CARING FOR THE OLD: Fatimah (third right) presents a BR1M voucher to one of the old folk accompanied by Rosey (on her left), Noriah (partially hidden) and Saptuyah (left).
KUCHING: The olf folks home here (Rumah Seri Kenangan) will be transformed into a community village for the residents in about two years’ time.
The RM12.6 million project under the 10th Malaysian Plan will see a new concept of old folks home, which will take into consideration the features and designs that are old folk-friendly while providing them with a conducive environment to spend their sunset days.
“Public Works Department will be coming up with the plan before we call for tender. Once that is settled, current buildings will be demolished and construction of new ones will start.
“We will have to move the residents latest by August,” said Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah yesterday, when distributing the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) at the centre.
Fifty-four residents received their RM500 one-off payment vouchers, while 12 applications are still pending approval.
She said for the duration of the project, the current residents will be moved to a hostel at Samarahan Rehabilitation Centre, a training centre for persons with disabilities.
According to Fatimah, the community village project will be similar in concept to those retirement villages in Western countries.
“It is a concept that we had wanted for the old folk here. The designs of the house need only very little maintenance, with a little space for gardening as that can be therapeutic.
“By letting them be involved in communal activities or hobbies, it will give the residents a sense of motivation to live on. Although they live in home, there will be a sense of independence too,” she said.
She pointed out the new buildings must be old folk-friendly in terms of movement and safety.
“There are bedridden and invalid residents so the safety design of space like bathrooms must be considered.
“Upon completion, the new home will be able to accommodate 100 residents,” she said.
The current buildings date back to 1932 and they house senior citizens from 60 years old and above.
There are currently 80 residents, including 36 bedridden ones and 14 recovering mental cases, with the oldest being a 92-year-old bedridden man.
“It is a challenging job for personnel working here to care for the old folks.
“I’m always reminding them that do not treat it just like a job. It does not just need patience but a real passion to help others,” she said.
In her speech earlier, Fatimah said the home should be the last resort to help senior citizens as the government encourages children and relatives to play the main role in taking care of the old.
“The home is a welfare institution under the state Social Welfare Department that plays the role as a social support system. It should only be considered when there is no one to care for the old folks or if they have nowhere else to go. In terms of providing care and shelter, nothing beats one’s own family,” she stressed.
The government through the department also provides financial aid of RM300 every month to those under the Senior Citizen Aid and one-off grants to those who have no source of income and no family members to care for them.
Fatimah also launched the Sehati Sejiwa Cafe service at home premises and also presented appreciation plaques to individuals who had contributed time or money to home on a regular basis.
Also present were her assistant ministers Rosey Yunus and Lawson Chuat Vincent, the ministry permanent secretary Rodziah Morshidi, state JKM director Noriah Ahmad and home principal Saptuyah Sazali.