To round up our children’s efforts in caring for the environment and others in our society for the past 6 months through the Start Small Dream Big Project, TOUCH Child Care collaborated with TOUCH Home Care and TOUCH Senior Activity Centre to care for the elderly.
<u>Meals-on-Wheels with TOUCH Home Care</u>
On 13 August, 22 K2 children from TCC Clementi and 24 children from TCC Hougang visited TOUCH Home Care to participate in the Meals-on-Wheels programme, where volunteers deliver meals to the stay-home and needy elderly residing around Toa Payoh estate.
Before the children embarked on their meals delivery mission, the staff of TOUCH Home Care conducted a hands-on workshop for them with the use of station games to enhance their understanding and empathy towards the elderly and what the children can do to help and care for them.
The children took back the following learning points at the different stations, Station 1: “I Can’t See Well!”
Children can,
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Read aloud for them
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Write bigger
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Bring glasses for them Station 2: “I Can’t Walk Well!”
Children can,
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Keep their toys on the floor
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Carry groceries for the elderly
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Open the door for them Station 3: “I Can’t Hear Well!”
Children can,
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Talk louder
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Talk slower
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Talk in front of them.
With the above newly gained knowledge and insight about the elderly, the children were divided into 4 teams and were led by the teachers to visit 9 elderly at their units for meals delivery. Besides delivering food, each elderly was also gifted a set of Julie’s wheat crackers (containing 9 packets), 4 tissue boxes, a packet of milo sachets and grapes. The costs of these items were kindly donated by the children and their families.
Top extreme left: Zavier Aw from TCC Clementi having a go at pushing a teacher sitting on the wheelchair. Top extreme right and bottom: Children carrying the donations in high spirits on their way to visit the elderly.
Although some children were disappointed when they saw that the elderly was not at home at the point of delivery, they were immediately cheered up knowing that their kind intentions will still be received as they could hang the food and donations at the door.
Children successfully delivering food and donations to the elderly at their units - proud of them!
It is heartening to see our children displaying commendable boldness and enthusiasm to deliver food and blessing our elderly with the donations. May they continue remembering to care for these needy elderly, who are often the last, the least and the forgotten around us.
Video made by Priscilla Teo, staff at THC.
Who is TOUCH Home Care (THC)?
THC provides integrated and holistic home-based services that support the frail and homebound elderly and their caregivers. Its goal is help the frail elderly enjoy greater independence and better quality of life at home. For more info: https://www.touch.org.sg/about-touch/our-services/touch-home-care-homepage