Each option costs different depending on the subsidies you can get as well.

Whether they are suitable also depend on the complexity of the care. It’s also important to consider what your preferences are and what feels most comfortable to you and your loved one. Here is a list featuring options of the palliative care in Singapore and the cost.

Palliative care provided by live-in home caregiver

You can receive palliative care in the comfort of your own home. This can be one of the more affordable options. This is can also be a good choice for those who feel more comfortable living at home and who want a dedicated caregiver.

If you require more complex medical care (e.g. wound management, catheter change, or feeding tube change), consider getting a professional home Care Nurse. Nurses can manage more high level needs with expertise and in safe hands. They are more suitable than just relying solely on a domestic worker in this scenario. Care Nurses can come once a week (for example) to check that everything is going okay.

If you do not require medical or nursing care, but need some supervision or help at home with ADLs (e.g. transferring to showers, feeding, or simple physiotherapy exercise routines) hiring a Care Aide or a domestic worker will be helpful. Care Aide services are usually lower cost than Care Nurses.

This option’s cost can range from $0-200 each day (zero cost only if full subsidies for some who are eligible). Your MediSave account can also be used to cover part of the cost of the palliative care.

Home Hospice Care by Charity Organisations (only for eligible Singaporeans)

Hospice care provided by charity organisations may even be free when provided at home. But, you need to go through means testing which is referred through a doctor. The patient also must have a live-in caregiver since the medical team is not available.

Even though it can be $0 (if eligible based on subsidies), it doesn’t include the cost of medications, consumables like diapers, and other equipment involved in palliative care.

Inpatient Palliative Care in Hospital

This can be a suitable setting for someone with complex medical requirements. Hospice care homes or hospitals have healthcare professionals available 24/7 for the care recipient.

If you receive hospice care in a hospital as an inpatient, the cost is less than the general hospital stay. It ranges from ~$250-350 each day before subsidies. After subsidies and grants, you can expect to pay between ~$75-310 per day.

Day Care with a Live-In Caregiver at Home

If you are working in a full-time job and want to be a caregiver for your loved one after work, day care may be possible. Day care centres give supervision to and provide a full day programme for the patient in a centre-based setting with other people. This is suitable for those who are relatively mobile and able to take care of themselves with ADLs, but just need some supervision.

Day care centres will provide a full day of activities. This may include physical rehab, mentally stimulating games, and food provision for the daytime. The cost of this palliative care option is around $30-50 / day (multiplied by 30 days in a month). This may be deducted to ~$10-15/day after subsidies or grants, if you are attending daily from Monday – Friday. This does not include the costs of a live-in caregiver and transport.

For more specialised dementia day care, it will cost ~$40-55/day (multiplied by 30 days a month). This is if you are attending daily from Monday – Friday. It also excludes the costs of a live-in caregiver and transport.

Trained domestic worker as live-in caregiver

If you feel a domestic worker is sufficient for your palliative home care needs, you can consider training them with our short caregiver courses. The courses are run by professional nurses with experience in nursing homes and home nursing. Your domestic worker will learn how to provide proper non-medical care to you or your loved one / care recipient.