Nursing Home Abuse-A work of our own hands?

  Recently, there have been much anger and outrage over the issue of abuse in nursing homes after a secretly taken video was revealed showing a elderly woman being abused by caregivers at the Nightingale Nursing Home in Singapore by being left naked in everyone’s view, flung onto a bed, and being slapped, prompting many to question what happens behind the walls of nursing homes and criticism of things including the large majority of staff at nursing homes being foreigners and monitoring of what happens to the old folks there.

  All these had led to the Ministry Of Health saying on the 11^th of June that it will conduct a review of all nursing homes in Singapore. However, many suggestions and criticisms should be handled and considered carefully as such abuse or large presence of “uncivilized” foreigners may be another occurrence in future unless more Singaporeans start stepping up and show initiative to take care of the elderly.

  Most of the staff in a nursing home consists of foreign workers, which had driven the criticism of many who claim that these workers do not have proper training and when met with unforeseen situations, turn to force. However, most of the nurses have been said to be quite understanding, and Singaporeans are unwilling to take up these positions, as this job, like many others, require not only a lot of patience but has low pay, long hours and words of abuse and fits from many ill old folks. Thus, who are we to blame them? Who are we to criticize these foreign workers when we pointing the finger are unable to step up to take care of our elderly?

  Although it is true that the Ministry of Health have a huge responsibility for this incident, and it certainly seems fishy that the MOH only released such footage and promised checks on all the Nursing Homes in Singapore in June when they were already alerted in March. Also, they too play a part in ensuring that there are security measures like the installation of CCTVs in nursing homes to ensure that such a incident does not happen. However, even with surveillance, some places cannot be surveyed due to invasion of privacy, not to mention the mammoth task of making sure all 63 nursing homes in Singapore have 24-hour surveillance. Singaporeans too should play a part by visiting nursing homes to help monitor living conditions and also, Singaporeans whose parents are in nursing homes too should take the initiative to visit them and try to understand how they are living there.

  To conclude, MOH should, as some had suggested review the elder care sector and provide more incentives and promote caregivers’ jobs so as to attract more Singaporeans to be caregivers and the MOH should also pay more attention to the training and guidance, as well as surveillance of caregivers. In turn too, Singaporeans must start realizing the importance of caring for the elderly and play a part in ensuring that the elderly’s stay in nursing homes will be enjoyable.