Care Recipient Pays the Love Forward
A medical team from Tzu Chi Singapore’s Home Care Services started caring for 98-year-old Mdm Foo, who suffered from painful gallstones. Due to her advanced age, she was unable to undergo surgery and could only take medicine to relieve her pain. The medical team visited her regularly to give her care, providing her daughter the much needed support. Under the loving care of everyone, Mdm Foo’s condition improved miraculously. Now, her daughter, Ho Ngit Wah, has started joining the ranks of Tzu Chi volunteers to pay the love forward.
Four children—two sons and two daughters
Ho Ngit Wah is visiting this patient for the first time. Neatly clad in a Tzu Chi uniform, she joins the Tzu Chi Home Care team in caring for the sick, giving of herself and sending blessings to her mum, too.
Daughter of Home Care patient Ho Ngit Wah：
I like to visit patients’ homes to give them care. Besides the patients, we must also care for the caregivers. We must give the latter more love and care. I’ve personally experienced it myself.
She is able to empathise with caregivers as her mum had suffered a critical condition before.
Home Care nurse Pang Han Ni ：
Each time I saw this daughter, she appeared tensed up and her mental state was not very good. She looked very tired, too. Her mother had refused to eat and drink for a few weeks and often lay in her bed.
Daughter of Home Care patient Ho Ngit Wah
As a caregiver to my mum, when I saw her in a critical condition, I really felt like collapsing. The love and care from the medical team really touched me. They even hugged me. Nancy (nurse) hugged me, too.
Thank you, thank you.
Besides providing medication, the Home Care team also arranges different activities for them. This allows the daughter to relax and is also helpful to her mother’s condition. They are having an outing on this day.
Home Care nurse Pang Han Ni ：
She relies on her daughter alone. But her daughter alone is unable to carry her in a wheelchair and go out. She needs help.
Daughter of Home Care patient Ho Ngit Wah：
It’s quite hard on me as I’m the sole caregiver, but I’ll try my best. I also feel that she should go outdoors. She’s really very happy. It’s hard for me to describe her joy. She has never smiled like that before.
The daughter has organised this celebration to celebrate her mother’s 99th birthday. Seeing her mother’s cheerful spirits, Ho Ngit Wah feels that all her efforts have been worthwhile. Besides cherishing their bonding time, Ho has also made an effort to give care to other needy families.
Daughter of Home Care patient Ho Ngit Wah：
I will do what I can to help. Then, we won’t feel so lonely in our lives, as there are people around to help us.
