STATEMENT BY MISS JASMINE LIM, DELEGATE TO THE 73RD SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 28(B), ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE WORLD SOCIAL SITUATION AND TO YOUTH, AGEING, DISABLED PERSONS AND THE FAMILY, THIRD COMMITTEE, 3 OCTOBER 2018

Mr Chair,

1.         Thank you for giving me the floor.

2.         Singapore aligns itself with the statements of the G77 and China, and ASEAN. As is the case in many countries, Singapore’s population is ageing rapidly. Today, one in seven Singaporeans is aged 65 or older. By 2030, this number will grow to one in four Singaporeans. These demographic trends require a concerted national effort to ensure that the needs of older persons in Singapore are adequately met.  Globally, international action to address similar trends will be critical for the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

3.         The Secretary-General in his report (“Follow-up to the International Year of Older Persons: Second World Assembly on Ageing”; A/73/213) underscores the importance of providing care services and support to enable older persons to live independently with dignity and choice, and participate meaningfully in society. This is in fact the approach that Singapore has taken in planning for the needs of our older persons, as set out in our national Action Plan for Successful Ageing launched in 2016.  The Action Plan’s focus is on maximising the opportunities that arise from longevity, and to channel the experience and skills of our older adults towards economic and social development.  The Plan covers all aspects of the needs of older persons, including health, housing, transport, retirement adequacy, protection for vulnerable seniors, as well as social inclusion.

4.         Even as we implement the Action Plan, Singapore has recently taken further measures to strengthen the support network for older persons. First, Singapore has committed to support family caregivers by providing respite services to help them avoid burnout as their work is often unpaid, unrecognised, and is required round the clock, even as they play a pivotal role in caring for older persons. Caregivers are also encouraged to join caregiver support groups. In addition, a range of community resources is available to them, including training courses on clinical skills and daily care. These provisions will go a long way in supporting caregivers’ emotional health and well-being, and help them provide better care for the older persons under their charge.

5.         Second, while familial caregiving remains a common arrangement in Singapore, the number of older persons living alone is growing. We are thus exploring new models of caregiving beyond the family unit. To this end, we are facilitating ageing within communities as a preferred option over institutionalised care. This is in line with the Report of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Ms Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, which emphasised the need for older persons to stay in their homes as they age to avoid the physical and psychological disruptions of moving to an unfamiliar place.  In 2016, the Singapore government piloted Community Networks for Seniors, which pulls together the efforts of community volunteers, organisations that provide care services, government agencies, and other stakeholders to make sure that seniors’ physical and socio-emotional needs are addressed holistically. We intend to expand the initiative nationwide by 2020.

6.         Third, Singapore will invest in community nursing, to support the shift towards community care. This involves training more nurses to provide post-discharge care and handle complex medical issues. We have also set up Active Ageing Hubs in residential neighbourhoods, to provide a suite of care services as well as engagement activities, including opportunities to give back through volunteering. These initiatives will empower older persons to remain engaged and active contributors within their communities.

7.         Even as Singapore seeks to empower older persons to live independently, we recognise that vulnerable seniors may still need stronger support. The government has therefore introduced safeguards to protect their interests and well-being. We recently passed the Vulnerable Adults Act, which allows the State to intervene as a last resort in cases where an adult is suffering or at risk of abuse, self-neglect and is assessed to be unable to protect herself or himself.

Mr Chair,

8.         Older persons have dedicated some of their best years to building up our societies and countries. It is therefore incumbent on us as governments, communities and families to support them in their golden years, and to ensure that they remain meaningfully engaged and active contributors to society, and that they are provided sufficient support to age with dignity in their communities. I thank you.

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