Elderly Care in Singapore 2026: Costs, Options and Subsidies

It often starts with a single moment. A parent has a fall, comes home from the hospital needing more help than before, or is diagnosed with dementia, and suddenly, you are arranging care while holding down a job and raising your own children.

Most Singaporeans arrive at this search worried about two things at once: whether their loved one will be safe and properly cared for, and whether the family can realistically afford it.

You are not expected to already know how any of this works, and it doesn’t help that information is scattered across a dozen government pages.

This article aims to consolidate all the information you need when comparing elderly care options in Singapore. We’ve also included grants and subsidies you can access to make care more affordable and sustainable for you and your family.

Elderly care cost comparison at a glance (2026)

The costs below are indicative and shown before subsidies; they vary by provider and by how much care is needed. Confirm your subsidy tier with the Agency for Integrated Care.

Figures are indicative and before subsidies, and depend on the provider and level of care.

How to choose the right elderly care option for your loved one

Start with how much help your loved one needs, where they would prefer to be cared for, and what your family can sustain long-term:

If they…

• Are largely independent but lonely: a senior activity centre or day care keeps them social.
• Need help with daily tasks like bathing or dressing: home care or a trained domestic helper.
• Need medical or nursing care at home: home nursing or a live-in nurse is most suitable.
• Need round-the-clock supervision that the family cannot provide: a nursing home might be your best option.

Most families combine options. The level of help is measured by how many activities of daily living, such as showering, dressing, feeding and moving around, your loved one needs help with, and that same measure drives many of the grants below.

Care options and what they cost

Senior activity centres and day care

Senior activity centres at HDB void decks offer drop-in social activities, often free.

Elderly day care centres add supervised daytime care, meals and activities while you work, typically $900 to $1,400 a month before subsidies. Both suit seniors who are mobile but should not be alone all day.

Healthcare and rehabilitation centres

Seniors who need more than social engagement can access dementia day care, around $900 to $1,700 a month, or day rehabilitation, where physiotherapy and occupational therapy are charged per session at up to about $160.

These help maintain cognition or rebuild mobility after a hospital stay or a fall.

On-demand and part-time home care

To age in place, home care brings trained carers or nurses to the door, billed by the hour so you pay only for what you use. Home care costs start from $23/hour.

Part-time caregivers handle bathing, mobility, meals and medication reminders, while nurses manage procedures such as wound care or tube feeding.

Live-in caregivers and private nursing

For round-the-clock needs at home, a live-in arrangement or private nurse gives continuous, dedicated care, which reassures families of seniors with dementia who do better in familiar surroundings.

Because no one can safely provide 24-hour care alone, professional carers usually rotate in shifts.

Hiring a domestic helper

A live-in migrant domestic worker is among the more affordable ways to get daily, hands-on help with housekeeping, meals and basic personal care, though helpers are not medically trained.

Beyond salary, you pay a monthly levy that drops sharply with a concession (below).

Compare licensed maid agencies, and consider caregiver training so your helper can care for your loved one safely.

Nursing homes

When a senior needs constant supervised care the family cannot manage at home, a nursing home provides 24/7 nursing and personal care, generally $2,000 to $4,500 a month before subsidies. Visit a few and ask about wait times, as good homes can have queues.

Respite and interim care

Every caregiver needs a break. Respite care covers a few hours to a few weeks so you can rest or travel, and interim care bridges the gap after a hospital discharge. Building it in is one of the simplest ways to prevent caregiver burnout.

Subsidies and grants that lower the cost (2026)

Used together, the schemes below can cut care costs by hundreds or thousands of dollars a month.

As a baseline, most government-funded care is means-tested: eligible households get up to 80 per cent off home and community care and up to 75 per cent off nursing homes.

You may find out more from our subsidies and grants guide.

Enhanced Home Personal Care (HPC+)

HPC+ is a government-funded home care programme introduced by MOH and administered by AIC, replacing the previous HPC scheme with a more structured, modular approach. It covers four modules that can be mixed and matched based on assessed needs:

• Module A (Housekeeping): $25/hr
• Module B (Personal Care): $47/hr or $176–$222 per shift, supervised by a Registered Nurse
• Module C (Custodial Support): $128/month
• Module D (Fall Monitoring): $100/month

Subsidies are means-tested by Monthly Per Capita Household Income, ranging from 80% for Citizens earning $900 and below per capita, down to 0% above $3,600. Out-of-pocket costs are generally comparable to or lower than nursing home fees.

To apply, get a referral from your GP or hospital team, complete the AIC InterRAI assessment, and confirm your care plan with your chosen provider. Homage supports HPC+ care delivery alongside appointed providers.

Learn more about HPC+ with Homage here: Home Personal Care+ with Homage

Home Caregiving Grant (HCG)

The Home Caregiving Grant is a monthly cash payout you can spend however care is needed, on a helper, home care or healthcare items.

From April 2026 the maximum rose to $600 a month and the income ceiling was raised, so more families qualify.

Your loved one must be a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident living in the community who permanently needs help with at least three of the six activities of daily living.

Apply through the Agency for Integrated Care with a Functional Assessment Report from a doctor, nurse or therapist, and confirm the current tiers on the AIC website before you apply.

Caregivers Training Grant (CTG)

The Caregivers Training Grant subsidises approved caregiving courses, up to $400 a year per care recipient, with a co-payment of about $10.

Foreign domestic workers qualify too, as long as the senior is a Citizen or Permanent Resident, making it a practical way to upskill a helper.

Migrant Domestic Worker Levy Concession

Hiring a helper to care for an eligible senior cuts the monthly levy from $300 to $60, usually granted automatically for a Citizen aged 67 or above. Each household can hold up to two concessions, saving close to $3,000 a year per helper.

Equipment, medical bills and insurance payouts

Other schemes round out the picture: the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund covers up to 90 percent of devices like wheelchairs and hospital beds, MediSave and the Community Health Assist Scheme help with approved care and outpatient costs, and CareShield Life or ElderShield pay out monthly if your loved one becomes severely disabled.

Those covered by neither may qualify for the Interim Disability Assistance Programme for the Elderly.

A note on Grandparent Caregiver Relief

This one is often confused with care subsidies.

It is a personal income tax relief for working mothers whose parents help mind their children, not a payout for elderly care, so check the IRAS website if that applies to you.

How to apply

1. Get an assessment through your GP, polyclinic, or the hospital medical social worker, so care needs and eligibility are documented.
2. Contact the Agency for Integrated Care for advice on services, grants and means testing.
3. Apply for the grants you qualify for, starting with the Home Caregiving Grant and levy concession for the biggest monthly impact.
4. Choose a provider, and book a trial or consultation before committing.

How Homage can help

Homage provides on-demand elderly care at home, from personal care and companionship to nursing and therapy, scaling as needs change.

Our Care Advisors can also help you work out which subsidies apply. Book a free consultation to talk through the right mix of care and cost.

Frequently asked questions

References