Saved twice by the HoME+ system, Mdm Chan Woon Siong maintains her independence and peace of mind despite multiple health scares. 

The day we pulled up to Mdm Chan Woon Siong’s place was a rainy one. More affectionately known as Aunty Chan, the 84-year-old’s cosy 70s-looking three-room flat sat in one of the older estates in the north of Singapore. Slightly apologetic for the dishevelled state we were in, we huddled into the warmth of her house glad to escape from the storm that was roaring outside. 

Always smiling, Aunty Chan embodies resilience, warmth, and a quiet determination to maintain her independence. She began working as a nanny at just 11 and has spent most of her life looking after others. Though she never had children of her own, she is deeply loved by her two nephews and one niece. And since retirement, she reminisces fondly on her time as a cleaner with the Singapore Red Cross (SRC), surrounded by colleagues she still speaks about with genuine affection. 

It was no wonder that the house was so clean — we’re talking glistering floors and minimal furnishings. This made the various SRC Home Monitoring and Eldercare (HoME+) motion sensors and guardrails put up by HDB jarring additions to its otherwise cohesive and tidy surroundings. Yet, they played a vital part in the house. 

It all started two years ago when a stroke made a mark on her otherwise clean bill of health. It took a toll on Aunty Chan and left her with weak joints that made daily tasks more challenging. It was then that the HoME+ system came to the rescue. And since then, what it offered the 84-year-old was a peace-of-mind. Featuring four non-intrusive motion sensors, two panic buttons, and a 24/7 emergency helpline that provides users with basic first aid and psychological first aid assistance. 

During our visit, Aunty Chan told us that the panic button in her room had fallen off the wall and thankfully the team was quick to remedy the situation. What we didn’t know was how big a role that simple act would play when disaster unexpectedly struck again a week after our visit.

The panic button was pressed at one in the morning when Aunty Chan felt her chest grow alarmingly tight — the symptoms of an oncoming heart attack. Thankfully, within half an hour, the SCDF was contacted and arrived at the scene. She was promptly brought to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and given the medical attention she needed. 

“If it was not for the Singapore Red Cross, I wouldn’t be here today!” She exclaimed. Despite weakening legs that have made daily tasks more challenging, Aunty Chan maintains her independence with grace. 

Her advice on how to stay happy?  “Don’t think so much and live life day by day.” She shared that it was difficult for her to dwell on negative emotions. Instead, she spends her time focusing on daily routines like taking trips to the nearby markets, visiting the exercise corner of her HDB, going to the local temple, spending time with her loved ones, and managing her tenant that she spoke fondly of. 

The security provided by the HoME+ system allowed her to live life without worry and she was happy to pass on that peace of mind to her other single friend who, too, lived alone without kids. The system provides more than just emergency response. Her emergency contacts will be notified if something seems amiss, creating a network of care that extends beyond physical proximity. For Aunty Chan, it's not just a technology — it's a lifeline that allows her to maintain her cherished independence.