Tracking Caregiver Burnout as Contributing Factor in Emergency Placements and Crisis Interventions for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities

Dr Choo Pei Ling asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the Government tracks how often caregiver burnout or illness is a contributing factor to emergency placement or crisis intervention for seniors or persons with disabilities; and (b) if so, what trends have been observed.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Caregivers might need respite services due to multiple factors, such as caregiver illness, exhaustion or family emergencies. The Government does not track specific reasons for emergency placement or crisis placement, but rather, the focus is on ensuring that respite care is available and accessible to caregivers who need it.

Caregivers who require support can tap on a range of subsidised respite options. For caregivers of seniors with care needs, this includes the enhanced Home Personal Care, which offers longer service hours and after-hours care. Caregivers of persons with disabilities may tap on the Take-a-Break home-based respite programme, or admission into disability homes for a period. The Agency for Integrated Care and SG Enable work with providers to prioritise clients with urgent care needs, including cases with caregivers seeking help to cope with burnout.

In addition to ensuring respite service capacity, caregivers may tap on the Caregivers Training Grant to offset the costs of attending caregiver training. Community outreach teams also provide various support – including one-to-one befriending from peers with shared caregiving experiences – to reduce the isolation that often accompanies prolonged caregiving.