MSF monitors residential care demand as one-third of DAC clients have elderly caregivers
Minister Masagos said about 500 Day Activity Centre clients have elderly caregivers aged 65 or above, prompting efforts to expand community support and monitor Adult Disability Home capacity amid broader ageing trends.
- Around 500 Day Activity Centres clients have primary caregivers aged 65 or older.
- Most Adult Disability Homes operate above 80% capacity, with MSF monitoring to ensure future adequacy.
- New community-based pilots aim to support independent living and delay institutionalisation.
In a written parliamentary reply on 4 February, 2026, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said that about one-third of individuals enrolled in Day Activity Centres (DACs), or around 500 individuals, have at least one caregiver aged 65 and above.
The response was issued to Workers' Party Non-constituency Member of Parliament Eileen Chong Pei Shan, who had asked how many DAC clients have primary caregivers aged 65 or older, what demand projections exist for Adult Disability Homes (ADH), whether ADH capacity is sufficient to meet future demand, and what support is available to families planning the transition to residential care.
The Minister stated that MSF aims “to enable persons with disabilities to live and age in the community for as long as they are able.”
To this end, he said the ministry is piloting “community-based support services to provide alternatives to residential care, such as the Enabled Living Programme pilot launched in 2025, and the upcoming Home Support Programme pilot.”
He also noted that, “through the Enabling Skills for Life Programme proof-of-concept, we aim to support persons with disabilities to access living skills and vocational training, and build up skills for independence.”
Adult Disability Home demand and capacity
Masagos clarified that “admission into Adult Disability Homes is considered as a last resort for adults with disabilities who have no alternative accommodation.”
As of December 2025, “over 1,000 persons with disabilities reside in 11 MSF-funded Adult Disability Homes, most of which operate at utilisation rates of over 80%.”
He added that “MSF continues to monitor and plan ahead with our partners to ensure that we have sufficient capacity to meet projected demand.”
Support for transition and future care planning
In terms of support for families, Masagos stated that “more information and support for future care planning can be accessed through SG Enable, including via the Enabling Guide, which serves as a first-stop online resource for information on disability in Singapore.”
He added: “Caregivers may also tap on community support networks such as CaringSG and a range of caregiver-led initiatives supported by SG Enable for peer support and practical guidance.”
Wider ageing trends raise long-term care concerns
By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 or older, placing the country in the “super-aged” category alongside Japan, Germany, and Italy.
This trend will heighten the challenge of providing suitable housing and care options for seniors, especially as more live alone or require dementia and frailty-related support.
According to a report by The Business Times in 2024, Chia Hui Xiang, a researcher at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, noted a shift in care needs.
“In Singapore, the growing demand is for housing which meets the needs of seniors – for example, (those with) dementia, difficulties with activities of daily living, frailty – rather than the wants,” she said.
She added that the number of residents aged 65 and above living alone rose from 58,000 in 2018 to 79,000 in 2022 and is expected to continue increasing.
The Ministry of Health expanded aged care capacity from 9,600 beds in 2010 to 16,200 in 2020, with projections estimating the need for 32,000 beds by 2030.
