While we build a Singapore that is made for families, singles should be considered in our ageing society too

By 2030, nearly one in four Singaporeans will be over the age of 65, and this impending "silver tsunami" will reshape our society in profound ways. To ensure adequate support both financially and socially in old age among Singaporeans, the government has in recent years invested heavily in promoting family formation through policies such as financial incentives, maternity leave, and childcare subsidies, as outlined in the “A Singapore Made For Families 2025” plan unveiled last year.

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Yet, drawing from the experiences of countries like Japan and Germany, the oldest population in the world, and second-oldest population in Europe respectively, it has become evident that addressing an ageing population demands a multifaceted approach that takes a long-term view.

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In Singapore, this means that we should be paying close attention to the holistic needs of subgroups like the singles today, and particularly our single seniors to build their overall resilience as our population ages. The proportion of singles has continued to grow across age groups in the last decade, including those aged 40 and above, with the trend towards later marriages exacerbating the situation.

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The number of single seniors here, too, have been steadily increasing. In 2022, there were approximately 78,600 single seniors in Singapore, which has more than doubled across the last 10 years. Single seniors represent approximately 10% of the senior community here, with the latter projected to reach almost 25% of the population by 2030, posing significant challenges to the nation's social and economic landscape.

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Bearing in mind that even within this single seniors subgroup, it includes divorcees and widowed spouses, as well as those who have chosen the path of singlehood—in fact, it may be this last group of singles who are likely to lack the support of a partner, children or an extended family especially in their senior years; and whom we may need to pay extra attention to.

The challenges of single seniors

The rise of singlehood among seniors has far-reaching implications for our society that stem from the multitude of challenges that they face individually, including social isolation, financial hardship, and health issues. This is backed by the Singapore Resilience Study which found that singles have lower social and financial resilience than married couples; and older demographics aged 56 and above tend to possess significantly lower social and physical resilience than those in younger age groups as well.

Social support was cited as one of the crucial resources to building one’s resilience to tide through life’s challenges in the same study. With the rising number of elderly living alone, they grapple with loneliness, which is one of the top three issues that elderly sought help for in 2022, according to Samaritans of Singapore. People aged between 70 and 79 also registered the biggest increase – 60 per cent – in suicides last year compared with 2021. As single elderly are heavily dependent on family contributions for their basic household budgets, followed by wage jobs and state support according to a report by Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, those who have limited savings or rely on a single source of income may face challenges financially, which further compounded their social isolation and health concerns, leading to a downward spiral.

Furthermore, the increasing number of single seniors puts a strain on Singapore's healthcare system and retirement planning infrastructure. As the demand for long-term care services grows, corporate citizens like us can play our role to support the resilience level of an ageing nation, so that its people can age well and successfully.

To create a truly inclusive society, we need a broader approach that embraces the diverse lifestyles and choices of Singaporeans, ensuring that the evolving needs of single seniors across various aspects such as housing, healthcare, and social support, are considered and addressed alongside those of families.

Existing initiatives and future considerations

The good news is that the government has put in place several measures such as the Silver Support Scheme and ComCare Long Term Assistance Scheme, to offer cash assistance for those with lower income and little to no family support. Those who plan to downsize their property can also tap on the Silver Housing Bonus, where a cash incentive of up to $30k is given to individuals who move into a smaller home. Most recently, the government announced that about S$800 million will go towards improving active ageing centres to encourage social connection amongst seniors, as part of the larger national programme, Age Well SG. Income Insurance has also committed S$50 million to support the cause. We have also been actively working with like-minded partners to improve access to eldercare services in Singapore.

Various corporate entities have also taken steps to address the needs of single seniors—from working with community partners to curate special meals for seniors to training volunteers who can engage and educate our seniors against online scams.

From a protection standpoint, we have introduced custom-built policies, which now includes 11.9% more in-force policies compared to the previous year; as well as products that offer a high entry age for seniors. To ensure that seniors are adequately protected even at old age, we have adopted a senior-focused underwriting approach where seniors do not have to be subjected to unnecessary medical reviews—in which, we have achieved a 93% offer rate for seniors who applied.

To contribute to a resilient Singapore, we must actively help support single Singaporeans in an ageing population to strengthen their physical, mental, social, and financial resilience in order for them to age well. While efforts have been made to develop more age-friendly housing facilities, it will take time. Coupled with land scarcity, the available housing supply may not be able to cope with the demand.

Perhaps, more can be done in the form of building retirement communities and strengthening available support in our midst, which offer unique advantages for single seniors.

There will be a built-in social network. Having new friendships is hard as one gets older. But the importance of social interaction increases as one ages. Retirement communities can offer built-in opportunities for socialisation, including group exercise classes, organised outings and events. This can be a good way for single seniors to build relationships based on common interests.

With a built-in social network comes a circle of support. By living closely together, single seniors can build relationships with these fellow seniors whom they can trust and rely on when they live right next door. This enables them to feel supported and less lonely. These single seniors can also help identify behavioural or physical changes in each other that may signal a health condition, which in the case of couples, are usually recognised first by spouses or long-term partners.

Financial strain can be a common challenge for single seniors. By focusing on improving the community support in our midst, these single seniors do not have to make additional financial commitments by moving into age-friendly facilities.

Lastly, businesses can also be involved in supporting these retirement communities, be it regular grocery delivery that is made right to their door, ride-share services that bring these single seniors for their medical appointments, errands, or social outings at a subsidy, or even regular volunteering to visit these single seniors and befriend them.

The rise of singlehood in old age presents a unique set of challenges for Singapore's society. By understanding the needs of these singles and taking proactive measures to address them, we can foster a more inclusive and resilient society as we age, which can bring about enhanced well-being and dignity of all members to strengthen our social compact.