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CaringSG Community Events In May 2023

CaringSG Community Events In May 2023

The month of May was another eventful month for CaringSG as we had lined up exciting events and talks for our caregivers from Boon Lay, Kampong Glam and Telok Blangah.

6 May 2023 Massage Therapy for Caregivers (Telok Blangah Community Club)

We understand that caregiving is a tiring task and caregivers do need some “me” time and respite along the journey. In order to help caregivers to relieve tension and enhance their well-being, CaringSG organised a massage therapy for caregivers on 6 May 2023.

They were treated to a rejuvenating massage session by skilled therapists while our volunteers helped to engage their dependents with simple games and activities. 

9 caregivers and their special needs dependents turned up for the therapy session from 10am to 12pm. Light refreshment were also provided for all participants.

This event was supported by 1 CAREkaki, 3 CaringSG staff and volunteers, 1 CAREchampion, the Enabling Lives Initiative (ELI) Grant funded by Tote Board and managed by SG Enable, Temasek Foundation and Telok Blangah CCC.

13 May 2023 Deputyship and Special Needs Trust Talk (Boon Lay)

The next caregiver engagement event (talk) was held on 13 May 2023 at Boon Lay Community Club from 2pm to 4pm. The talk focused on providing caregivers with practical knowledge on the requirements and process on applying for deputyship. Our speakers also shared the relevant information on how to set up a special needs trust.

4 caregivers turned up for the talk and we were glad that all of them had a better and deeper understanding on Deputyship and Special Needs Trust after interacting with our speakers and other caregivers.  This event was supported by 3 CAREkakis, 3 CaringSG staff and volunteers, 1 CAREchampion, the Enabling Lives Initiative (ELI) Grant funded by Tote Board and managed by SG Enable, Temasek Foundation and Boon Lay CCC.

20 May 2023 Purple Outing to SEA Aquarium (Kampong Glam)

The last activity for the month was a Purple Outing to S.E.A Aquarium on 20 May 2023. S.E.A. Aquarium is one of the world’s largest aquariums and it is home to more than 100,000 marine animals! Caregivers and their dependents had the opportunity to get close-up with the vast array of aquatic life and participated in the various learning journeys available at the aquarium to better appreciate the importance of preserving our oceans and its marine animals.

A total of 16 caregivers and 10 of their special needs dependents turned up for the event and it was supported by 14 CAREkakis, 2 CaringSG staff and volunteers and 2 CAREchampions. It was really heartening to see both caregivers and their dependents enjoying themselves during this outing. 

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The Heroic Spirit Of Caregivers – By Board Member Sylvia Lim

The Heroic Spirit of Caregivers – By Board Member Sylvia Lim

This message was contributed by Board Member Sylvia Lim

Dear CaringSG members,

“I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.” – Maya Angelou

In my eyes, this quote encapsulates the heroic spirit that caregivers embody every day. What they do may go unnoticed but takes incredible strength, resilience, and compassion.

CaringSG is set up with the overarching objective to support, enable and empower caregivers of special needs in our community. At times when these caregivers feel like no one else understands what they are going through, they can draw strength from this community, knowing that they are not alone in this journey. They can lean in for support, share resources, exchange ideas and uplift one another.

In the words of Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

By coming together, we at CaringSG hope to pave the way towards a more inclusive community for the special needs and their caregivers. To continually encourage and inspire caregivers because they are so pivotal to making the world a better place for those who need care and whom they care for.

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Celebrating Courage, Persistence And Love – By CAREwell Volunteer Dr Tang Hui Kheng

Celebrating Courage, Persistence and Love – By CAREwell Volunteer Dr Tang Hui Kheng

This message was contributed by CAREwell volunteer Dr Tang Hui Kheng. 

 

Dear CaringSG members, 

If we focus only on the black, we may miss out on the possibilities of other colors. 

Journey with fellow caregivers allow us to catch a glimpse of how different colors can be used to form a beautiful picture, often in unexpected ways. 

In the process, also finding out the colors we already have, mixing colors to create new ones. 

And together, all forming a collage of masterpiece celebrating courage, persistence and love.

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Every Parent Should be Able to Enjoy and Love Their Child – By CAREbuddy Dylan Lau

Every Parent Should be Able to Enjoy and Love Their Child – By CAREbuddy Dylan Lau

This article was contributed by CAREbuddy Dylan Lau, a 41-year-old engineer and proud father of a wonderful son attending Pathlight School. He is pictured above (right) with Frieda Chan (left), his CAREbuddy trainer, and Yvonne Tai, a fellow CAREbuddy.

