HOMES FOR THE AGED (Number awaiting admission and expansion plans)

Mr Seah Mui Kok asked the Minister for Social Affairs how many poor aged people are awaiting admission to Bushey Park Home, Woodlands Home and Woodstock Home; and if lie has any plans to expand those Homes.

The Minister for Social Affairs (Inche Othman Bin Wok): Mr Speaker, Sir, the short answers to the Member's question are:

(a) There are no poor aged persons awaiting admission to Bushey Park Home, Woodstock Home or Woodlands Home. This is because it is not necessary for the Social Welfare Department to maintain a waiting list of applicants for admission to its Homes, as each application received is immediately investigated and a decision made on the application, which is either approved or rejected, depending upon whether the applicant can satisfy the conditions for admission or not.

(b) My Ministry has plans to expand or increase the capacity of these three Homes.

I would, however, like to explain that Bushey Park Home and Woodstock Home are gazetted as Welfare Homes for male and female destitute persons respectively, and admissions to these two statutory Homes are governed by the provisions of the Destitute Persons Act, 1965.

On the other hand, Woodlands Home is a non-statutory Home for aged persons of both sexes, and admissions to this Home are normally restricted to Singapore citizens who have attained the age of 60 years and have no one to care for them. They must also be free from infectious disease or mental illness and be able to move about by themselves, as the Home does not have the facilities to care for the chronic sick and non-ambulant cases.

The bed capacity in Bushey Park Home was increased from 180 to 210 in 1969 and will soon be further increased to 270 with the purchase of 60 new double-decker beds for the able-bodied destitutes.

The bed capacity in Woodstock Home is also being increased from 80 to 100.

The bed capacity in Woodlands Home is also being increased from 500 to 568. Tenders are also being invited for the construction of two new dormitories. When completed, the total accommodation in this Home will be further increased to 704.

I should like to mention, Sir, that these two new dormitories have been made possible through the public-spiritedness and generosity of the following: The Trustees of the Kwang Im Thong Hood Cho Temple $35,000 The Trustees of the Chen Su Lan Trust $35,000 The Singapore Blue Cross Charitable Society $6,200 The Singapore Catholic welfare Services $1,000