"At that time, I had sleepless nights and felt restless..."
A fall at home two years ago changed Mr Ong’s life entirely. He was already despondent due to ill health and falling twice that year made him feel restless and anxious. As someone who fiercely cherishes his autonomy, Mr Ong felt helpless about his outlook as he struggled with his walking frame.
“Although I used a walking frame, I could only take a few steps at a time. It was tiring. I felt anxious about going out because I was afraid of falling again,” - Mr Ong Fat Chu, 75, Client of TOUCH.
Despite his challenges, Mr Ong was determined to reclaim his once independent life and not rely on others for support. A small but significant step towards that would be something simple like being able to walk longer distances and taking public transport to his medical appointments.
Mr Ong saw a glimpse of hope when he met TOUCH staff, Ms Tracy Lee, and was connected to the TOUCH Reablement team – a simple move that would transform his life.
Through the Reablement Programme, Mr Ong received three months of personalised coaching and training to regain his strength. Care professionals were also assigned to guide him towards an active and healthier lifestyle by teaching him safe ways to navigate the neighbourhood with his poor vision.
Gradually, Mr Ong’s strength improved and a walk that used to take him half an hour from home now takes just five minutes!
“Now, I use a rollator when going out. I can walk more smoothly too. When I proudly showed off my rollator to my friends, they liked it and told me they see a big change in me – for the better,” said Mr Ong, who travelled for the first time on public transport since two years.
Being socially connected in the community also made Mr Ong much happier. He now visits the nearby TOUCHPoint@AMK 433 daily to chat with his friends, exercise together and help water the plants.
With your support, TOUCH was able to intervene early and help Mr Ong regain his independence. Mr Ong can now sustain a healthy lifestyle and does not need to be on any home care services. He is confident about ageing-well-in-place.
Many individuals like Mr Ong find themselves in similar situations and need a helping hand to overcome their challenges. Your contribution to TOUCH is not just a donation, but a lifeline that can alleviate the emotional and physical challenges they endure daily.
Join us in becoming the strength they need to restore hope.
- $30/month provides a home-bound senior with nutritious meals.
- $50/month provides a child from a low-income family with mentoring support to realise his or her potential
- $100/month provides a frail senior with transportation assistance for their medical appointments
- $200/month provides an individual with special needs with training to build skills for independent living
Your kindness empowers seniors like Mr Ong to regain independence and rediscover joy.
All donations are entitled to 250% tax deduction.
(Donation amount of $1,000 X 250% = $2,500 tax deduction)
Eligible donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar under the Community Silver Trust (CST) matching grant.