Another Week Beyond – 2427

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, health

No Wealth, No Health? Written by: Pei Ling, Community Relations How often do you find yourself in this situation? You’re unwell or in pain, and it’s been going on for while. But you choose not to see a medical practitioner because you feel you cannot afford it. This is a common scenario amongst Singapore’s financially-challenged – families living in rental public housing. And this is what happened to Ismail. When I visited Ismail on a routine follow-up, he was limping and clearly in pain. He told me he had a slipped disc. I asked about the medical treatment he was …

Another Week Beyond – 2320

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, donations, food insecurity, health

Dear Friends, Together with some neighbours, Marlina leads a community health initiative in their neighbourhood called Healthy You & Me. They are constantly reaching out to their neighbours with information on affordable healthcare services and inviting them to activities that promote a healthy lifestyle. In their conversations, they also convey that good health is not attained at clinics or hospitals but comes about from what one does to stay healthy. In the process, they hear for themselves what really matters to people. 2 months ago, Marlina told us that she had 2 ideas that would be helpful for her neighbours. One was …

Another Week Beyond – 2307

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, health

Dear friend, As a community development agency in the service of people’s efforts to meet their needs, a colleague was heartened when he found himself doing janitorial duties in a roomful of adults and their children. 12 adults and 15 children packed a students’ care centre we had borrowed for a conversation to launch a neighbourhood hotline for neighbours to support each other with their health needs and challenges. Volunteers kept the children occupied with indoor games while their parents discussed the roles and responsibilities for a core group of neighbours to operate the hotline. With the food and the …

Another Week Beyond – 2239

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, health

Dear friends, 10 days ago, we had the privilege of being a part of the Caring Communities Carnival organized by Yishun Health. The carnival commemorated their 10-year endeavour in nurturing an asset-led eco-system that supports communities to take ownership of improving their health and wellbeing. Minister of Health, Mr Ong Ye Kung was the Guest of Honour and he did the honours of launching a publication entitled “Caring Communities – Production and Participation by People” that illustrated their work. From the book, we learnt that in 2017, the Ministry of Health announced its strategy of providing good and affordable healthcare …

Another Week Beyond – 2237

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, health, volunteer, Volunteers

Dear friends, 15-year-old year Habib serves as an interpreter for his Tamil speaking mother regularly. Last Sunday was yet another occasion but this time he found himself really interested in what he had to convey to his mother. He was accompanying his mother to meet a chiropractor, and he found Dr Brian Teo’s assessment and explanation of the procedure intriguing.  His mother listened to him carefully as he assured her that when she hears a popping sound, it is not because her body is breaking but air is being released from her joints.  His mother has been complaining of pain …

Another Week Beyond – 2225

kaylin Another Week Beyond, health

Dear friends, “Health is wealth” is a truism we are all familiar with but when one is of little means, the less visible barriers to a healthy life are many and perhaps, “wealth is health” would sound truer. A mother on a long-term social visit pass commented that she finds the cost of healthcare very expensive. She is part of a self-organised neighbourhood workgroup that aims to promote social relationships, community activities and opportunities that serve as protective factors against ill-health. She is aware of the importance of preventive medicine but any visit to the doctor would be a strain on …

Another Week Beyond – 2216

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Community, community spirit, health

Dear friends, Over the past couple of weeks, we have been distributing Care Packs provided by T-PRIDE and the Temasek Foundation to our members in different neighbourhoods. T-PRIDE was established in November 2020 to enhance community resilience during a pandemic.  The Care Packs contained face masks, sanitisers, mouth gargle and a digital blood pressure monitor. When Ferlynn who lives at the Yishun neighbourhood learnt that she and her neighbours will be receiving the care packs, she felt strongly that the gift distribution exercise presented an opportunity for neighbours to learn or be reminded about the dangers of hypertension. Many in her …

Another Week Beyond – 2212

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, health

Dear friends, This week’s sharing is co-written with Felice, an intern who was moved to pen down her experience after helping with a recent conversation among mothers on the theme of “Health and Dreams”.  Felice was struck by the genuine care and concern people accorded each other even though they did not really know each other well and importantly, how people walked away from the conversation feeling stronger and hopeful. To some, “health” was good hygiene, preventing illnesses and keeping fit. To others, it meant being surrounded by loved ones and caring for one’s mental health. A mother recounted a period in …

Another Week Beyond – 2148

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, health

Dear friends, Since 7 October 2021, 12 residents have been meeting weekly as a “Health Workgroup” to address their health-related needs as well as that of their neighbours. These people felt that they had to do something to maintain, if not enhance their health after participating in a discussion about a study conducted in their neighbourhood. This study revealed that 40 percent of those interviewed had a serious illness. On 12 October 2021, 2 members of this workgroup joined a presentation of the same study which was attended by over 20 persons, comprising medical and health-care professionals, academics, and social workers.  They wanted to …

Another Week Beyond – 2140

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, health

Dear friends, In January last year (AWB -2002), we embarked on a project to train   residents of a public rental neighbourhood to discover the health challenges and aspirations of their community. These residents were to speak with their neighbours and to gather information about the health-related needs of their community. Following which, the findings were to be shared with the community to encourage residents to generate action or programmes to improve their collective health.  “Let’s talk health!” was a virtual session we conducted twice to share the findings from this endeavour, and it attracted 20 residents. We told participants that 4 in 10 of …