As Singapore ages, agencies take a WOG approach to meet seniors’ diverse living needs

By Si Ying Thian

A slew of living arrangements and services have recently emerged in the country that move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to ensure ageing with dignity and choice.

Public policy for the ageing population is increasingly going beyond simply providing shelter and healthcare. A whole-of-government collaborative approach is needed to address the multifaceted needs of seniors and enable a person-centred approach to catering to this population. Image: Ministry of Health Singapore

Public agencies in Singapore are taking the lead on innovative housing models for the elderly, ranging from community care apartments, intergenerational co-living spaces and age well neighborhoods.

Just last week, Singapore launched Commune@Henderson, its first intergenerational co-living space introduced by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) for both seniors and youths. The facility is located at the former Henderson Primary School premises.

There are also plans by SLA to repurpose around 20 historical black-and-white bungalows in the Sembawang area into multi-generational and senior co-living apartments, according to an article in the Straits Times.

Public policy for the ageing population is increasingly going beyond simply providing shelter and healthcare. A whole-of-government (WOG) collaborative approach is needed to address the multifaceted needs of seniors and enable a person-centred approach to catering to this population.

Taking a person-centred approach in public policy recognises the diversity of the needs, aspirations, and circumstances of seniors, enabling choices that empower them to age with dignity, purpose and independence.

WOG enabling person-centred policy

Singapore’s very first Community Care Apartments launched in 2024, known as Harmony Village, was also a multi-agency endeavour between the Housing Development Board (HDB), Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of National Development (MND).

“We work closely with the government agencies to ensure that the apartments integrate well with surrounding amenities, services and local support networks and community organisations,” says Philip Heng, Director, Assisted Living for Harmony Village operator, Vanguard Healthcare, to GovInsider.

Vanguard Healthcare is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MOH Holdings Pte Ltd.

He explains the apartments also prompted a more holistic, community approach. Beyond public agencies, the operator also works with caregivers, nearby schools, grassroots organisations and social service agencies to strengthen community-based care for their elderly residents.

"Alignment of objectives and collaborative spirit across government agencies and policy makers is critical to envision and deliver such a product that integrates senior-friendly housing, on-site services and communal services,” he notes.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also recently highlighted in his speech at the National Day Rally that the government would apply learnings from the apartments to the wider neighborhood to support seniors where they are already at.

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Why WOG – or even whole-of-society – matters

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung at a doorstop interview on Age Well Neighborhoods emphasised the value of greater coordination of resources to address the physical, social and community care systems of seniors.

Instead of spreading government initiatives like active aging centres and home care thinly across the island, he said it was more effective to combine and integrate them. By consolidating these services in communities with a high density of seniors, they can have a bigger impact.

Age Well SG, the national programme that supports seniors to age well in their homes and communities, was afterall touted as a whole-of-government effort back in 2023.

For built environment, the government’s release states that the government would “be making a bigger, more concerted push to address seniors’ needs... through tighter collaboration and coordination among agencies”, which involves agencies across housing, building and construction, parks, land, transport and eldercare.

The private sector is also introducing more variety and choice for seniors. A few days ago, Singapore launched its first private assisted living project, reported to offer "five-star" hospitality and care services to upper-middle-class seniors.

To support private sector innovation, the government also launched the Shared Stay-In Senior Care Services sandbox in 2023, which was a collaboration between the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).

The sandbox involved four companies serving about 200 clients, which aimed to enable seniors to age in the community and support families with caregiving, without resorting to institutional care as a default.

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