The journey of being a caregiver to a child with special needs can be both rewarding and challenging. Over the years, I’ve learned the value of resilience, adaptability, and the importance of a strong support network.

I was first introduced to the CAREbuddy program by fellow caregiver Edward Chan, who posted about it in the CASPER PSG Facebook group. The idea of giving back to the special needs caregiver community appealed to me, especially since I had previously attended CaringSG webinars that offered valuable insights on supporting my child. Motivated by this, I decided to join the CAREbuddy training program, which took place from February to March 2022.

The training program was an enriching experience that helped me gain the confidence to approach fellow caregivers seeking support. Experienced trainers like Frieda and Anand equipped us with useful techniques and tools. I remember Anand telling us at the end of the training, “We just want to help. To give other caregivers hope that they can competently and confidently parent their child and lead them to enjoy and love their children.” This resonated with me, as I believe every parent should be able to enjoy and love their child.

Supporting different caregivers with their unique challenges has broadened my perspective. I learned that we are all on the same journey, albeit at different phases. Sometimes we may feel helpless, but we are never alone. It’s essential to check in with caregivers around us to ensure no one falls behind or gets lost.

As a caregiver and CAREbuddy volunteer, my mission is to support and encourage fellow caregivers in their journey of raising children with special needs. I truly believe in the power of community and the difference we can make when we come together to share our experiences, insights, and love for our children.

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Meet Our CAREwell Community Support (CWCS) Programme Staff!

Meet Our CAREwell Community Support (CWCS) Programme Staff!

Pictured (from left): Reynard (CAREwell Triage Coordinator), Shari (CAREwell Keyworker), Xiuhua (CAREwell Keyworker)

This article was written by Shari Tan. 

CAREwell is the professional arm in CaringSG that supports our work with Caregivers. Today, we put faces to this program and hope to answer some of your burning questions!

First up, we have Reynard. He is our Triage Coordinator who is a trained Social Worker. If you are referred to CWCS, you would most likely hear from him first!

Reynard, tell us a little about what you do?

I am usually the first point of contact for the caregivers that are referred to us. The caregivers are generally very forthcoming when I get in touch with them. They will share quite freely.

Sometimes as they share about their family situation, they will feel sad and down so in that moment, my role is really just to listen to them, empathise and try to accurately capture what their needs are at that point in time because often, there would be different competing needs at the same time. I will try to crystallise what these needs are and to prioritize them.

Could you share a memorable experience with us?

One of my memorable experiences was when this caregiver – after she shared about what she was going through – shared that she felt much lighter at the end of a call. She specifically said that she felt 20% lighter! I have never had anyone give an accurate value to how they felt and her response just stuck with me. She felt good to be listened to and commented that it had been quite a while that someone had actually listened to her.

Next up, we have Shari, one of our two Keyworkers in CWCS! Shari’s background is in Speech and Language Therapy and Psychotherapy.

Shari, could you share about what you do and some of the challenges you face as a Keyworker?

Our caregivers are often highly resourceful and may have access to many services and be connected to multiple professionals. However, often these services are uncoordinated and unintegrated resulting in caregivers feeling drained not only emotionally but also financially, and yet unable to see the outcomes they want for their children.

We come in as keyworkers to assess the needs of the Caregiver in relation to the dependent’s and family’s needs and journey alongside with them to meet their personal and family goals. We prioritize the caregiver as we realise that they are the lynchpin in the whole family unit and their well-being is absolutely critical.

One of the challenges is that most caregivers tend to prioritize others in the family. The focus is usually on their child with special needs.  As parents, we naturally want the best for our children and we will pull out all stops for them but often, we neglect ourselves and our spouses.

As keyworkers, we thus try and redirect caregivers back to themselves while crafting out a customised family support plan that integrates social services, healthcare and family life. While this model of care is well established overseas, it is still relatively unknown here in Singapore. This poses a challenge to our work too. We hope in time that the role of keyworkers and caregiver well-being would be better understood and supported.

Last but not least, we have Xiuhua whose professional background is in Nursing.

Xiuhua, could you share with us what you find fulfilling about your role as a Keyworker?

I feel fulfilled that we are able to empower caregivers to advocate for their child’s needs. For example, I had one caregiver who was totally lost as to what to do after her child graduated from special school.

