Over a cup of tea

January 16, 2014 by GAURAV SHARMA in Over a cup of tea, Volume 12

The official figures will take some time to come, but if the 2013 estimates by the Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook is to be believed than Singapore recorded the lowest Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in the world last year, at 0.79.

Healthcare: Foreign manpower dependent

January 16, 2014 by GAURAV SHARMA in The Fourth Estate, Volume 12

Singapore's recent public hospitals bed-crunch has brought into focus the issue of medical tourism in the limelight once again, with many questioning whether it is due to an increase in the number of foreign patients. While the said premise is debatable, it is certainly true that the country's healthcare services are increasingly reliant on foreign manpower.

Theatre: Never too late to pursue a passion

January 16, 2014 by GAURAV SHARMA in Majulah Singapura!, Volume 12

A group of Singaporean seniors are rediscovering their passions in life, acting on stage is just one of those

Ageing: Is Singapore ready?

January 16, 2014 by GAURAV SHARMA in Kaleidoscope, Volume 12

Reports commissioned by Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) over last few years on the “state of the elderly” in Singapore raises more questions than provide answers

Pension: The State has a role to play

January 16, 2014 by GAURAV SHARMA in Close to Home, Volume 12

In the Global Age Watch Index 2013 overall rankings, among the countries closest to Singapore, New Zealand is the highest ranked at seven, followed by Australia at 14. In ASEAN, Thailand is the highest ranked at 42, Vietnam is at 53, Indonesia at a lowly 71, followed by the bottom-most Loas at 79, and Cambodia at 80.

Policies: Sri Lanka, Bolivia and Mauritius lead the way

January 16, 2014 by GAURAV SHARMA in The 3rd World, Volume 12

While the Global AgeWatch Index 2013 generally shows that older people are doing better in the wealthy countries, there are notable exceptions such as Sri Lanka (36) and Bolivia (46)

Welfarism: While Sweden tops, South Korea languishes

January 16, 2014 by GAURAV SHARMA in The 1st World, Volume 12

While in Asia, Japan attains the highest ranking (overall ranking of 10), Sweden is rated as the best country world-wide to grow old