Villa Francis Home for the Aged was built to house old folks, destitute and sick, who were kept in ad-hoc shelters not much better than chicken coops in the 60s & 70s. In July 2006, the Canossian Sisters were appointed by the Archbishop to manage and operate the Home. Villa Francis Home strives to provide a positive and cheerful living environment for its residents, a community where residents have a sense of belonging and are happy to call it "our home". (Source: Catholic Welfare Services)
At around 2pm, the residents were wheeled and ushered into the dining hall. This is where they have their meals and see performances. They have periodic visits from various organizations and volunteers. We set up the stage and started our performance with a few hymns by Mark Leong and Lew May May.
Next, the youth group picked up their guitars and stood together to present a few modern songs. It is reassuring to see young people show care for the poor and aged with so much energy. We waved and clapped our hands to the rhythm, and encouraged the residents to participate as well. After the performance by the youths, it was the residents' turn to sing. The mike was passed around and many had a go at exercising their vocals.
The next item was a game of Bingo. Small cards were given out and the numbers were written on a board as they were being called out. This is a simple game that many residents were familiar with, and helped them to coordinate their thoughts. Members scattered around the tables to assist the residents with crossing the numbers. Snacks were distributed as prizes, and everyone was a winner in this game.
The SSVP band continued next with some Mandarin and Dialect songs, in an effort to rekindle some old memories. Dinner was promptly served at 4.30pm. They enjoyed catered food today, instead of the regular meals, and members help to feed some of the residents.
After dinner, we helped to wheel the residents back to their quarters and clean up the dining hall. The sister-in-charge notified us that the home would be shifting to Yishun next year. Many people living in estates in that area of Yishun were against the move and have a flawed perception of the 'Bad Luck' that follow when an aged home is situated in their estates. On the contrary, it is important for us to empathize with the predicaments of the aged and homeless, and that our children understand this value through our actions.
After a short debrief, we dismissed to a Tze Char in Toa Payoh for our own dinner.
Written by: Vincent