Pearl’s Hill Care Home (PHCH) was officially opened on 28 September 2016. It has partnered SingHealth to provide medical, allied health and rehabilitation services to its residents.

The 130-bed home is the first nursing home operated by Vanguard Healthcare, which was set up by Ministry of Health to operate its own nursing homes and make care more accessible to seniors in Singapore.

Speaking at PHCH’s opening, Minister for Health Mr Gan Kim Yong said, “In the last five years, we have progressively increased the number of nursing home beds from 9,000 to more than 12,000 beds today. We are on track to meet the target of 17,000 beds by 2020.”

The Home is located in the Outram area not far from SingHealth’s SGH Campus, catering to an area with one of the highest proportions of seniors in Singapore. 

It started operating in January 2016, with SingHealth providing medical and allied health services, such as dietetic, speech therapy and podiatry services. PHCH is also partnering SingHealth in the Transitional Convalescent Facility programme that provides patients short-term rehabilitation services after a hospital stay, before they return home.

Mr Gan shared that the Home has cared for “159 residents thus far, out of which 18 have been discharged home after undergoing successful rehabilitation.”

One such resident is Madam Jamaliah Yacob, who almost severed her right foot in an accident in February this year. Doctors predicted that she would only be able to walk again one year later. After surgery, she was admitted to PHCH for rehabilitation and discharged this September, able to walk with the help of her walking stick.

To further improve care for its residents, PHCH is working with Ngee Ann Polytechnic and other partners to pilot innovations such as the Fall Prevention Toilet Sensor and the Modular Wheelchair Storage System. The aim is to eventually share them with the eldercare sector.

Vanguard Healthcare will be operating another nursing home in Woodlands, slated to open at the end of 2017.