“She died in my arms. I was shouting for help and no one heard me…”

Uncle Lim, 80 years old, is now happily living in the community, well taken care of by his foreign domestic helper, receiving monthly visits from his volunteer para-counsellor and having no financial concerns. It was hard to believe that only a year ago, he was so strongly incapacitated by the traumatic death of his wife that he was admitted to a community hospital.

“She died in my arms. I was shouting for help and no one heard me…” he wept, his distress palpable. “I’m afraid of living alone, if I fall at night, no one would know.” Without offspring and no contact with his siblings, the only person he could rely on was the nephew of his late wife. Unfortunately, Aaron is often overseas for work.

After his discharge, O’Joy counsellor visited Uncle Lim at home fortnightly, providing bereavement counselling and clinical case management, coordinating services he needed to live on his own including decluttering, housekeeping, medical escort and transport, enlisting help from Town Council, other social service agencies, and O’Joy volunteers. Working with Aaron, O’Joy counsellor assisted Uncle Lim with Lease-Buyback Scheme to resolve his financial worries, getting a foreign domestic helper to watch over his safety and the Lasting Power of Attorney.

(not their real names)

Uncle Lim accompanied by his helper