The South West Central Development Council (CDC) is compiling a database of the needy elderly in the district. 

Through this, it hopes to provide the elderly with more targeted and comprehensive help in the form of medical assistance, meals support and befriending agencies. 

Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Boon Heng said the aim is to help address the social, intellectual, physical and spiritual needs of the needy elderly to encourage active ageing. 

He said the plan is to pilot the programme at three divisions, one in each GRC in the South West district. 

Mr Lim was speaking at an appreciation dinner for grassroots volunteers and social workers from the South West District on Friday. 

Five people were presented with the CDC's first ever ComCare Awards. Mooted by its mayor, Amy Khor, the awards are aimed at recognising the good work done by grassroots volunteers and social workers in helping the needy and less fortunate. 

36-year-old Moh Suan, one of the award recipients, has been a social worker for 12 years, serving in various organisations like the Salvation Army, and those under the Ministry for Community Development, Youth and Sports. 

The social worker from Singapore Anglican Community Services said: "Since I was 16, I already decided I want to become a social worker, so pretty much it was the journey of achieving it, and then continuing it." 

Four years ago, she joined the Community Rehabilitation and Support Services (CRSS) - located at Hougang Care Centre. 

She does house visits from Mondays to Thursdays, counselling people with psychiatric illnesses, helping them to achieve a goal. The intervention process usually lasts about a year. 

She said: "I find it fulfilling because even though it's an ongoing journey, I find that each one has matured in their own ways because they have learnt from their experience, and they have become better decision makers. So I think it's a worthwhile process." 

Ms Moh makes it a point to be there for her clients. She said: "My conviction in life is... just to reach out, and to see if whatever difference I can make in a person's life, I will like to do it." 

54-year-old Angelina Lim, with over 18 years of experience, is a recipient of the ComCare Grassroots Award. 

Ms Lim, who is the Assistant Secretary of the Bukit Batok CC Management Committee, initiated a Share-A-Meal scheme seven years ago, providing warm meals for 100 needy Bukit Batok residents daily. 

Ms Lim goes to the market in the morning, then spends the afternoon cooking and preparing the food. She does this everyday of the week. 

She said: "It's worth sacrificing, because... (when) these people come back to me and say, 'Hey, the curry chicken you cooked yesterday was very nice', the satisfaction is there when somebody comes to compliment you." 

Both awardees feel other people also deserve the award, seeing social work as a group effort.

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