By Home Nursing Foundation
Nestled quietly off Yio Chu Kang Road is Singapore's last kampung (village), Kampong Lorong Buangkok. It has withstood the test of time through the determination of its residents to maintain a physical kampung. At the heart of a kampung is its people – without its residents, the kampung is just a plot of land with empty homes.
Similarly, this is true for Home Nursing Foundation's (HNF) Active Ageing Centre (Care) at Buangkok, located just a stone's throw away from Kampong Lorong Buangkok. Senior residents aged 60 and above flock to the centre every morning, engaging in activities that the centre staff thoughtfully curate based on the seniors' interests.
The centre emphasises the "kampung spirit" in its model of community care and support, where everyone looks out for one another and readily offers help and support to those who need it. This is especially important because with age comes age-related ailments.
Through collaborations with Central Health partners Tan Tock Seng Hospital and its Community Health Teams, Health Promotion Board, and Silver Generation Office, the centre has been bringing fall risk and mental health screenings to its members in the community. Early detection is key in ensuring that appropriate interventions can be implemented quickly, such as group exercises to reduce fall risk or treatment for conditions like depression.
Sometimes, seniors may feel hesitant to attend the health screenings despite fervent outreach efforts through the circulation of posters and TTSH's weekly community nursing post. This is when the trust and rapport built between centre staff and seniors come into play. With gentle encouragement and education by the centre staff, the seniors are more convinced and accepting of these screenings.
After all, be it in a kampung or at an Active Ageing Centre (Care), the human connection is always present and cherished by all.
