Many dads in Singapore facing burnout from work, family stresses: Centre for Fathering
Many dads in Singapore are facing burnout from juggling work and family stress, warns a non-profit organisation that promotes active and involved fathering. The Centre for Fathering says some may even have depression. Its CEO Xander Ong tells CNA's Claudia Lim how the challenges that dads face have evolved over the years.
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CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
About 300,000 Pioneer Generation seniors to receive MediSave top-ups in July
SINGAPORE: Around 300,000 Pioneer Generation seniors will receive MediSave top-ups totalling over S$160 million (US$125 million) next month, said the Ministry of Finance on Monday (Jun 16). In a press release, MOF said the annual Pioneer Generation MediSave top-ups are given in addition to the annual GST Voucher-MediSave top-ups for eligible Singaporeans aged 65 and above. Following the Medishield Life 2024 Review, MOF said that eligible pioneers will receive higher annual MediSave top-ups of S$300 to S$1,200 in July this year, compared to the S$250 to S$900 received in 2024. Those aged 86 or older who have serious pre-existing conditions will also receive further top-ups of S$50 or S$200 to help pay their higher MediSave Life premiums. Pioneers who were born earlier receive larger MediSave top-up amounts as they typically have less savings than younger members of the Pioneer Generation, and may need more help with their annual MediShield Life premiums, the finance ministry added. MediSave can be used to pay the premiums for MediShield Life, CareShield Life, ElderShield and other MediSave-approved insurance plans, as well as medical expenses such as hospitalisation, day surgeries, and selected outpatient treatments. The MediSave top-up will be automatically credited to the eligible Pioneers' CPF MediSave Accounts. "Together with special premium subsidies for Pioneers, these annual MediSave top-ups will continue to keep MediShield Life premiums affordable for all Pioneers," said MOF. "Older Pioneers aged 91 and above in 2025 will continue to see their MediShield Life premiums fully covered. Younger Pioneers will have about two-thirds of their MediShield Life premiums covered." Pioneers who have registered their mobile numbers with Singpass before Jun 2 will receive an SMS by Jun 18, notifying them of the amount of top-up they are eligible for. Those who have not registered their mobile numbers with Singpass will receive the notification letters by the end of June. To protect seniors from scams, the SMS notification, which would be sent by " will only inform eligible seniors of their benefits. Seniors will not be asked to reply to the SMS or provide any information to the sender.
Business Times
5 hours ago
- Business Times
Livingstone Health's strategy rooted in patient care and steady growth
[SINGAPORE] Livingstone Health is not in a rush to grow. Much like the lithops – a hardy succulent also known as a living stone, from which the company takes its name – the Singapore-based healthcare group is taking a slow and steady approach to expansion. The Catalist-listed company, which went public in 2021, operates 20 clinics in the Republic, staffed by 22 medical specialists and practitioners. It also runs a health-screening centre, two medical aesthetics clinics, a podiatry clinic, and provides healthcare consultancy services within the region. 'We're at a stage where we don't want to grow for the sake of growing,' said chief commercial officer Dax Ng in an interview with The Business Times, alongside chief executive officer Wilson Tay. Both are executive directors on Livingstone's board. While rapid expansion is often seen as a way to get investors excited, Dr Tay believes the group's philosophy is better captured by its botanical namesake. 'No doubt, the growth, if you look at those succulents, can be a little bit slow,' he said. 'But given the correct conditions, they can flourish and flower.' A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Indeed, Livingstone's pace of growth has been deliberate. After listing in 2021, it completed its first major acquisition just three years later. It acquired the remaining 49 per cent of Phoenix Medical Group (PMG) in 2024, after having first taken a 51 per cent stake in 2019. The acquisition of the healthcare provider, which has seven clinics across Singapore, has been both an 'accretive investment' and also a way for Livingstone to grow its primary healthcare segment through PMG's network. Livingstone's pace also reflects lessons from its early years as a listed company. Ng pointed to the importance of alignment and communication, especially when working with a relatively young team with an average age of around 40. 'A lot of times when you try to work in a team, people have thoughts and ideas that they try to keep to themselves,' he said. 