When Mr Tan’s mother suffered a stroke in 2021, he quit his job as a finance executive to look after her for several months during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After finding a maid to take over her care, Mr Tan worked as a security officer for a while before reprising a full-time role similar to his previous job.
But when it came to having a child, he and his wife, now 41, never quite picked up from where they left off.
Despite the maid’s help, caregiving still made a dent in the time, energy and finances they had available to start a family. The expenses for Mr Tan’s mother amounted to about S$4,000 a month before social assistance.
Mr Tan’s mother died in 2024. He and his wife, who is still a caregiver for her own mother, have not yet resumed their plans for a family.
FLEXI-WORK AND LEAVE
Before resigning in 2021, Mr Tan tried asking his employer for flexible work arrangements so he could put a caregiving system in place for his mother.
