Singapore study signifies caregiving awareness to osteoporotic seniors

Singapore’s researchers are concerned in a study highlighting the urgency to contain caregivers of older adults in the direction of extra action-orientated efforts. Sense-making Public Perceptions of Falls, Bone Health, and Caregiving was collectively launched by Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Amgen Biotechnology Singapore.

The study leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and interviews to delve into societal perceptions round bone well being, severe falls, and caregiving for osteoporotic sufferers. It additionally advocates for extra societal conversations and stronger assist for caregivers. 

Despite international recognition for Singapore’s environment friendly healthcare, the system will likely be strained by a quickly ageing inhabitants. A latest NUS study projected that incapacity charges will improve 5 instances in 40 years and that the variety of older adults residing alone will improve 4 instances by 2060. Hip fracture admissions in Singapore have additionally elevated to 2,729 fractures per yr in 2017 from 1,487 circumstances in 2000.

Bone well being messaging in Singapore is overly medicalized and desires a extra holistic method

Positive and holistic framing about good bone well being is essential to spur preventative actions. In spite of excessive awareness of falls prevention actions in 61% of older adults, considerably decrease participation with solely 9% participates in these essential applications – which is only one in 10 older adults in Singapore. The extremely medicalized framing round bone well being might improve hesitancy in older adults to take motion.

“The huge hole between realizing about and attending falls prevention applications underscores the essential position caregivers play in nudging older adults to take part. Unique and artistic methods to educate caregivers on how to be the catalysts behind translating awareness into motion are important. It is essential we improve societal conversations and develop extra platforms to not solely educate caregivers but additionally guarantee they’re adequately inspired and appreciated for his or her efforts” mentioned Dr. Reuben Ng from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Principal Investigator of the study.

Addressing the necessity to higher assist and empower caregivers

This builds a case for subsequent up-to-date research to go extra in-depth into caregiving in Singapore. These insights will assist to help business and coverage makers with actionable insights. Areas recognized to improve assist embrace extra on-line and offline areas to focus on the day by day grind of caregiving, in addition to assets and toolkits to assist alleviate psychological, bodily, and monetary stress.

Eric Ng, Executive Director, General Manager South East Asia (SEA) and Country Head, Singapore and Malaysia, mentioned, “As champions of bone well being, Amgen acknowledges the significance of strategic partnerships in driving higher change and impression. Innovative and distinctive analysis approaches comparable to this study with Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy are aligned carefully with our predict and forestall method. These assist us deepen our understanding of how sufferers and essential teams comparable to caregivers understand and handle circumstances prevalent in ageing societies comparable to osteoporosis.”

The study is launched together with International Women’s Day, as a tribute to acknowledge their dedication in the direction of caring for his or her family members. This is supported by the Osteoporosis Society (Singapore) (OSS) and is a part of Amgen’s Our Unbreakable Bond marketing campaign. OSS President and Senior Consultant, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Dr Chionh Siok Bee, and Our Unbreakable Bond Ambassador, Kit Chan, had been current on the launch.

The full study could be accessed right here: https://doi.org/10.47523/LKYAMGNAI1. Information about Our Unbreakable Bond marketing campaign is accessible on Amgen’s Fight the Fracture Singapore website, YouTube Channel, and Facebook Page.