Caregivers – sometimes called an “invisible workforce” due to their tireless work caring for their charges behind the scenes – will be honoured at the inaugural Caregiving Fest, held this 21 September at the atrium of Sengkang Grand Mall.
The event, which is open to the public, is organised by the non-profit Caregiving Welfare Association (CWA) as part of the 2024 edition of its annual flagship event, Caregiving Week.
Themed “A Lifeline for Seniors”, Caregiving Week 2024 seeks to raise awareness around the issues faced by seniors and their caregivers – many of whom are often senior themselves – in order to build a spirit of community and support around them.
After all, this “invisible workforce” is only set to grow as Singapore’s population matures into a superaged society, with more than 21% of its residents reaching the age 65 and over by 2026.
Even now, the informal cost of caregiving for seniors already comes up to $1.28 billion a year – or about 11% of what the government spends on healthcare – according to a recent study conducted by the Duke-NUS Medical School.
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That same study, which surveyed 278 pairs of caregivers and care recipients, also found that primary informal caregivers — meaning the adult children, spouses or other relatives who provide the most direct care for their charges – averaged 33 hours of care each week.
An additional 8.4 hours per week was borne by secondary informal caregivers (friends or relatives who help the primary care provider).
The $1.28 billion figure was derived by multiplying these hours with an average professional healthcare worker’s hourly salary.
In other words, these informal caregivers are providing huge financial and manpower relief to Singapore’s medical system by their hidden work – which is exactly why CWA and its executive director Steven Yeo is hoping to rally the community in honouring them with Caregiving Fest and Caregiving Week 2024.
Caregiving Fest: Supporting caregivers by creating a vibrant community
Caregiving Week 2024 will run from September 16 to September 21, with various programmes lined up for different stakeholders in Singapore’s caregiving community. All the programmes are free to enter, though it’s best to register interest ahead to save your slot.
- Caregivers' Oasis
Kicking off the week on day one 16 September is Caregivers’ Oasis, held at Caritas Agape Village from 2pm to 5pm. Like its name suggests, the event focuses on arming the family caregivers of seniors with the tools they need to relieve stress. Hands-on workshops include mindfulness and Zentangle classes, among others.
- Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration
Next on the list is CWA’s Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration, integrating a spot of fun into caregiver respite amid the festive season with children’s performances and cultural workshops for both seniors and their caregivers. This event will also be held at Caritas Agape Village, this time from 9am to 2pm on 17 September.
- Seniors Connect & Caregivers Connect
Caregiving Week 2024 continues Wednesday, 18 September, at the Gateway Theatre’s Black Box, where an entire day of talks for family caregivers and seniors awaits.
The morning session, titled Seniors Connect, will run from 9:30am to noon with a series of talks on purposeful ageing and mental wellness in one’s golden years.
Notable speakers include Sng Hock Lin, chief of the Silver Generation Office (which operates under the Agency for Integrated Care) and Karen Wee, executive director at non-profit Lions Befrienders.
After lunch, the session resumes at 2pm with Caregivers Connect, where support schemes, self-care practices and other caregiving stressors will be discussed until the close of the day at 4:30pm.
Carol Yeung, senior assistant director at AIC and SilverStreak contributor James Leong, the founder of counselling practice Listen Without Prejudice, are among the speakers for the afternoon event.
- Caregiving Fest
The 2024 edition of Caregiving Week culminates with Caregiving Fest on 21 September. As mentioned earlier, the public event will run at the atrium of Sengkang Grand Mall from 9:30am to 3pm.
Expect performances by CWA stakeholders, keynote speeches and an award ceremony where major donors will be presented with tokens of appreciation.
There will also be booths manned by an intriguing lineup of CWA partners, all stocking products and services that might prove useful in your own ageing journey.
Find out more about Caregiving Week 2024 here.
SilverStreak is the official media partner for Caregiving Week 2024.
