Enhanced Version of Estate Upgrading Programme for Older Private Estates to Improve Senior-friendly Features
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms Ng Ling Ling’s inquiry on enhancing the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) with senior-friendly features for older private estates, similar to public housing schemes. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee stated that EUP will be expanded under Age Well SG to include barrier-free access and fitness trails, alongside a new EUP for Silver Estates for areas with many seniors. He noted that private developments can access the Building and Construction Authority's Accessibility Fund for common areas. While HDB features are standardized, the Ministry is studying how to support seniors within private residences despite varying home layouts.
Transcript
75 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Minister for National Development for older private estates which have completed the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP), whether the Ministry can consider an enhanced version of EUP to further improve the living environment, including more senior-friendly features inside the homes for older residents in such estates, similar to the Home Improvement Programme II and Enhancement for Active Seniors Programme for public housing estates.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Age Well SG programme was launched last year to support seniors to age well in their communities and homes. As part of this programme, the Ministry of National Development (MND) will enhance the living environment in both Housing and Development Board (HDB) precincts and private residential estates.
For private residential estates, MND will enhance the EUP by expanding its scope to cover senior-friendly enhancements, such as rest points, barrier-free access ramps, active health fitness trails and therapeutic gardens. This will allow older residents living in private estates, selected for future batches of the EUP, to enjoy an enhanced living environment and live a more active lifestyle. We will also introduce a new EUP for Silver Estates, where estates with a higher concentration of seniors, including those that have benefitted from EUP some time ago, may be selected for senior-friendly enhancements.
For common areas within private residential developments like condominiums, management corporations can tap on the Building and Construction Authority's Accessibility Fund for co-funding to install senior-friendly features, such as grab bars for toilets, wheelchair-accessible toilets and ramps in common areas within their compounds.
For senior-friendly features within homes, HDB's Home Improvement Programme and Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) 2.0 programme cover a range of enhancements tailored for HDB flats, which are more standardised. In contrast, the designs and layouts of private homes vary greatly. As such, we will continue to study how seniors living in private homes can be better supported to age well within their homes.