Chan Chun Sing to chair committee to implement Enabling Masterplan

SINGAPORE: Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said he will chair a committee to implement the Enabling Masterplan over the next four years.

Announced last year, the Masterplan is a five—year roadmap for support and programmes for people with disabilities.

Mr Chan said close to S$180 million was spent last year on support programmes, and implementation is "on track".

The ministry is working on more transport options for the disabled with a S$3.1 million grant to SMRT Taxis to bring in a new fleet of 30 wheelchair accessible taxis by September this year.

The ministry will also ramp up care options.

A Drop—In Disability programme will kick off at four sites this year to care for those with milder needs and give their caregivers time to rest.

By 2020, the number of places within adult disability homes will increase almost four times from 830 to 3,230. The number of places in day activity centres will be doubled from 950 places to 1,450.

Mr Chan said: "As our population ages, the number of adult disabled persons does not grow linearly, it grows exponentially. The amount of care in the final years is especially tough."

The government will increase the number of senior group homes from its current two pilot projects, to 60 by 2016. The homes will have a total capacity of 700 elderly.

Senior group homes provide assisted living options for elderly who benefit from mutual support.

Mr Chan added more will be done, if there is a demand and support for such facilities.

"Many of the elderly has feed back to us that when they help to take care of each other, they actually feel sense of purpose, a sense of mission and it actually helps them in their daily life and in their outlook and this is what we want to encourage," said Mr Chan.

He continued: "I would like to appeal to members of parliament to help us do this because we need to identify the sites and we need the community to accept that these senior groups homes will be within the community and we need to encourage those more able within the community to come forward and play a part so we can come together and look after the fellow elders among us."

— CNA/fa