gap by examining Singapore’s efforts to achieve healthy ageing. It draws on both semi-structured interviews and secondary data (e.g. government documents, journal articles, books, reports) to examine hot topics such as financial wellness of older adults, ageing in place, dementia friendly communities and digital connection with older adults in the time of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In the interviews, experts and professionals provide valuable insights into the issue of healthy ageing in Singapore. The book ’s goal is to provide a comprehensive portrait of healthy ageing in Singapore, while also sharing valuable lessons to help other countries achieve healthy ageing. Preface Acknowledgements Contents About the Author Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables 1 Population Ageing in Singapore Introduction Population Ageing in Singapore Government Responses to Population Ageing in Singapore Important Legislations Protecting the Rights of Older Adults in Singapore The “Many Helping Hands” Approach The Aim of This Book References 2 Financial Well-Being of Older Adults Introduction Financial Well-Being of Older Adults in Singapore Standard Chartered Retirement Study 2019 OCBC Financial Wellness Index Endowus: Singapore Retirement Report 2021 Great Eastern: The State of Retirement in Singapore (2021) Factors Affecting Financial Well-Being of Older Adults in Singapore Financial Literacy Mandatory Social Security System: The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Personal Savings Health Status Conclusion References 3 Music Therapy for People with Dementia and Terminally Ill Patients Introduction The Development of Music Therapy in Singapore Literature Review Music Therapy for People with Dementia Music Therapy for Terminally Ill Patients Ongoing Challenges to the Development of Music Therapy in Singapore Conclusion References 4 Technologies and the Wellness of Older Adults Introduction NAO: A Humanoid Robot PARO: A Seal-Type Mental Commitment Robot Virtual Reality (VR) Googles and Immersive VR Rooms DFree®: Wearable Bladder Scanner Smart Health Video Consultation Conclusion References 5 Digital Connection with Older Adults in the Time of COVID-19 Introduction XIOHOO: Empowering Older Adults with Digital Knowledge and Skills Zoom: The Use of Video Conferencing Application to Move Physical Exercise Classes Online Art with You: From Virtual Tours to On-Site Tours of Artwork for People with Dementia Conclusion References 6 Enabling Ageing in Place Introduction A Multidimensional Concept of Ageing in Place Community Projects to Enable Ageing in Place SilveCove Senior Wellness Centre: A Case Study in Participatory Design ComSA@Whampoa: Community for Successful Ageing From SING to I-SING: Exergaming Competitions for Older Adults Project ARTISAN: Participatory Art and Heritage-Based Interventions Conclusion References 7 The Creation of Dementia-Friendly Communities Introduction What is Dementia? Dementia Landscape in Singapore The Creation of Dementia-Friendly Communities (DFCs): Adopting a Social Model of Disability Key Components of DFCs in Singapore Dementia Awareness Go-to Points (GTPs) Technology Infrastructure Challenges to Develop and Sustain DFCs in Singapore Critical Factors for Developing and Sustaining Dementia-Friendly Communities in Singapore Conclusion References 8 Advance Care Planning Introduction Advance Care Planning in Singapore Three Types of Advance Care Planning in Singapore Benefits of ACP and Barriers to ACP Practice Ways to Increase the Acceptance and Implementation of ACP Conclusion References 9 Afterword: Healthy Ageing in Singapore References Index