The Straits Times
As the population grows older, more seniors are becoming caregivers to other seniors.
The proportion of informal caregivers – those who provide unpaid care to family members and friends – among adults aged 67 and above rose from 6 per cent in 2019 to 7.4 per cent in 2023-2024, according to a national survey of older adult residents conducted by the Centre for Ageing Research & Education (CARE) at Duke-NUS Medical School.
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Living with chronic back and leg pain means that Madam Annie, 80, limits her movement to reduce fatigue when caring for her 91-year-old husband, Mr Kong.
“I can’t push his wheelchair – it’s heavy and I’m worried I might get injured pushing it,” she says.
Like Madam Annie, many older caregivers face strain with caregiving tasks that are more physically demanding. Ageing is accompanied by a decline in physical strength and function, explains Associate Professor Rahul Malhotra, executive director and head of research at CARE.
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Having an established social support network will also greatly benefit caregivers, according to a study by Duke-NUS’ CARE, The Caregiving Transitions Among Family Caregivers Of Elderly Singaporeans. Informal primary caregivers of older adults with a diverse social network are more likely to have stronger support systems and bounce back better from difficult situations.
Read the full article here.