Caring for an ageing parent or loved one can become expensive in ways that are not always obvious at first.
There may be adult diapers and underpads to buy each month. A helper may be needed. The home may need grab bars or ramps. A wheelchair, hospital bed or pressure-relief mattress may become necessary. Medical bills and care fees can also add up quickly.
Singapore has several schemes that can help. The challenge is knowing which ones are relevant, whether your loved one may qualify, and where to begin.
This guide explains the most commonly relevant financial assistance schemes for seniors and caregivers in a practical, easier-to-follow way.
For the full official list of schemes, visit:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance
Who this guide is for
This guide may be helpful if you are:
• Caring for an elderly parent, spouse or relative at home
• Supporting someone with dementia, mobility difficulties, incontinence or frailty
• Considering a domestic helper for caregiving
• Looking for support for adult diapers, mobility aids or home modifications
• Managing the cost of long-term care, home care or nursing home care
• Unsure whether your loved one qualifies for financial assistance
Start with this question: What is the biggest care need right now?
The right scheme usually becomes clearer when you start with the practical situation.
For example:
• “My parent needs help bathing, dressing and moving around.”
• “We are spending a lot on adult diapers and underpads.”
• “We need a wheelchair or hospital bed.”
• “We may need a helper.”
• “The bathroom is becoming unsafe.”
• “My parent has severe disability and care costs are difficult.”
• “We are struggling with hospital or nursing home bills.”
1. If your loved one needs regular help at home
Home Caregiving Grant
The Home Caregiving Grant, often called HCG, provides monthly cash support for families caring for someone with moderate to severe disability at home.
The money can be used flexibly for care needs such as:
• Hiring a domestic helper
• Paying for home care services
• Buying healthcare items
• Supporting other day-to-day caregiving costs
Your loved one may qualify if they:
• Are a Singapore Citizen or eligible Permanent Resident
• Live in Singapore
• Are not living in a residential long-term care institution
• Need permanent assistance with at least three daily activities
• Meet the household income or property annual value criteria
The six daily activities include washing, dressing, feeding, toileting, moving around and transferring between bed, chair or wheelchair.
Depending on household income, eligible families may receive up to $600 a month.
Official details and application:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Home-Caregiving-Grant
CareShield Life and ElderShield
CareShield Life and ElderShield are not general grants. They are long-term care insurance schemes that provide monthly payouts when a person has severe disability.
Severe disability generally means the person needs full assistance with at least three daily activities.
These payouts can be used for care needs such as:
• A domestic helper
• Home care services
• Nursing home fees
• Daily caregiving expenses
• Healthcare and personal care items
A good first step is to check your loved one’s coverage through Singpass or CPF.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/CareShield-Life
MediSave Care
MediSave Care allows eligible persons with severe disability to make monthly cash withdrawals from MediSave for long-term care needs.
It may be relevant if your loved one:
• Is aged 30 and above
• Is a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Has severe disability
• Has sufficient MediSave savings
The withdrawals can be used for long-term care expenses, including helper costs, home care services and day-to-day care needs.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/MediSave-Care
Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme
If your loved one is part of the Pioneer Generation and requires ongoing help with daily activities, they may qualify for the Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme.
Eligible Pioneers receive a monthly cash payout to help with care needs.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Pioneer-Generation-Disability-Assistance-Scheme
ElderFund and IDAPE
ElderFund and IDAPE are safety-net schemes for Singaporeans with severe disability who have limited financial resources or limited access to other long-term care support.
They may be relevant when:
• Your loved one has severe disability
• Care costs remain difficult despite other support
• MediSave savings are limited
• There is no meaningful CareShield Life or ElderShield support available
• Nursing home, home care or daily care costs are becoming unmanageable
Do not assume your family is ineligible just because another scheme was not approved. ElderFund may consider some circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
Official details:
ElderFund
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/ElderFund
IDAPE
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/IDAPE
2. If you employ, or may need to employ, a domestic helper
Migrant Domestic Worker Levy Concession
The Migrant Domestic Worker Levy Concession can reduce the monthly levy for a family employing a helper to care for a person with disability.
