Showing posts with label long term care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label long term care. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Which nationalities live the longest?

SINGAPORE - According to an internationally renowned source of global statistics, Singapore ranks fourth in longevity, with citizens living an average of 83.75 years.

The latest 2011 figures were part of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s latest update to its Word Factbook - an official reference resource updated weekly for the use of US government officials.

According to the resource, Singaporean men live an average of 81.47 years, while women top that at 86.2 years of age.

Far ahead of the average global life expectancy of 67.59 years of age, the new ranking is a significantly jump from its 2011 ranking of seventh place. In August last year, the Factbook listed Singapore's average life expectancy to be 82.14 years of age.

The island state narrowly beat out countries like San Marino, which ranked fifth place at 83.07 years, and Andorra, ranking sixth place at 82.50 years.

Both countries ranked above Singapore last year.

However, it lost out to the Mediterranean country of Monaco, which took top spot as the country with the best conditions to live to a ripe old age with an average lifespan of 89.73.

It was followed closely by Macau and Japan, with average lifespans of 89.68 years and 84.43 respectively.

Other notable entries include Hong Kong, ranked eighth (82.12 years), and Australia, ranked ninth (81.90 years).

The information is compiled through CIA combing through death certificates, recording race, gender, cause of death and other factors to estimate the life expectancy of a nation's entire population, reported Huffington Post.

These relatively low profile countries beat healthcare advancement heavyweights such as the US, who came in at a dismal 50th position out of the 221 countries censused.

The Republic of Chad, a landlocked country in Central Africa, came in last in life expectancy, with its people living just 48.69 years.

Singapore's ranking comes in the footsteps of the Government pledging to up its healthcare spending from $4 billion to $8 billion over the next five years.

Among the plans announced during Budget this year were moves to double the capacity of long-term care services, raise healthcare subsidy amounts and ease subsidy eligibly requirements to allow more Singaporeans to get healthcare help.

Just last week, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong promised to keep healthcare affordable, and said that nobody will be denied access to help regarding their health in a dialogue session with the public.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Unable to walk, but he cares for wife himself

Every day, Mr Ismail Mohamed, 77, bathes his bedridden wife, cleans, cooks and buys the groceries - all from his wheelchair.

The former policeman has been wheelchair-bound for 45 years after an accident left him paralysed from the waist down when he was 32.

But the grandfather of 12 insists on taking care of his wife of 56 years, Sohdiah, by himself.

The 73-year-old has been bedridden with heart disease and liver cancer for the past two years.

Every morning, he wakes up at 5am to change her soiled diapers and clothes, then makes her breakfast.

When she naps, he cleans their one-room flat in Circuit Road. A few times a week, he wheels himself to the wet market across the street to buy groceries.

His five children have offered to hire a maid to help, but he has firmly refused. 'As long as my hands are still strong, I will do it. It's not difficult,' he said.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Govt commits $400m to assist elderly

The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports will be committing $400 million over the next five years on services and programmes for the elderly.

The bulk of the money will go into transforming community and and home-based eldercare services to support ageing-in-place.

These initiatives include the setting up of integrated day facilities, developing ensuite social home-based care, greater support for caregivers and families, as well as ramping up of Seniors Activity Centres.

The ministry will be working with the Ministry of Health to develop integrated day facilities to provide basic day care for elderly who require more support.

Elderly who need help at home, such as personal hygiene, housekeeping and laundry, can look forward to receiving the necessary home services from a single trained care staff in their homes.

By 2016, the ministry hopes to benefit up to 4,000 elderly, or more than twice the number of users today.

As for caregiver support, the ministry said that they are working with the Centre for Enabled Living (CEL) to enhance caregiver training programmes.

Together with Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society and Touh Community Services as well as NTUC Eldercare, up to 10,000 caregivers are expected to be trained this year.

The number of Senior Activity Centres (SACs) are set to increase from the current 41 to 58 by 2016.

Of these, MCYS will also introduce 16 "Anchor SACs" and resource them with additional funding and social work capabilities.

This is expected to benefit some 39,000 elderly.
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