Dear Editor, Singapore embarked on the COVID-19 National Vaccination Programme in early 2021. The main modality employed to achieve the mass vaccinations has been the Vaccination Centres (VCs). These are dedicated facilities created with the sole purpose of providing the public with safe and convenient access to vaccination services. While the...

Critical care is costly as it is labour intensive and involves expensive life support technology. In the United States, the intensive care units (ICUs) use about 15% of the total hospital cost or about 1% of the gross national product. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

In the past, cardiac patients in this institution were ventilated postoperatively for a prolonged period, frequently overnight. Since 1997 some of our cardiac anaesthetists have, whenever possible, adopted the practice of early extubation after cardiac surgery to improve the patient’s level of comfort and to allow an early return...

Singapore has one of the most rapidly ageing populations in the wor1d. The number of the very aged (>75 years old) has already increased from 42,700 in 1985 to 75,500 in 1995. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the...

The Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) is a 21-item scale designed to assess the severity of cognitive and non-cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Delirium is a disturbance of consciousness characterised by an acute onset and fluctuating course of inattention, accompanied by either a change in cognition or a disorganised thinking, resulting in an impaired ability of the patient to receive, process, store and recall information. Delirium develops over a short period of...

In the last decade, many countries have experienced alarming transformation in their demographic patterns, with the elderly population emerging as the fastest growing segment of the population. Owing to their generally poorer health status in terms of chronic illnesses and long-term disability, the elderly consume a disproportionate amount of...

Studies on the foregoing of life support (FLS) in North America, Europe and Australia have shown diversity in terms of the incidence, decision-making process and outcome. However, they have not specifically looked into such practice in the elderly. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

The number of elderly people in Singapore is expected to increase over the next 2 decades. The proportion of those 60 years and above is estimated to increase from the present 11% to 27% by the year 2030. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Stroke is the fourth principal cause of death in Singapore, and the leading cause of long-term disability amongst developed countries. Due to the spiralling increase in healthcare expenditure in recent years, many countries have implemented cost-containing measures in healthcare financing. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

Human isolates of group G streptococci (GGS) that form large colonies are similar to group A streptococci (GAS) in terms of virulence and cause a range of serious infections. These included infective endocarditis which had been emphasised in older reports1 but was found to be uncommon in later studies. This...

Falls in the elderly has been a well-studied subject and now occupies an important place in geriatric medicine. While many studies have been done on falls in community-dwelling elderly, relatively few studies have focused on the problem in institutionalised elderly. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

The population of Singapore is ageing. In 2002, it was estimated that there were 252,700 persons aged >65 years, forming 7.5% of the population. By 2030, there will be 794,000, forming 18.4% of the population. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

It is projected that elderly persons will make up 18.4% of Singapore’s population by the year 2030. Currently, there are 5189 residents staying in nursing homes. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Increasing life expectancy and ageing of the “post-war baby boomer” generation have led to the rapidly ageing demographic of many Asian countries. Singapore’s elderly population above the age of 65 will rise from 7.5% in 2002 to 18.9% by the year 2030. This article is available only as a PDF....

The elderly usually have multiple medical problems, requiring prescription drugs to treat diseases and to prevent complications arising from them. Currently, in the United States, those who are 65 years and older (geriatric age group) make up 13% of the total population but consume 33% of all prescription drugs. This...

The United Nations International Plan of Action on Ageing (IPA), formulated during the First World Assembly on Ageing in Vienna in 1982, listed gerontological education at all levels as a priority in order to meet the challenges of global population ageing.1 The Second World Assembly on Ageing held in...

The number of older adults in Singapore has been steadily increasing over the years and will continue to do so. In 2007, older adults aged 65 years and above accounted for 8.5% of the total population and by the year 2030, it is estimated that this group will account...

Singapore’s population is ageing rapidly. Today 1 out of every 12 Singaporeans is aged 65 or above. In 2030, it is expected to be 1 out of 5.1 This poses a challenge to our healthcare system especially our emergency departments. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

Persisting disabilities from stroke lead to partial or total dependence for up to two-thirds of survivors. To improve mobility and to enable the recommencement of self-care activities, rehabilitation is essential. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most challenging global health problems in the 21st century. It is associated with excess mortality and significant morbidity from complications, which lead to disability, poor quality of life and an enormous health cost. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Singapore is a rapidly ageing society. The proportion of older persons above the age of 65 was 6.8% of the population in 1995 and is projected to increase to 20% by the year 2030. The medical community is also faced with a similar problem in caring for an ageing...

Gambling has been defined as a wager of any type of item or possession of value upon a game or event of uncertain outcome in which chance, of a variable degree, determines the outcome. The failure to resist the impulse to gamble despite disruption to personal, family and vocational...

With the issue of an ageing population in many first-world countries, osteoporotic hip fractures remain a concern. These fractures are known to have a significant impact on the functional status, quality of life and mental health of patients. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Intertrochanteric (IT) fracture is among the most common orthopedic injuries in the elderly population, and is associated with osteoporosis. It usually occurs as a result of low energy trauma e.g. trivial falls. It carries considerable morbidity and mortality. In Singapore, there has been an increase in the incidence of...

Since the first case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Singapore was identified in 1985, the incidence of HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has steadily increased, reaching a peak rate of 125.2 cases per million population in 2008. From 2006 to 2011, 28.3% of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases in Singapore...

Intermediate care, a range of services facilitating step-down care from the hospital to home, has become an integral part of the healthcare system. Community hospitals, defined as smaller hospitals with fewer onsite facilities or specialist services which are more suited for acute specialised care, are key providers of intermediate...

Osteoporotic hip fractures are common and have significant consequences on mortality and functional capability which indirectly has familial, social and economic repercussions. The inpatient mortality rates approach 4% to 12%, while 1-year mortality is between 12% to 37%.2, Studies from Denmark, Italy, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of stroke 5-fold in Caucasians. While the relative risk for stroke is somewhat lower in Asia, estimated at 3.6% in Singapore, total AF and stroke-associated mortality rates are reported to be similar. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Nursing homes trace their evolution to American alms-houses in the 1930s where retired nurses welcomed the elderly and ill into their homes. In Singapore, community-based charitable organisations pioneered the earliest sheltered accommodations for homeless and destitute elderly immigrants. For instance, the local chapter of the Little Sisters of the...

Singapore is experiencing an unprecedented age shift as the post-war baby boomers turn 65 years in 2012. Currently there are 378,700 people aged 65 and above, and these numbers are estimated to go up to 600,000 by 2020. These growing elderly population have multiple coexisting medical conditions which are...

The population in Singapore is ageing rapidly. According to statistics, by 2030, 1 in 2 adults in Singapore will be >65 years old. As the life expectancy of the population has improved significantly in the past few decades, a substantial portion of this rapidly ageing population will place a...

Intestinal obstruction (IO) caused by malignancy and adhesion bands from previous surgery is common among adults. However, IO caused by congenital adhesion bands (CAB) in the elderly is rare. We report a case of a 63-year-old man who presented with acute-on-chronic intestinal obstruction due to CAB, which caused pseudointestinal...

A shift in worldwide population ageing demographics has occurred in the 21st century. The longevity miracle is most keenly felt in Singapore, a young nation which gained its independence only in 1965, but has one of the fastest growing ageing populations in the world. It is estimated that by...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic infection by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is established that increasing age and comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases are associated with risk of infection, more severe disease and adverse outcomes. Obesity is an epidemic globally, causing...