A rapidly ageing population is no cause for despair, shared the five panellists on the Straits Times-AIA Roundtable on ‘Managing Singapore’s Health with an Ageing Population: What more needs to be done?’
Being old is not the problem, they pointed out, but being sick, at any age, is.
Speaking with Straits Times senior health correspondent Salma Khalik, the panellists discussed making private-sector healthcare more accessible, changing organisational policies to support seniors, and looking beyond the retirement age.
Professor Chia Kee Seng, who was part of the panel, said the tendency was to focus on the current aged and see all the problems they pose; but the conversation needs to be enlarged to include younger people who will age in future.
“We will forever be behind the curve if we are just focusing on the current aged and the current sick,” added Prof Chia.
Media coverage:
- Ageing well and staying healthy, The Sunday Times, 21 October 2018
- Ageing well and staying healthy, The Straits Times Opinion, 21 October 2018