Geylang East Home for the Aged

We are a class of secondary three students from Cedar Girls’ Secondary School offering our service as volunteers on 25 May 2016, 8am-1pm. Our class of 35 students is hoping to work with Geylang East Home for the Aged in order to accomplish our goal of giving back to society, fostering empathy and expressing our appreciation towards the elderly within the community as part of our school’s Cedar Social Innovation Project. Hence, we would like to engage the elderly from 8am-1pm on 25 May 2016 in line with the quadrennial Cedar Social Innovation Project, which is a school wide initiative for all classes to participate in volunteering on this day.

We plan to execute our project on the Geylang East Home for the Aged premises, on 25th May 2016. We intend to carry out several icebreakers as well as put up a series of performances for the elderly to trigger nostalgia and reminiscence. Some other ideas we have include leading the elderly in morning stretches and Tai Chi. Activities like Origami and Chinese Chess may also be included in order to further entertain and interact with the elderly. Additionally, there may be a stories-sharing session for the elderly to share some of their experiences with the student volunteers. The class has been divided into groups, which will each be focusing on a certain segment of the project Amazing Race, in order to maximise efficiency and ensure that each student has a part to play in this project.

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Poems written by Sherine Hoo of Class 3H:

Poor old woman

Her teeth have fallen

Her eyes have sunken

Her hair has whitened

The carer said

She won't leave her bed

Waiting for her son to appear

Because he hasn't in years

1, 2, 3, 4

I knock on her door

And she peers at me

Curiously

She hasn't had visitors for a long time

The carer chimed

She might just ignore you

So keep that in mind, too

I put my hand on her shoulder

And tell her she's got friends over

The carer told me, later

It was the first time she had smiled in forever

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Sometimes,

You think,

You have too little to offer,

But maybe,

It’s whatever you have to offer,

That is all someone will ever need

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Grandma?

It's been a while

How are you?

I'm sick, tired and alone

It's been years but can you still remember...

My old memory is failing me...

What you used to say?

But I think of the past a lot

About my knotty hair and bruised skin?

Now MY hair has turned white

"But I can still braid it"

My skin is deeply wrinkled and marked with age spots

"Battles scars are signs of strength"

Of course

When you saw me with a heavy schoolbag?

My hand are too weak now, though

"I'll hold for you"

Well, I used to be very much stronger then

When I sat in the shopping trolley?

You must be aware that my legs no longer work

"I'll bring you around, sit tight"

I know, I know

Grandma, don't coop yourself up in here...

I understand the time has come

Let's go outside and talk ok?

I'll be happy to finally leave this room

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Photographs courtesy of Vanessa Chan, Tan Hui En, Lim Pei Ying

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Quote sourced by Lee Yi Faye

“Empathy is about standing in someone else's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place.”

#3H