What AIC does
The Agency for Integrated Care runs the eldercare side of the social safety net. Their job is to take a confusing field and tell you exactly what fits the person you're caring for. They sort out:
- Subsidies for home care, day care, and nursing homes.
- Loans and rentals for wheelchairs, hospital beds, and other equipment.
- The paperwork for CareShield Life and ElderShield.
- Connections to dementia services, respite care, and caregiver training.
They run "AIC Link" counters at 9 hospitals around Singapore, plus a central hotline.
Who AIC is for
AIC is for caregivers as much as for the elderly themselves. You can call AIC about your parent without your parent being there.
Reach out if:
- A parent has just been discharged from hospital and you don't know how to manage at home.
- You're considering day care or a nursing home and don't know what's available or what it costs.
- You need a wheelchair, hospital bed, or other equipment and can't afford it outright.
- You're burning out from caregiving and need to know what respite options exist.
You don't need a crisis to start. AIC will talk to you about planning ahead too.
What to bring
Two ICs:
- The elderly person's IC.
- Your IC, as the caregiver.
That's enough to start. AIC will ask for anything else as the conversation goes.
What happens
An AIC officer will run through the elderly person's situation: medical condition, who they live with, how mobile they are, what they need help with. From that, they'll tell you which subsidies and services apply.
For ongoing care arrangements (home care, day care, nursing home), they'll book an assessment. The assessment is what unlocks higher subsidies. It's the gate to most of the bigger schemes, so don't skip it.
AIC vs the polyclinic vs the hospital social worker
Lots of people get confused here.
- Polyclinic = primary medical care. Doctor visits, medicine, basic tests.
- Hospital social worker = available while your parent is admitted. They can sort some things out before discharge but don't follow up at home.
- AIC Link = the eldercare-specific gateway. They handle the long arc — care arrangements, subsidies, equipment, transitions.
You can use all three, and most caregivers do.
Common worries
"My parent isn't a Singapore citizen." Most AIC subsidies are for SC and PR. They'll still tell you what's available; some private and community options apply.
"I feel guilty thinking about a nursing home." AIC officers handle this conversation a lot. There's no judgement; they'll lay out home options, day care, and residential care side by side so you can compare.
"It feels overwhelming." Caregiver burnout is a real thing AIC takes seriously. Ask about the Caregiver Support Action Plan and respite care options.
Find your nearest AIC Link
The matcher shows the AIC Link nearest to your postcode. Use the matcher, or call 1800 650 6060 (the AIC central hotline).