AMK-THKH Newsletter Issue 1 of 2011 - Thye Hua Kwan Hospital

Lured by the Silver AgeDr Phua Mei Fang and Dr Kelvin Phua both embarkedon their new journey into Geriatric Care at AMK-THKHrecently. Reaching Out finds out the motivating factorsbehind their career moves.continued fromprevious pageThe Hospital was abuzz with activity as staff andtheir families, along with patients and caregiversvisited the various international booths set up byHospital staff showcasing their countries’ culturaland national heritage.Our multi-talented colleagues also whipped up theappetites of all present by treating them to a spreadof local delicacies they prepared. Thai Tom Yum soup,Taiwanese Bubble Tea, as well as Indian Thosai wereamong the widespread delights on display.The ever-sporting staff donned their traditionalcostumes, turning themselves into cultural icons oftheir own countries. Booths were just as dressed upwith fine decorations.“I am really glad to share our culture with the locals”,said Myanmese Ye Tun Thaung, a Staff Nurse withthe Hospital.Dr Lee Ngak Siang, CEO, THKMS with ourAMK-THKH Idol, Mr Zechariah Yeo, Nursing Officer“We even brought along the famous thanakhar – awhite powder that helps improve one’s skin complexionfrom Myanmar to share with our colleagues”.Staff Nurse Elisa B Brilantes worked together withher team to set up the Philippines booth whichshowcased their local products.The event also had a AMK-THKH Idol singingcompetition as well as a dessert making competition.Needless to say, the judges did not have an easy timechoosing the winners. Our friends from Malaysia wonthe best decorated booth award while Thain Gi Moe,our Enrolled Nurse created the best dessert whichtantalised the tastebuds of our judges. Zechariah Yeo,our Nursing Officer who had awed the audience withhis singing emerged winner of the AMK-THKH Idolsinging competition.It was indeed a fun-filled day for our staff, patients andtheir families!What attracted you to work in AMK- THKH?Dr Phua Mei Fang (MF): I enjoy working with theelderly and personally, I find taking care of themvery meaningful. I always feel rewarded when Isee my patients recovering well and regaining theirfunctional ability, not to mention fully reintegrating intothe community.Dr Kelvin Phua (KP): Majoring in Family Medicineprovided me with the opportunity to work with a widegroup of patients, ranging from the young to the elderly.The challenges of caring for elderly patients were whatpiqued my interest in Geriatric Care. Taking care ofelderly patients is not solely about practicing medicine;it involves engaging their families and the communityas well.How is working in a community hospital differentfrom running a clinical practice in restructuredhospitals and private clinics?MF: In a community hospital, I handle patients who arereceiving intermediate and long-term care. Thisallows me to spend more time with them andprovide them with greater care and comfort. Workingin a community hospital alsoinvolves adopting a multidisciplinaryapproach,where communicationand co-ordinationbetween departmentsare essential to ensure our patients gain maximumbenefits during and after their hospitalisation.KP: Most patients spend about a month with us. Thisenables me to assess and modify the patients’ treatmentplans in accordance with their medical progress, thusmaximising their recovery potential. I also get to knowtheir families and caregivers better and am able toprovide them with more personalised care.What do you hope to achieve at AMK-THKH?MF: With Singapore’s ageing population, there will bean increasing demand for healthcare services. Withthat in mind, l hope to train more healthcare workersand caregivers to ensure that elderly patients arewell taken care of during and after their stay with us.Improving the quality of care for patients is anotheraspect I would like to explore with my team.KP: Singapore is experiencing an increasing greyingpopulation and this has led to the growing importanceof Geriatric Care. I hope to carry out more geriatricresearch with the ultimate aim of improving the healthof the elderly.To our interested readers, that will be staff from China,India, Ireland, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Republicof China (Taiwan), Thailand and United Kingdom!!Our colleagues from Myanmar at their boothOur beautiful India boothBest Dessert Creater - Enrolled Nurse Thain Gi MoeDr Phua Mei FangDr Kelvin PhuaAMK - THKH REACHING OUT 3

