The Straits Times

Ming, 86, lives on a high floor of a rental block, where she would normally enjoy some breeze. The trouble is that her flatmate often keeps the windows shut and the fan off, and Ming is afraid to complain.

“I don’t use the fan for weeks,” said Ming. “If I feel a little breeze from the side, I feel okay. Now the weather is too warm. Sometimes when my flatmate is not around, I ventilate the house and hope she doesn’t see.”

Singapore has become warmer in recent decades and, in 2026, a strengthening El Nino has also brought drier conditions and worsened the haze, making the decision to leave windows open less safe.

But for seniors living without air-conditioning, this creates a cruel catch-22: Shutting out toxic air transforms an already stuffy flat into a stifling heat trap. More needs to be done for seniors like Ming, who are caught between ambient indoor heat and poor outdoor air quality.

Read the full op-ed by CARE's Research Fellow, Dr Zahirah Suhaimi.