INCREASED AFFORDABILITY
From the second quarter of 2027, the basic service package fee will fall by between 18 and 75 per cent. Costs for social programming and maintenance for standalone communal spaces in future projects will be removed from the fees. Emergency alert devices, previously bundled in, will become optional.
The health ministry will also subsidise components similar to those already covered under national long-term care schemes, including staff support and emergency response.
Mr Mak said the lower fees and new subsidies will do more for affordability than the age change does for eligibility, removing a barrier for lower-income seniors.
“It might encourage some people who are above the age of 65, who previously did not want to apply for Community Care Apartments because of the cost – now they may consider,” he said.
The sixth project will launch in Toa Payoh in October, next to Caldecott MRT station. Property analysts expect demand there to rise slightly given the location.
Huttons’ Mr Lee said acceptance of these apartments will still take time, and the cost of providing services could fall as demand grows.
“Then at that point in time, there may be a certain tipping point that seniors will find it worthwhile for them,” he said.
Assoc Prof Wee said the apartments are an option alongside nursing homes, private assisted living, co-living models, shared stay-in caregiving services and Age Well Neighbourhoods.
“The goal is not to funnel everyone into any single model, but to widen the range of choices so that people with different care needs, preferences and family situations can find something that lets them age with connectedness, autonomy, meaning and joy,” he said.
Community Care Apartments fall between fully independent living at home and the residential care of a nursing home, he added, aimed at seniors with low-to-moderate needs who want housing and care bundled together.
For the model to gain traction, perceptions need to shift first, Assoc Prof Wee said. The aim should be to help seniors see these apartments as a positive choice made early while they are still well, rather than a last resort turned to only in a crisis.
Dr Tan Woan Shin, deputy executive director at the Geriatric Education and Research Institute, said creating supportive environments for ageing well in the community requires testing a range of housing options across the public and private sectors, both in infrastructure and service offerings, before adapting them based on feedback from the market and residents.
Given that most Singaporeans own their homes, ageing in place is often the default, Dr Tan said.
“Therefore, it is equally important for their existing environments to be supportive, enabling our older population to function well, have timely access to care, and do the things that matter to them,” she said.
Mdm Ng, a 62-year-old retiree who wanted to be known only by her surname, said she is not considering these apartments yet. She recently moved into a five-room flat, and has no plans to make another big move soon.
“But life is quite unpredictable. We never know,” she said. “In any case, this is a good initiative.”
