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A Straits Times report about Singaporeans packing up nursing homes in Johor Bahru is going viral.
Journalists Janice Tai and Toh Yong Chuan had visited City Heart Care Nursing Home in Taman Johor, a 30-minute drive from the Causeway, where they interviewed one of its Singaporean residents Mr. Andrew Tan.
Mr. Tan's family had sent him there after his ageing parents ran out of the strength to care for the former electrician, who's been paralysed from the chest down since a car accident 20 years ago.
He's one of a growing number of infirm Singaporeans who have been admitted to nursing homes in Johor Bahru, where prices can be as low as half of those in Singapore, ST reports. Mr. Tan's family apparently pays only $900 a month for a two-bedded private room at City Heart.
The demand is leading many major nursing home companies to consider expanding in the city. One of them is Spring Valley Homecare, which recently bought an 8,000 sq. ft. piece of land there. Spring Valley's spacious open wards cost about $600 a month.
All this is interesting news already to many Singaporeans, but it's possible the major draw of the report is Spring Valley director Mr. Frankie Ker's statement.
He revealed that many of his Singaporean clients, who make up almost half of the residency at Spring Valley, come from the "sandwiched middle class". "If you are poor, the Government will look after you. If you are rich, you can afford three maids to look after you 24 hours. If you're middle-class, it's tough," he was reported to have said.
Do you agree?
Photo: Spring Valley Homecare Facebook
Got a tip? Send it to us at singapore@coconuts.co.
A Straits Times report about Singaporeans packing up nursing homes in Johor Bahru is going viral.
Journalists Janice Tai and Toh Yong Chuan had visited City Heart Care Nursing Home in Taman Johor, a 30-minute drive from the Causeway, where they interviewed one of its Singaporean residents Mr. Andrew Tan.
Mr. Tan's family had sent him there after his ageing parents ran out of the strength to care for the former electrician, who's been paralysed from the chest down since a car accident 20 years ago.
He's one of a growing number of infirm Singaporeans who have been admitted to nursing homes in Johor Bahru, where prices can be as low as half of those in Singapore, ST reports. Mr. Tan's family apparently pays only $900 a month for a two-bedded private room at City Heart.
The demand is leading many major nursing home companies to consider expanding in the city. One of them is Spring Valley Homecare, which recently bought an 8,000 sq. ft. piece of land there. Spring Valley's spacious open wards cost about $600 a month.
All this is interesting news already to many Singaporeans, but it's possible the major draw of the report is Spring Valley director Mr. Frankie Ker's statement.
He revealed that many of his Singaporean clients, who make up almost half of the residency at Spring Valley, come from the "sandwiched middle class". "If you are poor, the Government will look after you. If you are rich, you can afford three maids to look after you 24 hours. If you're middle-class, it's tough," he was reported to have said.
Do you agree?
Photo: Spring Valley Homecare Facebook