Introduction to Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF)
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
On this page, learn how you can apply for SMF grants for Assistive Devices for your loved ones.
What are Assistive Devices?
This refers to items that help an elderly person move around, such as walking stick, wheelchair and pushchair. It also includes things that an elderly person may need at home, such as commode, pressure relief cushion and hospital bed as well as spectacles and hearing aids. Please note that SMF subsidies are provided through the application only, reimbursement for any purchase prior to an approved application is strictly not allowed.
Note: From 14 February 2022, eligible seniors will be able to apply for replacements of devices when their devices reach the end of their life-span1 as well as apply for customised and specialised devices.
1 End of device’s life-span will correspond to device category’s Black-out Period.
How to Qualify
To qualify for SMF Assistive Devices, these are the criteria:
Nationality and Age
Your loved one must be a Singapore citizen aged 60 and older.
Residence
Your loved one must not reside in a nursing home or sheltered home.
For Motorised Devices
Additional Criteria:
- Your loved one must not have a full time caregiver, or the caregiver is frail and not able to support the care needs
- Your loved one must not have the ability to use a manual wheelchair independently
- Your loved one must be mentally and physically able to safely use the motorised device
Household Monthly Income
Your household monthly income per person must be $2,000 and below OR Annual Value (AV) of residence reflected on NRIC of $13,000 and below for households with no income.
Assessment
Your loved one must be assessed by a qualified assessor (such as a fully registered therapist, registered nurse, doctor and optometrist and certified audiologist) on the type of devices required.
For Replacement Application
For devices that have reached the end of its life-span1, you will be required to make a self-declaration that the existing device is no longer usable when applying for a replacement device.
1 End of device’s life-span will correspond to device category’s Black-out Period.
How to Apply
If your loved one is currently under the care of a public hospital, community hospital, day rehabilitation centre, or senior care centre
You may approach the therapist or social worker to assist you in your application for SMF Assistive Devices.
If your loved one needs to apply SMF subsidy for hearing aids and are not currently under the care of any hospital
You may obtain a referral letter from a polyclinic or CHAS GP for a subsidised hearing assessment at the public hospital. The audiologist will assess and assist with your SMF application.
Alternatively, you may attend a Functional Screening assessment in the community and be referred to any of the public hospital if further assessment is required.
If your loved one is currently NOT under the care of any public hospital, community hospital, day rehabilitation centre, or senior care centre
1. Download the following application form, or get a copy from any AIC Link
2. Submit the following documents to apply for subsidy
- Completed application form
- Copy of Applicant’s NRIC (front and back) or image copy of Digital NRIC through SingPass mobile app
- Medical reports, if applicable (e.g. Discharge summary, doctor’s memo describing applicant’s medical condition)
- Financial assistance documents, if applicable (e.g. Public Assistance Card, Medifund, MSF ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance or Medical Fee Exemption Card )
- Copies of financial assistance documents, if available (e.g. Public Assistance Card, Medifund, Medical Fee Exemption Card or MSF ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance)
3. Send the above documents to AIC at the following address
Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF)
No. 7 Maxwell Road #04-01
MND Complex Annex B
Singapore 069111
If your loved one is currently under the care of a public hospital, community hospital, day rehabilitation centre, or senior care centre
You may approach the therapist or social worker to assist you in your application for SMF Motorised Devices.
If your loved one is currently NOT under the care of any public hospital or community hospital, day rehabilitation centre, or senior care centre
1. Download the following application form, or get a copy from any AIC Link
2. Submit the following documents to apply for subsidy
- Completed application form
- Copy of Applicant’s NRIC (front and back) or image copy of Digital NRIC through SingPass mobile app
- Medical reports – Compulsory for motorized device application (e.g. Discharge summary, doctor’s memo describing applicant’s medical condition)
- Financial assistance documents, if applicable (e.g. Public Assistance Card, Medifund, MSF ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance or Medical Fee Exemption Card
3. Send the above documents to AIC at the following address
Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF)
No. 7 Maxwell Road #04-01
MND Complex Annex B
Singapore 069111
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about SMF? We may have the answer here.
If you are a needy Singaporean aged 60 years and above, you can apply. You need to go through a financial assessment.
You also need to go for a clinical needs assessment to find out the types of mobility aids suitable for you before the assessor prescribe the devices.
You must not be concurrently receiving (or applying for) any other public or private grants/subsidies that exceed the amount of co-payment by you under the SMF scheme for the device(s) you are applying for under SMF.
Some seniors and persons with disabilities may have received subsidies from both SMF and ATF (2) to meet their needs. With the policy changes for both SMF and ATF schemes from 14 Feb 2022, both schemes will adopt a more citizen-centric approach where seniors and persons with disabilities would be served under just one scheme and agency throughout their lifetime. As such, individuals would not need to navigate between schemes, reducing confusion.
2 The Assistive Technology Fund (ATF) provides subsidies for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to purchase the assistive technology devices to enable independent living.
You must pass means-test under Ministry of Health’s SMF Assistive Device or Consumables Subsidy framework. Your household monthly income per person of $2,000 and below OR Annual Value (AV) of residence reflected on NRIC of $13,000 and below for households with no income.
If you have upcoming appointments with any hospitals, day rehabilitation centre, senior care centre or Active Aging Centres etc, the easiest way is for you to approach them for assistance as they are familiar with your medical history. The institution/therapists may go on to conduct an assessment to and order the device for your once the application is approved.
You can also contact AIC for referral if you are not known to any hospitals or care providers.
What is the funding amount?
You will get up to 90% subsidy for the cost of the mobility aid or 90% of the maximum device subsidy cap, whichever is lower.
| Name of Organisation / Centre | Address |
|---|---|
| Active Global Active Ageing Hub @ Ghim Moh Edge | 31A Ghim Moh Link, Singapore 272031 |
| Active Global Active Ageing Hub @ Telok Blangah Parcview | 92 Telok Blangah Street 31, #01-255, Singapore 100092 |
| Kwong Wai Shiu Care @ Jalan Besar | 69 Jellicoe Road #02-01 Jalan Besar Community Club, Singapore 208737 |
| Kwong Wai Shiu Care @ St George | 25 St George’s Lane, Singapore 320025 |
| Kwong Wai Shiu Community Care Centre @ McNair | Blk 113 McNair Road, #01-01 McNair Towers, Singapore 321113 |
| Kwong Wai Shiu Community Care Centre @ MacPherson | Blk 82, Circuit Road, #01-02 MacPherson Spring Block 82 (MSCP), Singapore 370082 |
| Senior Care Centre Hospital @Potong Pasir | 51 Potong Pasir Ave 1, Singapore 358400 |
| Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital | 705 Serangoon Road, Singapore 328127 |
| St Luke’s Hospital | 2 Bukit Batok Street 11, Singapore 659674 |
You can use SMF subsidies for the following types of devices:
- Walking aids
- Basic wheelchair / pushchair
- Motorised wheelchair / scooter
- Pressure relief cushion
- Pressure relief mattress
- Commode / shower chair
- Geriatric chair
- Hospital bed
- Special equipment such as oxygen concentrator, suction pump or transfer board
- Spectacles
- Hearing aids
- Motorised wheelchair replacement battery
- Customised and specialised devices such as
- Manual/motorised wheelchairs with customisations or modifications on arm rest
- Prosthesis / orthosis
- Vision and reading aids