Systemic changes needed to recognise key role of caregivers

I appreciated the recent Opinion pieces on dementia caregiving (Respecting the wishes of people with dementia while keeping them safe, and "Alive, but just a shell" - the grief that haunts dementia caregivers, both Sept 26). Both articles shed light on the pressing need to balance the autonomy of people with dementia with the safety and well-being of individuals and their caregivers. However, the complexities of dementia care extend beyond these well-articulated points, requiring not only societal mindset shifts but also deeper systemic changes.

- Wayne Freeman Chong (Dr)

Ms Usha Chandradas (More practical ways needed to support dementia patients and their caregivers, Sept 30) highlighted that caregivers are often faced with overwhelming challenges, especially when juggling full-time jobs and caregiving responsibilities. In Singapore, a primary informal caregiver provides an average of 37 caregiving hours to a person with dementia weekly.

To nurture an inclusive society with rapidly growing numbers of older persons and informal caregivers, we must seriously consider moving from financial support to financial compensation and recognition of caregivers.