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In November 2024, 88-year-old Lam Shaw Ying moved into his new assisted living flat in Bukit Batok and started playing carrom again, a traditional board game he last played when he was a boy.
The tabletop game, which involves flicking tokens across a board, is one of the many activities offered at the activity centre in his block of community care apartments called Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok.
Mr Lam Shaw Ying, 88, retired school supplier, playing carrom at the Good Old Place, the elderly activity centre in Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok on Jan 7, 2025. Previously living in a private housing in Katong, he moved into Harmony Village with his wife more than a month ago.
“The last time I played carrom was more than 80 years ago, when I was a young boy. I’m glad I have the chance to play this game again,” said Mr Lam, who plays with the staff there.
He told The Straits Times it was a refreshing way to spend his time. Before he moved there, he lived in a condominium in Katong and spent his days at home. Now, he also takes his wife, who uses a wheelchair, to the centre on days when there are exercise classes.
Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok
Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok
Address: 469A Bukit Batok West Ave 9, Singapore 651469
Floors: 15 Storeys
Total Units: 169 units of Community Care Apartments
Mr Lam and his wife are among the first residents who have moved into the 169-unit project in Bukit Batok West Avenue 9.
Map showing location of the Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok.
What are Community Care Apartments?
Known as community care apartments, the flats come with senior-friendly fittings such as wheelchair-accessible bathrooms and other health and community services that are meant to help seniors live independently. Here are the key differences between assisted living flats vs nursing or old folks’ homes in Singapore:
| Assisted Living HDB Flats | Nursing Homes | |
|---|---|---|
| Elderly | Independent seniors | Seniors needing 24/7 care |
| Living Arrangement | Studio apartments | Shared or private rooms |
| Services | Optional (meals, housekeeping, activities) | Comprehensive medical and caregiving |
| Level of Independence | High | Low |
| Cost | $40,000 to $65,000 for a 30-year lease; $50 to $250 for monthly services | $2,000 to $8,000 per month (government subsidies available) |
| Social Environment | Community-focused | Care-focused |
An overview of the bathroom in an apartment in Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok on Jan 7, 2025. It is retrofitted with grab rails and even a chair to assist the elderly with mobility issues to shower.
Residents there began collecting the keys to their homes in October 2024, after a delay of about four months. The community care apartments – which were jointly developed by the Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Health and the Housing Board – were first launched for sale in February 2021.
ST spoke to 11 residents, who mostly said they were satisfied with their new homes and the services provided. It is estimated that about 40 per cent of residents have moved in so far.
Community Care Apartments
Smaller than a 2-room HDB flat
Each unit is about 32 sq m, smaller than a two-room flat. A sliding door separates the bedroom and living room, which is combined with the kitchen. Mr Lam said he was glad to have moved into a smaller home, as it was difficult for him and his 92-year-old wife to upkeep their condo unit. “A smaller space is easier to look after, and there’s less stress,” he added.
Prices for these flats start from $40,000 for a 15-year lease to $65,000 for a 35-year lease. They cannot be resold or rented out.
Mr Ong Lye Hock, 79, retired clerk at a chemical company, using the grab rail along the corridor of his 11th floor apartment in Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok on Jan 7, 2025. Previously staying in a maisonette at Jurong East for more than 20 years, he moved into Harmony Village more than a month ago after his divorce.
Grab Bars
Mr Ong Lye Hock, 79, said the grab bars in his bathroom and along common areas in the development are especially useful, as he started experiencing recurring leg numbness after a stroke in 2015.
He said that if he forgets the password for the digital lock on his main door, or is unable to unlock it with his fingerprint, the activity centre downstairs has a key card to unlock his unit.
“I’m getting older, more forgetful and my health is worsening. These are small things that help,” said the retired clerk, who downgraded from a maisonette in Jurong East.
Mr Ong Lye Hock, 79, retired clerk at a chemical company, reading the newspaper in the communal area on the 11th floor of block 469a in Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok on Jan 7, 2025. There is a communal area for the residents on every floor.
Monthly Fee for Care Services
Residents who live in the community care apartments must pay a monthly fee for services, which include 24-hour emergency monitoring, basic health checks, wellness and social activities and access to communal spaces. The most basic fees cost about $185 to $195 a month.
Mr Ong said he found paying the fees “very tight” as he also has to fork out money for medication and other check-ups.
Mr Tay Choon Kwan, 69, retired account assistant, having dinner in his apartment at Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok on Jan 7, 2025. Previously staying alone in a four-room HDB flat in Serangoon, he moved into Harmony Village about a week ago after his sisters recommended this new estate.
$220 Optional services per month
Others like Mr Tay Choon Kwan, 69, found that the services were useful and topped up for optional services such as laundry, housekeeping and catering. He pays a total of $220 a month.
“With these services, I can free up my time to go downstairs and exercise,” said the retired account assistant, who is single and previously lived in a 4-room HDB flat in Serangoon.
Activities such as exercise classes and communal lunches are held regularly at the Good Old Place, an activity centre on the third storey, managed by Atlas Care, a wholly owned subsidiary set up by MOH Holdings.
But some residents pointed out that notices on activities put up by the centre and distributed to residents had fonts that were too small and were mostly written in English. ST has contacted Atlas Care for comment.
Retired cook Ching Kiam Kee, 75, said she goes to the centre daily to attend exercise classes or to read newspapers and socialise.
“I’ve made a lot of friends, and we go shopping together. Sometimes when I cook a big meal, I’ll bring it down and share with everyone,” she said. “It feels like we are one big family.”
Part of this article was first published in The Straits Times.