Holiday ADMT homework - part 1 (Understanding the elderly challenge)

Hi all.

This is the first part of my holiday homework.

I will have to read this report:

http://www.humyo.com/4727025/CBL-Aging/Committee%20on%20Ageing%20Issues-CAI_report.pdf?a=Ty6Jb7E7AQE

Then I will need to answer the following questions to understand the elderly challenge better.

1. Explain in your own words, the FOUR key recommendations of the report.
2. State ONE way that the CAI report is recommending to make our public housing more elderly-friendly
3. State TWO ways on how we can ensure that the quality of elderly care here in Singapore is affordable
4. After reading the CAI report, what do you are the THREE things that you can do, as an SST student, to help overcome these elderly challenges.

1) The first is to have houses that will fit the elderly, easy for them to access, and is very convenient for them and they do not require a lot of help.

The second is to have a barrier free community so that it is better for the elderly as they can be independent and do not always need to rely on another person to help him or her.

The third is to make sure that the medical treatment for he elderly is affordable for them so that they can use them as they are old and some do not work and do not earn money, so if it is too expensive they might not have enough money to afford it.

The fourth is to have more activities for the elderly to take part in so that they will not feel so left out and will also become more active .

2) We need to build a barrier-free environment to allow seniors to live independently and continue to engage actively in society. Such an enabling environment must provide seniors with unhindered access from homes to public amenities, communal and recreational facilities. Elder-friendly buses will allow seniors to move around Singapore easily. It will give them access to Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations and complement the elder-friendly MRT system.

3) Complementing community-based living and barrier-free accessibility is a robust and integrated healthcare and eldercare system. There is a need for collaboration between relevant agencies to ensure all eldercare policies remain client centric. Services and programmes should be rationalized and streamlined wherever feasible so that the transition between step-down healthcare facilities and community-based eldercare facilities is smooth.

The demographic trends point to a future of challenges and opportunities for Singapore. First, seniors with age-related chronic diseases and functional disabilities are expected to grow with the ageing of the population. In year 2005, an estimated 8,0001 seniors had a high level of dependency in basic activities of daily living2. Second, the majority of post- war baby boomers, being better educated and more financially secure, will have higher expectations and demands on the type and quality of care. Third, a larger number of the future cohort of seniors will likely fall in the category of “old-old3”, single and “living alone” seniors, as well as seniors with small families.

4) We can offer help to an elderly when we see them on the streets or any where and not just don't care about them. Do not laugh at their disabilities or stare at them as they can fell angry. When we see them, please give way to them . Another way is to give up your seat to them on the bus or MRT or LRT.

Thank you.