Elderly Challenge- Observation 4

For this week which is the last week, I observed the area around Clementi. I observed the areas around Clementi because my school is at Clementi so it is near there. For this week, there quite a few observations I observed around Clementi. Sadly, I forget to take pictures as I was in a hurry.

The first observation I observed for this week is that there is a overhead bridge near my school. It is quite troublesome for some of the elderly because the road is an expressway so the government could not make any traffic light there. It is inconvenient and troublesome for some of the elderly because some of them, their legs are weak and fragile so they cannot climb up the stairs. Their grip may also weakens. Furthermore, the steps are quite wide and the number of steps is quite a lot. Those who do not want to climb up the staircase, they have to walk further until they reached a junction where they can crossed the road. I think it is inconvenient for them as they need to walk a few metres and they may tire themselves due to their age. 

There was once when an elderly come up to me and ask whether there are alternatives rather than taking the stairs. I told her that they have to walk all the way to the junction. She sighed and she walked slowly with her walking stick. I feel bad. The government should do something Clementi is a place where most elderly stay. There is an elderly home near the overhead bridge so if an elderly wanted to get, does it mean that they must walk all the way to the junction and walk back to where the overhead bridge is?

Simple room layout :D

These two pictures are the layout I have sketched for the elderly’s room using google- sketch-up. The room’s layout is elderly-friendly because there are railings and the floor are rough so that there are friction and the elderly will not easily fall. The bed is quite low and there is no bed stand. It will be easier for the elderly to rest without having to climb up. There is also a sofa that is low in height so it is easier for the elderly to sit. Besides the  low sofa and bed, there is a red colour button for emergency. So if there is emergency is the room, the elderly will just have to press the button and it will alert the people outside the room. There are railings across the whole room so if the elderly has a weak legs, she/he can have the comfort to hold the railings. The toilet is also unique. There are ramp and a railings,for easy use as the toilet are a step lower than the room. Overall, I think the room is quite elderly-friendly.

Elderly Challenge- Observation 3

This week, i visited the market to observe the elderly there. I went to the market with my mum as she is buying some groceries. What I observed for this week is that the floor in the market is slippery because of the water. If the floor is wet and slippery, elderly have a higher chance to slip and fall. The impact will be greater as their bones is fragile.

Next, i observed is that there are no lifts and escalators leading to the next level. There are only staircases and the staircases are dirty and the steps are steep. The elderly may fall. Even if they hold the railings, the railing are rusty and dirty. I managed to observe one elderly woman. She was climbing up the staircase to get to the next level. She was carrying a few plastic bag. She was having her difficulties to climb up the stair. I think she must feel pain and tired. I helped her voluntarily. I feel happy that i had done a good deed. The market should at least have a lifts or escalators at least. That is observation for week 3.

Elderly Challenge- Observation 2

For this week, I went to my paternal grandmother house as she lived near me. She lives with my two aunts in a condominium with my aunt's two children. She is 77 years old and is still strong. What i observed the house concepts is that they are still using the old methods of hanging out clothes which is doing the hanging of clothes manually. During the day, my aunts and thier husbands is working. Even though they hire a maid, the maid only take care of the children. My grandmother is the one who cooks, hang out the clothes and basically the main house chores.

Like many other elderly, she had difficulties hanging out the clothes to dry. She prefers letting the clothe dry out in the sun rather than in the house. She cannot stretch her hands as her hand is quite weak and i can see her groan as the clothes hanging on  the bamboo pole is quite heavy. Furthermore, they stay at a high level so if the bamboo pole dropped, the impact will be greater. I suggest that they have an automated hanging bamboo pole installed in every apartment. Even though some of the condominium and flats already installed, only the minority. The condominium should be elderly-friendly.

The second challenges i observed is that the corridors is very narrow. The corridors are occupied with neighbour's stuffs which is bulky. It can lead to fire if the stuff are flammable. Those elderly with walking stick, wheelchair and aid will not be able to pass through as it is very narrow.

The third challenges i observed is that the floor outside the house is made of marble which is quite slippery. The cleaners mopped the floors twice a month and at that time, the cleaners are cleaning the floor. The cleaner are very irresponsible, she put the sign at only one part but the other part she did not put. The floor is slippery and the elderly may not be able to see the sign at the other part and may unknowingly fall. It will have a quite  a big impact on the elderly as their bones is fragile.They should at least put more signs telling that the floor are wet and slippery so elderly can take more precautions.