This may be relevant if your loved one:
• Lives in Singapore
• Lives with the helper’s employer
• Needs permanent help with at least one daily activity
• Is not living in a nursing home or residential long-term care institution
This can be particularly helpful for families where the helper provides regular assistance with bathing, dressing, meals, toileting, walking or transfers.
For seniors aged 67 and above, check whether the household is already eligible for MOM’s Aged Person levy concession before applying under the disability route.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Migrant-Domestic-Worker-Levy-Concession
3. If adult diapers, underpads or medical supplies are becoming costly
Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund for Home Healthcare Items
The Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund, known as SMF, may subsidise selected home healthcare items for eligible seniors.
Supported items may include:
• Adult diapers
• Underpads
• Catheters and urine bags
• Wound dressings
• Milk feeds
• Thickening powder
• Nasogastric tubes
• Oxygen-related consumables
This may be relevant if your loved one is receiving services such as:
• Home nursing
• Home medical care
• Home palliative care
• Day hospice care
One important point: do not buy the items first and expect reimbursement later. SMF approval is usually needed before purchases are made through the approved process.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Seniors-Mobility-and-Enabling-Fund---Home-Healthcare-Items
For everyday guidance on choosing the right adult diaper fit and absorbency, you may also find this helpful:
https://thesilveryfair.com/blogs/news/why-adult-diapers-leak-caregiver-guide-singapore
4. If you need a wheelchair, hospital bed, walking aid or other equipment
Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund for Mobility and Assistive Devices
SMF may also subsidise selected mobility and assistive devices for eligible seniors living in the community.
Possible supported items include:
• Walking sticks and walking aids
• Wheelchairs and pushchairs
• Hospital beds
• Commodes and shower chairs
• Pressure-relief cushions and mattresses
• Hearing aids
• Spectacles
• Selected specialised assistive devices
The subsidy amount depends on the household means test and the type of device.
Before buying, seek an assessment from a doctor, nurse, physiotherapist or occupational therapist where required.
The right equipment should suit:
• The person’s strength and mobility
• The home layout
• The caregiver’s ability to assist safely
• The person’s body size and transfer needs
• Whether the equipment will be used indoors, outdoors or both
Do not buy first and assume the item can be claimed later. SMF purchases generally need to be approved before buying.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Seniors-Mobility-and-Enabling-Fund---Mobility-and-Assistive-Devices
For guidance on transfer support at home:
https://thesilveryfair.com/blogs/news/transfer-aids-elderly-singapore
For help choosing a walking stick:
https://thesilveryfair.com/pages/agegracefully-walking-stick-finder-singapore
5. If the home is becoming unsafe
Enhancement for Active Seniors
EASE supports home modifications that can make daily movement safer for seniors.
Possible modifications include:
• Grab bars in toilets and bathrooms
• Slip-resistant treatment for bathroom floors
• Ramps at entrances or within the home
• Widening of toilet or bathroom entrances
This may be helpful if your loved one is:
• Becoming unsteady when walking
• Holding onto walls, doors or furniture for support
• Struggling to step into the bathroom
• Finding it difficult to use the toilet safely
• Recovering from a fall, surgery or stroke
It is often better to make the home safer before a serious fall happens.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Enhancement-for-Active-Seniors
6. If you need to learn safer caregiving skills
Caregivers Training Grant
The Caregivers Training Grant supports approved courses for family caregivers and eligible domestic helpers.
Training may cover areas such as:
• Safe transfers between bed, chair and wheelchair
• Mobility and fall prevention
• Dementia care
• Feeding support
• Personal care and hygiene
• Managing incontinence
• Basic eldercare skills
• Caregiver communication and stress management
This can be especially helpful before caregiving becomes physically overwhelming.
A small amount of training can help prevent caregiver injuries and make daily care more comfortable for the senior.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Caregivers-Training-Grant
7. If your loved one has a serious illness and needs equipment temporarily
Equipment Rental Scheme
The Equipment Rental Scheme may support the rental of essential equipment for people with serious illness and limited prognosis.
Possible items include:
• Hospital beds
• Wheelchairs
• Commodes
• Oxygen concentrators
• Pressure-relief mattresses
The application is usually arranged through the hospital, home palliative care team or relevant care provider.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Equipment-Rental-Scheme
8. If medical bills, nursing home fees or care expenses are becoming difficult
MediFund and MediFund Silver
MediFund is a safety net for Singapore Citizens who are unable to afford medical bills after available subsidies, insurance and MediSave have been used.
