The Economics of Singapore Nursing Home Care
Unlike in most advanced countries, where single or twin bed rooms have long been the norm in nursing homes, Singapore’s homes still offer dormitory style accommodation with up to 20 residents in one room. This report, released in July 2016, costs an alternative model of care where nursing homes offer residents only single or double-bedded rooms, together with quality care, privacy & autonomy. This, the study noted, is possible for as little as an additional $8 more a day per resident.
The report proposes the “Silver Hope” model which emphasises a habilitative form of nursing home care with single/double room households and dedicated staffing for psycho-social needs as well as enhanced dementia care. After financial modelling based on inputs from local nursing home providers, architects and doctors, the study revealed that the additional cost for such a model would be modest, starting from an estimated $8 more a day per resident for those without dementia and $13 for persons with dementia, primarily due to additional staffing and construction costs. Costs were minimised through clever space planning and reconfiguring staff to deliver personalised care in smaller groups.
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