Balancing work, childcare, and caregiving responsibilities can be incredibly challenging for families. To explore practical solutions and gain expert insights, we spoke with Vincent Wong, Co-Founder of Anglo Caregivers. He shares his perspectives on the recent enhancements to Singapore’s Home Caregiving Grant (HCG), how families can build strong relationships with caregivers, and how caregivers can improve family well-being.
With Budget 2025’s enhanced caregiver support, how do the new Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) measures directly help busy parents juggling work, childcare, and elderly care?
In Singapore’s Budget 2025, the new enhancements to the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) aim to directly support busy parents who are balancing work, childcare, and elderly care in several key ways:
- Increased Financial Support: The monthly payout for the HCG will be increased. Those with the highest needs will qualify for a maximum grant of $600 per month, up from $400 today. This enhanced financial support provides parents with more resources to manage the costs associated with caregiving, easing the financial burden they face while juggling multiple responsibilities.
- Expanded Eligibility: The maximum qualifying per capita household income for the HCG will rise to $4,800. This expansion means that more families will now qualify for the grant, ensuring that a greater number of parents can access the support they need.
- Increased Subsidies for Long-Term Care: In addition to the HCG, the Budget includes up to a 10 percentage point increase in subsidies for long-term care services, both at home and in the community. This boost helps parents who are caring for elderly family members at home by making long-term care more affordable.
Monthly salaries of experienced live-in caregivers ranges from $750 – $1000. The maximum grant of $600 per month can cover up to 80% of the caregiver’s salary, defraying a significant amount of caregiving costs. This makes hiring a caregiver to help with caring for an elderly parent at home a lot more affordable for busy parents who are managing both work and caregiving duties, allowing them to better balance their responsibilities while ensuring their loved ones receive the care they need.
2. Many parents worry about trusting someone new in their home. How do Anglo Caregivers ensure that both caregivers and families are well-matched for a successful working relationship?
At Anglo Caregivers, we understand that trust is the foundation of a successful caregiving relationship. To ensure a good match between caregivers and families, we have a thorough screening and selection process. This includes:
- Background Checks and 1 to 1 in depth Agency Interviews: All caregivers undergo rigorous employment history checks, medical screenings that meet Singapore’s MOM requirements and in-depth 30 minute to 60 minute interviews with our specialised healthcare recruiters to screen for qualified caregivers who meet our standards.
- Language, Skills and Experience Matching: We assess caregivers’ languages, skills and experience to ensure they align with the family’s needs, values, and expectations.
Many elderly in Singapore speak Mandarin or English which are not native languages of the foreign caregivers. Hence we specialise in finding foreign caregivers who can speak Mandarin or English in order facilitate better communication, building trust and forging personal connections with the elderly parents and their families.
- Interviews: Families can interview potential caregivers via video calls. We encourage families, especially the elderly care recipients, to join in the interview process so they may participate in the decision making process and meet the caregiver who will be joining them first.
- Continuous Support: We provide ongoing support and mediation services to address any concerns and ensure a smooth working relationship.
3. Parents also worry that their children may struggle to adjust to having a caregiver in the home. How can families ensure a smooth transition for both their children and elderly parents?
A smooth transition is key to making caregiving a positive experience for all family members. Here are some tips:
- Communicate Openly: Talk to children and elderly family members about why a caregiver is joining the home and how they will help. Share this with the children a few times over different days. Ask them how they feel about it, and dispel any fears with simple explanations
- Involve the Family: Allow children and seniors to participate in small activities with the caregiver, such as sharing a meal or playing games, to build trust. When the caregiver is performing caregiving duties, let the children see the process and share with them how the caregiver is taking care of their grandparents.
- Give It Time: Adjustments take time, and reassurance from parents and caregivers can help everyone feel more comfortable.
4. Many mums take on the role of primary caregiver in the family. How can Anglo Caregivers ensure their elderly parents receive quality care?
Mothers often juggle multiple responsibilities, and professional caregivers can provide much-needed support. We ensure quality care through:
- Experienced Caregivers: For each caregiver, we conduct rigorous interviews and screening for caregivers with relevant experience in elderly care, dementia management, mobility assistance, and emotional support.
- Clear Understanding of Caregiving Requirements: Before the caregiver starts work, our recruiters do a 1 on 1 briefing to run through with them clearly on each care recipient’s care needs and required caregiving duties so that they have a clear understanding of the expectations.
● Check-ins and Counselling Assistance: We check in with the caregivers to find out how they are doing, counsel them on any caregiving challenges they may have and maintain open communication with families to ensure satisfaction.
5. Mothers often struggle with guilt when delegating caregiving responsibilities. What advice do you have for parents who feel conflicted about hiring extra help?