At that time, she was running between polyclinics, different hospitals and struggling to bring her child to all of these appointments which she was recommended to go for. She was exhausted mentally and physically but yet unable to access the right services that would meet her and her child’s needs.

I got to know her, understood her needs and helped to connect her with SG Enable. I modelled to her how she might share her needs with SG enable and other service providers and provided lots of encouragement to her. At some point, she gained enough confidence to take over and begun advocating for her child more effectively! Being able to witness her transformation and being a part of her journey was extremely fulfilling!

As is evident in the sharing above, a caregiver’s challenges are multifaceted and often, a lonely and confusing journey. Navigating the social and healthcare system is complex and what we seek to do in our team is to provide the necessary emotional support and service ordination to our caregivers.

It is truly rewarding when we see our caregivers transforming from struggling and overwhelmed to being empowered and resilient in their caregiving journey. To see a whole family uplifted and thriving is what keeps us going!

About CAREwell

CaringSG’s multidisciplinary team of CAREwell professional staff and volunteers are poised to support caregivers in navigating the complex services to better access care and services via our CAREwell Community Support (CWCS) Programme.

Learn more about CAREwell here.

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No Caregiver Tears Alone – By Frieda Chan​

CAREbuddy

No Caregiver Tears Alone – By Frieda Chan

CAREbuddy

It was a weekend gathering at my grandparents’ place. Four children were fighting over who got to sit on Grandpa’s tall chair first. They were cousins.

Grandpa’s tall chair had always been their favourite spot. Somehow, they decided to do turn-taking so that everyone got to sit on the chair. The game rule was, they would start with the oldest child.

Pointing to the oldest amongst them, “She must be the youngest since she can’t talk yet”. And so, the oldest cousin was the last to go.

This is a real story. The oldest child was my 5-year-old cousin who is deaf. I was 8 years old. By the side, I spotted my aunty-in-law tearing quietly. That image left an impact on me to support caregivers with special needs dependents.

As a child, I did not know how to comfort Aunty except to play with my cousin. Along the way, I picked up simple sign language from my cousin, joined her at SADeaf events, and brought friends down to watch her perform whenever I could.

When my ex-KKH colleague Dr Lim Hong Huay approached me to help set up CaringSG, it did not take me long to say “Yes”. That image when I was 8 year old was my motivation and inspiration.

The CAREbuddy programme was designed to raise trained caregivers to support fellow caregivers.

My encouragement to all caregivers is to consider having yourselves equipped to serve other caregivers. And if you are in the season to recuperate, reach out for support too. There is no shame in doing so.

Focus on the needful. We are in different life stages at different timepoints. There are seasons to give, to receive, and seasons for both. Pace yourself. Join the Caregiver Volunteer Briefing to check out how you can be equipped to serve.

About Ms Frieda Chan and CAREbuddy Programme

Ms Frieda Chan is CAREbuddy’s Lead and CAREwell’s senior social worker.

The CAREbuddy programme is a supportive service for caregivers with dependents with special needs or disabilities, by trained caregivers (called CAREbuddies). Through regular engagement, the CAREbuddy supports the caregiver to work through personal and family needs and issues in ways that bring about positive changes.

  • Caregivers who would like to sign up to be supported by a CAREbuddy can register here.
  • Caregivers who are keen to volunteer as CAREbuddies can follow our Facebook page to receive updates on the next briefing session.

Featured image from Ms Frieda Chan (centre): Brought friends to support Cousin Lily’s performance at NLB (Dec 2007)

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CaringSG is now an IPC

CaringSG is now an IPC
(Institution of a Public Character)

Dear friends, CaringSG is now an IPC (Institution of a Public Character).

Any donation over $100 will stand to receive 250% tax deductions.

Your generous support will go a long way in funding our programmes (CAREconnect, CAREbuddy, CAREwell) to support Caregivers of Persons with Disabilities.

Donate today at www.giving.sg/caringsg-limited/icare

To be updated on CaringSG’s latest events and join your preferred caregiver support groups in our CaringSG Alliance Network (CAN), sign up as a CaringSG member and let us know your preference!

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手牵手, 向前走 Moving Forward Together – By Mr Edward Chan

手牵手, 向前走 Moving Forward Together – By Mr Edward Chan

Mr Edward Chan, (pictured above, forefront) is CaringSG’s Head of Corporate Services and a caregiver of two children with ASD.

