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A campaign is now on to raise awareness of a resource centre which provides information and referrals to services to the elderly, disabled and their caregivers. JOAN CHEW reports
 Thanks to Velcro fasteners, the elderly stroke patient could put on his shirt himself.
No more struggling with buttons and no need for the maid’s help.
That poignant scene has been airing on Channels 5 and 8 since Monday.
The TV commercial’s message is clear: Empower the disabled and the aged to lead independent, dignified lives.
It is part of a campaign called LivEnabled, launched by the Centre for Enabled Living (CEL) on Sept 1.
The video also shows how his screen daughter came up with the idea after she saw a woman opening her Velcro-lined wallet easily and a boy taking off his shoes fitted with the material.
From this month, buses and social networking sites such as Facebook will also feature such advertisements, while stickers will be placed on table tops at hawker centres islandwide. Ads have been placed in newspapers like The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao and Berita Harian.
CEL, formed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, is a first-stop centre for persons needing care and their caregivers.
It provides information and referrals to services such as day activity centres and also administers schemes and funding programmes that benefit those in need and their caregivers.
The centre was set up in November 2008 and was officially launched last September. By last year, it had served 4,821 clients. From January to last month, it served another 4,742 clients.
CEL chief executive Lee Kwai Sem said more than three-quarters of its clients this year are referred from hospitals. Others are referrals from voluntary welfare organisations, community development councils and its info-line.
Persons with disabilities formed 71 per cent of those served. Ms Lee said this figure is but “a mere fraction” of all the people in need in Singapore, which is what prompted CEL to embark on its current publicity blitz to make its services better known.
Its chairman, Mr Chua Chin Kiat, flagged the ageing population here as an “urgent issue” that needs to be tackled early.
He added: “The post-war baby boomers are becoming elderly people soon.” Indeed, one in 12 people here is now aged 65 and above. By 2030, it will be one in five.
“Unlike the aged now, they have higher qualifications, are more articulate and expect greater responsiveness from the community providing help services,” said Mr Chua.
With several agencies currently providing services independently, CEL also acts as a “one-stop” intermediary between them and recipients.
Mr Chua said that the network can lead to much better services for people.
To make the centre’s infoline easy to recall, CEL board member and vice-chairman of the Singapore Media Academy, Madam Chua Foo Yong, said much thought went into selecting its info-line number, 1800-8585 885.
When pronounced in Mandarin, it sounds like “Help me, help me, help, help me”.
In the first eight months of this year, CEL received 1,785 info-line calls. There were 863 calls in the same period last year.
Such pleas for help is at the core of its service, which matches the needs of the people who need care and their caregivers to the available services.
Ms Lee said the centre will conduct a survey later this year to gather views from the public on issues facing people in Singapore who need a helping hand as well as their caregivers.
“We want to know what services they are getting now, what the potential gaps are and their level of awareness of CEL,” she explained.
Most common appeals for help
From the caregiver
Q My elderly mother calls me 20 times a day when I am at work. It is causing me a lot of stress. What should I do?
A One of the Centre for Enabled Living’s objectives is to support caregivers in enabling people in need of care to be as independent as possible.
In such a scenario, the centre will recommend the services of a day-care centre for the senior citizen and counselling for the caregiver.
Counselling can help the caregiver in stress management and to better understand the needs of his elderly mother.
In some instances, a befriending service may be required before the senior citizen is able to join a day-care centre.
Q How can I have peace of mind that my elderly parent is fine while I am at work?
A Depending on the health condition of the elderly person and the type of home environment, there are various options available. These include day-care centres and senior activity centres which provide social and recreational activities, among other services, for senior citizens.
If the family has a maid or there are other caregivers at home, training is available to support the family in caring for the elderly.
Q How do I ensure the well-being of my middle-aged child/sibling who has an intellectual disability, should I, the elderly caregiver, die?
A Options include home-based, centre-based or institution-based care for the child or sibling. The caregiver is also given information on how he can prepare for the child or sibling’s future financial security. One example would be
to consult organisations such as the Special Needs Trust Company or the Office of the Public Guardian.
From a person needing care
Q I live alone and age is catching up with me. I am worried that if something happens to me, I cannot get any help.
A The centre’s staff will assess the person’s situation and living environment. The aim is for the person to be able to stay at home as long as possible with community support.
He can join a befriender service, enrol in a senior activity centre or receive home help. This will ensure that there are people looking out for him.
Source: Mr Tan Kah Wee, director of operations for the Centre for Enabled Living
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