SINGAPORE: The head of the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (Redas), Mr Tan Swee Yiow, said in a speech on Thursday (Feb 15) that more adjustments might be needed with the changing demands due to the country’s agenting society.
“With rising life expectancy and a low fertility rate, we will have more than 900,000 seniors aged 65 and above by 2030,” he is quoted in The Business Times as saying at the Redas Spring Festival Celebration at the Grand Ballroom of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore on Havelock Road.
The president of Redas and a director at Keppel Land Limited also added that Singapore is not the only country facing such challenges.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung was the guest of honour for the occasion.
“With this demographic shift comes an increased demand for senior-living accommodation,” noted Mr Tan, adding that this could be integrated within a larger and mixed development.
“The unit size, functional layout, design, and smart features for such housing units also need to be adjusted. We think that more piloted projects should be pushed out,” Mr Tan said.
In December, Singapore’s third Community Care Apartments project launched, with 250 assisted living flats in Bedok put up for sale.
These flats are part of the 1,234 flats at Chai Chee Green BTO development, where seniors will live alongside families in three, four, and five-room flats “to encourage intergenerational bonding, as well as foster inclusivity and community interaction.”
The senior-friendly flats measure around 32 square meters. They come with fittings that older residents will likely find necessary, including grab bars, wheelchair-accessible bathrooms with slip-resistant flooring, and wide wheelchair-friendly main doors.
There will also be a service yard with a drying rack that seniors can access from the flat’s bathroom. Also, each assisted living flat already has a wardrobe, cabinets, and a furnished kitchen to facilitate a quick moving-in process for seniors, as the need for renovations will be minimal.
The design of each flat is an open-layout one with partitions separating the bedroom from the living room.
As for their health needs, residents living in these facilities will subscribe to a Basic Service Package, which gives them access to basic health monitoring and 24-hour emergency monitoring and response.
A community manager will also be available to help seniors connect with care services and household items needing simple fixing. /TISG
Read also: Age Well SG aims to make living conditions of the elderly more “senior-friendly”