Single Nursing home rooms the way forward?

[Yoongf]

 

SINGAPORE — If the nursing homes housing the 5,000 beds the Government wants to add by 2020 are built according to a new model that affords patients more privacy with single and double rooms, it would cost about S$19 million more a year, a study commissioned by two philanthropic foundations has found.

 

This is equivalent to 0.2 per cent of the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) S$11 billion budget for the current financial year, and amounts to each resident paying about S$8 to S$13 more a day from the current daily average cost of S$106.20 per resident.

 

Lien Foundation, which commissioned the study with Khoo Chwee Neo Foundation, shared these figures on Thursday (July 28), with the aim of quantifying the argument for single- and double-bedded nursing homes which feature en suite toilets, communal living and dining areas — a departure from the six- to eight-bed dormitory-style layout that is common here.

 

The foundation has been lobbying for a shift towards nursing homes providing “people-centred” care, an effort that hit a roadblock last year when the MOH said it could not provide subsidies for the proposed Jade Circle home, a joint effort between Peacehaven Nursing Home, the Lien Foundation and Khoo Chwee Neo Foundation.

 

The ministry had said it would not be “financially sustainable” to provide subsidies to patients staying in wards “designed to proxy private or A-class ward configurations”.

 

On Thursday, Lien Foundation chief executive Lee Poh Wah urged the authorities to move away from “archaic” models of nursing care. “The elderly (in Singapore) are stripped of their privacy, dignity and autonomy, and reduced to living a regimen — all in the name of safety and efficiency,” he said.

 

Commenting on the ministry’s decision on Jade Circle, Mr Lee, stressing that they were not asking for additional subsidies, said: “I am completely baffled. Why were we penalised for wanting to care for the poor, for delivering care that far exceeded MOH’s standards?”

 

The additional 5,000 nursing-home beds that the Government aims to build by 2020 provide an opportunity for a new model of care to be introduced, he added.

 

The study, conducted by strategy consultancy Oliver Wyman, sought opinions from geriatricians, nursing-home practitioners, and architects.

 

The cost estimates are based on hypothetical nursing homes with 20 per cent single rooms and 80 per cent double rooms. Homes with only single rooms will cost about 36.8 per cent more, according to the study.

 

Besides infrastructural changes, the model would see a dedicated Senior Care Associate tending to each “household” of up to 10 residents. The associate will engage the residents on daily activities and will be supported by roving teams who provide clinical and nursing support.

 

At the Salvation Army Peacehaven Nursing Home, 56 residents with dementia are currently housed in such a living community, where they are encouraged to make their own decisions, such as choosing activities they wish to take part in.

 

Residents have shown a 30 per cent increase in well-being since moving into the facility in 2006, based on a profiling assessment, said the home’s executive director Low Mui Lang.

 

The study noted that in countries with ageing populations, such as Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, single and double rooms in homes are already the norm.

 

For instance, residents at the Green House Project in the US live in cottages with private rooms and baths. Those who are able help with food preparation and eat in a communal setting. Unlike the regimented meals in nursing homes, Green House residents are free to choose when to eat.

 

In response to the study, the MOH, which received the report on Wednesday night, said it hopes to discuss the findings with Lien Foundation and understand the assumptions behind the economic analysis.

 

Commenting on the Jade Circle episode, the MOH said it had made various offers to Peacehaven, such as providing financial support if part of the new facility could be converted into four-bedded wards. “Our offers still stand and we look forward to engaging Lien Foundation on experimenting with new models of care for our seniors,” said the MOH.

 

It also pointed to ongoing efforts to try new models, such as the Ang Mo Kio Build-Own-Lease Nursing Home to be operated by Ren Ci, which will have a “cluster concept” of four beds in each room, sharing a common living area.

 

In Financial Year (FY)15, the MOH’s investment in the nursing home sector was estimated at more than S$360 million, including manpower funding and capital investments. In comparison, expenditure in FY11 was around S$100 million, the ministry said.

 

http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/costs-would-rise-least-s8-day-new-nursing-homes-study

[Chrispie]

I agree.

 

Shared room with brother all my life. After that shared room with wife.

 

Never had the luxury to have my own room.

[Thaiyotakamli]

I agree.

 

Shared room with brother all my life. After that shared room with wife.

 

Never had the luxury to have my own room.

Ever thinking to file a divorce? Hehe

[Spring]

I also never had a room by my own in my whole life cos I shared room with my bro when I was single n then when I got married obviously shared with my Wife. That said, as families get smaller and homes also shrink, u can't put more than 2 to a room n these days kids of opposite gender prefer privacy n an own room.

 

Think can't compare with old days cos demands are very different in today's world with own hp, PC, rooms with aircon, cable tv etc being an almost must have. In short my generation would say it's a luxury but not today's generation, my 2 cents.

