It is a common misconception that the elderly are marginalised in society and are passed over in favour of younger workers. Critics also opine that the elderly receive limited healthcare, and have their needs neglected. Fortunately, the far-sighted government of Singapore has taken steps to accommodate and appreciate the value of the aged in many ways. From enhancing the employability skills of the elderly to investing in healthcare and even integrating them into society by altering the living environment, much has been done to embrace the old.
Faced with the reality of an ageing population and shrinking workforce, the Singapore government has given much attention to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP). TAFEP curtails workplace discrimination against the elderly and gives those above 55 an equal chance to progress at work. To assist older workers in staying relevant, government-sponsored skills-training programmes encourage employers to hire and invest in training older workers. These initiatives point to the fact that the Singapore government has taken the welfare and interests of the elderly into consideration and protected their position in the workforce. Success, in this case, is the foresight with which the government has implemented these initiatives.
Employability aside, the Singapore government has upgraded physical infrastructure and subsidised medical consultations and treatments for the elderly. The Pioneer Generation Package was implemented in 2014 to help senior citizens to cope with rising health expenses in their old age. New hospitals have been built in older public housing estates to cater to geriatric care. The public authority in charge of road infrastructure and transport has installed new road safety features at selected locations with a higher proportion of elderly residents. Measures have been implemented in several housing estates to slow down motorised traffic and enable motorists to keep a better look-out for pedestrians. Singapore has done much to embrace the old, not only in the workplace but also in terms of healthcare and living conditions.
To suggest that everything is perfect in Singapore would be rather dystopian. There are dark corners in even the most brightly lit room. There are a few instances where the elderly have felt outcast and left behind as the rest continue to move forward. There was opposition against the construction of nursing homes in some public housing estates some years back. Residents were afraid of falling property prices with a nursing home in their midst. Isolated instances of young people being rude to the elderly on trains have been documented via social media. Fortunately, such cases are mostly isolated. Singaporeans are largely mindful of the place of the elderly and give the elderly a wide berth in how they adjust to life. The government provides subsidies to young couples to purchase flats near the home of their parents to ensure strong familial links. Even private developers build housing with dual keys to ensure parents can live next to their married children and eventually look after grandchildren.
Singapore has made great leaps in embracing the old. They are kept active in the workforce, infrastructure is adjusted to help them be mobile and healthcare coverage has been expanded to ensure suitable coverage. Singapore has welcomed the old with open arms. They are an asset to the country and the elderly deserve to be well-taken care of rather than being marginalised. There will always be gaps, especially in some members of the public’s mindsets. On the whole, however, Singapore has indeed created a society largely embracing the old.
