My Experience at the Home of the Aged
In this article, I will tell you about my recent experience. While going through my journey to obtain a degree, I had to pass through one subject which touched my heart. The previous semester which started in September had one compulsory subject which was Co-curriculum. In this class, the tutor explained that the students needed to complete a charity task. The students were formed into 4 groups and each group consisted of 13 members.
After a few discussions and much deliberation our group decided to give a lending hand to 2 aged homes, Shan I and Wen Xin in Cheras. We had read about the plight of these homes run by individuals with some help of Non-government organisations. I was made the secretary of our group and my task was to call Shan I and find out what were their urgent needs. The list was mostly groceries and utility supplies. My classmate Nadzri called Wen Xin. We collected RM2,000, funds needed to purchase the items. The requirement to visit the home was, to first get Rapid Test Kit and get tested.
On Sunday, 26th September, 2021 we met at a supermarket in Kajang and 4 of our group members including me shopped like we were on Supermarket Spree. We bought everything on the list and headed for the 1st home. Here, we met with the manager, Mr Wong who was all smiles to see us. We stayed there for a bit, talked with him and took a few pictures. We saw the old folks, who ranged from 40 to 80 years old and as we were abiding by the Standard Operating Procedure, we could not go near them. However, my classmate, Kristine managed to talk to one elderly woman. These senior citizens just want someone to talk to as they go through the last phase of their life.
Wawasan Open University Students at Shan I and Wen Xin Old Folks’ Home on 26th Sept, 2021
We then drove to the next home, Wen Xin which was about 15 minutes away. Here, Miss Lim was waiting for us and we handed the items to her. One of my classmates, Falco’s company was dealing with sanitizers and diffusers and his company donated these items as part of their CSR, to be placed at both the homes. We spent some time talking to Miss Lim, took pictures and said goodbye to her. Our job now was to make a video of the homes as well as spread awareness on Covid19. The old folks are vulnerable and need high protection as most of them have diabetes, hypertension or are asthmatic.
Our group created the video over a few days and I have shared in Facebook for my friends to view. I realized that no matter how much you take care of your body, old age makes the body fragile and weak and diseases get easily contracted. According to the World Health Organization, between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%. By 2020, the number of people over 60 years and older will outnumber children younger than 5 years.
I had been staying home for so long due to the Movement Control Order in Malaysia, so this outing was much appreciated. We wore masks, sanitized our hands and made this project a success. My group consisted of an elderly aunty and young adults who also had the same fire like me, to obtain a degree. We just help light His light as we make through our lives. My journey is not over yet as I hope to be a college graduate by next year, God willing.
