Govt to step up awareness of detecting signs of elder abuse
TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — The authorities could make it compulsory for healthcare professionals to report suspected cases of elder abuse when they first spot them, suggested Member of Parliament of Tampines GRC Irene Ng today (Aug 17).
However, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin told Parliament that he was not sure if Singapore was “at the stage where we want to make it mandatory”.
“But we can also make sure that they (healthcare professionals) do understand ... what are the signs to look out for and whether could they in turn, trigger the process in terms of alerting the local SSOs (Social Service Offices), the local family service centres to be able to follow up on these cases,” he said.
In her supplementary question, Ms Ng noted that the barriers stopping people from reporting cases of elder abuse include the lack of a clear definition of the term, and the desire to maintain familial relationships.
She wanted to know how the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) plans to deal with these barriers, and how awareness of this issue can be raised.
Mr Tan said the community needs to play its part to ensure that no one falls between the gap.
This includes educating immediate and extended family members to raise their awareness of such issues, letting the elderly themselves understand what “represents neglect”, as well as roping in the broader community of friends, neighbours and healthcare workers, said Mr Tan.
The MSF is also taking further steps to strengthen its system to detect, and respond to potential abuse and neglect of vulnerable persons.
For instance, the ministry is working with social service agencies to train their community partners and grassroots leaders to better recognise signs elder abuse.
Strengthening laws — such as the new Vulnerable Adults Act which will be introduced later this year — are also important, Mr Tan added.
