SINGAPORE: A 30-year leasehold site near Sembawang Park has been put up for tender to pilot a new residential care community concept for persons with dementia.
The site at Gibraltar Crescent will be specially designed to provide a safe, home-like environment where residents are assisted to live independently, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a joint press release on Tuesday (Jul 16).
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The dementia care village, when completed, will also have tailored services and programmes, which will help promote participation and social interactions among its residents, the release said.
“As a new residential option catering to individuals with varying stages of dementia, this pilot complements the home-based care and dementia day care services available today,” URA and MOH said.
“We hope that the pilot will offer insights into market demand for such facilities and the community needs of persons with dementia, which will contribute to the development of suitable dementia care models in the future.”
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The site comprises a cluster of 10 state bungalows that sit on two plots measuring 26,350.7 sqm and 1,756.3 sqm.
The maximum permissible gross floor area is 9,170 sqm, and another 900 sqm for extensions to the 10 existing bungalows.
At least 60 per cent of the gross floor area must be for residential use, while the remaining 40 per cent may be used to develop residences, health and medical care facilities such as a nursing home or centre-based aged care services, a shop and restaurant or any other ancillary institutional facility.
Serviced apartments, hostels and funeral parlours may not be built on the site.
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URA and MOH said that a concept and price revenue tender will be adopted to evaluate the bids received for the site, so as to ensure that the selected concept proposal aligns with the Government’s vision for the dementia care village.
Under this system, interested parties are required to submit their concept proposals and tender prices separately.
The concept proposals will be first evaluated against a set of criteria specified in the tender, including assessment of the bidder’s proposed model of care for persons with dementia and the quality of care programme and services offered.
Concept proposals that are shortlisted will proceed to the second stage for evaluation, which will be based on price.
The site will then be awarded to the tenderer with the highest bid price among those with acceptable concept proposals.
The tender closes at noon on Nov 19.