These is my observation for week 2. For week 3, i plan to observe the market and around it.

Elderly Challenge- Observation 1

For the first week, I went to my maternal grandma's house to observe her based on the task we are supposed to do. To give a rough view of my grandma, my grandmother stay with my uncle and aunt. My aunt have 4 children and she went to work. As she is working, in the day, my grandmother have to do a lot of things such as taking care of her children, cooking, as well as doing the normal house chores. My grandmother is already 79 years old yet she is still strong but i feel scared for her safety.

When i went to my grandma house, i observe her but she did not let me take a picture of her. At that time, my grandmother is cooking for the whole family for lunch. She prepare all the things and put them beside the stove. All of sudden, she dropped a plate of vegetable that she was holding. The plate break and the vegetable scattered. I helped her then i realised then she had difficulty bending down and she will feel pain after bending down. I ask her why then she say she become like that after her age was like 70 years old. I ask her a few questions. Futhermore, the kitchen tabletop is quite high so if the elderly drop anything on the floor, they will have to bend down and it cause them to have a backache.There is also no railing at my grandmother house and she have difficulties walking around so she must walk slowly. That is what i observed about the elderly for the first week

Holiday Work - Part 1: Understanding the "The Elderly Challenge"

1)Explain in your own words, the FOUR key recommendations of the report.

The four key recommendations are:

• Recommendation 1:

Housing for seniors: Building houses specially for the elderly. Singapore government will build new houses of different ranges and types to suit the needs and commitment of the elderly.  Flats and houses will be improved, renovated, upgraded and modified so that the elderly can stay in conveniently. Together with it, there will be good support care services so that people can care for the elderly. By doing this, the elderly will feel convenient at home and they will feel safe, secure, happy and lonely as people will still talk and care about them.

• Recommendation 2:

Accessibility for seniors: Modifying and changing the environment around them, making it accessible and easier for the elderly. More places in Singapore will be easy and convenient for the elderly. For examples: the transportation such as MRT, buses will be barrier-free. The elderly do not need to worry because the government will upgrade and modify the accessibility to take the various transport. There will be accessible lifts,walkways and transport pick-up points. It will be less trouble for the elderly as the the buses will have low step so people will weak legs can climb up the bus easily.

• Recommendation 3:

Caring for the seniors: More healthcare are available, the prices are affordable and the accessibility to the seniors living in the community will be easier such that there will be a few healthcare shops available at one estate. Those elderly who have medical problems will have discounts to a variety of healthcare and elderly services. By doing that, the elderly will not have to worry about financial problems and their health will be monitored and maintained.

• Recommendation 4:

Opportunities for seniors:  More organisations will organise activities and events planned for the elderly that will bond their family together. It will encourage family to go out together and their relationship will be better and understand the needs of each other. The elderly will attend some community groups when they are bored. It will help them to make new friends be it young or old.

2)State ONE way that the CAI report is recommending to make our public housing more elderly-friendly.

In the elderly public-housing, lifts, walkways, and transport pick-up points are made accessible and convenient for the elderly. As for the lifts, it will be barrier-free therefore, elderly can enter and leave the lifts easily and conveniently.

3) State TWO ways on how we can ensure that the quality of elderly care here in Singapore is affordable.

Firstly, the elderly can use their medisave to pay for the bills of the hospitals, the services and the medicines. 

Secondly, the government can give the elderly a fixed amount of money each month based on their medical consumption and their medical health. If their medical health and medicines is expensive, the government can give higher tot he elderly to pay off the bills  and medicines. 

4) After reading the CAI report, what do you think are the THREE things that you can do, as an SST student, to help overcome these elderly challenges.

As an SST student:

• I can teach them some computer skills that are basic and easier to be understood. By doing this, at least they know about the world and how modern it is now.
• I can organise a project where each of the group in our school will have to research and  out with some interesting but useful gadgets that can be useful for the elderly to overcome these challenges.
• We can visit as a group to their houses and help to clean their house. By doing this, we are doing our part to help the elderly stay in a nice and comfortable place.