NTUC to open its first nursing home in Jurong West next year

SINGAPORE - The nursing home, located in Jurong West and expected to open in the third quarter of next year, can accommodate up to 290 people.

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Here is an extract of the statement released today by NTUC Health:

NTUC HEALTH'S FIRST NURSING HOME IN JURONG WEST EXPECTED TO BEGIN OPERATIONS IN 3Q OF 2015

Singapore, 23 July 2014 - NTUC Enterprise announced, at its first media conference on the impact made by its social enterprises, that NTUC Health had been awarded the tender by MOH to operate a nursing home in Jurong West.

The nursing home, which will include a senior care centre, is expected to begin operations in the 3rd quarter of 2015.

The nursing home can accommodate up to 290 residents, while the senior care centre can cater for up to 60 seniors.

"NTUC social enterprises are continuously identifying emerging needs and reinventing themselves in order to address these needs. NTUC Health's foray into the nursing home space will enable us to provide a more comprehensive suite of health and community care services to fulfil the needs of working families and their elderly dependents. This will become increasingly important as Singapore ages," said Mr Lim Boon Heng, Chairman of NTUC Enterprise.

NTUC Health is committed to building a scalable presence and is prepared to invest in operating an additional five nursing homes in the next three to five years.

PROVIDING HOLISTIC CARE FOR SENIORS

The new nursing home at Jurong West aims to provide holistic care for the elderly. It will work closely with the Regional Health Systems and community partners in the West in the care of its residents.

Said Mr Chua Song Khim, CEO of NTUC Health, "The elderly's emotional well-being and quality of life generally improve when they are with their family and within the community. Hence, the goal in our nursing home is to provide good care for our residents and support their recovery, so as to help them return to their homes and the community as far as it is possible."

The nursing home will be able to draw support from NTUC Health's team of professionals like Pharmacists, Dentists and Doctors as well as its established network of Home Care and Day Care services.

"NTUC Health's years of experience and good record in providing eldercare and healthcare services will put it in good stead when operating its nursing home. We will work closely with MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care as well as draw best practices from the industry both locally and overseas to deliver quality and holistic care for its residents," said Ms Tan Hwee Bin, Chairman of NTUC Health.

INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE

With its first nursing home, NTUC Health will be able to provide working families in Singapore with more seamless, integrated healthcare services to meet their needs at different points of time. The desired outcomes will be greater affordability and better care. An example of the suite of healthcare services under the NTUC Health umbrella is this:

After a patient, who has suffered a bad fall or a stroke, is discharged from hospital, he/she will continue to require 24-hour care and attention for the next few weeks. During this time, he/she can be admitted into NTUC Health's nursing home for rehabilitation till he/she is deemed well enough to return to home or community care.

The patient will be able to continue with his/her rehabilitation at NTUC Health's Silver Circle Day Care Centre or rehabilitate at home with the help of NTUC Health's Care@home nursing services.

Once the patient is recovered, he/she will be able to participate in social and wellness activities in NTUC Health's Silver ACE Senior Activity Centre. The patient can continue to manage any of his/her chronic conditions with outpatient medical help at NTUC Health's Unity Family Medicine Clinic.