Life, Love, and Last Wishes

When Mdm Chong was informed that her husband, Mr Chang, required end-of-life care due to liver cirrhosis, disbelief washed over her. To her, he seemed fine, showing no visible signs of deteriorating health.

Her resistance to HCA's home care service was palpable during our first visit in August 2023. To someone struggling to accept the gravity of her husband’s condition, the suggestion to rearrange their living space to accommodate his care felt intrusive. A turning point came when our nurse began treating the ulcers on Mr Chang's leg, patiently guiding Mdm Chong on how to care for them herself. As the wounds gradually healed, so did her apprehension about accepting help.

As Mr Chang's health declined, he remained adamant about not wanting to die in a hospital. However, caring for him grew increasingly challenging, particularly during the last two months of his journey when he required attention round the clock. Mdm Chong was overwhelmed, especially since they had no children to share the burden. The physical and mental strain began to take its toll.

Finding Support and Comfort

To alleviate her stress, HCA's medical social worker arranged for respite services up to six times a week to ease her caregiving responsibilities for tasks such as baths and diapering, which were exceptionally demanding due to his large stature. The additional support also allowed Mr Chang to visit the coffeeshop downstairs like he used to. “He was a tremendous help to me,” she shared, “and my husband loved chatting with him when he could still talk too.”

With her focus solely on caregiving, Mdm Chong had not been able to work. HCA bore the cost of the respite services and assisted her with subsidy applications to purchase necessities like food and diapers. When Mr Chang struggled with breathlessness in late April, her initial worries about the expenses of renting an oxygen machine dissipated when HCA loaned them the equipment at no charge.