On 6 October 2012, in a joint effort between the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and volunteers from Paya Lebar Division in Aljunied GRC, various forms of mobility aids were distributed to elderly residents living along Hougang Avenue 3.Member of Parliament (MP) for Aljunied GRC, Mr Chen Show Mao, together with Aljunied GRC volunteers and staff from the AIC, went door-to-door to present mobility aids such as walking sticks and wheelchairs to qualified residents. Earlier in August, AIC staff and Aljunied GRC volunteers had visited these HDB blocks to explain AIC programs to residents.
This is an initiative under the AIC’s $10 million Senior’s Mobility Fund (SMF), which was established in 2011 with the objective of assisting the elderly in procuring mobility devices at subsidised rates, so as to help them move around their home and in the community.
The residents were all smiles as they received the aids from Mr Chen and were taught by the helpful AIC staff how to use them. Mdm Magomy*, the daughter of two elderly residents who each received a wheelchair said: “Having stayed here for over 40 years, this is the first time I have received such forms of assistance. It rea lly means a lot to me and my elderly parents, who would otherwise be immobile without such walking aids. We are rea lly touched by the help that we are getting.”
Other recipients echoed her sentiments, saying that they had been “hesitant about making trips downstairs for their daily chores or social activities, choosing to stay at home most of the time”. With the mobility aids, they said they now feel “more confident and secure about joining their friends for some social and rec rea tional activities in the neighbourhood”.
Their MP, Mr Chen, commented: “We are very glad to have played our part in this out rea ch to our needy residents and help them learn about and apply for assistance under the SMF and other AIC programmes. We are heartened by the improvements these have made to their lives. We look forward to continuing our work with the AIC and other agencies so that more residents can benefit from the SMF and other programmes.”
TOC thanks Jaslyin for the contribution. It first appeared here.
Photo credit: Tan Thuan Tong
