Bukit Batok residents concerned about introduction of nursing home
Posted Date: Sep 23, 2011
By: Sheena Chua
|
 |
The first signs of the effect of an ageing population have begun to surface, as residents of Bukit Batok Street 51 raise concerns over the proposed relocation of Ren Ci Nursing Home to their neighbourhood.
(One concern over the introduction of Ren Ci Nursing Home to the Bukit Batok Street 51 community is car park congestion)
The residents, worried over possible traffic congestions and the loss of their neighbourhood exercise court, approached Member of Parliament Ms Low Yen Ling about the situation, who then took it up to the Ministry of Health (MOH). The ministry has asked the nursing home to suspend plans to move from its current location at Halan Tan Tock Seng, and will conduct a dialogue next month with its representatives as well as the Bukit Batok residents to come up with an amicable solution.
Low told The Straits Times that the situation came to light during house visits done soon after the General Elections in May this year. According to her, the residents generally saw the benefits of having a nursing home in their neighbourhood. However, interviews done by The Straits Times with residents uncovered concerns over losing their hard court – the meeting place for fitness enthusiasts as well as the venue for a thrice-weekly 80-member strong tai-chi group. 50-year old tai-chi practitioner Glenn Ang said, “We hope the residents' committee will find a place for us, but it's best if this space can be kept.” He adds, “Families gather here in the evenings and weekends. It's a good place for residents and new immigrants to interact.”
Should the hard court go, Low revealed that one suggestion pitched to the MOH was for the home to provide a rooftop garden that can also be accessed by residents. She said, “I think it's important to engage residents in the planning of this new-age nursing home.” Other ideas include having the home run a day-care centre and home-nursing services, although it is not clear how this will solve the problem of losing the hard court.
The other issue in question is congestion – residents, concerned over the possibility of a parking crunch caused by visitors to the home using HDB parking lots, have asked if sufficient parking space will be built for the home. One resident observed that traffic in the car park gets heavy at certain times because of school buses, and that the introduction of the nursing home to the area could worsen the congestion.
On the other hand, part-time student Steve Soh, 26, said that having the nursing home in the ageing estate made sense, and suggested for it to hold activities that will appeal to the neighbourhood’s seniors so they too can join in.
35-year old petroleum surveyor Benjamin Tan agreed with Soh, explaining that it would be a much better option for the seniors, instead of them sitting alone in void decks.
A Ren Ci spokesman said the hospital was working with the MOH to engage the community, adding that the home was still at its planning stages and that no companies have been contracted yet. Ren Ci chief executive Loh Shu Ching also informed Lianhe Zaobao that the move might not be completed by 2013 after all.
Meanwhile, with the arrival of immigrants becoming a sensitive topic among locals, it seems pressure is growing for the authorities to come up with a viable long-term solution to Singapore’s ageing population, that would have as little impact on the island’s housing market as possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related Categories: HDB, Non-Residential
Tags: ageing population problems, Bukit Batok, Bukit Batok Street 51, congestion, HDB, land use problems, Ministry of Health, overcrowding, Ren Ci, Ren Ci Nursing Home
Bookmark:
|
|
|
|
