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Calming
the elderly's fears - through dialects Straits
Times, April 29 2003
When social workers
from the Marine Parade Family Service Centre telephoned their elderly
wards last week to say they would be dropping by to spread the word on
Sars, some turned them down, saying they were too scared to receive
visitors. Some others seemed
to think that the virus had nothing to do with them, so did not want to be
involved in the education campaign. Mr Samuel Ng, the
centre's executive consultant, said these two responses gave a hint of
what some of the lesser-educated, low-income old folk think about Sars. As most of the
elderly were agreeable to a home visit, 20 social workers and volunteers
yesterday knocked on the doors of 100 two- and three-room rental flats in
the Marine Terrace area. They explained to
the old people - in either Mandarin, Hokkien, Malay or English - that
there was no need to be too fearful of Sars if they took such precautions
as staying healthy and keeping their homes clean. The multilingual
approach was in line with a call by MP Ong Seh Hong (Aljunied GRC), who
told Parliament last week that public education on Sars should be
conducted in other languages and dialects apart from English. Madam Chew Sheo Kee,
78, who lives in a two-room flat, nodded when the social workers explained
to her in Hokkien that, if wearing a mask made her feel safer when she
went out, she should put one on. The social workers
- who stood just outside the door of each flat - also handed out bags
containing floor-cleaning solution, antiseptic handwash, dish-washing
liquid, disposable masks and gloves, vitamin C, fruits and a simply-worded
poster complete with double-sided tape. The goods were paid
for by the Southeast Community Development Council. Madam Tan Lee Keng,
68, who has been living alone in a two-room rental flat since her husband
died last December, welcomed the visit and gifts. She said in Mandarin: 'I
listen to the news and my friends talk about Sars so much that I'm
scared.' She avoids going
out, stepping out only to the void deck for a morning stroll. She asks her
younger neighbours to buy groceries for her because she is worried about
coming into contact with someone who has Sars. Mr Ng said those residents who refused a visit this time would be
contacted again by volunteers they are familiar with. He will organise
another round of visits later to teach old folk how to use the thermometer
which the Government will provide every household. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
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