{"id":4027,"date":"2023-04-01T02:29:49","date_gmt":"2023-04-01T02:29:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev-alumn-nus.pantheonsite.io\/alumnus\/?p=4027"},"modified":"2025-07-15T16:07:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T08:07:58","slug":"rethinking-care-in-a-fast-ageing-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/2023\/04\/01\/rethinking-care-in-a-fast-ageing-society\/","title":{"rendered":"Rethinking Care in a Fast-ageing Society"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Singapore is among the fastest-ageing nations in the world. An estimated one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above by 2030. However, not everyone is ageing well. While life expectancy has gone up, many people are spending a significant part of their lifespan in poor health due to chronic disease and disability.<\/p>\n\n

This means many of us will take on caregiving roles for our loved ones, even as we grow older and require care ourselves. So what can individuals and society do to minimise the challenges associated with growing old? How can we reshape the caregiving experience and enhance its positive aspects so it becomes more satisfying, rewarding and meaningful?<\/p>\n\n

Ms Susana Concordo Harding, Senior Director at the International Longevity Centre Singapore by Tsao Foundation, addressed these hard questions in an interview with The\u00a0Alum<\/em>NUS, following her recent\u00a0WoW: Ignite<\/em>\u00a0talk titled \u201cInsights into Caregiving Transitions: Towards Positive Caregiving Experiences and Resilience\u201d. Drawing insights from local research and her policy and advocacy work in successful ageing, Ms Harding unpacked key factors that contribute to positive caregiving trajectories and suggested interventions that could benefit caregivers in the community. Much of her research centres around older women, who bear the brunt of the caregiving load even as they age and grapple with declining health.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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AN AGEING SOCIETY<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The proportion of Singaporeans aged 65 and above is rising rapidly.<\/strong>
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\u00a0Source:<\/em>\u00a0Population in Brief\u00a02022,\u00a0September 2022<\/em><\/small><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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MIND THE GENDER GAP<\/strong><\/p>\n

Research shows a gender disparity in ageing and caregiving, and women are at a higher risk of facing isolation, financial challenges and lack of support as they grow older, said Ms Harding, who is also the Honorary Secretary of the Board of Directors at Centre for Seniors, a non-profit social service agency dedicated to helping seniors remain meaningfully engaged.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Citing the\u00a0Caregiving Transitions among Family Caregivers of Elderly Singaporeans (TraCE)\u00a0<\/em>study by the Centre for Ageing Research and Education, she highlighted large gender gaps in caregiving roles. For example, women make up three in four caregivers; the mean caregiver age is around 62 years old; and two-thirds do not hold full-time jobs \u2014 either they are not working, have already retired or work part-time. A third of caregivers also report clinically significant depressive symptoms.<\/p>\n

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Ms Susana Harding tackled the issues of caregiving in Singapore at her WoW: Ignite talk on 8 March 2023.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cData like this clearly shows a strong gender dimension to ageing,\u201d said Ms Harding. \u201cWith women living longer, it means the burden of caregiving falls on them. When they need care themselves, what happens?\u201d
Gender inequity in caregiving also has socioeconomic ramifications. Recalling her encounter at the\u00a0WoW: Ignite<\/em>\u00a0talk with an attendee, who stopped working to care for her late mother with Parkinson\u2019s disease, Ms Harding said it is not uncommon to see caregivers give up their full- or part-time jobs due to disrupted schedules \u2014 losing their self\u2011esteem and identity along the way.\u00a0

\u201cThe current cohort of caregivers becomes increasingly vulnerable,\u201d she explained. \u201cThey end up being out of the labour force, and when their care recipient passes on, they have to rebuild their lives. It can be very difficult for them because they may lose their self-esteem and confidence as they have been on the margins of their social network while providing care all this time.\u201d\u00a0<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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With women living longer, it means the burden of caregiving falls on them. When they need care themselves, what happens?\u00a0<\/h4>\n

Ms Susana Concordo Harding, (Public Policy \u201909)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A SILVER LINING<\/strong><\/p>\n

