Referrals by Silver Generation Offices
Parliamentary Question, 4 Sep 2019
Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for Health (a) to date, what is the total number and average number of referrals made by the Silver Generation Office (SGO) to healthcare and social service providers; and (b) how many SGO home visits resulted in applications being filed respectively for (i) Interim Disability Assistance Scheme for the Elderly (IDAPE) (ii) Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme (PioneerDAS) (iii) Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF) (iv) Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) (v) Caregivers Training Grant (CTG) (vi) Medifund (vii) ComCare and (viii) Community Health Assistance Scheme (CHAS).
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Following home visits, Silver Generation Ambassadors (SGAs) or Officers may make recommendations to seniors to apply for healthcare and social support schemes or referrals to providers of other healthcare or social services that meet the seniors’ needs.
For engagements by SGAs between 1 March 2019 and 31 July 2019, the number of applications for different support schemes and referrals to other service providers subsequently are as follows.
Table 1: Number of Applications Filed/Referrals After Engagement by SGAs
Note(s) to question 1:
1 Some of these applications may not be a direct result of the engagements as they could be initiated due to other factors subsequent to the engagement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Anthea Ong is a Nominated Member of Parliament. (A Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) is a Member of the Parliament of Singapore who is appointed by the President. They are not affiliated to any political party and do not represent any constituency. There are currently nine NMPs in Parliament.)
The multi-sector perspective that comes from her ground immersion of 12 years in different capacities helps her translate single-sector issues and ideas across boundaries without alienating any particular community/group. As an entrepreneur and with many years in business leadership, it is innate in her to discuss social issues with the intent of finding solutions, or at least of exploring possibilities. She champions mental health, diversity and inclusion — and volunteerism in Parliament.
She is also an impact entrepreneur/investor and a passionate mental health advocate, especially in workplace wellbeing. She started WorkWell Leaders Workgroup in May 2018 to bring together top leaders (CXOs, Heads of HR/CSR/D&I) of top employers in Singapore (both public and private) to share, discuss and co-create inclusive practices to promote workplace wellbeing. Anthea is also the founder of Hush TeaBar, Singapore’s 1st silent teabar and a social movement that aims to bring silence, self care and social inclusion into every workplace, every community — with a cup of tea. The Hush Experience is completely led by lovingly-trained Deaf facilitators, supported by a team of Persons with Mental Health Issues (PMHIs).
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