MediFund Silver is intended for seniors aged 65 and above.
You do not usually apply through a general online form. Speak to the medical social worker at the hospital, polyclinic or care provider.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Medifund
Medical Fee Exemption Card
The Medical Fee Exemption Card may be relevant for lower-income seniors staying in subsidised nursing homes, chronic sick units or inpatient hospice services.
The institution’s medical social worker can advise whether this may be suitable and help with the application.
Official details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Medical-Fee-Exemption-Card
Am I really eligible?
Many caregivers assume they will not qualify because they are not “low income enough” or because their loved one is not “disabled enough.”
It is still worth checking.
Eligibility usually depends on a combination of factors:
• Nationality or Permanent Resident status
• Whether your loved one lives at home or in a residential institution
• The level of help needed with daily activities
• Household monthly income per person
• The annual value of the home when there is no household income
• Existing CareShield Life, ElderShield or MediSave coverage
• Whether similar government funding has already been received for the same item
A medical diagnosis alone may not be enough.
For example, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke or frailty does not automatically qualify someone for every scheme. The assessment looks at what the person can or cannot safely do each day.
When attending an assessment, describe the real situation clearly.
Mention if your loved one needs hands-on help with:
• Bathing
• Dressing
• Eating
• Toileting
• Walking
• Getting in and out of bed
• Moving between bed, chair and wheelchair
• Managing incontinence
• Staying safe at home
How tedious is it to apply?
The application process is often more manageable than it first appears.
The most important part is usually getting the right assessment and applying through the correct route.
A simple way to approach it:
Step 1: Identify the main care problem
Ask yourself what is creating the greatest pressure right now.
• Helper costs
• Adult diapers and underpads
• Mobility equipment
• Home safety
• Medical bills
• Nursing home fees
• Severe disability and long-term care costs
Step 2: Check existing support
Use Singpass to check:
• CareShield Life coverage
• ElderShield coverage
• MediSave details
• Existing AIC scheme applications
Step 3: Find out which assessment is needed
For moderate disability-related schemes, a Functional Assessment Report may be needed.
For severe disability schemes such as CareShield Life, ElderShield, MediSave Care, IDAPE and ElderFund, a Severe Disability Assessment is usually required.
Official Severe Disability Assessment details:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance/Severe-Disability-Assessment
Step 4: Avoid paying for duplicate assessments where possible
A severe disability assessment may also help to support applications for several related schemes. Ask the assessor, AIC or care provider which schemes can be considered using the same assessment.
Step 5: Apply through the correct channel
Some applications are submitted online through AIC’s e-services.
Others are handled through:
• A hospital medical social worker
• A polyclinic medical social worker
• A home nursing or home medical provider
• A therapist or rehabilitation team
• A nursing home or hospice
• A training provider
Can my loved one receive more than one scheme?
In some cases, yes.
A family may be able to receive support from more than one area, depending on eligibility.
For example, a senior may have:
• Home Caregiving Grant for monthly care needs
• Migrant Domestic Worker Levy Concession for a helper
• Caregivers Training Grant for family members or a helper
• SMF support for an approved wheelchair, hospital bed or healthcare item
• CareShield Life or MediSave Care payouts for severe disability
However, you generally cannot receive overlapping subsidies for the same item or equipment.
When in doubt, share the full situation with AIC, your care provider or medical social worker before making a purchase.
What if my loved one lacks mental capacity?
Applications may still be possible.
A family member may be able to apply on the person’s behalf if they are:
• An appointed Donee under a Lasting Power of Attorney
• A court-appointed Deputy
• An immediate family member in certain situations
Additional documents may be needed, including a doctor’s certification or medical report on mental capacity.
If your loved one is starting to lose the ability to make financial or care decisions, seek advice early. It is much easier to put the right support in place before an urgent hospital discharge, financial problem or caregiving crisis.
