Auntie Susan is a familiar face at a coffee shop in Punggol. This coffee shop, which is also known for its soy sauce chicken, is where she can be spotted on a daily basis clearing tables while talking up a storm with the coffee shop regulars.<\/p>\n
At 71, Auntie Susan is a proponent of active aging – where seniors keep their minds and bodies active while contributing meaningfully both socially and economically.<\/p>\n
Due to her having mild dementia, she was encouraged by her doctor to keep herself engaged and this was what prompted her to look for a job near her home to occupy her time. Even though she is on her feet a lot, she sees it as a way to keep active.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like to keep myself occupied, at least I keep myself active <\/em>instead of just staying at home. When I work I get to <\/em>\u00a0socialise with people, make new friends.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
As a coffee shop attendant, Auntie Susan takes home about $1,400 a month, which is currently above the baseline wage floor set out for table-top cleaners at $1,339 under the Progressive Wage Model (PWM)<\/a> for cleaning sector. She also receives the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS)<\/a>, a scheme that supplements the wages and CPF savings of older low-wage workers and encourages them to stay employed.<\/p>\n
Currently living with her son, Auntie Susan does not need to work to contribute to the household expenses but does so because it keeps her mind active.<\/p>\n
Her son, 38-year-old Mr Ong shared that his mother keeping active is good for her mental and physical health. Being a very sociable person, she also often gets treats from coffee shop tenants and customers and enjoys her time at the coffee shop.<\/p>\n
Auntie Susan diligently saves her pay while giving the occasional treat to her family and friends as well as putting some money towards holidays.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith my income, I like to give my family and friends a treat at <\/em>a nice restaurant and I can save up for rainy days <\/em>\u00a0and go on small trips occasionally.\u201d <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Indeed, the WIS scheme has helped many lower-wage workers like Auntie Susan uplift their income through additional cash payouts and CPF top-ups. This ensures workers take personal responsibility in contributing economically as well as plan for their long-term retirement needs.<\/p>\n
The CPF top-up component of the scheme also helps lower-wage workers not miss out on CPF’s compounding interest. Introduced in 2007, this scheme has given out over $7.8 billion to roughly 930,000 recipients.<\/p>\n