What does 'cannot perform 3 activities of daily living' mean for CareShield Life eligibility?

CareShield Life Eligibility: Inability to Perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

CareShield Life is a long-term care insurance scheme designed to provide payouts to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who suffer from severe disability. Eligibility for payouts is triggered when the insured person is unable to perform three or more of the six specified Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) without physical assistance from another person.

The Six Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

The inability to perform 3 out of these 6 ADLs determines eligibility:

• Washing/Bathing: Being unable to wash and dry oneself.
• Dressing: Being unable to put on and take off all personal clothing.
• Feeding: Being unable to feed oneself.
• Toileting: Being unable to get on and off the toilet, and clean oneself afterwards.
• Mobility: Being unable to move from a lying to a sitting position in bed, or from a sitting position to standing unaided.
• Transferring: Being unable to move from a wheelchair to a bed and vice versa.

Payout Structure and Funding

If a Singaporean meets this threshold (inability to perform 3 or more ADLs), they will receive a monthly cash payout for life. For those insured under the mandatory scheme (as of 2020), the government payout starts at S$600 per month (as per general scheme information, though the exact amount is subject to the latest CPF Board guidelines).

These premiums are paid automatically from the Medisave Account, up to a maximum of S$600 per year (as per the knowledge provided regarding Medisave usage for CareShield Life).

If you purchase a CareShield Life Supplement from a private insurer, you might receive earlier payouts (e.g., if you cannot perform 1 or 2 ADLs) or higher payouts, but the rider portion of the supplement premium must be paid in cash, not Medisave.