Caring for the elderly: Brahm Centre inks agreement with TTSH to train more vocational students
Brahm Centre opens its 10th centre called Brahm Centre @ Labrador to extend accessible, community-based support for mental wellbeing in the western area of Singapore.
The Brahm Centre and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) have collaborated to create a more structured program for vocational training, specifically targeting the education of interns from Northlight School. These interns spend their time in the hospital, learning the fundamentals of primary care for the elderly. Both institutions agreed to expand this program in the coming years, with the Brahm Centre preparing students and TTSH providing workplace learning and guidance.
Founder and CEO of the Brahm Centre, Angie Chew, aims to equip young individuals with essential soft skills, such as compassion and forming bonds with others. Under TTSH's Para-Nursing Volunteer Programme, students gain basic caregiving skills and para-clinical skills to assist nurses, support patient recovery, and alleviate ward workloads at the TTSH Integrated Care Hub.
Unlike other volunteer initiatives, this program provides students with hands-on training under the supervision of "nurse buddies," focusing on skills specific to the healthcare setting. They help patients with daily tasks, such as personal hygiene and mobility, without being allowed to perform medical procedures.
Deputy Director of Nursing at TTSH, Wee Fong Chi, expressed her admiration for the program's impact on the students. Initially unsure and reliant on nurse instructions, the students transformed into proactive caregivers within eight weeks, showcasing their newfound confidence and motivation.
Upon completion of their internship, some students expressed interest in pursuing careers in healthcare, with a few even applying to pursue nursing and allied health at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). Chew believes that the soft skills developed during the program, which AI cannot easily replicate, are crucial for effective caregiving.
The memorandum of understanding was signed during the official opening of the Brahm Centre@Labrador, a 4,000 sq ft community wellbeing space located in Telok Blangah. The charity's mission is to promote healthier living, and the Labrador center serves as an extension of accessible mental wellbeing support for Singapore's West.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
