THE OLDER WOMEN OF SINGAPORE : A DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

Singapore is fast approaching the status of an ageing society. And because an ageing society comprises mainly of older women, this exercise is devoted to studying this group of people in the context of Singapore. By studying the problems commonly faced by the older women, policymakers are able to shape new policies that may be more relevant in coping with an ageing society. Like most older women in the other parts of the world, the more common problems faced by older women in Singapore are related to widowhood, poor health and lack of financial security. The government has implemented several policies to help these women cope with their problems. The recognition in the seriousness of this issue was reflected when the National Advisory Council on the Family and the Aged (NACF A) was formed, to review the potential problems that could arise as a result of the increasing number of older persons in our society. The following chapters will show that problems related to the ageing population structure may not be so severe at the moment because the proportion of the elderly is still not that large. However, as the baby boomers become of age in about twenty to thirty years time, Singapore may have a serious problem at hand if steps are not taken now to anticipate the problems and to address this issue. However, the distant future looks brighter as the trends show that women are receiving more and more education. This means that women will become more independent and financially more secure, and may no longer pose a social problem. Also, it is believed that they might just be able to influence national affairs to a greater extent than now.