The Hua Mei Seniors Clinic (HMSC) was the first outpatient clinic in Singapore to offer primary geriatric care for older people who are 45 and above when it opened in September 1996. The clinic aims to provide affordable and comprehensive health care for mobile seniors who may be at risk of becoming chronically ill if illnesses and diseases are not detected early.

Older people are 'walking time bombs' for health crises if they do not receive adequate medical management due to difficulties accessing care as a result of transport, financial and other barriers.

If undetected, age-related diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure can result in medical complications and costly hospitalizations.

The first Hua Mei Seniors Clinic opened at Block 4, Telok Blangah Crescent in 1996. Today, the clinic is located at Block 119 Bukit Merah View, an old public housing estate with many seniors.

Care at HMSC is integrated with the Hua Mei Mobile Clinic so that if a client subsequently becomes homebound or hospitalised, the same health team continues to provide care. In this way, we create a 'seamless' continuum of care for older people.

A clinic sensitive to needs of older people

At HMSC, consultations are never hurried. Longer consultations are scheduled to allow for comprehensive assessments of older patients.

Administrative procedures are kept simple. Long waiting time is avoided by scheduling appointments.

Clinical staff are dialect-speaking and geriatric-trained.

Illiterate patients get their medications organised in easy-to-use pill boxes.

The clinical staff also link the older patients to social and home care services as well as hospital or specialist care. By so doing, a continuity of care between community-based, secondary and tertiary care for the patient is ensured.

The clinic is also retrofitted with elder-friendly features such as comfortable chairs with arm rests, good lighting, non-slip tiles, grab bars and ramps for wheelchairs.