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When a loved one is seriously ill, families in Singapore often find themselves making rushed, stressful decisions in a hospital corridor — choices no one had ever discussed calmly at home. That gap between what people want and what actually happens at the end of life is exactly what this 30-hour module tackles. It trains you to bring the conversation forward, so preferences are voiced before a crisis forces them out.
The course sits within the Professional Diploma in Person-Centred Approaches in Ageing, part of the Specialist Diploma in Gerontology (Optimal Ageing Practice). It is built for nurses, allied health professionals, social workers, and caregivers who work with older adults and their families. Expect to cover advance care planning frameworks, the legal and ethical dimensions of end-of-life decisions in Singapore, and how to communicate sensitively across cultures and family dynamics.
You will also examine real scenarios: who makes decisions when a patient lacks capacity, how to handle disagreements among relatives, and how to respect religious and personal values that shape end-of-life wishes. The module balances structured theory with practical role-play and case discussions. By the end, you should be able to facilitate an advance care planning conversation rather than merely describe one.
Conducted in English and on a part-time basis, the 30 hours fit alongside work commitments. The full fee is $684, and after subsidies it drops to $205, placing it in the $200–$500 band — a modest investment for a skill that directly improves the quality of care you deliver. The course reference number TGS-2021007593 is current as of 3 August 2026.
For those already in gerontology or moving into it, this module fills a real skill gap. It does not make you a specialist counsellor, but it equips you to handle end-of-life topics with competence and compassion — the kind of capability families remember long after the moment passes.