By Ramesh Subbaraman
It has been 17 years since NTUC Eldercare has been running facilities for the elderly in different parts of Singapore, and now NTUC Health is taking the next step to run a nursing home.
NTUC Health is an NTUC social enterprise that provides quality and affordable eldercare and health services .
For the longer term, NTUC Health is prepared to invest in operating an additional five nursing homes in the next three to five years.
Chairman of NTUC Enterprise and Immediate Past Secretary-General of NTUC, Lim Boon Heng made the announcement at a news conference on Wednesday.
The first nursing home in Jurong West will be operational by the third quarter of 2015 and NTUC Health has been awarded the tender by the Health Ministry for the project.
The new nursing home will have provisions for up to 290 residents and will include a senior care centre for some 60 seniors.
The nursing home will work closely with hospitals and community partners in the West in the care of its residents. The home will also draw on NTUC Health’s team of professionals like pharmacists, dentists and doctors. Nearly 100 staff will be required to run provide various care services to the residents once it becomes operational.
Mr Lim explained that the focus of the nursing home would be to provide quality care for the elderly and improve their quality of life.
“NTUC Health is well poised to facilitate such a goal. With the setting up of the nursing home, NTUC Health can now offer seamless and integrated health and community care to meet the needs of Singapore families at different points of time,” said Mr Lim.
He added: “When we set up NTUC Eldercare 17 years ago, my objective was to operate a nursing home.
“This experience would be useful because we have not wasted 17 years, we have learnt about what it means to look after seniors and we have learnt about what we think seniors really need and want.
“Our focus would be on the rehabilitation of the sick and we believe that the social component is equally important…”
