Elderly care

About our elderly care guides

More Singapore families are choosing to care for an ageing parent at home. It lets your loved one stay in familiar surroundings, close to family, but it also brings new questions about health, safety, daily routines and support. These guides are written for adult children and spouses who are planning or already managing care at home, often with the help of a live-in helper.

Topics include recognising when extra help is needed, simple daily routines for a parent living with dementia, how a caregiver role differs from general housework, and how to choose a helper who is suited to elderly care. We share general guidance only. Always speak to your parent's doctor about medical needs, and call 995 in an emergency.

Key things to know about support

If you employ a helper and live with an elderly family member, you may qualify for a lower foreign domestic worker levy. A few points families often miss:

• The age is 67. The concessionary levy of $60 a month applies for an eligible Singapore citizen aged 67 or above, with conditions for permanent residents.
• Household listing matters. For a parent or other relative, your NRIC addresses must match and the person must be listed as a household member in FDW eService.
• It is applied automatically. Once the conditions are met and the steps are done, there is no separate application. The lower rate appears within the next 2 levy bills and is backdated.
• Disability is covered too. A person who needs help with at least one activity of daily living can qualify with a doctor's certification and a recommendation letter from the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).

You can check the full conditions on MOM's levy concession page. The Home Caregiving Grant is a separate scheme, and you apply for it through AIC.

How Femme5 can help and where to start

We place helpers with elderly caregiving experience and can share profiles so you can find someone patient, steady and a good fit for your parent. If you need someone already in Singapore, a transfer maid can sometimes start sooner.

New to this? Start with when a helper makes the difference, then read caregiver vs domestic helper to understand the roles. If your parent has dementia, our daily routines guide is a practical next step.