This letter to CaringSG members was originally written in Mandarin. We have included the English translation below as well.

2022年刚过,2023年此时已经在高速前进. 回想过去两年所完成的工作,实在太不可思议了.

二〇二〇年十月, 一群特殊看护者在林方辉医生带领下成立了CaringSG (关护之心). 二〇二一年六月, CaringSG 获得了政府认证为慈善机构, 从而可以向公众认捐. 之前CaringSG 的 运营资金全靠种子资助者（seed funders)来支撑. 除此之外, CaringSG也开始了义工训练（CAREbuddy 与CAREkaki)为接下来工作与服务做准备。

在林医生的不屈不挠的努力下, CaringSG 的三个主要看护者服务, CAREconnect, CAREbuddy 和 CAREwell, 终于找到了资助机构. 有了资金, 每个服务的运做也开始加速, 也开始有新的成员加入了工作团队.

CAREconnect 在二〇二二年一月也开始在文礼区每月与基层人员为当地的特殊家庭与看护者主办活动. CAREconnect的目标是联系当地的特殊看护者, 一起来参加CAREconnect的活动, 让大家彼此认识而建立起互助网络. 同时也让看护者认识基层人员以便以后如需要帮助, 不至于茫然无措.

同年六年, 又添加了甘榜格南区. 主办这些活动并非易事, 期间又因为疫情加剧, 主办团队要确保大家遵守防疫条例,尤其有孩子参与的活动要加强消毒措施. 又因为看护者与其特殊孩子年纪大, 不便来参加活动, 团队就上门拜访. 面对许许多多的挑战, 感恩团队不言败的精神, 把这些困难一一克服了.

踏入二〇二三年, CAREconnect 又添加了直落布兰雅与南洋区. 义工训练正在进行中, 也与当地的基层正在筹备接下来的活动.

如果我说工作没压力, 那肯定是骗人的. 在无数崩溃想放弃的夜晚,一觉睡醒, 又在重生.这种前所未有的自愈能力, 是大家的鼓励与支持给我的力量.

我要感谢林方辉医生, Dr David Ang 与CaringSG Board of Directors 对我的信任, 让我全心全意的投入这份工作.

还有与我一起冲锋的CAREconnect 队友, Jeffrey, Elysia, Chris, Diana, Julia, Xin Ying, Ann Toh, Pei Cheng, Esther, Wendy, Rae, Lilian 以及CaringSG 大家庭； 文礼与甘榜格南的基层领袖们Corrine, Shanthi, Ronnie, Hong Kian, Jeanine 等等. 还有基层顾问Minister Desmond Lee 和Mayor Denise Phua.

感谢你们这一路来的鼓励与支持, 我才有信心与勇气走下去. 二〇二三, 展望CaringSG 再上一层楼, 继续为特殊看护者服务.

Even though 2022 has just passed, the pace for 2023 has already picked up quickly. It is amazing to look back on the work that CaringSG has accomplished in the past two years.

In October 2020, a group of special needs caregivers established CaringSG under the leadership and guidance of Dr Lim Hong Huay. During the initial phase, CaringSG’s operations were solely funded by seed funders. CaringSG was subsequently recognised as a registered charity status in June 2021 where we could receive donations from the public. At the same time, CaringSG also started its volunteer training programmes (CAREbuddy and CAREkaki) to prepare for future work and services.

Thanks to Dr Lim’s tireless efforts, CaringSG managed to secure funding from the Enabling Lives Initiatives (ELI) Grant by SG Enable & Tote Board, Temasek Foundation, and National Council of Social Service to jointly sponsor Project 3i (CAREconnect, CAREbuddy, and CAREwell). With the sponsorship from these funders coupled with the recruitment of new staff to manage Project 3i, the operations of each of these services began to take shape and flourish.

Since January 2022, CAREconnect also began collaborating with Boon Lay grassroots to host monthly activities for special needs caregivers and their families living in the constituency. The objective is to reach out to these caregivers, connect them to other caregivers, and form a support network in the process. These gatherings also allow caregivers to get acquainted with the grassroots so that they know where to seek assistance in the event they require any help in the future.

