Data on Elderly Seniors Living Alone or with Another Senior Requiring Daily Living Assistance and Projected Adequacy of Assisted-living Capacity

Mr Jackson Lam asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) what proportion of seniors aged 75 and above currently live alone or only with another senior; (b) of these, how many have been assessed to require regular assistance with daily living; and (c) whether demand for assisted-living arrangements from this group is expected to exceed current planned capacity over the next 10 years.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: In 2025, around 40% of seniors aged 75 and above lived alone or only with other seniors. Among them, around one in four required assistance with at least one activity of daily living 1 .

As most seniors prefer to age in their own homes, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has developed options to bring care closer to home, such as the enhanced Home Personal Care service. For seniors who prefer an assisted living arrangement, options, such as community care apartments and the shared stay-in senior caregiving service, provide additional choices. Beyond formal options, the community also plays a big part in watching out for, befriending and supporting seniors.

Demand for different care options will evolve with seniors' needs and preferences. MOH will continue to monitor demand and ensure that supply keeps pace with demand. Importantly, we are helping our seniors remain healthy and independent for as long as possible through Healthier SG and Age Well SG.

Note(s) to Question No(s) 17:

1 Source: Department of Statistics. Activities of daily living cover: mobility (walking or climbing stairs), self-care (washing or dressing), feeding, toileting, transferring from bed to chair. Difficulty was self-reported by respondents or their proxies and did not require a medical diagnosis.