Practical caregiver checklist
Before contacting AIC or a medical social worker, prepare:
□ Your loved one’s NRIC and Singpass access, where available
□ Household members living at the same address
□ Household income details
□ Medical reports, discharge summaries or doctor’s memos
□ Existing CareShield Life, ElderShield and MediSave information
□ A simple list of what your loved one needs help with each day
□ Details of any helper, home care, nursing or therapy services already involved
□ Any recommended equipment or quotations, if available
When to seek professional help
Speak with a doctor, nurse, therapist or medical social worker when:
• Your loved one is falling or becoming increasingly unsteady
• Transfers between bed, chair and toilet are becoming unsafe
• There is a sudden decline in mobility, appetite, continence or confusion
• You are unsure which equipment is suitable
• You are unable to manage care safely at home
• Hospital discharge is approaching and you do not know what support is needed
• Medical bills, home care costs or nursing home fees are becoming difficult
• Your loved one lacks mental capacity and the family is unsure who can apply
If the immediate concern is safety or sudden medical decline, seek medical attention first. Financial support and equipment planning can be worked out with the help of the care team afterwards.
How to get more help
You do not need to work through this alone.
You can seek guidance from:
• AIC Link
• AIC Hotline: 1800 650 6060
• AIC Email: enquiries@aic.sg
• A hospital or polyclinic medical social worker
• A home nursing, home medical or palliative care provider
• A physiotherapist or occupational therapist
• A nursing home, hospice or community care provider
AIC financial assistance overview:
https://www.aic.sg/Financial-Assistance
Products that may help
Financial support is only one part of making care at home more manageable.
Depending on your loved one’s needs, you may also need to consider:
• Adult diapers and underpads with the right fit and absorbency
• Walking sticks, wheelchairs and transfer aids
• Pressure-relief cushions and mattresses
• Home safety aids such as grab bars and ramps
• Monitoring tools for seniors living with dementia or wandering concerns
The best product is not always the most expensive one. It should be safe, suitable for the person and practical for the caregiver to use.
At The Silvery Fair, we believe caregivers deserve guidance before spending. We help families understand what may be suitable, while directing grant and eligibility questions to the appropriate healthcare professional or government agency.
Explore Woodswell adult tape diapers:
https://thesilveryfair.com/products/woodswell-adult-tape-diapers
Related TSF guides
Why Adult Diapers Leak: A Caregiver Guide
https://thesilveryfair.com/blogs/news/why-adult-diapers-leak-caregiver-guide-singapore
Transfer Aids for the Elderly in Singapore
https://thesilveryfair.com/blogs/news/transfer-aids-elderly-singapore
Agegracefully Walking Stick Finder
https://thesilveryfair.com/pages/agegracefully-walking-stick-finder-singapore
Frequently asked questions
What grants are available for seniors in Singapore?
Common schemes include the Home Caregiving Grant, CareShield Life, ElderShield, MediSave Care, PioneerDAS, the Migrant Domestic Worker Levy Concession, SMF subsidies, EASE, the Caregivers Training Grant, ElderFund, IDAPE, MediFund and the Equipment Rental Scheme.
Can adult diapers be subsidised in Singapore?
Adult diapers and underpads may be subsidised under SMF Home Healthcare Items for eligible seniors. The senior will usually need to be receiving approved community care services such as home nursing, home medical care, home palliative care or day hospice care.
Can I buy a wheelchair first and claim the subsidy later?
Usually no. For SMF-supported devices, approval should generally be obtained before buying. Items purchased before approval may not be reimbursable.
Does dementia automatically qualify my parent for a caregiving grant?
Not automatically. Eligibility usually depends on how much help the person needs with daily activities such as washing, dressing, eating, toileting, moving around and transferring.
Can a domestic helper attend caregiver training using the Caregivers Training Grant?
Yes, a migrant domestic worker may use the grant when they are the main caregiver of an eligible care recipient.
What should I do if my parent is not eligible for a scheme but we still cannot afford care?
Speak with AIC or a medical social worker. There may be other support options, including case-by-case assistance, MediFund, ComCare or community care funding.
Important note
This guide is intended to help caregivers understand where to begin. Government scheme amounts, eligibility requirements and application processes can change.
Before applying, always confirm the latest details with AIC, CPF, HDB, MOM, your healthcare provider or a medical social worker.
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