Another constituency, Kampong Glam, was added in June of the same year. As it was during the Covid-19 pandemic, organising monthly activities for the caregivers was no easy task. For example, the organising committee had to ensure that everyone complied strictly with the COVID-19 Safe Management Measures (SMMs) and stepped up disinfecting efforts, especially for those activities which involved children. In addition, as it was inconvenient for some of the elderly caregivers to attend the activities, the team conducted house calls to them personally. Despite the numerous challenges, the team persevered and managed to overcome all of them.

2023 has been a great start so far as CAREconnect has achieved another milestone with the partnership and support from another 2 constituencies – Telok Blangah and Nanyang. We are glad to announce that the volunteer training is currently underway, and we are also in the midst of discussing upcoming events with the respective local grassroots.

To be honest, the work we have done thus far was not stress-free. In fact, I want to confess that the thought of giving up has come across my mind many times. However, when I think of the encouragement and support that I have received from everyone, it spurs me to work even harder despite all the hardships.

As such, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Dr Lim Hong Huay, Dr David Ang, and the CaringSG Board of Directors for their trust in me and for allowing me the opportunity to devote myself and contribute my best to this work.

I would also like to thank my CAREconnect team-mates, Elysia, Jeffrey, Chris, Diana, Julia, Xin Ying, Ann Toh, Pei Cheng, Wendy, Rae, Lilian, and the entire CaringSG family, together with Boon Lay and Kampong Glam grassroots leaders such as Corrine, Shanthi, Ronnie, Hong Kian, and Jeanine. Last but not least, I would like to especially thank grassroots advisors, Minister Desmond Lee and Mayor Denise Phua for believing in CaringSG.

Once again, thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported me in one way or another during this journey. Without you all, I would have lacked the confidence and courage to go on. With a brand new year ahead, I really look forward to taking CaringSG to the next level and continuing to serve the special caregivers community.

From Caregivers, By Caregivers, For Caregivers

To be updated on CaringSG’s latest events and join your preferred caregiver support groups in our CaringSG Alliance Network (CAN), sign up as a CaringSG member and let us know your preference!

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Continue To Be Brave – By Board Member Dr Tan Jit Seng

Continue To Be Brave – By Board Member Dr Tan Jit Seng

Dear CaringSG Members,

I am a physician seeing Persons with Intellectual disabilities almost daily. I hear many sad and troubling stories and I also hear many inspiring stories of caregivers and individuals.

If it takes a village to raise a child, it will take the entire society to chip in and raise a special one!

Continue to be brave and share with us your highs and lows.

We go through the journey together and together we will be stronger and better!

To be updated on CaringSG’s latest events and join your preferred caregiver support groups in our CaringSG Alliance Network (CAN), sign up as a CaringSG member and let us know your preference!

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Building Relationships, Supporting Caregivers – By CAREwell volunteer Loy Sheau Mei

Building Relationships, Supporting Caregivers – By CAREwell volunteer Loy Sheau Mei

I’m Loy Sheau Mei, a CAREwell volunteer. Before I joined CAREwell, I’ve already been working with the autism community for the past 18 years.

Some time ago, when I was doing a home visit with my colleagues to support a family with 2 kids who were visually impaired and diagnosed with autism, I learnt more about CAREwell and CaringSG.

I also found out more about the CAREwell’s volunteering opportunities via social media and decided to join.

What is volunteering with CAREwell like?

When I started volunteering with CAREwell, I liked how CaringSG has a structure in place with clarity of the end-in-mind for the families they serve.

The CAREwell team uses a multi-disciplinary approach as we need to have inputs from different perspectives to support each family holistically.

Collaboration with family is one key aspect, and the CAREwell team starts small to gain trust from the family. We also have a commitment to be present to work with the family within a specific timeframe. This creates stability in our relationships with the caregivers, and caregivers will be more open and willing to follow up.

With the relationship built and little successes along the way, I have witnessed that the caregivers are more relaxed as they start to realise that there’re others like us who will walk the journey with them.

 

How can society be more understanding towards special needs caregivers?

I believe that the awareness is there, but on how to progress forward to be an inclusive society, much effort will be needed.

There are many myths about special needs and there is a need to present the facts about different special needs as there are so many differently-abled individuals among us. The misconception of special needs, and how to interact with them, at times leads to misunderstandings.

Post-school options are limited, and many caregivers are worried as to what’s next for their dependents. “Finding the what’s next” requires all stakeholders, including caregivers and respective agencies, to co-create this space.

Lastly, I would like to share this encouragement to all special needs caregivers:

                                                                                                                            Source: Quotefancy

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