SINGAPORE - More help is on the way for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to live independently in the community, with two pilot programmes by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).
The Enabled Living Programme (ELP) and the Home Support Programme (HSP) will support PWDs with low to moderate support needs to continue living in the community instead of being institutionalised if they do not have caregiver support and alternative residential options.
Up to 250 PWDs will take part in the two programmes during the pilot period.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua announced the upcoming schemes on March 10 during the debate on his ministry’s budget.
He said the HSP’s visiting services will help many PWDs living with ageing caregivers who may be frail and soon unable to care for them. “Without other options, they may end up institutionalised.”
For instance, a person with intellectual disabilities and low to moderate support needs living with an aged caregiver may benefit from services such as monitoring and reminder services, coaching on independent living and social skills, and future care planning on how they can live independently at home after their caregiver passes on.
The HSP will start in 2026.
The ELP will help PWDs who are unable to live with their families and need support, such as lower-income PWDs whose aged caregivers have passed on. These individuals will get support such as basic supervision, financial assistance and coaching on living and social skills.
The ELP will start in the second half of 2025 for eligible PWDs with low to moderate support needs, who may require additional support for independent living.
They will live in pairs in public rental flats set aside for the pilot, where they can receive services onsite for daily living, such as information, referral, and coordination services, coaching for independent living and social skills, and ongoing monitoring and reminder services.
The four sites of these flats will be confirmed in mid-2025.
Both the ELP and HSP will be subsidised on a means-tested basis, said MSF. Clients will pay a programme fee, that will be made public closer to date of implementation.
These plans come amid a push to support PWDs here to continue living independently in the community for as long as possible.
The ministry said that as of December 2024, there were about 1,000 PWDs residing in 11 adult disability homes in Singapore - most of which have an occupancy rate of nearly 80 per cent.
Admission of PWDs in such homes should be considered “as a last resort and only when it is in their best interests”, it added. “They should be encouraged and supported to live in the community for as long as possible.”
Aside from the community living pilots, there are also plans to boost lifelong learning for PWDs.
Mr Chua also announced MSF’s upcoming launch of the Enabling Skills for Life Programme with selected sheltered workshops and day activity centres. This will be launched from the fourth quarter of 2025 to 2028.
He said the programme aims to serve PWDs with a single service catering to their evolving learning needs, so they do not have to move between multiple services.
The programme aims to improve the quality of life for adults with disabilities by equipping them with independent living, communication, social emotional functioning and vocational skills.
It will support persons with disabilities who have higher support needs to keep learning, building on what they learned in special education schools.
Mr Jarran Ng’s family has been toying with plans for Jarran, who has intellectual disabilities, to move out into a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat when he turns 35.
Mr Ryan Ng (left), who helps his parents care for his brother Jarran (right), thinks the ELP will help Jarran transition to living independently.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
They have since been approached by SG Enable in 2024 to consider signing Jarran, 30, up for the ELP.
Jarran, a 30-year-old graduate of APSN Delta Senior School, travels to work as an assistant gardener in Shangri-La Singapore by himself. But he has trouble counting money and making financial choices, and his family worries about him falling prey to scams online.
Jarran’s brother Ryan Ng, who helps his parents care for him, thinks the ELP will help Jarran transition to living independently.
“Because I think living independently constitutes a whole multitude of stuff other than just living apart from caregivers,” said the 34-year-old, citing tasks such as operating a washing machine, paying bills and what to do if the electricity trips or appliances need servicing.
Mr Ng, who works as a human resources specialist, said he wants his brother to be meaningfully engaged and involved in the community. He said Jarran used to spend his free time watching television at home, but he prodded him to go for Zumba classes in the neighbourhood.
“At first, he was reluctant, but after going for one class, there was a period where he went every day. When we walk around neighborhood, people recognise him. People say hi to him. And people start to look out for him as well.”
“My biggest hope for him is to live a fulfilling life, to not just be left to his own devices, but to be engaged in things around him, to head out and participate in activities.”
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