In a recent survey conducted by the PAP Seniors Group (PAPSG), about 30 per cent of the 661 respondents want further increases to Singapore’s retirement and reemployment ages.
Another 10 per cent of respondents do not want any retirement and reemployment ages at all.
“It was indicated that employees want to work beyond the age of 50, but they found that employers are the ones who do not want to retain workers near the age of 70,” said PAPSG Vice-Chairperson Dinesh Vasu Dash at the PAPSG event The Active Ageing Journey: Living Well, Engaging Fully (12 Oct), discussing the other major finding of the survey.
“This was overwhelmingly felt by more than half from the respondents. And this indicates that we should be doing further work with our employers,” added Vice-Chairperson Dinesh to the more than 330 total PAPSG members, PAP activists, retired PAP MPs and members of the public at the event.
Concurrently, PAPSG is changing mindsets to get even more seniors to participate in the workforce, including reframing the transition from working life to retirement.
“You can use your transition to doing something that gives you more passion, that gives you more purpose,” said Chairperson Tan See Leng.
“Instead of using the word ‘retirement’, we should say that it is ‘regeneration’, he continued.
“It is how you integrate, how you move from one experience to the next.”
“With a refreshed team, PAPSG will also double down on our efforts to mobilise our seniors and activists in response to the Government’s call to enable our seniors to Age Well with dignity,” added Chairperson Tan.
PAPSG will present a White Paper on Senior Employment to a tripartite group of workers, employers and the public sector.
The policy recommendations in the White Paper will guide long-term planning, and deliver better employment outcomes, for Singaporeans seniors in the workforce.
Government action, and PAPSG advocacy and activism, for an ageing Singapore
PAPSG Vice-Chairperson Rahayu Mahzam also spoke at the event, focusing on Singapore’s approach to successful ageing.
Singapore will be a “super-aged” society in 2026, with more than one in five Singaporeans aged 65 and older. By 2030, this proportion will increase to one in four.
“We have to look at how we can move from acute care — meaning taking care of people in the hospital — to preventive care,” said Vice-Chairperson Rahayu. “That’s why you have been hearing a lot about Healthier SG. Healthy eating, healthy diet, exercise participation.”
Source: Rahayu Mahzam / Facebook
The PAP Government is investing in Singaporean seniors holistically, she added. In addition to the long-term HealthierSG plan, inter-ministerial committees are ensuring continued social inclusion, supporting employment and improving neighbourhood and home infrastructure for seniors.
Age Well SG is also underway nationally, supporting seniors to age well in their homes and communities, said Vice-Chairperson Rahayu.
The programme strengthens home care and nursing home support for seniors with care needs, and improves their living environment with addtional-elderly-friendly features in flats like grab bars and wheelchair ramps. There is also an $800 million boost to Active Ageing Centres (AACs) for new Centres islandwide and programmes to keep seniors alert and healthy.
“We’re also creating opportunities for seniors to come back and contribute to their community by taking part in the new ‘Silver Guardian’ programme that we have rolled out, said Chairperson Rahayu. “These senior volunteers support fellow seniors in the AACs.”
In this ageing Singapore, PAPSG will focus on advocacy and activism for fellow Singaporeans. Advocacy could involve policy inputs to different ministries on topics like retirement adequacy and healthcare costing, said Chairperson Tan.
“We have to continue to expand,” added Chairperson Tan about activism to the gathered PAPSG members. “Continue to organise feedback dialogues and conversations like these. And get them up to speed.”
“So that in every single engagement and dialogue, you actually represent the hearts and the voices of our fellow Singaporean seniors.”
