Holiday work - Part 3: Tools to be learnt in Semester 2

Dear Mr Irfan this is my design for the elderly.

(NOTE: Sorry for the quality of the video!!!)

First of all I apologize for the very big space wasted in the house.

I could not comment in the animation so I decided to describe it now...

There is first a bed with mini side tables attached with the bed. This would be very convenient for the elderly as they could keep their stuff just on these tables and they would not need to get up and go all the way to the designated item they want.

The next is the wheelchair for wheelchair bound elderly. It is just beside the bed so they do not need to go all the way to the wheelchair for wherever it is.

Then it is the switches which is just positioned beside the bed so the elderly would not have to follow all the way to them. A very convenient option for them!

Last but not the least, it is the railing by the side for the elderly to move around the home.

All these facilities would be very helpful for them and make their home a very safe, reliable and easy place to stay!

I hope you all like it... :)

Holiday work - Part 1: Understanding the ‘The Elderly Challenge’

This is my answers for the following questions:

• 1) Explain in your own words, the FOUR key recommendations of the report.
• 2) State ONE way that the CAI report is recommending to make our public housing more elderly-friendly
• 3) State TWO ways on how we can ensure that the quality of elderly care here in Singapore is affordable
• 4) After reading the CAI report, what do you are the THREE things that you can do, as an SST student, to help overcome these elderly challenges.

After reading the report...

Answers:

1)

The first key recommendation of the report is that there should be houses for the elderly for their living and lifestyle. They should be easy to access and some more facilities which will be able to give them the independence to do almost anything they wish to.

Second is to have the new public buses to be friendly to the elderly. They should not be double deckers and they should have no stairs with a raising platform for wheelchair bound elderly to aboard/alight.

Third is they should have a barrier-free community so that the elderly will have a chance to obtain independence and not also to always rely on other people to do their work for them.

Fourth is for the treatment for the elderly to be affordable for them. Due to this, they will not have to work and earn money just for a treatment. If not, they would not be able o work due to many odd reasons including health, position, sometimes emotions. These factors will not let them work so they would not be able to earn money.

2)

We have to make a barrier-free environment. We can engage the elderly in activities that is reliable for them so they can be more active instead of just sitting at home and feeling boredom. The new public transport also must have a small moving platform for wheelchair bound elderly and also the buses to be more elderly friendly so they can travel around town easily by the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) or the Light Rail Transit (LRT).

3)

We can strengthen the care services within the community. No matter what the problem, elderly must have the required treatment for their lives. Our services, communication, quality must all be always improved and ready for elderly 24/7. Care must be there in any situation and 'just for the sake of doing attitude' must never be there.

The facilities or items used for any treatment on the elderly should not be costed by them. In other words, they should not be taken from any extra money like for tax, etc. If the materials are aboard from overseas, local products should be used on them. Not as effective but still very helpful and caring.

4)

As we all know, that there are people like this, elderly, in our society, community and almost everywhere. But to further deepen the thinking, they are our ancestors who have taught us many things, even to live! We own them anything. Plus we are also, at one point of out lives, going to take their position. To avoid regret or guilt when we reach at that point, we must make a change right now!

Firstly, help them in any difficulties, troubles they are in despite our 'minus' factors like being late, etc.

Secondly, we must NEVER laugh or giggle about their disadvantages, even if they are different from us which is true, especially the wheelchair bound elderly. Do not see what state they are in; this makes them feel that they are being spotted/targeted on.

Thirdly, ALWAYS sacrifice anything yours which will do good to them. A very common example is to give up your seat in public transports. That is an excellent act of kindness!

If still you are not able to do any of the above, please just do one thing; Do not make them feel that they are being left out. Just by doing this you can change their lives!

We own it, we will change it!

Elderly Challenge - Observation 3

This is my Observation 3 about unfriendly facilities for the wheelchair bound people in the surroundings.

