How I Was Involved In Caregiving

It was early 2003 when a church leader mooted the idea of establishing a Caregiving Ministry to the parish priest, Father Terence Pereira. Father Terence supported the idea, and has remained as the ministry’s spiritual director to these days.

Implementation was swift, and so was the support from the church. Several members of the pioneer batch of 11 volunteers ( My wife and I included ) were hastily put through a Caring Through Situations Of Loss And Grief course at the Centre For Ignatian Spirituality And Counselling in July/August 2003.

This was soon followed by an intensive 6-month workshop (80 hours) on Pastoral Care And Counselling (Theory and Practice) conducted by Sister Carmen Francis from 16 August to 8 November 2003.

The ministry successfully journeyed through with its first major client in August 2003, and has since gone on to befriend and journey with many more, both within and outside the parish.

Our Mission Statement

"To Befriend And Provide Encouragement Through LOVE And Caring Toward Those In Situation Of Loss, Grief, Despair and/or Hopelessness As Well As Their Caregivers/Family Members"

What is caregiving ? You and I are involved in caregiving efforts in one way or another without our realising it. Nursing our own sick child is a common form of caregiving. Attending to our dying loved one is another. So is helping a physically-disabled neighbour to the polyclinic.

The ministry would love to be directly involved in all referred caregiving situations, but this may not be possible, at least temporarily, given its existing constraints and process of restructuring.

Instead, the ministry will devote most of its time and efforts in befriending and encouraging those in situation of need, and guide the family members along in their caregiving efforts.

That is, the ministry will temporarily act as a focal point in providing information and referral suggestions for those who need caregiving services/arrangements.

The ministry has education and training arrangements with:

• Dover Park Hospice,
• Hospice Care Association ( Skills for Life: HomeCare ),
• Singapore Cancer Society, and
• Other related organisations.

The ministry is looking for more volunteers to roll out the following plans/programmes:

• Support-Groups;
• Intercessory Prayer-Groups;
• Outreach initiatives for welfare organisations within the parish;
• Home-care Nursing Support-Groups; and
• Counselling