Staying Healthy Through Connections at 92

92-year-old Mdm Thong has been independent and resilient her entire life. Friendly and chatty, she enjoys talking to her friends and other seniors at an active ageing centre near her home. However, as she lives alone, she is reliant on others for support due to her health and mobility issues.

Mdm Thong reached a low point when she had a fall in 2018. She was stuck on the floor for a few hours and had to crawl to her phone to call her relative for help. Thankfully, things improved when she came under the care of TOUCH Community Services to support her in her daily activities.

No Longer Alone

Caption: TOUCH's Home Personal Care (HPC) staff visiting Mdm Thong

With the help of TOUCH’s Home Personal Care (HPC) staff, who visits her weekly, Mdm Thong is now able to live in a cleaner and safer environment. Regular housekeeping has reduced her risk of falls, while additional assistance, such as monitoring her blood pressure and helping with occasional errands, ensures she can continue living independently with greater peace of mind. 

Caption: TOUCH’s HPC staff measuring Mdm Thong’s blood pressure

Thanks to TOUCH’s Medical Escort and Transport (MET) service, Mdm Thong no longer feels stressed going to the hospital for her medical appointments. In the past, she encountered challenges taking public transport or the taxi due to her mobility issues. Her medical appointments are now better coordinated, with an MET staff accompanying her to at least one appointment each month. Mdm Thong finds the presence of the MET staff reassuring, as they also provide emotional support, especially when she worries about her health issues. They would encourage her to go for her medical appointments when she is reluctant to, by highlighting that these visits can help her to resume the things she enjoys doing.  

Caption: Mdm Thong receiving help from MET staff for her medical appointments

Easing Daily Struggles

In 2024, Mdm Thong started to receive more services from TOUCH, such as having meals delivered to her home; having a nurse to check in on her and a social worker to coordinate her care needs. 

Caption:Mdm Thong with the bento from MOW

Mdm Thong now receives meals twice daily through TOUCH’s Meals-On-Wheels (MOW) service, relieving her of the need to prepare her own meals or going out to buy food. MOW ensures that Mdm Thong’s dietary needs are taken care of. “I’m grateful to have meals delivered at my doorstep. It’s convenient for me,” says Mdm Thong.

TOUCH’s nurse also drops by to help Mdm Thong pack and manage her medication. To help her consume the correct dosage, sticker labels were used to indicate the time and day to improve safety and compliance. “I know that I must take my medication in the morning when I see the sun on the stickers,” says Mdm Thong. “Sometimes I forget to take my medication, so the stickers serve as a good reminder. I think the nurse is really good.”

To help Mdm Thong maintain her functional abilities and to prevent further decline, TOUCH’s social worker also explored future care planning with Mdm Thong and even roped in volunteers to help spring clean her home.

With home care services, Mdm Thong is able to get the help she needs in the comfort of her home. She is grateful to TOUCH’s staff and enjoys chatting with them about her life experiences. “I hope to be healthy and to lead a fulfilling life,” says Mdm Thong.

If you know of anyone who can benefit from home care services, please call or WhatsApp us at 6804 6555 / Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm (except public holidays).

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About TOUCH Elderly Group

TOUCH Elderly Group provides a suite of home-based and care support services to meet the diverse needs of seniors and their caregivers to support ageing in community. It also runs active ageing centres under TOUCH Active Ageing. At TOUCH, we believe that enabled communities can build resilience, where individuals can be activated as resources - regardless of their needs or life stage - to support ageing in community. We strive to build a sustainable care eco-system by leveraging community assets, improving accessibility to social and healthcare services, strengthening care networks and harnessing digital capabilities to further optimise seniors’ mental and physical well-being. We will continue to anchor collaborations with stakeholders to co-create care solutions to promote happy, healthy and helpful communities.

Story published in 2025