WP launches caregiving initiative, invites public to free documentary screening

SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party (WP) announced on Oct 10 (Friday) that it is launching a caregiving advocacy initiative led by Ong Lue Ping, who had formerly been a senior principal clinical psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

The timing of the launch of Caregivers’ Wishes is particularly significant, as Oct 10 is World Mental Health Day. The initiative’s goal is to look into the challenges of caregivers and provide insights into caregiving, as well as determine the gaps in the available support systems. It is aimed at helping raise public awareness and craft policy recommendations to boost Singapore’s caregiving infrastructure.

To this end, Caregivers’ Wishes will initially be collecting data from caregivers, as well as the public, regarding their experiences with caregiving. Following this, the team will evaluate their findings and publish them.

The WP listed the four caregiving categories for Caregivers’ Wishes, which are: elderly and/or dementia care, neurodevelopmental disorders and/or intellectual disability, physical disability and other medical conditions, and mental health conditions.

The initiative’s team lead, Dr Ong, had been part of the WP’s slate at Tampines GRC in the May 3 polls and is still a clinical psychologist at IMH.

“We want to let our informal caregivers know that they are not alone in their caregiving journey. While caregiving can be profoundly fulfilling, we also hear their challenges, see their struggles, and feel their anxieties.

Caregivers deserve to be seen, heard, and supported. We want to provide a platform for caregivers and anyone who is concerned with caregivers’ issues. We strive to amplify their voices, raise public awareness of their challenges, and champion the need for better caregiving support in Singapore. Together, we aim to build a more inclusive, compassionate, and caring Singapore for generations to come,” he said.

Sengkang MP He Ting Ru, meanwhile, said, “The launch of this project reflects our belief that caregiving must be recognised as a collective responsibility. Too often, households or even individuals are left to shoulder care needs on their own, relying heavily on limited family resources and personal networks. We need to rethink this model. Supporting caregivers requires building a stronger care infrastructure and fostering an ecosystem where caregiving is shared and supported by both society and the state.”

Film showing

The WP is also holding free screenings of a documentary titled “Lady!”, which is about the journey of a woman named Siti, the primary caregiver for her husband, Gary, who suffers from early-onset dementia.

“Caregivers deserve to be seen, heard, and supported,” the WP said.

The film will be shown at the party’s HQ at 701 Geylang Road, Teambuild Centre, on Oct 10 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Oct 11 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Oct 12 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Interested parties may register here. /TISG

Read also: Gerald Giam calls for allowances and CPF contributions for family caregivers