Comparative Question Notes

0. WhatmorecanbedonetocombattheeffectsoftheSilverTsunamiinSingapore.Keyterms:● “SilverTsunami”-AgeingPopulationi.e.Singapore’sseniorcitizens,generallyreferringtothoseaged65andabove● “more”–comparisontowhatisdonenow● “combat”-tosolve,toaddress ● “effects”–issues/concernsarisingduetoanageingpopulation● “Singapore”-thescopeofthequestionisclearlylimitedtoSingapore Approach:● Fromthekeyterm“more”,studentsmustrecognisetheunderlyingassumptionthatexistingmeasuresarenotadequateorineffectivetoaddresstheproblemofageingpopulation.● Studentsshouldmentionexistingmeasurestojustifywhatmoreneedstobedone. ● Atrulyconvincingsolutionrequiresonetoconsidertherootcauseoftheeffect. Pitfall:Studentsmayoverlookthecomparativeelementembeddedinthequestion(“more”)andthereforemerelylistswhatisdonenow.ItisNOTaquestionon“WhatisdonetocombattheeffectsoftheSilverTsunamiinSingapore.” Requirementofqns:a. Identifytheeffect/impactofarapidlyageingpopulationinSingaporethatareoccurringpresentlyorwilloccurinthenearfuture. a. Explainthegaps/ineffectivenessofexistingmeasurestoaddresstheSilvertsunami–thislinkstowhymoreneedstobedonea. Suggestnew/improvedsolutionstotheproblemspresentedbytherapidlyageingpopulationofSingapore–linktohowtheproposedsolutionwillactuallyaddress/solve/reducetheimpactofarapidlyageingpopulationinSingapore Morecanbedoneto… ExamplesfromSPECTRASocial…supportthefinancialstrainonthesandwichedgenerationduetoaheavilylopsidedelder-youngergenerationratiocommunities. … supporttheelderlyexperiencingemotional/socialisolation,increasingthechancesofanunhealthydemisefortheseelderlyassocietytendstoavoidtheelderlypoorandtheirailments. ● Now:Singapore’sgovernmenthasbeenencouragingacultureofself-reliancethroughtheCentralProvidentFund(CPF)scheme.One’sCPFfundscanbeusedtomanageone’smedicalexpenditureusingtheMedisaveAccount.Eachindividualisthenresponsibleforhisorherownretirementneeds,ratherthanburdeningfuturegenerationswithever-increasingtaxes. ● Gap:Sandwichedgenerationfacehighertaxesastheworking-agecitizens,resultinginhighercostsoflivingforthem● Solution:Greatersupportforsandwichedgenerationintermsoftaxreliefandrebatesrelatedtoyoungandelderlydependents.Greaterfinancialsupportforeldercare{GIVECONCRETEDETAILSTOTHISSOLUTION) ● Now:Thereisagrowingcommunitynetworkstrivingtoensuretheelderlypoorfindsomemeasureofwell-beingin

termsofhealthandcompanionshipintheirfinalyears.It’sanextensivewebmadeupofwelfaregroups(likeHappyPeopleHelpingPeopleFoundation),charities,hospitals,andoperators(likeNTUCHealth)ofSeniorClusterNetworksinitiatedbytheMinistryofSocialandFamilyDevelopment.(source)● Gap:Elderlysuicideshavebeencreepingup,from95casesin2010to126casesin2014(source)● Solution:.Retirementvillagesretrofittedwithelder-friendlyfeatures,canbeestablishedtoallowelderlytoremainincompanionshipofpeersofsimilarageinamutuallysupportiveenvironment,sotheycanmaintainasenseofautonomyovertheirlivesastheyage,therebyreducingsocialisolationandthehelplessness fromhavingtobeoverlyreliantonvolunteersandwelfaregroupstoofferthe