As we all know that there are people around us who are, unfortunately, wheelchair bound. Due to their disadvantage, they are not able to enjoy our modern day facilities, technology, etc. In this observation I noticed these people at the escalators.

All of us know that the Escalator is very useful for us to travel/get from one floor to another. Unfortunately the wheelchair bound people are not able to enjoy this mode of facility. To avoid disappointment in them and make them feel that they are not left out, we have also brought a meaningful solution to this problem.

The lift or the elevator is a very easy from of transportation from one floor to another. Just as the escalator. Same function, just a little more advanced.

Well...by just doing this we can lighten many people's heart. Lets all make a small difference to their life and not add salt to their injury when they are already very unfortunate.

Sources of Pictures:

1) http://www.google.com.sg/imglanding?q=escalator&imgurl=http://www.freefoto.com/images/1211/01/1211_01_72---Escalator_web.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.freefoto.com/preview/1211-01-72%3Fffid%3D1211-01-72&usg=__O6kg5lpriGfHS7noy58c3bPLFAU=&h=600&w=400&sz=57&hl=en&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=NblRvUZPNTwWdM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3Descalator%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&sa=N&tbs=isch:1&start=15#tbnid=4mYSS1kOy1BjcM&start=28

2) http://www.google.com.sg/imglanding?q=lift&imgurl=http://www.namyang1954.com/Website%2520Pictures/Rochor%2520Centre%25203%2520Lift.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.namyang1954.com/kungfulessons.html&usg=__GdcNOWR-cRmQUGF8qF-7dgDOeNA=&h=3072&w=2304&sz=378&hl=en&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Fa6t71Mal9F9iM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlift%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&sa=N&tbs=isch:1&start=0#tbnid=Fa6t71Mal9F9iM&start=3

Elderly Challenge - Observation 2

For my second observation, it is about the elderly or anyone else who is wheelchair bound on the bus.

As we all know, if we want to get down on a certain bus stop we have to press the button but these buttons are placed very high for the wheelchair bound people and they would not be able to reach it.

So...what will they do?

The solution is in the picture below. (Apologize for the shaky and blur image)

The bell is at a lower hight just on the railing for the wheelchair bound people so they do not have to worry about pressing the button.

But there is also one more challenge the wheelchair bound people have to face.

How will they get off the bus? Well there is also a solution for this problem in the picture below. (Apologize for the shaky and blur image)

As the sign says, "PLEASE WAIT FOR BUS CAPTAIN TO ASSIST YOU IN ALIGHTING".

There is also a small illustration beside the words of a wheelchair bound person to show that the instruction is for all the wheelchair bound people.

By just doing this, we can further improve their lives and not make them feel that they are left out. Lets make the difference to them by just doing a small kindness act. Who know tomorrow we might be in their shoes in their position?

Elderly Challenge (Observation 1)

Nowadays, I noticed that when there are wheelchair bound people around in shopping malls or even at crowded places, people tend to just ignore them and treat them with no respect. Well this behavior is absolutely unacceptable. They do not even have the slightest idea that when they become wheelchair bound at any age, who will be the people that will care for them and look out for them.

But I want to show a few wheelchair friendly facilities...

There are slopes or ramps in and out of shopping malls and supermarkets for the elderly who are on wheelchair or anyone who is wheelchair bound.

The slopes are also not very steep so the wheelchair bound who can push themselves; it would be easy for them to move through these areas. The best thing is that the entrance of the mall is also just after it so this is very convenient for them.

This sign shows where the parking lots for the cars carrying wheelchair bound people are so it would be easier for the people driving to locate where it is. Also, the parking lots for the wheelchair bound people should be located near to the exits or elevators of these malls so they do not have to travel a long distance to just cross over.

These facilities look friendly but only if we make them friendly. We should help them in any troubles they have even if we do not know them. This can make our society a better place for them to survive and live in. So please help them as much as you can and give them 100% support!