A Chat withMs OmadeviTharuman KohJust knowing that we canmake an impact on ourpatients’ lives is one of thebest feelings in the world! -Ms Omadevi Tharuman KohWe Get A New Look!A CommunityPartnershipwithAkzoNobelAMK-THKH warmly welcomes Ms OmadeviTharuman Koh to its senior leadership asAssistant Director of Nursing. We managedto catch up with the amiable Ms Omadevifor a quick chat on her love for nursing aswell as future plans for the department.BeforeOur HospitalAfterOur HospitalOur HospitalOur HospitalWhat motivated you to embark on a nursingcareer?Why did you decide to pursue your nursing passionat AMK-THKH?I really enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life andnursing provides me with opportunities to know people ona personal level and build relationships with them.I also believe that good nursing care makes a significantdifference in our patients’ lives. We must remember thatpatients need to recover physically and get over their illnessespsychologically. Nurses play an important role in the recoveryprocess both physically and psychologically and this wasanother motivating factor for my interest in the profession.Over the years, I developed a great passion forGeriatric Nursing Care. AMK-THKH offers an idealenvironment for me to develop nursing care plans forolder patients. I also look forward to sharing my skills andexperience with my nursing colleagues as the Hospitalgears towards becoming a leader in clinical, training andresearch work in the Intermediate and Long-Term Care Sector.What are some of the things you would like toachieve at AMK-THKH?Our GymOur GymWhat is the most rewarding aspect of nursing?Just knowing that we can make an impact on our patients’lives is one of the best feelings in the world! It is alwaysrewarding to see sick patients slowly getting better underour care and eventually getting discharged with smiles ontheir faces. It makes my day!With Singapore’s ageing population, geriatrics andstep-down care have taken on greater prominence inthe health care sector. I intend to work with the nursingteam to enhance the core competencies and skills of ournurses, as part of our continuous effort to provide excellentcare for our patients at the Hospital.Our WardsOur Wardscontinued on next pageAMK - THKH REACHING OUT5

The Six-MonthsJourneyOn 3 August 2010, 150 volunteers comprising board members, senior management and staff of AMK-THKH and AkzoNobel came together to visit our patients and to give theHospital a new coat of paint.Mr Zainudin Nordin (Mayor, Central Singapore District and MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) with Board Members and Senior Management of AMK-THKH and AkzoNobel at theofficial launch.continued from previous page10.10.10 marked a day of transformationfor AMK-THKH as it unveiled its newlypainted building at the Hospital’s CelebratingColours Carnival.Co-organised by AMK-THKH and AkzoNobel, the world’slargest Paints and Coatings company and manufacturerof Dulux paint, the carnival commemorated a six-monthlong community partnership between both organisations.The project was first mooted when the management atAMK-THKH recognised that both AzkoNobel and theHospital share a similar vision in serving the community.Spurred on by the common goal both organisations share,the Hospital approached AkzoNobel with the possibility ofcollaborations on community outreach projects.After rounds of discussions, the team at AkzoNobelvisited the Hospital and witnessed first-hand the passionand commitment of the Hospital team in caring for itspatients. Encouraged by the shared vision, AkzoNobeladopted AMK-THKH as part of its initiative to enrich andenliven communities worldwide with colors. This partnershipwould see the AkzoNobel team providing the Hospital withcolour expertise, consultation and recommended colourschemes in painting the exterior and courtyard facade ofthe Hospital.AMK-THKH was the first community hospital in Singaporeto be touched by this initiative, which culminated in a 10-hourcolour carnival on 10.10.10. Mr Zainudin Nordin, Mayor,Central Singapore District and MP for Bishan-Toa PayohGroup Representation Constituency graced the event asthe Guest-of-Honor. On the day, more than 2,500 patients,staff and members of the public walked through the Hospital’sdoors between 10am and 8pm to take part in the festivities.Besides providing free health screening to the public, theHospital also offered nutritional and diet advice to the publicas well as Wii games that are used as part of its patients’rehabilitation programme.The games proved to be a hit amongthe visitors and provided them opportunities to experiencewhat our patients go through in the therapy gym.“Adding colour to people’s lives is the mission of AkzoNobelDecorative Paints and the Dulux brand. The CelebratingColors Carnival is more than just a fiesta of colours. Itmarks a truly meaningful day as we cap off our contribution,giving back to the community through this programme.We hope that this will serve as an inspiration to others asAkzoNobel brings to life our mission. The Ang Mo Kio – ThyeHua Kwan Hospital is an institution which brings comfort toothers. We are happy that AkzoNobel can play apart in bringing comfort and colours to the lessfortunate in society. We are also thrilled that thecommunity has joined us in celebrating today.”said Mr Jeremy Rowe, Managing Director,Decorative Paints, South East Asia and Pacificat AkzoNobel.“Today’s carnival signifies the strongbond that has formed over the pastfew months between the Hospital andAkzoNobel. We trust that this initiativewill raise greater community awareness and encouragemore like-minded organisations to come forward andcontribute to the communities around them,” said Dr ChanKin Ming, Chairman, AMK-THKH.One of the Hospital inpatients, Ms Pauline Lee, 47, wasespecially pleased with the new colours of AMK-THKH. “Thecolours are very bright and vibrant, motivating us to do ourrehabilitative exercises” she enthused.CelebratingColoursCarnival On10.10.10Mr Zainudin Nordin(Mayor, Central SingaporeDistrict and MP forBishan-Toa PayohGRC), Mr Lee KimSiang (Chairman,THKMS) visiting patientsin AMKH’s newlypainted ward(Image on the left)AMK - THKH REACHING OUT 7

