Most Asian families are extended, where people live together with their parents and grandparents. However, as we live with our parents, we may notice that they also age alongside us.
So, eventually, we may have to shoulder the expense of caring for both ourselves and our old relatives. Some expenses, such as the price of food, transportation, an allowance once they quit working, etc., are simple to anticipate.
However, there are some hidden expenses that are large and challenging to identify:
- Accident-related expenses
- Continued hospital care could take a very long period
- The price of injuries and accidents
- The necessity for elder day care or live-in caregivers will arise eventually
- The CPF funds for parents are running low
Mobility loss and associated transportation expenses
Mobility-related costs are the ones that are most frequently disregarded.
When our parents were younger, they could travel alone using a car, public transportation, or even walking. All of that alters as they age; in addition, issues like eyesight loss can make self-travel unsafe and challenging.
This means that even when they receive discounted permits for public transportation, senior persons’ high transportation costs will still be present.
Why? Because getting on and off public transportation in a wheelchair frequently requires assistance. Even senior citizens who do not use wheelchairs are susceptible to falls, which frequently have deadly repercussions.
In these situations, you might need to think about hiring a personal assistant to aid the individual with transportation (see below), setting aside money for private hire vehicles or taxis when they go out, or even renting or purchasing a car for yourself.
Try to move closer to your parents if at all possible; if you do, you may be eligible for a Proximity Housing Grant (PHG). This way, you could be able to save them on numerous Grab rides if you’re willing to accompany them up buses and trains.
Continued hospital care could take a very long period
As they age, our parents become more and more vulnerable. As a result, hospitalization frequently necessitates additional medical care.
When you’re nimble and young, you can simply get back up after falling. Even though it hurts, you’ll feel better by tomorrow. However, falling down is much worse if you are above 60. Due to the possibility of broken bones, it may also necessitate hospitalization and, for a full recovery, a few months of post-hospital physiotherapy.
As a result, think about your parents’ needs beyond merely hospital insurance.
The price of injuries and accidents
In Singapore, about one-third of older adults aged 60 and above have fallen more than one. Elderly people are much more vulnerable to injury from falls than younger people are. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, about 50% of elderly people who have a serious fall become dependent on a cane or walker (see mobility issues in point 1), and about 40% require nursing home admission.
The inability to carry out Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), such as clothing oneself, using the restroom alone, etc., can result from fall injuries. Personal accident insurance is essential in these situations.
If a nursing home is not selected, the accident plan will be required to pay for expenses like hiring a live-in companion to aid with daily life or defraying some of the cost of an elder daycare. The first expense of medical transportation to and from any medical treatment can also be covered by an accident plan.
What you can do: Find a plan that can combine personal accident coverage to their healthcare. These can assist in defraying the expense of physiotherapy, Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), mobility aids, and even round-trip transportation for medical care.
The necessity for elder day care or live-in caregivers will arise eventually
As aging is unavoidable, our parents will eventually require live-in assistance or care facilities. Because personal accident insurance only kicks in in the event of an accident and excludes natural causes like aging, it cannot be used in these situations.
Don’t think that having a housekeeper is all you need. Consider the situation of an old man who is unable to dress or bathe himself. You can’t be sure a female domestic worker is at ease or capable in this situation.
Additionally, let’s not forget that domestic assistants are typically not specialized in assisting seniors in maintaining their level of engagement, which includes getting out, making new acquaintances, performing basic physical activities, etc.
You’ll eventually require more specialized and pricey services:
A professional visiting your house might cost about $20 per hour, whereas elder day care services might range in price from $400 to $1,600 per month. The most expensive option is to stay in a retirement home, which can cost between $700 and $4,000 per month (Seedly, 2023).
Additionally, keep in mind that listed prices frequently don’t include transportation if you use senior day care services.
Why? This is due to the fact that care providers are unable to accurately calculate the costs since they are too dependent on the location of your parents. Although this is typically the safest and most practical method of transportation to an elderly day care facility (the drivers and workers are trained), it is also sometimes the most expensive.
The variety of prices is fairly broad, as you’ll see. This is so that you can understand how different care facilities or household helpers will have different prices. While the government does offer subsidies, they depend on the results of your household means testing. But keep in mind that there is no government assistance if your per capita household income is higher than $2,800 per month.
Last but not least, even if you plan on being the main caregiver for your parents without hiring any aids, you must carefully examine the time and opportunity expenses involved.
In this situation, getting oneself protected is even more crucial because you never know what can happen to your aging parents.
The CPF funds for parents are running low
The final thing Singaporeans should keep in mind is that CPF contributions were lower when their parents were alive. Additionally, as they age, our parents’ insurance costs rise and their CPF savings are depleted faster.
To make sure they are sufficiently covered and insured, it is sometimes a good idea to examine how much money they actually have. It may even be a good idea to help them top up their retirement account and supplement their CPF with policy coverage.
You can achieve this via private annuity plans, endowment plans, protection plans like Integrated Shield Plans, and accident policies, as well as other financial instruments.
By doing this, you might avoid having to pay for the expense in the future.