My letter to on the above subject is published in The New Paper today, Friday, October 28, 2011, page 21.
I have been following the fortnightly articles by Prof Lee Wei Ling with much interest; the recent one being living a life with no regrets.
She talks about the lifestyle changes she now has to make to take care of her father, former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew who at 88, and recently widowed, is “less vigorous” than he was before 2008 when the late Mrs Lee had a stroke.
Coping with illnesses can be difficult. It can be draining for the caregiver when he or she has to take care of a loved one stricken with a chronic illness or worse, multiple chronic illnesses.
Often don't plan for these things to happen and when we are caught off guard, we feel lost, hopeless, isolated, distressed and trapped.
Coping with long-term illness can be complex for both the caregiver and the care-receiver. The entire family's social life, emotional stability, financial resources and physical health will be affected.
Family ties can also become strained when relatives do not want to share in caregiving responsibilities.
Those who are financially secure can hire a maid or a nurse to care for the sick. But if you are hard on cash, doing all the caregiving on your own can become a burden.
Actually, caregiving should be praised as a noble job and the media should highlight stories of Singaporeans struggling to cope with chronic illnesses.
RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO
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