Morning at an Elderly Home

Last Saturday was probably the best time to oversleep until the afternoon and enjoy the cool and gloomy weather brought about by the typhoon. 

However, around 7:30am, I got a call my from my colleague informing me that the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activity was not cancelled since the T8 (Typhoon 8) warning has been lifted already. 

To give you a little background, our company has incorporated the CSR component in  our annual performance appraisal. This then meant that each staff has to meet a certain number of hours to achieve a certain grade. [With this kind of arrangement, the volunteerism aspect of charitable works became something obligatory, something enforced. So if a staff wants to secure the 10% weight in his appraisal, he has no choice but commit some Saturdays to achieve it.]

Reluctantly, I managed to get up from the bed where my husband and little girl were sleeping soundly. If not for the points (needed for this year's appraisal) and the 4-hour off-in-lieu that I will earn from this, I wouldn't have signed up for this. 

I was on my way to the venue when the rained suddenly poured so hard. My shoes got soaked in rain water and I got wet consequently. Undeniably, I was so frustrated and irritated already that I didn't want to attend the activity anymore. Nevertheless, I still headed.

As the taxi halted at 63 Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong, a white spacious house stood. I had never been to an elderly home in my life, so I didn't know what to expect.

The whole place looked tidy and the staff greeted us with warm smiles. Surprisingly, the place was not smelly. It proved that the "home" was managed well. 

We were led inside a small room called the "SICK ROOM" where we were briefed about the residents' attitudes and some DOs and DONTs. Finally, the GM had to ask what we wanted to get out from this activity. In my mind, it was definitely the CSR points and the off-in-lieu hours which I needed badly. 

Minutes after the briefing, we were then led to the living room. The interior of the room was very western. There were sofas all over the place. And a fireplace, too. Very reminiscent, almost like a destination which takes you to a cozy American home the instant you step in. This is because most of the residents are foreigners/westerners who have lived in HK for a long time. And in this setup, it somehow feels home.

Since we aimed to give fun to the residents, we had prepared a few games. We passed the ball and played charades. All of them participated in the games but because some of them couldn't hear of see anymore, as what the GM has told us, they didn't look excited. After the games, came the singing part. I volunteered to sing as I honestly didn't know how to react after I've seing them.. some in wheel chairs, assisted with clutches, and one was salivating involuntarily. I didn't know how I would approach them so I preferred to sing Top of the World by Carpenters as beautifully as I can. 

As I sat down and watched them, questions ran in my head.. Why is it that these people are here. Where have all their families gone. Why is it they are alone. How cruel can their families be to make them live alone. As much as I could draw conclusions, I couldn't. 

I then imagined my parents being this old and how will I be able to take it. It wasn't much for myself that I felt worried actually. It was the old people that I love... my grandmother, father and mother. 

At around 11:30am, the program ended as the residents needed to take their lunch already. One by one, those who cannot walk alone were escorted by the staff to the dining area. And we were already told to go back to the SICK ROOM. 

Inside, the GM threw us a question on how we felt with the old people. One of us said she got sad because she was reminded of her father who has already passed. Then, another question was thrown at each of us which was rather biting: ARE YOU AFRAID TO GET OLD-ER. Unfortunately, I was the first to answer. With all honesty, I said I am. I defended myself by saying I am afraid simply because all the older ones than I am only gets older. As much as I want, I want them to stay youthful, energetic, and alive so to speak. 

Yet, she quickly stopped me to say to just think about myself. Still, yes, I am afraid because the future is uncertain. To ask me if getting older is a problem is tantamount to asking if have a problem with dying. To that question exactly is something yet I have to figure out. 

But as she explained, she asked us not to feel sorry about the old people living there. They have lived an enriched life and so there's nothing to feel sorry for. So as for us not to end up like them, she honestly advised:

1. Exercise. Eat healthy foods.

2. Live the now. 

3. Don't stress about the future.

Those are not the exact words she has uttered, but those are how I interpreted them. I hope I could live by them daily and I will start by doing sit-ups everyday. I could only live once and be with my loved-ones in one lifetime.