New guidelines on providing better care for seniors introduced
Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Health, at the opening of St Andrew's Senior Care - Joy Connect on April 25, 2015. Photo: Channel NewsAsia/Nadia Jansen Hassan
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health (MOH) will be introducing developmental service guidelines as a reference for centre-based care and home care providers to work towards delivering good quality care for seniors, Senior Minister of State for Health Dr Amy Khor said today (April 25).
The move is part of ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of care in the intermediate and long-term care sector.
Speaking at the official opening of St Andrew’s Senior Care - Joy Connect, Dr Khor said the guidelines will help eldercare providers deliver care to seniors in a way that is enabling, holistic and safe, so that the elderly can age with dignity and exercise autonomy regardless of their functional abilities.
Care providers can use the guidelines for training and quality improvement programmes. MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) will also be introducing a suite of programmes and initiatives to support both sectors in working towards the guidelines.
MOH said the guidelines were developed by two industry-led workgroups. These comprised of service providers, healthcare professionals and policy experts familiar with the respective sectors. St Andrew’s Community Hospital, which operates Joy Connect, was one of those involved in the development of the guidelines.
MOH said it also conducted a series of consultation sessions last year with service providers, seniors and caregivers on the proposed guidelines before finalising them
ST ANDREW’S SENIOR CARE - JOY CONNECT OPENED
The new care centre, St Andrew’s Senior Care - Joy Connect, was built to meet the increasing healthcare needs of elderly residents.
Operated by the St Andrew’s Community Hospital, Joy Connect offers day care, dementia day care, community rehabilitiation, centre-based nursing and integrated home care services for residents at Kampong Glam.
At the care centre, seniors perform a variety of activites. One such activity for dementia patients is baking, where they can try their hand at making cookies. CHANNEL NEWSASIA
