Ying Ting - "To what extent should the Singapore government be responsible for taking care of the elderly?"

The government may be expected to be responsible for the welfare of the elderly when they are unable to financially support themselves. However, the elderly themselves should also be responsible for building up their own nest eggs for their retirement. The government can provide subsidies for the elderly when they are no longer able to take care of themselves financially as they cannot work any longer. For the elderly who are still physically able to work, the government should help them look for jobs which are suitable for them to take care of their financial needs. Although the government can provide help to the elderly who can no longer support themselves financially, it should be noted that the elderly themselves should save up for their retirement, and plans have been putin place by the government, such as Central Provident Fund in Singapore, which forces Singaporeans to save up for their retirement. Singaporeans have to put aside part of their monthly pay into their CPF accounts. They are only able to use money in their CPF when they reach an age of 55. This ensures that they have enough money for retirement. As can be seen from the example, the elderly themselves also hae a role to play in saving up for their retirement, and government policies act as a catalyst for them to do so. Thus, the government is only responsible for taking care of the elderly financially only to a small extent.