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Health Promotion Board
Press Releases

Greater Independence And Better Quality Of Life For Older Adults

17 July 2010

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Clinical practice guidelines developed for functional screening of older adults in the community

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) have, for the first time, developed Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) on functional screening to address the imminent healthcare challenges of Singapore s ageing population.

2 These guidelines cover seven functional domains, namely, physical function, vision, hearing, oral health, continence, mood and cognition, and will be used by healthcare professionals and health service providers to improve the care of older adults living in the community.

3 Singapore has a rapidly ageing population. It is estimated that one in every five residents will be over the age of 65 by 2030, a marked increase from the current figure of one in 11 today 1. Co-Chairpersons of the 17-member Functional Screening CPG Workgroup, Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong (Senior Consultant, Dept of Geriatric Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital) and Dr Shyamala Thilagaratnam (Director, Healthy Ageing Division, HPB) elaborate, Older adults may experience a certain degree of functional decline. For example, loss in balance and difficulty in walking can affect their ability to move about safely. The early detection of functional decline, through screening, targeted evaluation to determine its causes, along with appropriate management and a healthy lifestyle can help older adults perform daily activities with confidence and lead a fulfilling and active life.

4 HPB will conduct a pilot of the Community Functional Screening Programme, based on the recommendations of this CPG, from September 2010. This pilot programme will be conducted at Wellness Programmes sites over a 12-month period (September 2010 August 2011). Dr Shyamala Thilagaratnam explains, To help seniors enjoy a happier and active life, HPB will work with our community partners to make functional screening accessible in the community. This will encourage more older adults to be screened. We urge older adults who receive abnormal results to seek treatment early from healthcare professionals. HPB, with its healthcare partners, will be working towards facilitating family physicians and other healthcare professionals to optimally manage conditions detected by the screening.

5 Further information on the Functional Screening CPG and the Community Functional Screening Programme is appended in the enclosed Fact Sheet A.

1 Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. Report on the ageing population. [Online]. 2006 [cited 2010 Mar 20].


Available at: URL:

http://www.mcys.gov.sg/successful_ageing/report/Executive%20Summary.pdf

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