SOME 250 community care apartment units in Bedok will be up for sale in December to help Singaporean seniors age independently.

The community care apartments project, which integrates senior-friendly housing with on-site social activities and care services, is the third of its kind. Two such projects were launched in Bukit Batok in 2021 and Queensway in 2022.

“If the model of care provision proves to be effective and scalable, we will ramp up the supply of community care apartments, and launch up to 30 such apartments in different locations across Singapore by 2030,” said the Ministry of National Development (MND), Ministry of Health (MOH), and Housing and Development Board (HDB) in a joint statement on Thursday (Nov 30).

The 250 assisted-living flats are part of the 1,234 flats at Chai Chee Green Build-To-Order (BTO) project. The project will offer three-room, four-room and five-room flats, “to encourage intergenerational bonding, as well as foster inclusivity and community interaction”.

The wait times for the flats range from three years and three months to three years and seven months.

Each assisted-living flat is about 32 square metres, and will be equipped with senior-friendly fittings, such as grab bars, wheelchair-accessible bathrooms with slip-resistant flooring, and wide wheelchair-friendly main doors.

A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU

Tuesday, 12 pm

Property Insights

Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond.

Sign Up

With open layouts where space can be customised and separated with sliding partitions, the flats also come with a built-in wardrobe, cabinets, and a finished kitchen, “to allow seniors to move in quickly with minimal renovations”.

The residents of such flats will subscribe to a basic service package, including essential services such as 24-hour emergency monitoring and basic health checks. Optional services at additional costs include daycare, laundry and meal services.

Under the basic service package, residents will also enjoy access to care services, wellness and social activities, as well as facilitated admission to a nearby nursing home when necessary.

The total cost of the unit consists of the flat price and the basic service package price. While the flat cost needs to be paid for upfront, the residents have two payment plan options for the basic service package and either pay S$175 to S$185 every month with an upfront one-year security deposit, or pay S$6,300 to S$7,000 for every three years.

“Within the project, seniors will enjoy easy access to the social and communal facilities nearby, such as an eating house and a residents’ network centre,” said the government agencies, highlighting the bus services along Chai Chee Lane, and various nearby MRT stations – Bedok North, Bedok and Kembangan.

To apply for a community care apartment, applicants and their spouse must be at least 65 years old. They can choose a lease ranging from 15 years to 35 years, in five-year increments, that covers them until they are at least 95 years old.

Interested individuals need to make an appointment online at https://go.gov.sg/reg-cca-exhibition-2023 to visit the physical exhibition at the Atrium of HDB Hub from Nov 30.

The exhibition – open from Mondays to Fridays, 8 am to 5 pm, excluding weekends and public holidays – shows 3D models of the assisted-living block and the flat unit, as well as a mock-up of the communal space and a showroom of the flat. Visitors can also learn more about the service packages and eligibility conditions.

While information on the project can be found on the HDB website, the public may also call the HDB sales and resale customer service line at 1800 866 3066, from 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays, to find out more.