'Over time, that's not healthy.' He added: 'When you go through experiences together with certain people, you realise there are a lot more things you can achieve. Once you have that trust and go through hardship together, you can have tougher conversations, which become easier because they're (more focused and constructive).' That trust enabled more open discussions on practical issues, including how to streamline operating expenses. The results showed up in its financial statement released on May 29: Livingstone swung back to profitability with a net profit of S$0.4 million for the second half-year ended Mar 31, reversing a net loss of S$2.9 million a year prior. Livingstone closed at S$0.023 on Friday (Jun 13), with a market capitalisation of around S$14.1 million. Recognition, relationships and rising needs Even without aggressive expansion, Livingstone caught the attention of RHB Singapore, which included it in the bank's Top 20 Small Cap Jewels 2025 report in May – the only healthcare group on the list. RHB's investment case for Livingstone was that it 'offers exposure to the ageing population and rising affluent trends in Singapore'. The bank also noted that Livingstone's performance is recovering, and anticipates its net profit to be on an uptrend moving forward. Ng called the recognition 'a good add to the group's profile' and noted that it came as a surprise. Dr Tay acknowledged that smaller healthcare companies such as Livingstone may be perceived as less capable than larger players. But he argued that in healthcare, value is not purely about scale. 'Of course, larger players may be able to manage some costs better – like lab tests or imaging,' he said. 'But it doesn't mean smaller healthcare groups can't deliver care that's meaningful. What matters most is the patient-doctor relationship.' That view is core to Livingstone's approach. Ng said the group's ethos is to ensure that patients who come through its general practitioner (GP) services are well taken care of – from seeing the right specialists, to recovery and follow-up if needed. To that end, it maintains a patient-care team that coordinates referrals between GPs and specialists, and works only with trusted external doctors vetted by its internal panel. Ng also pointed to the 'eminent concern' surrounding Singapore's ageing population – a demographic shift that Dr Tay said will accelerate over the next 10 to 20 years, and drive rising demand for healthcare services. To prepare for this, Livingstone has been using patient data to track rising incidences of chronic conditions such as diabetes. In response, the group added an endocrinologist – a specialist that treats diseases such as diabetes, as well as other hormonal and metabolic disorders – to its team in June. Dr Tay said Livingstone 'sees value' in having specialist disciplines that focus on managing chronic conditions, especially as the population ages, as it reflects on-the-ground needs. Looking outward In its latest financial update, Livingstone also outlined plans to diversify its revenue streams, including efforts to attract more international patients to its specialist healthcare segment through business development and marketing initiatives. When asked if this meant a push into medical tourism, Ng demurred, and suggested that the sector may be 'dying' in Singapore due to cost pressures and competition abroad. While the team recognises that Livingstone has limited control over the broader healthcare landscape, Ng believes the group can compete on quality. 'We can attract the right medical talent, and groom them with the right patient ethos and care standards,' he said. 'From there, we can build a brand to attract good international patients who are still willing to pay the extra dollar for quality.' On the future of healthcare, Dr Tay noted that even as the sector increasingly looks to technology for efficiency, the human element remains irreplaceable. 'We treat the patients, not just the disease,' he said. 'We treat their emotions and we (seek) to understand them…Things that a computer cannot do.' 'Medicine is always a science, but, more so, it is an art.'
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Serene village in China's Xi'an offers new approach to Alzheimer's care
Instead of confining sufferers behind locked doors or restricting them to rigid routines, the village offers an environment that meets them where they are. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO SINGAPORE/XI'AN – Nestled amid the verdant forest parks and mountain springs of the Zhouzhi Louguan eco-cultural tourism resort zone in Xi'an, China, is a one-of-its-kind village for seniors. Here, mornings are unhurried. In the centre of the village, a man-made lake mirrors the daylight, with the sound of water gently lapping against stone. A short stroll along the lakeside brings seniors to a bright, spacious dining hall, where breakfast is served. There is quiet chatter – even laughter – as friends greet one another, some for the third or fourth time that morning. Afterwards, a few residents go for a light workout in a tree-lined gazebo, while others head to a calligraphy or music class. If the place looks like a typical quaint Chinese village, that is because it was designed to mimic one as much as possible. Clues like a post office that does not send or receive actual mail, a convenience store that uses fake currency, and bus routes that loop endlessly around the tiny compound give away the nature of the village. Spanning over 43,000 sq m, or about the size of six football fields , the compound is an Alzheimer's disease village – a first for China. It is run by real-estate-turned-healthcare company Perennial Holdings. A mock post office and florist at the Perennial Alzheimer's Care Village Xi'an. