Ministry of Social & Family Dev Focus on alternative long-term care options for ageing population rather than rely on maids
Singaporean employers hiring Indonesian migrant domestic workers (MDWs) will soon take on the $3,000 placement fee previously borne by MDWs themselves (Employers to pay up to $3k more for new maids from Indonesia, Dec 18; and Indonesia's 'no-fee' plan aims to protect its workers overseas, Dec 27).

This commendable move by the Indonesian authorities alleviates the burden of debt for their new MDWs, who typically earn low starting salaries.

However, the increased cost of hiring Indonesian MDWs will at the same time limit the long-term care options available to Singaporeans.

All this signals a need to rethink our reliance on MDWs in caring for our ageing population.

MDWs are an attractive option for long-term, home-based care due to three factors, according to a 2019 study by the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) that examined the impact of eldercare on the retirement adequacy of female caregivers.

First, hiring an MDW is cheaper than engaging formal caregiving services.

Second, it is the preferred option for the elderly who wish to age at home rather than attend services at a centre.

Third, it allows many family caregivers to avoid having to navigate the complicated care services landscape.

However, Aware's latest study on the caregiver burden of MDWs, done in collaboration with the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home), found that when the bulk of eldercare responsibilities are transferred to MDWs, they are often left overworked and given inadequate support in carrying out their caregiving duties.

This limits their ability to provide high-quality eldercare.

An unequal redistribution of caregiving responsibilities from family caregivers to MDWs also takes a mental and physical toll on them that the removal of placement fees alone will not solve.

This move by Indonesia should be looked upon as a chance for us to strengthen our legislative protection of MDWs.

While long-term care is a basic need that should be affordable for all, it should not come at the expense of the migrant women upon whom we rely disproportionately. Instead, Singapore should focus efforts on providing alternative long-term care options to lower- and middle-income family caregivers who are most likely to bear the brunt of the increased costs associated with MDWs.

This includes providing affordable respite care services and building a sustainable core of local professional caregivers.

Camillia Deborah Dass
Communications Executive, Aware

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-focus-on-alternative-long-term-care-options-for-ageing-population-rather-than

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