85-year-old in Bukit Batok care home did not get help after fall due to ‘technical issues’ with alert button
Firm appointed to deliver basic services to residents says checks on call buttons have been done.
An 85-year-old woman residing in Singapore's first public housing facility, Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok, experienced a fall and injury to her hip on September 2. She pressed an emergency call button after the incident but, due to a technical issue, no help arrived. This occurred in one of the flats at the assisted living community, which is managed by Vanguard Healthcare, a subsidiary of MOH Holdings.
The woman, Soh Hock Lye, fell in the shower and pressed the call button in the toilet. Her daughter, Mary Aw, thought help was on the way, as she heard a voice respond to the call. However, no one came to her aid. Recognizing no one was coming, Soh dragged herself to the main door using a walking stick and called for help, alerting a neighbor.
Vanguard Healthcare staff responded promptly upon being notified of Soh's fall, and an ambulance was also called. The incident has left Soh's daughter, Mary Aw, angry and disappointed, emphasizing the critical nature of the emergency call system and the urgency of addressing any faults to ensure resident safety. Vanguard Healthcare has acknowledged the distressing situation, confirmed that they are taking steps to improve the system's reliability, and committed to strengthening their response processes.
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