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Earlier in June, the Singapore-based company took journalists to tour the compound along with its healthcare facilities in other Chinese cities. The innovative care model in the Perennial Alzheimer's Care Village Xi'an is designed for those living with a disease that progressively robs them of their memory, thinking and reasoning. The illness is the most common disease that causes dementia, an umbrella term for symptoms ranging from confusion to changes in behaviour, to problems with language. Instead of confining sufferers behind locked doors or restricting them to rigid routines, as in traditional eldercare facilities, the village offers an environment that meets them where they are – one built on safety, dignity and choice. Residents can move about freely and interact with one other. Staff such as doctors, nurses and physiotherapists also aim to be part of the residents' lives, engaging with them like friends or family members on top of being medical professionals. The care model was first popularised by the Hogeweyk dementia village in the Netherlands in 2009. More than a decade later, similar villages offering inclusive and small-scale communities for dementia patients have been set up in countries like France, Canada, Norway and Switzerland. When setting up the Xi'an project, the Perennial team visited some of these villages to learn from their experiences. Today, the Xi'an village comprises a dementia care home with about 450 beds, a nursing care hospital, a rehabilitation hospital and an international eldercare research institute. Since it opened progressively from March 2024, the village has hosted over 50 residents, with 26 still residing there currently. Staff aim to be part of the residents' lives, engaging with them like friends or family members on top of being medical professionals. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Dr Song Xiangying, dean of the village, said the majority of the patients, who have medium to severe symptoms, have become less agitated, happier and calmer since they were admitted to the facility. She cited the example of a man who, during his first few days after admission, would insist on going home after his meals. Instead of trying to convince him to stay, she waited with the man at one of the 'bus stops' in the compound. 'We chatted about how long it would take for him to go home and even walked to another bus stop when we had waited too long,' said Dr Song, adding that going along with the man's version of reality helped to calm him. After a few days, he stopped wanting to go home. One of the 'bus stops' in the compound. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Dr Song also said no resident has wandered out of the compound. Such behaviour, known as elopement, is common because patients may be disorientated or have a desire to fulfil former obligations or unmet needs. While the patient and understanding staff play a key role in its success, the facility is also equipped with high-tech security measures to prevent residents from wandering off. 'We use facial and video recognition to monitor the residents' whereabouts, so they do not need to put on wearable devices like bracelets,' said Dr Song. All staff, including security guards and cleaners, know residents by name and keep a watchful eye on them, she added. Residents can move about freely and interact with one another. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Among the residents is Madam Wang Lai Fei, 76. While she had displayed early signs of Alzheimer's disease since 2023, her condition deteriorated in January after her husband died. Her daughter-in-law Lu Jing said the elderly woman had wandered out on her own and got lost twice. Ms Lu then decided to admit Madam Wang to the facility as she was stressed from caregiving. 'Now, her condition is stable and she has even gained weight. She is very comfortable here, with a group of friends she can chit-chat with every day ,' said Ms Lu. (From left) Dr Song Xiangying, dean of the village, with Madam Wang Lai Fei and Madam Wang's daughter-in-law Lu Jing. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Assistant Professor Saima Hilal, from NUS' Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said that since dementia is a progressive condition with no known cure, the success of dementia villages should be measured not only by clinical outcomes like slowing of decline, but also, more importantly, by indicators of well-being and quality of life. Some useful benchmarks include engagement in daily activities; reduced reliance on antipsychotic medication, physical restraints or hospital admissions; and cost-effectiveness over time, especially when factoring in fewer emergency admissions or complications. Singapore tried to pilot its own dementia care village in 2020 in Buangkok Green, but the project attracted only one bid – a joint one by Perennial Holdings subsidiary Pre 11 and nursing and personal care operator Orpea. Ultimately, the project was shelved because the Government found the bid of $15 million to be too low. Perennial chief executive Pua Seck Guan said that if Singapore were to revive the project, the company would be 'happy to explore' opportunities, but he also cited high land costs as a challenge. The Perennial Alzheimer's Care Village Xi'an spans over 43,000 sq m, about the size of six football fields. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Prof Hilal noted that besides land costs, operational costs for such care models would also be higher due to the need for trained staff and low resident-to-staff ratios. Another challenge is the limited public-private investment, as the business model is not yet fully proven in South-east Asia. Therefore, instead of replicating large-scale dementia villages, hybrid models could be more feasible in Singapore, she said. These include embedding dementia-friendly design features in HDB estates and active ageing centres, setting up smaller cluster-living homes using under-utilised community spaces, and training neighbourhood volunteers and caregivers to support dementia-inclusive communities. 'These steps are more scalable and culturally appropriate for Singapore's high-density environment, and can deliver many of the same benefits as full-fledged dementia villages,' said Prof Hilal. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
