When we talk about family, we’ll do anything for the sake of our loved ones, especially if it means protecting their health and happiness. Remember that your own parents have provided a safe haven and a solid foundation for you when you were a child. Now that your parents are becoming older and experiencing age-related health problems, it’s essential that we plan ahead on how to effectively care for them in their senior years.
They may reach a point in life where they are physically unable to perform routine duties owing to age or disease. This involves things like using the stairs, doing tasks around the house, taking medications, and grooming oneself. This means you should probably start thinking about how to help your aging parents out. Having close relatives, including siblings, join in on the discussion with your parents can be helpful when broaching sensitive topics like this one.
If you are struggling with the transition from child to caregiver, you may want to consider nursing homes or elderly day care. However, there are a lot of variables to think about, such as availability, price, and location. Alternatively, you can hire a private nurse or a live-in caregiver to help your parents take care of themselves while they stay with you or at their own home.
Private nurses are highly medically qualified experts who have worked in the field for many years. Medication administration, urine catheter and feeding tube insertion & removal, staple/stitch removal, wound dressing, and general health status monitoring are all part of the home nursing care provided by a nurse. Private nurses, in contrast to live-in caregivers who often only work “regular” hours, are charged on an hourly, half-day, or full-day basis (i.e. between 7am and 12pm).
In order to find a reliable agency closer to your parents’ location, you can make use of internet tools like the Agency for Integrated Care’s (AIC) online E-care finder to look for home nursing care providers by region that is suitable to your parents’ needs.
How much does a private nurse cost?
Private nursing care can be expensive, although it can be significantly reduced by subsidies available from the government, the cost mostly depends on how much care help they require (whether it’s hourly, half-day, or full-day).
According to NTUC, their charge for home nursing care falls somewhere at $25+ per hour at the highest subsidized rate to $125+ per hour at the unsubsidised rate. But this fee applies only during “regular” business hours (8am to 6pm). The cost of care during the “after hours” or night shift can easily double from the subsidized rate of $50+ an hour to the unsubsidized rate of $230+ an hour.
As for the MOHs means-based subsidy, the table below details the different amounts received by Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Permanent Residents (PRs) in each category.
Finding a Caregiver to Move In
Although live-in caregivers are not registered nurses, some of them may have received nurse aide training or other credentials related to nursing and/or caregiving through their agency or the country in which they originally came from. A live-in caregiver is not the same as a housekeeper. Even though they can clean up the house when necessary, their main duty is to check on the health of the people under their care. Live-in caretakers are responsible for a wide range of responsibilities, including medical monitoring, assisting with personal hygiene, light housework, prescription reminders, and social and emotional support. In addition, private nurses may be difficult to find and charge more per hour for “after hours” or night shift care, while live-in caregivers can be there anytime.
Finding a live-in caregiver can be challenging, but with the use of internet tools like AIC’s E-care locator, the process can be eased.
How much is the cost of hiring a live-in caregiver?
While the exact cost of hiring a live-in caregiver will vary from agency to agency and from caregiver to caregiver, you can expect to pay a monthly wage ranging from $600+ to $1,000+, according to NTUC Income (2023). Foreign domestic workers (FDW) are subject to a tax, however those who meet certain criteria might pay a reduced rate of $60 per month. You can fill out your application for the discounted rate on the Ministry of Manpower’s website. You can submit an application to the AIC using this link if your parents suffer physical or mental disabilities that prevent them from engaging in daily living activities like eating, bathing, and getting around their home independently.
Moreover, you’ll also have to shell out anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500 in agency fees to cover things like filling out paperwork for a work permit, getting checked out medically, consultations, and etc..
The Department of Health (MOH) offers the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG), which pays up to $200 per month toward the cost of hiring a live-in caregiver. To submit a grant request, visit the HCG application page on the AIC website.
So, how can you keep your parents protected?
Unfortunately, as we age, our bodies become more vulnerable to damage from everyday incidents, such as stumbling over something or losing our balance. Not only will the duration of recovery periods lengthen, but so will the first setback. Your parents will eventually have to deal with this reality. That’s why it’s crucial to get your parents a Careshield Life supplement meant to take care of all the long-term care needs beyond the basics. This plan is designed to ease the financial burden during your parents’ retirement years by covering expenses such as in-home care, mobility aids, therapies, and other long-term care needs.
Talk to a professional now about how the Careshield life supplement can safeguard your elderly parents from financial ruin in the event of arising long-term care needs.