But it need not be this way. On changing the perception that caregiving is primarily a woman\u2019s job, Ms Harding said, \u201cSociety\u2019s expectations are not cast in stone and can evolve and change. But we need to start somewhere and continue to advocate for changes to happen. It\u2019s up to everyone to make it happen collectively.\u201d

While the caregiving discourse tends to focus on the negatives, such as disrupted work schedules, financial strain and burnout, Ms Harding said caregivers report several positive aspects too. These include fulfilment in being filial, reciprocating care, being a role model to future generations and gaining knowledge about ageing, she said, citing data from the\u00a0Qualitative Insights into Caregiving Transitions (Quali-T)<\/em>\u00a0study by Duke\u2011NUS Medical School.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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CAREGIVING IN SINGAPORE, BY THE NUMBERS<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  • 73.4%\u00a0of caregivers are women.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • 1\/3\u00a0of caregivers report clinically significant depressive symptoms.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Informal primary caregivers spend\u00a029.3 hours a week\u00a0\u2014 or about\u00a03.5 days\u00a0of work \u2014 juggling caregiving responsibilities. Unlike formal caregivers, who are professionals paid for their work, informal primary caregivers care for and assist a friend or family member without pay.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    \u201cWe are so used to looking at the negative aspects of caregiving that we don\u2019t see there are also benefits \u2014 it\u2019s not just a burden,\u201d said Ms Harding. \u201cThere are benefits (of caregiving) even in the dissatisfied group of caregivers, a sense of doing it for filial piety.\u201d (See \u2018The 4 Types of Caregivers\u2019 below.)<\/p>\n

    SHARING THE LOAD\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Based on data collected, Ms Harding suggested several strategies to support caregivers. At the clinical level, healthcare teams could actively engage and involve caregivers when developing care plans for patients. For instance, a nurse clinician could start a conversation with the caregiver while the care recipient is being treated by his or her doctor, a nurse.

    \u201cThe idea is to get to know the caregiver, build a relationship, provide some health education in the process and detect the risk of breakdown of care and caregiving burnout early,\u201d said Ms Harding, adding that Tsao Foundation may soon pilot such a practice in its clinics and services. At the same time, caregivers would do well to build up their emotional resilience and incorporate self\u2011care into their daily routines.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    THE 4 TYPES OF CAREGIVERS\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    The Qualitative Insights into Caregiving Transitions (Quali-T)\u00a0<\/em>longitudinal study by Duke\u2011NUS Medical School looked at the subjective life experiences and caregiving trajectories of caregivers in Singapore.\u00a0<\/strong>

    It identified four types of caregivers:<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    • Balanced: Low burden and moderate benefits.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Satisfied:\u00a0\u00a0Low burden and high benefits.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Dissatisfied:\u00a0Moderate burden and low benefits.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Intensive:\u00a0High burden and high benefits.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Ms Harding also suggested rethinking caregiving as solely a family responsibility, particularly for those who do not have families of their own or get little family support. In such situations, individuals could build their \u201cfamily of choice\u201d \u2014 a group of people who are not biologically related but who band together for ongoing social support. \u201cNot all of us will have a family to care for us. Data shows a growing number of singles. Who will take care of them? Some of us will need to start building our family of choice.\u201d\u00a0An example might be friends pooling resources to live together or near one another, she said. Or it might include co-workers, neighbours, old school connections or familiar people in the neighbourhood, who look out for the person requiring care.\u00a0

      Last but not least, Ms Harding also hopes to look into ways to support and engage more men to take up caregiving roles. \u201cIt may not mean having a 50-50 (caregiving load between men and women) \u2014 it could be negotiated \u2014 but the conversation needs to start now. At this moment, we could say we want to change, that caregiving shouldn\u2019t just be a woman\u2019s role. Everyone should be given a chance to say, \u2018I want to be a caregiver\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Researcher and NUS alumna Susana Concordo Harding (Public Policy \u201909) explores how to tackle the gender disparity and perceptions of caregiving as Singaporeans age, in the wake of her recentWoW: Ignitetalk held on 8 March 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4029,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership","category-social-impact"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4027"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7960,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4027\/revisions\/7960"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}