LIFESTYLE OF THE ELDERLY

The following Question stood in the name of Mr Philip Tan Tee Yong -

Mr Philip Tan Tee Yong: To ask the Acting Minister for Community Development whether his Ministry has conducted any survey on the life-style of the elderly who are not gainfully employed; whether loneliness and lack of opportunities for peer-group interaction are prevalent among them; and what his Ministry will do to mitigate such malaise.

Mr Speaker: Mr Tan.

Mr Chng Hee Kok (Radin Mas): Question No. 5.

The Acting Minister for Community Development (Mr Wong Kan Seng): Mr Speaker, Sir, the former Ministry of Social Affairs conducted a survey in 1982 of a representative sample of 5,538 senior citizens aged 55 years and above to obtain information on the characteristics, needs and problems of the senior citizens in Singapore. In May 1983, the Ministry produced a Report called the Report on the National Survey of Senior Citizens. The Report covered the following areas:-

• Personal Characteristics, Family and Household.

• Employment and Retirement.

• Health, Medical Care and Personal Needs.

• Daily Living Activities.

• Family and Social Support.

The findings showed that 94.6% of the senior citizens surveyed live with some family members. Only 5.4% live alone. A similar proportion, 95.2%, are mobile and only 0.6% are confined to bed. 65.7% of the senior citizens are unemployed. Of these, only 3.5% are looking for work. A list of the activities of senior citizens is in the Annex (Cols. 743 - 744) given out by the Clerk. Annex - INVOLVEMENT OF SENIOR CITIZENS IN ACTIVITIES BY PERCENTAGE (Cols. 743 - 744)

The survey also showed that senior citizens engage in meaningful interaction with the children they live with and maintain frequent and meaningful contacts with the children living apart from them. They are confident that they can rely on their family for help when they are ill or have other problems.

Our senior citizens cannot be said to be lonely. Neither do they lack opportunities for interaction. Nonetheless, my Ministry has drawn up a number of programmes to help promote interaction among the aged and prevent boredom and loneliness. These include the setting up of Senior Citizens' Clubs by the Residents' Committees, Citizens Consultative Committees, the People's Association, Day Care and Health Care Centres, health screening and exercise programmes. Details of these have been given by me in this House previously. The programmes are geared to helping the senior citizens to help themselves while those who live alone are given help through the Befriender and Home Help Schemes and the Home Nursing Foundation.

The Government has initiated a comprehensive range of activities for the aged. More will be done when necessary. If Members of Parliament have any additional suggestions, they are welcome to send these to me and we will be happy to look into their feasibility.

Maj Fong Sip Chee: May I ask a clarification from the Minister. He said 3(r)% of these old people were looking for work. Is it 3(r)% of the 6%, or 3(r)% of the total number? I am not clear about this point, Mr Speaker. If it is 3(r)% of the 6%, it becomes 50% of the old people are looking for work. Which is the correct figure, Mr Speaker?

Mr Wong Kan Seng: I mentioned that 65.7% are unemployed and of these unemployed only 3(r)% were looking for work.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Supplementary question for the Acting Minister, Sir. Will the Minister enlighten us as to whether in the various constituencies facilities are provided for the senior citizens to meet among themselves and to have some recreation among themselves, apart from mixing with the rest of the citizens in the constituency?

Mr Wong Kan Seng: I mentioned that there are senior citizens' clubs in the various constituencies organized by the Residents' Committees, the CCCs, the PA, and so on. There are altogether about 111 senior citizens' clubs. Senior citizens can join these clubs. There are now about 27,000 members in these clubs. In addition, there are also other facilities like the day care centres and health screening centres in a couple of the constituencies.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I ask the Acting Minister, by way of a supplementary question again, Sir. What I would like to know from the Acting Minister is whether any rooms have been made available for the use of the senior citizens alone? And does his Ministry see that there is a need for a room or rooms to be set apart for the use of the senior citizens alone?

Mr Wong Kan Seng: "Room" or "rule"?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Perhaps one room, two rooms.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: The senior citizens' clubs are either housed together with the Residents' Committees' facilities, or they are in the community centres. If not, they are in the void decks. So places are available for them to gather.

Mr Chng Hee Kok (Radin Mas): Mr Speaker, Sir, to further improve the situation, will the Minister consider a scheme to open up the Residents' Committee centres in the day-time so that the senior citizens may use this facility?

Mr Wong Kan Seng: This will depend very much on the Residents' Committees themselves. If they are prepared to have the senior citizens gather in the RC facilities in the day-time and if the senior citizens are prepared to look after the place, I am sure the Residents' Committee will consider this.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I ask the Acting Minister whether he will consider allocating one or two rooms in my constituency or ask the HDB to allocate one or two rooms for the use of the senior citizens because I have asked this and the HDB has said, "We can only do it if it is recommended by the Ministry of Community Development."

Mr Wong Kan Seng: No rooms, Sir, are allocated specially for senior citizens. They are part and parcel of the RC or the CCC activities. I am not sure about the Anson Constituency. But if the RCs or the CCC or the PA in Anson are prepared to have a senior citizens' club, I am sure they will do it. They will have it.

Mr Jeyaretnam: I am asking for it.