AlwaysLearning,AlwaysImprovingContinuing Nursing Education SeminarHelpingOlder Persons withDepression"The talk was very enlighteningfor nurses as it helps us to carefor our elderly patients better."AMK-THKH was proud to host Professor Sally Chan Wai-Chi from theAlice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, NUS YLLSoM, a s she conducted alecture on “Quality of Life in Older Persons with Depression”. As partof the Hospital’s ongoing Continuing Nursing Education Series, thelecture was not only attended by nurses, but also therapists, doctors andadministrative staff at the Hospital who were keen to learn more about the topic.Professor Chan shared in-depth views with the participants on therelationships between chronic physical illnesses, functional levels, socialsupport and quality of life – factors known to increase the likelihood ofdepression among older adults. She also led a discussion on measuresto alleviate the onset of depression amongst the elderly in the healthcareenvironment.Participants found the seminar both useful and timely. “The talk was veryenlightening for nurses as it helps us to care for our elderly patients better.Now we know how to look out for signs of depression and ensure that our- Ms Fauziah Binte Rahman patients obtain appropriate medical help,” said Ms Fauziah Binte Rahman,as Therapeutic Aidesa Nursing Officer at the Hospital.AnimalsProfessor Chan, who has devoted more than 25 years to nursing education,has authored over 150 academic, professional and conferencepapers. She is a five-time recipient of the ‘Teacher of theYear’ award and was conferred the ‘Master Teacher’ awardby the Faculty of Medicine at the Chinese University ofHong Kong in 2007.Pets not only make great companions, theyare also a source of unconditional love andcomfort for many of us, especially when wefall ill.Recognising the important role pets play as therapeutic aids forpatients, the Hospital’s Care and Counseling Department organiseda “Pet Visitation” programme in October last year.The program, which was co-organised by Society for the Preventionof Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), saw our patients having fun walkingthe dogs and cradling them in their arms. It was indeed a day of funfor all our patients.“I’ve always wanted to have a pet dog,” expressed Mdm CheongYoot Meng, as she tenderly stroked one of the puppies in her lap.“This programme has made my dreams come true as I canenjoy the company of these friendly animals during my stay here,”she added.AMK - THKH REACHING OUT 11

with Friends fromUnited Parcel Services(UPS)It was an afternoon of fun and laughterat AMK-THKH on Saturday, 23 October2010 as 20 staff volunteers from UnitedParcel Service (UPS) organised aparty for 30 elderly patients at theHospital ward.Aptly themed ‘Reminiscing the Old Days’,the party kicked off with a medley of goldenoldies from the 1960s and 1970s performed by thevolunteers. The songs brought smiles to the patients,who clapped and sang along enthusiastically.An exciting round of BINGO games followed andpatients alternated between sighs of disappointmentand shouts of delight as each round of BINGO reachedits climax.It was definitely shaping up to be an exciting afternoonfor patients as they sat up with rapt attention, eagerlywaiting for the numbers they desired to be called.Rounding off the day was a friendly game of “Guessthe Places and Persons”. Volunteers from UPSbrought a collection of photographs of old buildingsin Singapore as well as personalities from yesteryearand patients who correctly identified each photographearned points for their team. Everyone enjoyed thegame thoroughly and a photograph of Elvis eveninspired an impromptu performance from one ofthe patients.Expressing her joy was Ms Gayle Kiew from thePhysical Distribution Strategic Accounts Department,who painstakingly handcrafted 20 souvenir teddybears for patients who participated in the party.“I made the teddy bears with happiness and feltsatisfied when I thought about how the patients wouldlove them.” Ms Kiew, who also has a passion forvolunteering shared, “I love volunteering as I enjoyspending quality time with others and I feel happywhen others, especially the less fortunate, are happy.”Mr Ho Joo Chan, another volunteer who gamelytook on the role of emcee for the ward party, wasa hit among Hospital patients thanks to his strongcommand of the various dialects. “Being part of thiswas definitely a rewarding experience, especiallyseeing how the elderly patients responded tothe games,” said the jovial Business DevelopmentDepartment volunteer.“Volunteering is our company's culture, and I havesince embraced it. It also gives me great satisfactionto do my part for charity. We just have to give in anyway we can and to the best of our abilities.”The party was a wonderful experience for both Hospitalpatients and volunteers from UPS.AMK - THKH REACHING OUT