Support for Individuals and Caregivers

TODAYonline SINGAPORE – The Republic’s population size is expected to reach 6.34 million in 2030, based on projections from the United Nations (UN) released this year. By then, there will be 806,000 people under 15 years old, and 1.8 million people who are aged 65 years or older - making up about 28 per cent of the total population. The numbers will reach 722,000 and 3.08 million, respectively, out of a total population of 6.58 million by 2050. This means that in about three decades, almost half (47 per cent) of Singapore’s total population will be at least 65 years old. According to the UN’s 2017 World Population Ageing report, Singapore’s population stood at 5.71 million as of this year, consisting of 855,000 people under the age of 15, and 886,000 people aged 65 and above. WE CARE Community Services : Alcohol Addiction Do you continue to drink when it causes you problems? What you should be aware of when you drink Alcohol is often used as a social lubricant in social settings.

Do You Understand Caregiver Stress? - The Care Issue When given the role of a caregiver, life takes a sharp turn, and all of a sudden, your life becomes that of another. The allowance of time given to adapt is, at best, meagre; much less the time you have to wrap up the unfinished chapter of your life, leading to caregiver stress. When one falls ill and their condition does not go back to their original state of health, a caregiver is needed in their life. This responsibility usually falls onto family members. In Singapore, majority of the caregivers are the patient’s daughter or son. 7 Avenues to Get Help In Singapore For Mental Health Issues According to a study done by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in 2010,12% of Singapore's population has had mental health disorders in their lifetime. It led me to think about what I would do if a friend of mine was struggling with a mental health issue. As a Singaporean, I was disappointed to find out that I actually have no idea where someone can get help if they have a mental health issue.

Psychiatric Services Psychiatric Services We support people with mental health issues in their recovery journey. Since 1986, the Singapore Anglican Community Services (SACS), formerly the Singapore Anglican Welfare Council (SAWC), has focused attention on journeying with people with mental health issues. By counselling, equipping and restoring them, SACS helped to give them hope as they reintegrated into their communities to become contributing members of society. Through the years, SACS has expanded its stable of psychiatric services to reach out to the underserved. Today, SACS is one of the leading and largest Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWO) in the mental health care service, serving about 2,000 persons with mental health issues (PMHI) annually.

TODAYonline The efforts and struggles of caregivers often go unnoticed, unappreciated and unrewarded. It is an unenviable and stressful task providing care and emotional support for those who are physically challenged or stricken with abnormal behaviour caused by mental health issues. Still, caregivers strive on in sacrifice, out of love for recipients who are likely to be loved ones or family members. Many of them are unprepared and untrained for those responsibilities. They are drawn into performing that role because other choices are limited, unreliable or unsuitable. With work duties and job commitments of their own, having a domestic worker at home is preferred by most Singaporeans. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsessions are defined as recurrent, persistent ideas, images or impulses. Compulsions are an attempt to reduce the anxiety caused by the obsession. Compulsive behaviour may be physical or mental acts that are repetitive and purposeful, and performed in response to an obsession.

When carers are burnt out, who cares for them? SINGAPORE: When a loved one becomes a patient at home, it can take a toll on the family, especially the primary carer. Take, for example, Mr Richard Ashworth, who left behind a career as an office manager to take care of his adoptive father, John, nine years ago. His father, 86, suffers from a host of age-related health issues, including dementia and colon cancer. Not only have these conditions left his elderly life in tatters, they have also taken their toll on his son’s mental health. “I’d get so frustrated — how to handle him when he started screaming?” recounted the 65-year-old.

‘Crazy, weird, scary’: Survey unveils negative labels youths associate with mental illness SINGAPORE — Researchers have called for regular and compulsory education on mental health for youths, in the wake of a study that found a large proportion of this group having misconceptions of mental illness. Almost half (44.5 per cent) of 940 teenage students polled attached negative and pejorative labels to people with mental illness. “Crazy”, “weird”, “scary”, “stupid” and “dangerous” were among the words that came to mind then the respondents heard the term “mental illness”, reported the study, which was presented at the Frontiers in Mental Health symposium organised by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Nanyang Technological University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine on Tuesday (March 6).

OCD one of the most common mental disorders in Singapore SINGAPORE: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of most common mental health conditions here, according to findings from a nationwide study released on Tuesday (Dec 11). The disorder affected one in 28 people in their lifetime, making it the third-most prevalent condition after major depressive disorder and alcohol abuse. The illness is commonly characterised by recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses or images, and when severe, impedes a person's ability to function. Younger people aged 18 to 34 were more likely to have the condition than those aged 50 and above, said researchers from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), citing the findings from the second Singapore Mental Health Study. The study also found that those who had a monthly household income of between S$2,000 and S$3,999 were less likely to have the condition than those with a household income of less than S$2,000. “It’s a very neglected disorder,” said Assoc Prof Mythily.

Common Causes of Caregiver Stress If you’ve been taking care of a chronically ill spouse or elderly parent, you may be feeling the effects of caregiver stress. If you’re feeling frustrated or overwhelmed or are experiencing increased stress symptoms, you’re not alone. Providing this type of care can place a great deal of pressure on a person, and caregivers are often surprised by the amount of stress they feel. Here are just some of the pressures that many caregivers face.