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SINGAPORE – Singapore’s first assisted living public housing in Bukit Batok for seniors who want to live alone and yet enjoy some care, support and community activities will go up for sale in the Build-To-Order exercise (BTO) next February.
The new apartment typology comes with a mandatory service package to help older people grow old instead, the Ministry of National Development (MND), Housing Board (HDB) and Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a joint statement on Thursday (December 10). .
The services included in the package include a 24-hour surveillance and emergency response service, basic health checks, simple home repairs and activities in the common spaces within the development.
All residents will have to subscribe and pay for the basic service package, which starts at $ 22,000 for a 15-year lease.
Other services such as cleaning, laundry, meal delivery, and shared care can be added at an additional cost.
Located at Bukit Batok West Avenue 9, the Community Care Apartments pilot lot comprises approximately 160 units and is expected to be completed in 2024.
The floors were scheduled to be launched in May, but were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Each 32 square meter apartment comes with senior accessories including grab bars and a wheelchair accessible bathroom with a non-slip floor to allow residents to move around their homes with ease.
The floors have an open layout and feature sliding partitions to separate the living room and bedroom, along with a built-in closet, cupboards and a fitted kitchen to reduce renovation time.
There will be furnished common spaces on each floor for residents to share meals or participate in group activities, which serve as “extensions of their own living rooms,” the agencies said.
A community manager will be on-site to organize community activities and help link older people to care services according to their needs, when needed.
Residents will also have priority for admission to the nearby Bukit Batok Care Home, should the need arise in the future.
Other amenities within the development include a precinct pavilion, a walking path, an activity center, a hawker center, a community garden, and a gym.
Seniors must be 65 or older to apply for these apartments. They will be able to opt for a 15- to 35-year lease, in five-year increments, as long as it covers the applicant and their spouse, if any, until they are at least 95 years old.
Prices for these apartments start from $ 40,000 for a 15-year lease to $ 65,000 for a 35-year lease, and must be paid in advance in cash or with money from the Central Provident Fund (CPF).
Government subsidies such as the Silver Housing Bonus apply, which gives seniors a cash bonus of up to $ 30,000 when they sell their existing apartment and use the proceeds to recharge their CPF Retirement Account.
However, these flats cannot be resold or rented. Owners who no longer need the apartment can return it to the HDB, who will reimburse them for the remaining rental value of the apartment.
Seniors with more urgent care needs, such as those who require ongoing assistance with activities of daily living, will be prioritized for floors.
From next Monday through March 31, 2021, seniors and the public will be able to visit a life-size display case of the common space, along with scale models of the block and floor, in the HDB Hub atrium at Lorong 6 Toa Payoh.
A showroom on the floor will open from January 4, 2021.
Visitors must book an appointment through HDB InfoWeb before visiting the exhibition.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said the new public housing concept aims to help older people live independently in the community.
“This pilot will expand today’s options for older people who require some care and support within their homes, but are still able and willing to live on their own,” he said.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said feedback from the elderly and their children, service providers, health professionals and caregivers were taken into account when planning development.
He said: “Our seniors can expect to live independently even when their care needs change, and enjoy more opportunities to be active and take charge of their health through specially selected programs and services. Seniors and caregivers too. They will be able to better navigate the spectrum of health and social support services with the help of the community manager. “
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