Slice of Life

Have you ever known someone going through grief and unsure how to support them? Or perhaps, have you navigated through the turmoil of emotions yourself? 

In this episode, we were blessed with the opportunity to talk with Mr. Ng Yong Hao, a social worker who specializes in grief and loss. Having worked in both a medical & community setting and also currently pursuing a PhD on grief experiences in dementia caregivers, Yong Hao has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to grief. We chatted about the various forms of grief, how we can better cope with it and how to support those around us who are going through this universal, painful yet transformative journey called grief.

How can we help caregivers take a break? Medi-minders at HCA Hospice Care do exactly that.

Previously a medical student and member of Project Happy Apples, Dr Janice Soo is now an emergency medicine resident who has been volunteering at HCA Hospice Care as a Medi-minder since her medical school days. Medi-minders are part of the Star PALS programme at HCA Hospice Care who provide free-of-charge care for children and young adults with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness. Janice’s role as a Medi-minder provides parents or other caregivers a few hours of respite a month, to care for other children in the family, run errands or simply to take a breather. Beyond just providing respite care, she journeys with the family through difficult times and has taken away a few things when it comes to patient care, managing burnout, and even started having end-of-life conversations with her own parents.

If you are interested in volunteering as a Medi-minder at HCA Hospice Care to provide some short-term relief for caregivers of children with life-limiting conditions, please head to https://hca.org.sg/volunteer to find out more!

All children should be loved and cared for. Indonesian-born, Singapore resident Lynna Chandra, with an investment banking background, founded Rachel House in Indonesia in 2006. Rachel House provides palliative care for children from marginalised communities in Indonesia living with life threatening or life-limiting illnesses especially cancer or HIV. Join us to hear about the inspiring story of Rachel House and Lynna’s mission to transform healthcare through compassion in Indonesia and beyond.

If you would like to support Rachel House and the beautiful work they do in whatever way you can, volunteering your time or making a donation, please head to https://rachel-house.org/, you can also find them on Instagram and Facebook @rachelhouseindonesia.

Does receiving palliative care mean my life will end soon? What exactly is spirituality in palliative care? How did pineapple tarts teach Sandy valuable lessons in life? What legacy would you like to leave behind?

In this episode of the Slice of Life Podcast, we are joined by two special guests from SingHealth Community Hospitals, Tricia - an occupational therapist, and Sandy - a Medical Social Worker. Tune in now as we speak to them about their roles caring for palliative care patients, lessons from patients, Tricia’s legacy project and how their unique experiences have shaped them to become the people they are today.

Find out more about Tricia’s Legacy project here: https://www.singhealth.com.sg/SCH/about-us/newsroom/our-stories/Pages/A-Mothers-Love.aspx

If you would like to donate a small amount to the patients at SingHealth Community Hospitals, please feel free to support them at https://www.giving.sg/web/singhealthcommunityhospitals.

"Regardless of how challenging patients' behaviour is, they are also somebody's loved ones and it challenges us to treat all patients with love and dignity... just like how we wish our loved ones will be cared for."

Do pharmacists do more than counting and dispensing pills? In this episode, we speak to Ms Peh Zi Xin who shared about her experience working as a pharmacist at Dover Park Hospice. We spoke about the differences between working as a pharmacist in a hospice versus an acute hospital, common misconceptions people have about pharmacists, and how her understanding of death and palliative care has evolved over her time working as a hospice pharmacist.

Interested in what we do? check out projecthappyapples.com.