Preparing To Care

Preparing To Care

If you are a caregiver, be prepared by learning the roles and responsibilities of caregiving and what to expect from it.

A caregiver is a person who has taken on the responsibility of looking after someone who is unable to care for himself or herself fully due to illness, frailty, disability or a mental health problem. This person could be a family member, partner, relative, friend, or neighbour.

The caregiving role may start upon your loved one's diagnosis of a medical condition, or by a particular incident such as a fall or a heart attack.

Role of a Caregiver

As someone who is taking care of your elderly loved one, you provide support to the person’s day-to-day activities, medical needs, the making of key decisions and emotional needs. The degree of involvement may vary according to the needs of your loved one and the stages of the caregiving.

The needs can be broadly categorised below:

Needs	Includes
Physical needs	Helping your loved one in dressing up, toileting and conducting household tasks such as buying groceries and chores.
Health and medical needs	Ensuring your loved one is exercising, eating balanced meals, and taking medication in a timely manner.
Emotional and psycho-social needs	Providing a listening ear to your loved one, and showing care and support. You and your senior can join support groups in the community.
Spiritual needs	Encouraging your loved one to continue his/her practice of religious beliefs.
Financial and legal needs	Managing daily expenses, insurance, assets, and financial planning for his/her future.
Future Needs	Starting early conversations on care needs and arrangement with your loved ones should they lose mental capacity. This includes completing an Advance Care Plan and Lasting Power of Attorney.

Name	Details
Assistive Technology Fund (ATF)	The Assistive Technology Fund (ATF) provides financial assistance to persons with disabilities in mainstream or special education or open employment to purchase assistive technology devices.
Car Park Label Scheme (CPLS) for Persons with Physical Disabilities	The Car Park Label Scheme (CPLS) allows persons with physical disabilities who drive their own vehicles, or who are ferried by their family members, to park at designated parking lots which are larger in size to allow them to get in and out of the vehicles with ease.
Certificate of Entitlement (COE) Grant Scheme for Social Service Agencies (SSAs)	The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) Grant Scheme is a grant to support the cost of COE and Additional Registration Fee (ARF) for vehicles used to transport elderly or persons with disabilities who are unable to use public transport unassisted or other transport options.
Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP)	The Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) allows patients to use their Medisave to pay part of their outpatient treatment for 15 chronic conditions.
ComCare Long-Term Assistance (aka Public Assistance) ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance ComCare Urgent Financial Assistance	The ComCare Long-Term Assistance assists Singaporeans who need long-term financial assistance due to old age, illness or unfavourable family circumstances, and have no family members who can provide support. It also provides additional financial assistance for children. The ComCare Short-to-Medium -Term Assistance assists Singaporeans who need short-to-medium-term financial assistance due to job hunting, temporarily unable to work due to illness or caring for family members, and have little or no family members who can provide support. The ComCare Urgent Financial Assistance assists families who are going through a difficult period and require urgent and immediate assistance.
Enhanced Screen for Life (SFL)	SFL is a national screening programme for Singaporeans and Permanent Citizens to get subsidised health screening and follow up at low fixed fee.
Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) Scheme	The Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) Scheme provides comprehensive support to young, low-income families who choose to keep their family small so they can invest in their children's future.
Public Transport Concession Scheme for Persons with Disabilities	This scheme provides a concession card that offers concessionary rates for persons with disabilities when they are travelling on public transport to enjoy a 25% discount off adult fares with no additional cost for distance travelled beyond 7.2km. There is also an option to purchase a Monthly Concession Pass with unlimited bus and train rides at $60 per month.
Subsidies for Government-funded Intermediate Long- Term Care (ILTC) services	These subsidies offset the bills of people needing Intermediate and Long-Term Care (ILTC) care services for future care and treatment after discharge, and for elderly staying in the community who are frail and need supervision and assistance with activities of daily living.
Subsidies for Services and Drugs at Public Healthcare Institutions	These subsidies offsets bills on services and drugs at public hospitals, specialist outpatient clinics and polyclinics.
Taxi Subsidy Scheme	This scheme supports persons with disabilities who are able to travel only by taxi for school or work purposes.
VWO Transport Subsidies	This scheme supports persons with disabilities who need to take dedicated transport provided by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) to access school and care services.