CareShield Life: How To Use $612/Month Payouts For Your Eldercare Needs

The risk of severe disability over our lifetimes may be relatively low, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Unlikely but high-impact events that cause severe disability have the potential to upend our lives if we’re not prepared when they happen to us. In Singapore, however, CareShield Life offers protection against severe disabilities for citizens through subsidies and payouts. 

CareShield Life is a long-term care insurance scheme that provides basic financial support should Singaporeans become severely disabled, especially during old age, and need personal and medical care for a prolonged period of time. 

Find out how to effectively utilise your payouts for your long-term care needs through this guide!

How can I benefit from CareShield Life?

CareShield Life offers several key benefits:

1. Lifetime coverage

Under CareShield Life, you will continue to enjoy lifetime coverage after paying off all your premiums which happens either ten years after enrolling in the scheme, or when you turn 67 years old.

2. Cash payouts that can be used for your preferred needs

Monthly payouts will be given to you for as long as your severe disability continues to persist. 

These payouts are doled out in cash so both you and your caregiver have the flexibility to decide on your desired care arrangements. For example, you may use them for home care services or opt to stay in a nursing home.

3. Monthly cash payouts that will increase with time

• Starting at $600 in 2020, monthly payouts for CareShield Life will increase every year until you turn 67 years old, or when you make a successful claim, whichever comes first. Do note that when you successfully make a new claim, your monthly payout amount will remain fixed for the duration of your severe disability.
• From 2020 to 2025, payouts will increase by 2% every year. After 2025, payout amounts and corresponding premium adjustments will then be recommended by an independent CareShield Life Council.
• However, do not that If you are 67 or older when enrolling in CareShield Life, i.e. you are born in 1954 and earlier, your monthly payout will be fixed at $612/month and will not increase over time.

Source: Ministry of Health

You may refer to the illustration above to estimate the monthly payout amount.

4. Worldwide coverage

Regardless of where you reside or where you go, coverage will be provided and you will able to make a claim and receive payouts anywhere in the world. 

Additionally, supplementary schemes for CareShield Life are available for purchase from private insurance providers. For a comparison of the top 3 CareShield Life supplements in Singapore, click here.

CareShield Life eligibility 

For Singaporeans born in 1980 or later

You are automatically covered under CareShield Life from 1 October 2020, or when you turn 30, whichever is later. You will receive a letter about 2 months before your 30th birthday, and your personalised CareShield Life premium amount will be made available closer to your 30th birthday here.

For Singaporeans born in 1979 or earlier

If you are born between 1970 and 1979, insured under ElderShield 400, and not severely disabled, you will be automatically enrolled into CareShield Life from 1 December 2021. You will receive a CareShield Life welcome package, which provides more information on your CareShield Life coverage and personalised premiums.

However, if you do not wish to remain on CareShield Life, do note that you must opt-out by 31 Dec 2023.

If you are not automatically enrolled and wish to join CareShield Life, you may access the Application to join CareShield Life e-Service with your Singpass.

Do note that while participation in CareShield Life is optional, it is mandatory if you fulfil all of the three requirements below:

• You became a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident after 1 October 2020
• You are severely disabled
• You are born in 1979 or earlier

What is long-term care?

Long-term care can involve a variety of services that are designed to help meet a person’s health and personal care needs over an extended duration of time. Such services are designed to help people live independently and safely as possible when they are unable to perform daily living activities anymore. 

Long-term care can be provided by professional healthcare services like Homage. 

Some of the personal home care services that Homage Care Pros can help deliver for long-term care include help with:

• Eating
• Bathing
• Getting dressed
• Toileting
• Transferring
• Continence

Why get caregiving services at home?

Whether you’re a caregiver or a care recipient, being cared for in the familiar surroundings of our own home is always a more convenient and comfortable experience.

Plus, with the launch of the Healthier SG initiative, ageing in place will become more of a norm in our community.

How can you utilise the payouts for your loved one’s care needs? 

So how can we best utilise the $600 monthly payouts that your loved one would receive under the CareShield Life scheme?

First, let’s think about what type of Homage Services you can purchase for $600.

Imagine, for instance, that your loved one returns home from a hospital stay and requires long-term care for the next 6 months for a full recovery. 