[Jman888]

I agree.

 

Shared room with brother all my life. After that shared room with wife.

 

Never had the luxury to have my own room.

cos you are afraid to sleep alone?

[Evillusion]

cb lar.....i sleep in the living room woth my brothers hor....my sisters get the other room. Only had a room when i got my hdb unit and usually i sleep alone as my wife will be sleeping with the kids. Thats why i changed the name of my room from masterbed room to masterbate room...

[Ktglfc]

Till now, always share room ...

young, shared with brother ... married, shared with wifey ...

 

only time no share room, is when on overseas business trips ... lived like a king in the hotel room

 

 

[Hydrocarbon]

Strawberry gen here. I used to share room with my brother when we were younger as the other room was rented out.

 

Fought so much, and when the tenant left, I had my own room.

 

Luxury? Maybe. But, once hit a certain age, most people would want some of their own privacy, whatever their reasons might be. It's probably more efficient to care for the residents if they were in clusters, but, do the residents want clusters or a choice of whether to be in a 1/2/4/6/8 bed room? Might be different for everyone.

[Evillusion]

Strawberry gen here. I used to share room with my brother when we were younger as the other room was rented out.

 

Fought so much, and when the tenant left, I had my own room.

 

Luxury? Maybe. But, once hit a certain age, most people would want some of their own privacy, whatever their reasons might be. It's probably more efficient to care for the residents if they were in clusters, but, do the residents want clusters or a choice of whether to be in a 1/2/4/6/8 bed room? Might be different for everyone.

now har....for 2 person in a bedroom, its either they are married or sec com and above in ns. More than 2 in a is considered a bunk......

[Nicfoo]

Poor TS, nobody even bother to read his lengthy content. Read the thread title and fire away...LOL 

[Pocus]

Poor TS, nobody even bother to read his lengthy content. Read the thread title and fire away...LOL

To be fair, the title TS put also very misleading. I also tot he talking about home room. After reading the article I decided that it was more interesting to discuss the title than about nursing home beds...lol Edited July 31, 2016 by Pocus

[Nicfoo]

To be fair, the title TS put also very misleading. I also tot he talking about home room. After reading the article I decided that it was more interesting to discuss the title than about nursing home beds...lol

 

And you know what? I actually agree with you...LOL

[Evillusion]

To be fair, the title TS put also very misleading. I also tot he talking about home room. After reading the article I decision what was discussed is more interesting than discussion about nursing home beds...lol

ya...me 3. I read half way then they start about 'homes' in Japan, USA and others....sianz! So decided to entertain the others..

[serenade]

The key word is subsidy.

 

The existing 4-bed and above sharing costs come to $3,180 per resident per month. A 1-bed or 2-bed the costs come to $3,570 per resident per month.

 

To keep a PAIR of elderly parents in a nursing home in luxury without any subsidy, could cost a family $7,140 per month or almost $86,000 a year.

 

How many families can afford these rates? Government subsidies also mean someone else is paying for the resident's stay in so called luxury rather than utility. 

 

My view is the government is correct. If want state to subsidise, keep it utilitarian where 4 or more to a room. If want luxury, be prepared to go private and self fund the $86,000 annual costs. 

[Chrispie]

Since we are on the topic of sleep and room and wife.

 

Do you know that 90% of men wakes up in the middle of the night?

 

Of these, 40% wake up to visit toilet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest wake up to go home.

Edited July 31, 2016 by Chrispie

[Lala81]

Private room of course is good when u are talking about self care communities ie Retirement villages where the men and women inside are able to care for themselves.

 

But in the context of a usual singaporean nursing home where i estimate at least 30-40 percent are bedbound. In SG, the so called self care people are all still in their HDBs being jaga-ed by maids cos it's much cheaper than checking yourself into a retirement village.

You will inevitably consume more human resources in nursing these elderly.

 

I wonder if the figures given by the study take into account inflation of salaries of these nurses/nursing assistants. As of now, most of them are from myanmar. In 10-20 years time, would an economic boom in myanmar, allow for a source of cheap labour?

 

Right now, they are earning very low salaries.

 

Ultimately, for the elderly who are going into NH, most of the time, they have to adapt. After a lifetime of being an independent adult, it's really tough. I also dunno if i can take it if my time comes...

 

Edited July 31, 2016 by Lala81

[Evillusion]

Since we are on the topic of sleep and room and wife.

 

Do you know that 90% of men wakes up in the middle of the night?

 

Of these, 40% wake up to visit toilet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest wake up to go home.

[Kopites]

When I was having my own room. i have always trying to share it with girl.

 

When I am sharing the same room with a girl I have always long to has my own single room.