Solutions

From the interviews, the participants suggested some solutions addressing certain challenges that they have faced. As the solutions come from the participants themselves, it is tailored to address the pressing needs of the generation moving towards old age. This makes it more relevant to address their issues as it comes from the participants’ perspectives, who belongs to this group of people moving towards old age.

All of the participants faced financial insecurities and encountered issues with various financial or social services application process. Most of the suggestions given were regarding policies, whereby the participants hoped to see more flexibility and understanding of the special cases by the policy makers.

CPF Policies

Regarding CPF, a few participants highlighted the thoughts of using the money for emergency needs, housing and retirement plans. Some participants were upset with the change in CPF policy in recent years that changed what they were promised before.

“when i joined, they say ok 55 you collect, 60 you collect. That straightforward. You know it’s a contract. To me it’s a contract. But when i turned 58 like that that’s it, change already. Change my contract. They think i’m stupid or what." John

“Ya then I am not happy about that, since that is my own money. Why do we have to wait as if it’s their money, like we are begging for it, have to wait for it every month? Then sometimes if you have emergency needs, how? ... they just say you have to appeal. What is this, this is my own hard-earned money, why do I have to appeal?

I think majority of the Singaporeans have this kind of aim. CPF is actually everybody’s dream, that after 55 I’ll get back a lump sum to do what we want, to start a business or travel with your loved ones.” Ong

“So there are lots of these hiccups so we just need to wait until we are financially stable first. But then I’ll be 55 already then I won’t be able to purchase it already because my CPF would be frozen by the government." Tay

One of the participants suggested reviewing the policies and setting cut-off age group to enforce the new change in policy.

“if they have this policy, the existing people who were promised at 65 and 60, that promise should have been kept. And maybe a cutoff date should have been done for those err people who maybe join the workforce newly or whatever ... there should have been some consideration for the older people and let the younger one give them maybe 20 years to prepare for this. But don’t take it away from us, we already worked and paid our taxes, I don’t owe a single cents to the tax government. I mean IRAS, you understand. They should have dealt with us fairly. Instead no, thats thats blow to a lot of 60 years old. And it’s still ongoing la.” John

General Social and Financial Services Policies

As for the social and financial services policies, participants raised the issue of rejections by the officials regarding their applications due to lack of understanding by the officials. However, they also understood this was due to the stringent policies set in place that resulted to this.

“I went through a lot of things but I couldn’t get the cash la, not enough to secure this so I gave up.” Tay

“They gave me these forms and said go, go, go and fill up this, after that then i can give you 30%. So i went to the doctor right, and he laughed at me. Why do you need to run around? $30 easy to take out uh? You got to be totally incapacitated!” John

“a lot of questions asked.. A lot of forms to sign. But In the end come out nothing. Took about 3 months.. But end up nothing la.. End up they give you letter say oh because you have your cpf payment all these and that so you got income la” Ong

“The hard thing is that they want full document. Lack of one document, not eligible already. So you have to find all. But so far my documents are okay la. Divorce, custody, cpf, and now my daughter contribution cpf and so on.” Laura

Even when the application is approved, the assistance provided is deemed to be insufficient to help the participants get over their tough period.

“As in like why are you only giving me one month’s help? At least you give me 3 months to let me tide over first, probably secure a job or whatever first then I don’t have to quite worry about it. Anyway, $250 for a month is not a lot in cash. What can I do with that $250?” Tay

“I really really no money to pay. Really no place to stay. I write letter, every week I write letter, then after 6 months they give me sharing, at last. Like 1 flat sharing with other family. They call like interim. Interim sharing. While you waiting for the rental flat. That one I also begging you know. Writing writing writing, until don’t know what to say also. Maybe in housing, like that la. Because I see now there’s a lot of new housing being built, I also don’t know for who ah. I also don’t know for who ah. Yeah la. Like I saw some cannot apply, not qualified to apply, so many things. Like that la. But other thing like hospitalized, government help a lot.” Laura

The participants felt that more could be done to understand into their cases instead of just rejecting their application or providing insufficient aids. These suggestions as mentioned by the participants include

“I think the government should help more. They should not, how do you say ah. But also, if they are too easy with their policy also a lot of people will take advantage la. But I think if you go in-depth into certain cases ah, I think they should really really help and not subject them to like what document or categorize them to how much income, then they are subjected to approval whatever whatever, whether you are qualified or not. You know, if you, like if you know that I’m really, not say I go and gamble, I really very low income one, I’m sure you can do exceptional cases for this kind of people to purchase flats, all this kind of things la. They can do it la, but they still, I think they are, because of their policy la. Yeah, not enough people to do all this kind of work also, to follow up la, to really do an in-depth check on these families, people, and then give them more help. That’s what I think. Because you always realise that when you need help, you go to the government, the authorities ah, always tell you can, submit this submit that submit this submit that.” Tay

“Maybe in housing ah. They must be more, like case to case basis, more lenient la. Like my case that time I ask, I begging you know. No house you know. Also cannot help. Procedure. Protocol. Always say like that. … Very strict. Protocol. They must follow protocol. After 2 and the half years, then you can apply for rented house. Then I tell them ah, because like me ah I got no parents. Like that la. Must be more lenient. Case to case basis la. Right or not. Probably like that la.” Laura

Work

Another common issue faced by the participants is work. As some of them were jobless, they faced challenges with the work programmes put in place.

“I worked there (Project Success) for so many months, I know one. The people in and out, in and out, I know who they are. I know what they do, how they match the jobs. They are not very very helpful one. I mean they help you, but their ultimate aim in really helping the person is not really working. That’s my personal take. They are genuine, but that’s all they can do. Not much ability. Companies that apply to them, you know they come to them. They have job fairs every time what, organize all these job fairs, they come interview, they ask me go and give fliers lo, ask people come for interview lo. You go for interview, subject to approval also what." Tay

For the solution, John suggested:

“At least la, you want to make elderly work, be reasonable. We all dont mind working. Then put it down there, as employer, every time there is an elderly 60 or 65 and over, maximum working hours, 8 hours, and increase the salary. You see they are getting over $6, $6.50 an hour. Make it $8, $8.50 an hour. Make it worth their while. $60 over a day, i also work what. Whether i got my back problem or what, 8 hours i can still tahan (bearable), but 12 hours, and dont forget your travelling time up and down.”

More could be done to understand the situations of these participants. In our themes, we covered the personality of the participants as a hindrance. There is a need to understand their mentality and bridge their needs and wants in order to be able to come up with policies and programmes that best address what this group of audience need.

“I never upgraded myself actually. That’s the worst thing. I don’t even know how to use smartphone that’s the problem haha. I’m still in the old school kind of person la. Even she’s (girlfriend) complaining why I’m not keeping up myself upgraded. But I’m very comfortable with driving and I’m bringing in some money. Because I always find that life, if it’s simple, it’s better” Tay

*names have been modified for anonymity purposes

#solutions #policies