Self-Care For Caregivers Of Persons Living With Dementia

Font Size

Caring For Yourself

Always remember that part of your duty to your loved one is to take good care of yourself. Most caregivers feel that all their time, energy and care should be given to their loved ones. However, your loved one may suffer too, if you do not look after yourself.

Caregiving Advice

Managing Negative Emotions

You might feel alone and that you are the only one dealing with these feelings. As people with dementia become more dependent on their caregivers, families of care recipients sometimes fear being isolated from the community. More than ever, respite and support are coping techniques every caregiver needs to build up an emotional support network.

Care Subsidies And Funds

The costs of dealing with dementia such as doctors appointments, medication etc can be expensive. Therefore, it is important to understand the available financial and legal support schemes to help ease the financial burden and help you plan ahead.

Family caregivers who may require additional financial resources to cope with the costs relating to caring for persons with dementia, the following are some information and resources available in Singapore. Click here for the full list of funds, schemes and subsidies.

Medifund
An endowment fund set up by the Government to help needy Singaporeans who are unable to pay for their medical expenses.

Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund
The Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF) provides holistic support for seniors to age in place within the community by extending subsidies to Singaporean seniors:

Requiring mobility and assistive devices for daily independent living and to remain ambulant in the community
Receiving government funded home care and care within the community, needing home healthcare items for their care

Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE)
The Housing and Development Board introduced Enhancement for Active Seniors, to subsidise home modifications (e.g. grab bars, slip-resistant treatment to floor tiles & ramps) so that older residents can live at ease in their own homes.

Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS)
The Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) enables all Singapore Citizens, including Pioneer Generation (PG) and Merdeka Generation (MG) cardholders, to receive subsidies for medical and/or dental care at participating General Practitioner (GP) and dental clinics.

Interim Disability Assistance Programme for the Elderly (IDAPE)
IDAPE is a government assistance scheme providing financial help to needy and disabled elderly Singaporeans, who are not eligible for ElderShield because of their age or pre-existing disabilities.

Legal Support

There may come a time when your loved one no longer has the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves, due to their dementia and are no longer able to tell you what they want. It is therefore important to understand their care preferences and make arrangements early.