Caption: From left: Reza Aulia Tossin, Jaden Tan, Allan Kok, Ryan Chan
It was supposed to be a straight forward meal delivery. Pack the meals, check the delivery list and deliver the meal packs. So when a group of students from Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) Barker Road saw the previous meal hanging at the gate of an 83-year-old elderly, alarm bells rang.
The students remembered what they were instructed during their Meals-On-Wheels (MOW) briefing. They quickly rang the doorbell, called out to the elderly, banged on the door and checked with the neighbours. There was no response. Sensing something was amiss, the teacher peered into the window and saw the elderly lying helplessly on the floor. She had suffered a hip fracture from a fall, and could not respond as she was hard of hearing. The teacher quickly alerted TOUCH, and the elderly was rushed to the hospital. Fortunately, the elderly who lives alone was able to receive timely help.
Said Secondary One student Allan Kok, “My thoughts immediately went to my own grandmother who is staying alone. The incident we witnessed made me worried about her well-being.” Another student Reza Aulia Tossin said, “We were all worried for the elderly’s safety. But when we heard she received medical care because of our actions, we felt relieved and glad we were able to contribute in some meaningful way.”
Caption: ACS Barker Road students and teachers getting ready to deliver meals
Said Mr Sam Ngeow, THC’s MOW specialist, “This incident shows that Meals-On-Wheels is more than just packing and delivering meals; it reaffirms the important role volunteers can play in helping to keep tabs on our elderly clients. They are our ‘eyes and ears’ on the ground.”
TOUCH is grateful to our MOW volunteers for their support. Special thanks to our wonderful volunteers from ACS Barker Road for their quick action.
MOW is a volunteer-driven meals delivery programme supported by more than 3,800 volunteers who pack and deliver nutritious meals, twice a day, seven days a week to some 500 homebound elderly every month.
If you have a passion to serve the elderly, do join us as a MOW volunteer. Please call 6804 6565 or email [email protected].