PUBLISHED ONJanuary 09, 2025 2:55 AMByChing Shi JieAt 88, Sim Kwang Chai is proud of his "perfect" attendance for working out three times a week at the fitness corner just below his flat.
"Almost perfect— except when he's unwell," his daughter-in-law Suzanne countered with a smile, as Sim stood up mid-interview with AsiaOne, playfully challenging the reporter to guess his age.
"Just proving I can still stand on my own," said the octogenarian, who lives with his wife, 90-year-old Mdm Sui.
The couple is among the first homeowners — all aged 65 and above — to move into Singapore's first assisted-living flats in Bukit Batok West Avenue 9 last October.
Launched for sale in February 2021, Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok is a 15-storey block featuring 169 Community Care Apartments, which the government says aims to "support seniors in aging independently within the community."
This public housing concept is jointly developed by the Ministry of National Development (MND), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Housing Board (HDB).
Prices for the Bukit Batok flats start from $40,000 for a 15-year lease to $65,000 for a 35-year lease, and are required to be paid for fully upfront with cash or with CPF monies.
These flats cannot be resold or rented out.
The new flats comes with a mandatory service package, which includes 24-hour emergency monitoring and response service, basic health checks and activities at the communal spaces within the development.
All residents will have to subscribe and pay for the Basic Service Package, which starts from $22,000 for a 15-year lease.
Each unit, at 344 sq ft big, features an easy-to-slide partition in an open layout that separates the living room and bedroom. The bathrooms are also wheelchair-accessible, with slip-resistant flooring and grab bars.
While Sim's home came with a built-in wardrobe, cabinets, and a furnished kitchen, he has since added a fridge and microwave.
After living in a rental flat in Kovan, Sim said that he and his wife moved into their new flat to live out their silver years "independently with dignity."
Besides going for morning exercises on their own, the couple enjoys walking to the nearby Le Quest Mall for their meals.
They also enjoy reading newspapers in the communal area near the lift lobby, which is located on every floor.
"We are not being taken care of for just two years (in a community care apartment) but for some time," said Sim. "And we want to live sensibly and appreciate [everything] here. This place is ideal."
Sim's neighbor, Sabiah Wir, is another participant in the morning workout sessions run by an on-site community manager.
The 94-year-old welcomes the railings along the corridor and the built-in bench outside the entrance to her unit.
Wir, who lives with her foreign domestic helper and requires a walking aid, said, "I've only just moved in a month ago, but the flat looks new and comfortable."
But 78-year-old Moideen Koyakutty said that he and his wife have not been visited by the care staff since moving into their new home two weeks ago.
The couple forked out $70,000 for the flat and will have to pay around $170 every month for the Basic Service Package.
Koyakutty remains ambivalent about the compulsory charges, adding that while he has a heart condition, his son is already helping to bring him to the hospital for his check-ups.
"But nobody knows when we will need the emergency response, so it's good to have that kind of help," he said.
Another resident, surnamed Wong, hopes that the community manager will organise more social activities to get to know her elderly neighbors.
The 85-year-old spends the day watching television in her flat with only her foreign domestic helper for company.
"It's so quiet and lonely here," said Wong. "Other than the workout sessions and reading newspapers in the communal area, there's not much to do… My neighbours aren't very sociable and largely keep to themselves."
For Suzanne, caring for her elderly in-laws means "having faith" that they will be able to live independently with some assistance.
The 65-year-old teacher has been visiting at least three times a week to ensure that they are comfortable in their new home.
"This place has been an eye-opener for them," said Suzanne. "They really liked the place when they first moved in."
"It would have been more difficult for them if they lived alone somewhere else. If the [emergency response] button is activated here, someone will come running to their home… this makes me feel more assured."
The second batch of community care flats in Queenstown will be ready in the fourth quarter of 2028. The third project in Bedok, launched in December 2023, is slated for completion between the fourth quarter of 2027 and the first quarter of 2028.
The fourth development in Aljunied was launched last October and is expected for completion by 2029.
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