Sunday, March 24, 2013

Ren Ci Hospital to add 60% more beds over next 2 years

Ren Ci Hospital to add 60% more beds over next 2 years
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 22 March 2013 2034 hrs
     
SINGAPORE: Ren Ci Hospital will meet the rising care needs of the ageing population by increasing the number of beds by more than 60 per cent over the next two years.

Currently, it has 502 beds at its three facilities - a nursing home in Moulmein, a long-term care facility in Buangkok and a community hospital next to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

By 2015, Ren Ci Hospital will increase the number of beds to 811.

Chua Thian Poh, chairman of the hospital, said: "I think Ren Ci has to step up because our nursing home has 100 percent occupancy rate and our long-term care and community hospital is over 90 percent occupied. To meet demand, I think we have to, with the support from the MOH, from the donors, from the volunteers, I think that it's possible for Ren Ci to grow and reach out to the needy and seniors in our community."

It said the extra beds will come from converting existing office space at the community hospital into hospital wards, the return of four wards by Singapore Christian Home at Ren Ci's Moulmein nursing home and from a new 265-bed nursing home that is currently being set up in Bukit Batok.

Mr Chua said that renovation work at the community hospital and the nursing home in Moulmein will cost between S$10 and S$11 million.

Besides increasing bed capacity, Ren Ci Hospital is also working to expand its range of care services for the community.

A new day rehabilitation centre will be introduced at its community hospital from April to continue to care for patients who have been discharged.

The expansion plans were announced at the hospital's charity dinner on Friday.

- CNA/xq

- wong chee tat :)

Singapore's skyline plunges into darkness for "Earth Hour"

Singapore's skyline plunges into darkness for "Earth Hour"
By Sara Grosse | Posted: 23 March 2013 2132 hrs
     
SINGAPORE: In a massive display to show concern for the environment, it was lights out for Singapore's skyline.

Just after 8pm Saturday, several hotels, businesses and companies switched off their lights for Earth Hour. In all, more than 100 buildings around the city centre took part.

The event aims to unite the world in campaigning against climate change by the simple deed of just turning off the lights for one hour.

Some businesses have also pledged to go "beyond the hour".

For example, Marina Bay Sands has rallied team members to adopt environmental-friendly lifestyle changes.

And away from the city centre, it was also lights out in other parts of Singapore.

In Clementi, common lights at three blocks of flats were switched off for an hour from 8.30pm.

As part of the event, residents in the neighbourhood were also encouraged to turn off their lights at home.

Did you switch off your home lights for Earth Hour? Take part in our poll here


- CNA/ir

- wong chee tat :)

New condo launches see positive demand

New condo launches see positive demand
By Kwok Wai/Sara Grosse | Posted: 23 March 2013 2038 hrs
    
SINGAPORE: Recent condominium launches have yielded positive response, with an analyst attributing the strong demand to fears among some buyers of another round of property cooling measures.

There were six condominium launches this month.

At Hillion Residences, located at Bukit Panjang, more than 50% of the 250 units released in its first phase have been sold.

Its developer said that 70 percent of buyers are investors.

MediaCorp understands that Bartley Ridge at Mount Vernon, launched this weekend, has sold more than 200 of its 300 units.

Other projects in Pasir Ris, Tanah Merah, Potong Pasir and Clementi are also seeing positive response.

The last round of property cooling measures introduced in January includes a higher buyer's stamp duty, tighter loan-to-value limits and higher minimum cash downpayment for second and subsequent housing loans.

It was the seventh round of property-cooling measures introduced since 2009.

Steven Tan, managing director of OrangeTee, said: "Generally the current buying sentiment is still very strong, mainly due to the reason that economic fundamentals are still very bullish. For example, the GDP, the stock market, the job environment.

"With more and more new launches coming up in the next few months, I do expect that the sales volume of the residential property market will continue to pick up."

- CNA/ir

- wong chee tat :)