Guardian to five and a father-figure to more, Director of Care Services Mr Adrian Lim reflects on what Father’s Day means to the residents and beneficiaries of Red Cross Home for the Disabled and the Day Activity Centre — as well as for those who care for them.
They say it takes a village to raise a child. I would liken Care Services to a village of loving individuals who genuinely care for our residents. The Singapore Red Cross’s (SRC) Care Services comprises both the Red Cross Home for the Disabled (RCHD) at Lengkok Bahru and the Day Activity Centre (DAC) in Jurong West. I took over as Director at the start of 2020, right before the pandemic, and I haven’t looked back since.
As Director of Care Services, I serve as guardian for five residents at RCHD — a position that comes with tremendous responsibility and the privilege of providing love, care and support for these remarkable individuals. I often find myself switching between my "guardian hat" and "director hat" to ensure I give the best to those in our care. My proudest moment was when one of my residents repeatedly called out to me whilst my back was turned and said, "I love you". That truly made my day!
Most of my colleagues and I serve because of our love for humanity and desire to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable. If you join Care Services purely for the monthly paycheck, you won't last long in this role. This career is only for those passionate and willing enough to advocate for our residents.
Lessons in Parenting
Parenting is a lifelong journey. Fathers need to spend quality time bonding with their children consistently. Children grow up remarkably quickly, so cherish your time with them. What we do can either build them up or leave a negative mark.
Each of our residents is a special and unique individual. Even though some may be bed-bound and unable to speak, they all have feelings and a love language. As caregivers, we need to take the time to know and understand each of them. They experience emotions and have preferences just like any human being — we simply need to be more patient with them.
Finding Strength in Service
Firstly, I must say we are very fortunate to have a strong team of care staff, as this is not an easy job. We maintain a buddy system for emotional support. For me personally, interacting with residents makes me thankful for what I have, and my personal problems seem smaller in perspective.
On a recreational level, I love cycling and have even organised cycling events in Singapore and Batam to raise funds for the Red Cross Home for the Disabled.
Dignity in Care
Our residents are just like regular people. They need social interaction through games or food parties. The ladies love to dress up, have their hair done, enjoy a pedicure and wear makeup. That is why we have invested more resources and increased the number of activities and outings available to our residents every week. Some of them visit Ikea more frequently than I do! They particularly love the soft-serve ice cream there.
Looking to the Future
As with Singapore as a whole, the average age of our residents is increasing. We need to provide more geriatric care for our residents.
We also need to engage our residents' families even more. This year, we undertook a project called "Portraits with Love," where we invited a volunteer professional photographer to take photos of our residents with their families. It was a tremendous success, with many coming to have their portraits taken over three days. We gathered for a celebration party where we presented the photos to their families as a keepsake.
To all fathers and father-figures, we salute you. The Singapore Red Cross will be there to support you on your journey — Happy Father's Day!