SPEECH BY MR HENG CHEE HOW, MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF TRADE & INDUSTRY, AND MAYOR OF CENTRAL SINGAPORE DISTRICT AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY OF PACIFIC HEALTHCARE NURSING HOME ON MONDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 2005 AT 11AM

Good morning, Dr William Chong Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Healthcare Holdings Distinguished guests Ladies and gentlemen

1. I am very happy to join you in witnessing this opening of the Pacific Healthcare Nursing Home.

2. We live in a world of rapid change. Technology has speeded things up, and has brought down the barrier of physical distance. In this 24/7 environment, everything is in flux. Add to that the blight of war and terrorism and the awesome tantrums of nature, and life seems so uncertain. It is no wonder that many people worry about how they will be affected by the unpredictable.

3. In the midst of such volatility, we sometimes miss the obvious, and may not prepare adequately for the equally big impact of the predictable. An aging population, for instance, is a totally predictable and indeed known trend in our society.

4. Older workers find it hard to secure jobs. Older Singaporeans worry that they may not have enough savings in their CPF and private accounts for retirement. Older citizens realise that high medical expenses in the latter part of life is a given, and wonder if they can afford the price. Well-educated and well-heeled senior citizens want to continue leading an active and enjoyable life post-retirement instead of just letting their abilities waste away. Working children who need to care for both their aged parents and their careers, and who wish for more comprehensive offerings of help and services. And when HDB upgrades its estates, residents want the Lift Upgrading component the most. These and many other signs tell us that it is time to step up efforts in this area of dealing with an aging population.

5. Government on its part has taken various steps to start the ball rolling. Examples include previously forming an Inter-ministerial committee on Aging, topping up the Medisave and CPF Special Accounts of senior citizens, revamping MediShield, offering ElderShield, accelerating Lift Upgrading, promoting healthy lifestyles and social interaction among the senior citizens, investing in job re-training programmes to prolong and enrich work lives of older workers, lowering the maid levy for families with aged members, and most recently, creating the COMCARE Fund which will also pay attention to the needs of the elderly in the community.

6. It is important that the efforts of Government are matched and amplified by the private and people sectors. It is important for 3 reasons. First, there are areas of outreach, implementation and operation that are more effectively, efficiently and sensitively done by non-government players. Second, we should seek holistic solutions in the context of community living. In other words, the outcomes must be to keep individuals, families and communities strong and healthy, taking into account the circumstances, needs and means of the people. Third, adopting a 3-P approach gives us the best hope of generating synergies and innovation, as we learn and forge a common path forward.

7. I am told that Pacific Healthcare Nursing Home, besides offering quality residential and medical care services, also runs a wide range of leisure activities such as art & craft sessions, group activities, movie evenings and outings for the residents, to inject fun and variety into their stay.

8. Your work caters to one segment of the target population, and adds to the national effort to prepare for and attend to the needs of the growing numbers of elderly in our population. It is an important and meaningful undertaking.

9. I congratulate you on your opening, and wish your endeavour every success.

Thank you.