Feeling guilty is natural, but hiring a caregiver, whether it’s a helper for your child’s care or a live-in caregiver for your elderly parents does not mean you are neglecting your loved ones. Here’s how to overcome these feelings:
- Remember, You’re Not Alone: Many parents feel the same way, but seeking help ensures better care for your family.
- Focus on Quality Time: A caregiver handles daily tasks so you can spend meaningful, stress-free moments with your children and elderly parents.
- Accept That You Can’t Do It All: Balancing caregiving, work, and personal time is challenging, and professional help prevents burnout.
- Trust the Process: A well-matched caregiver becomes an extension of your family, providing comfort and stability to your loved ones.
6. How can families build a strong and respectful relationship with their live-in Caregiver?
A positive working relationship is key to long-term caregiving success. Families can foster a strong bond by:
- Setting Clear Expectations: Discuss duties, work hours, and house rules to avoid misunderstandings. Share with your caregiver a schedule of what to do for the elderly parent at different times of the day.
- Showing Appreciation: Small gestures like saying thank you or celebrating special occasions such as birthdays or work anniversary can go a long way.
- Encouraging Open Communication: Create a safe space where caregivers can express their concerns and feedback. Check in regularly with your caregiver on how she is coping and providing feedback on her performance.
- Respecting Their Privacy and Well-being: Allow caregivers their own space and time to rest. If the caregiver wakes up at night to care for the elderly parent, let her have some time to rest in the day to recharge.
- Including Them in Family Activities: Making them feel welcome helps build trust and mutual respect.
7. How can families ensure their live-in caregivers are not overworked and receive the rest and support they need to provide the best care?
Caregivers perform demanding jobs and usually with little rest in between, and their well-being is essential for quality care. Families should:
- Provide Private Space: A comfortable living arrangement allows caregivers to recharge.
- Offer Emotional Support: Checking in on their well-being can boost morale and job satisfaction.
- Encourage Breaks: Short breaks throughout the day improve focus and energy levels. ● Respect Boundaries: Avoid overloading them with excessive tasks beyond their caregiving duties.
- Understand that Caregiving is their Primary Duty and performing Housework is secondary: A caregiver’s primary responsibility is providing care while household chores are secondary. Unlike housemaids, whose main duties involve cleaning and maintaining the home, caregivers focus on the well-being of the elderly. Their tasks include assisting with mobility, toileting, upkeep of personal hygiene, repositioning to prevent pressure injuries, and ensuring overall comfort, even during the night. Household chores are secondary and should not compromise their ability to deliver quality care. To maintain their effectiveness, caregivers must also be given sufficient time to rest and recover.
8. Can you share a success story of how a well-trained live-in caregiver transformed a family’s caregiving experience, especially in a home with young children and elderly dependents?
One of our most heartwarming success stories involves a family with a working mother, two young children, and an elderly grandmother with early-stage dementia.
Before hiring a caregiver, the mother struggled to balance work, childcare, and elderly care. She felt exhausted and guilty, fearing she wasn’t doing enough for her family. After matching with an experienced live-in caregiver with skills and knowledge in elderly support, the family’s life transformed.
The caregiver not only assisted the grandmother with daily routines and medication but also bonded with the children during her breaktimes. This gave the mother peace of mind, knowing her elderly parent was in safe hands while her children felt comfortable with her. Over time, the grandmother became more engaged, and the children developed a warm connection with their caregiver.
This story highlights how the right caregiver can bring stability, relief, and emotional well-being to a household.
9. What policies or industry changes would you like to see in Singapore to improve the conditions for live-in caregivers?
To improve conditions for live-in caregivers, the following policy changes would be beneficial:
- Mental Health Support: Providing access to counseling and community support groups. ● Stronger Training Programs: Enhancing caregiver training in elderly care and emergency response.
- Clearer Employer Guidelines: Educating families on their responsibilities to create a respectful and supportive work environment.
- Better Understanding of Caregiving Duties: Educating families on the demands of caregiving to better manage a caregiver’s workload and job responsibilities to prevent caregiver burnout and in turn, promote better long term caregiving, stability and health care outcomes for the elderly parent
Implementing these policies would enhance the well-being of caregivers while ensuring higher-quality care for families.
About Vincent Wong
Vincent Wong is the Co-Founder of Anglo Caregivers, established with his wife, Kate Cham. A graduate of Nanyang Technological University Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Vincent’s career journey includes experience at KPMG Advisory. Since founding Anglo Caregivers in 2015, the company has matched over 1,293 caregivers with families, ensuring elderly individuals receive compassionate and quality care at home.
