Page 42 - Stories_of_Older_Adults

I N S P I R I N G S T O R I E S O F T H E O L D E R G E N E R A T I O N

In almost all movies and dramas, nursing homes were always portrayed as dim
and smelly or a place where children abandon their parents, allowing the public to
develop negative perceptions on nursing homes nowadays. But Dr. Goh had a
different vision in creating his nursing home, where other than providing all the
needs for the older adults, they also take good care of their respective medical
conditions. Dr. Goh visited his own nursing home daily at lunch time to check on
the meal provided by his staff and he enjoyed talking to the residents and listening
to their stories and complaints.

In the nursing home, Dr. Goh provides a lot of activities for his residents to keep them lively. He lets
his residents exercise every morning and provides physiotherapy for those who need it. He organises
day trips and family days annually where all their family members are invited and sometimes, he
receives requests from societies or organisations that want to put on performances or do charity work
for the residents. He even has a small garden for his residents who like gardening. However due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, it is unfortunate that no visitors are allowed and the residents can only meet
their family members virtually.

"Don't send me to a nursing home when I am old! You better take care of me!" We believe most of us have
come across this conversation with our parents when we are young. However, we are too naïve to
understand the meaning behind those words and sometimes we do not take it to heart. All parents in
the world used to have ‘normal’ life just like us now but from the moment we came into this world, they
have sacrificed a lot of things such as dreams, entertainment and relationships. Family would be the
only thing they can rely on when they grow older. As the young one, we need to give them adequate
attention to eliminate their loneliness and helplessness.

Dr. Goh points out that what an elderly person needs is someone who can provide care to them, talk to
them and ‘argue’ with them. He often talks to his resident and listens to their life story or regrets even
though they may repeat the stories many times. He urges the younger generation to show the elderly
respect and to be patient and kind to them as they have gone through life.
“

Sometimes our little actions by caring or talking to
them can bring them great joy, so why don’t we
show our empathy and spread kindness to make
this world a better place for them?

Online interview session with Dr Goh Kay
Chee

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