Archives of Parliamentary Excerpts, Press Releases, and Speeches
4 October 2008
JBJ in Memorial
21 January 2008
Speech in Parliament by Chiam See Tong on HDB upgrading
22 October 2007
Amendment of the Panel Code
5 October 2007
Press release on Myanmar's Military Junta
22 May 2007
Parliamentary Debates
9 April 2007
Speech in Parliament by Chiam See Tong on Ministers' salary hikes
4 February 2007
Speech during MP's dialogue session by Lim Bak Chuan on GST increase
05 February 09
1. Financial Support To Assist Unpaid Caregivers Providing care for persons with disabilities (PWDs) has become a way of life for many Singaporeans. With fast aging population and longer average lifespan, there will be an increase in Singaporeans trying to balance working and caregiving responsibilities.
The need for care may be related to a sudden event, such as a stroke, or to a gradual process, such as the onset of dementia. In either event, you may not be sure where to begin.
Currently many of the caregivers are employed full-time. I believe some are also employed part-time. Employed caregivers struggle to balance their time and energy between work and caregiving. Caregivers are often exhausted, burdened, and stressed.
Employed caregivers often find it necessary to turn down training opportunities or promotions. They may take early retirement or simply quit their jobs altogether to provide care for their loved ones. Lost work opportunities take a financial and emotional toll.
Caregivers not only lose current income and benefits. They also face reduced retirement income because of zero CPF contributions. Caregivers who enjoy their jobs and who are friends with their coworkers may also become depressed and lonely after quitting.
With reduced or zero income, and when the extra responsibility of being a family caregiver for a PWDs is added to an already costly equation, many people are feeling the financial burdens on top of the emotional and physical burdens that comes with their situation at home
Recommendation
Currently, there is a Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Levy Concession available to families with children aged 12 years and below, and elderly aged 65 years and above, to families of PWDs who need help with caregiving. In doing this, the Government hopes to help reduce the cost of living for caregivers and assist the caregiver in the caregiving chores
Now this is not enough as you are basically giving a discount to a levy in which the Government has implemented in the very first place.
This is provided the family has the means to employ a Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) which cost about S$300 to S$400 for a reasonably experienced FDW. This does not include the additional costs that the caregivers will need to incur, like providing food for the FDW. A survey indicates that to employ a FDW, it will cost between S$600 to S$800. These FDWs may not have the experience to take care of a PWDs like a family member would, due to language barriers or physical limitations.
I would like to urge the MCYS to consider providing some sort of financial support strategy to assist unpaid caregivers (who are family members) for PWDs who have to quit their jobs or be employed part-time in order to provide care for them. It could come in a form of means-tested government assistance to support the family members.
For employed workers, I would suggest some form of leave entitlement from workers who have someone in the family who needs medical care.