Personally providing long-term care to your loved one for such a long duration can be taxing, especially if they have niche healthcare and personal needs due to their severe disability. 

1. 40-Hour Prepaid Home Care Package

To make things easier on you, you could consider buying Homage’s 40-hour Prepaid Care Relief Home Care Package.

Depending on your loved one’s specific needs, you can choose either a 40-hour Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Caregiver Package or a 40-hour Activities of Daily Living (ADL) & Simple Nursing Package. 

As seen from the table, after using your monthly CareShield Life payouts, Homage’s 40-hour prepaid package will cost $11 or even less per hour.

How you use your 40-hour package is entirely up to you, but you could consider a weekly care plan with five 8-hour sessions spread across the week.

During the 8-hour session, our Homage Care Pros can handle all ADLs for your loved ones and even provide simple nursing services like wound dressing if you choose the home nursing care package. 

Here’s a quick illustration of how you can utilise a 40-Hour Home Care Package for Dementia Care:

Homage also provides add-on services to ensure that you are able to provide holistic care for your loved ones. You may also use your CareShield Life payouts for the following services:

2. In-Person Care Assessment (IPCA)

Managing a severe disability is not only hard for the care recipient but also for caregivers. In order to provide adequate and sufficient care for your loved ones, it might be prudent to consider getting an in-person care assessment with Homage so you can have a holistic understanding of your loved one’s care needs.

Every individual is unique, and it is important to explore the care options that are available, as well as set up a care plan that is beneficial for both you and your loved one.

During the care assessment, your loved one will be assessed based on their:

• Mobility status
• Communication ability
• Cognitive function
• Any special needs
• Living environment

For further information or bookings, click here.

3. Physiotherapy Sessions 

Physiotherapy is best suited for the elderly with mobility issues and can be used for a variety of medical conditions: 

• Injuries
• Recovering from a fall
• Chronic Pain
• Arthritis
• Cerebral Palsy
• Parkinson’s
• Stroke
• Muscle atrophy

For more information or booking with Homage, click here.

4. Speech Therapy for Stroke 

Other than speech disorders like stuttering, speech therapy can actually help with other conditions that arise from severe disability as well.

These include: 

• Swallowing difficulties
• Speech impairments
• Vocalisation problems
• Language disorders
• Effective communication
• Social skills

For more information or bookings with Homage, click here. 

5. Nursing Procedures 

Homage’s trained nurses are also qualified to assist your loved ones with many nursing procedures, including:

• NGT Feeding
• PEG Feeding
• Medication Administration
• Urine Bag Drainage
• Oxygen Therapy (Mask / BIPAP / CPAP)
• Oral Suctioning
• Open Tracheostomy Suctioning
• Blood Glucose Check
• Stoma Bag Drainage

For further enquiries on Homage’s home nursing services, click here. 

6. Purchase Mobility/ Assistive Devices 

Your CareShield Life monthly Cash Payouts can also be used to purchase mobility or assistive devices to aid in your or your loved ones’ daily living. These can include:

Vision aids

Glasses or magnifying devices can help with poor vision or protection from the sun.

Toilet and shower aids

Portable commodes, raised toilet seats, grab bars, and handles make it more convenient for seniors to use the bathroom.

Hearing aids

Electronic devices can be placed inside or behind the ear to amplify sounds so that seniors can hear clearly.

Mobility aids

Walkers, canes, wheelchairs, and scooters can help with walking, balancing, or supporting your loved one’s weight to reduce strain on their muscles and joints.

Click here to learn about how assistive devices may help in your loved one’s daily life, as laid out by the Agency for Integrated Care.

We hope that this Homage guide has been useful for you to figure out how best to use your monthly CareShield Life cash Payouts! If you need more information, you may learn more here.

If you require further assistance or would like some advice from our friendly Homage Care Pros, download our app to book a care service with us or reach us at 6100 0055.

Homage provides caregiving services for your loved ones at every stage. Our trained care professionals are able to provide companionship, nursing care, night caregiving, home therapy and more, to keep your loved ones active and engaged. 

Provide the best care to your loved one today!  Fill up the form below for a free consultation with our Care Advisory team.