'My heart hurts watching this': Caregiver filmed forcefully feeding elderly woman, netizens enraged

If you saw your own grandmother being bullied and mistreated, what would you do?

In a video posted on Singapore Incidents' TikTok page yesterday (May 19), a woman was seen sitting opposite an elderly lady, forcefully feeding her with food.

The woman, presumably a caregiver, could be seen in the video shoving spoonfuls of food into the old lady's mouth with force.

The video garnered almost a million views on TikTok and over 3,000 shares before it was taken down.

A TikTok user by name of Grace claimed in the comments section that the elderly lady is her own grandmother and that her family was looking into the matter.

Although it is still unknown where this video was taken, Grace mentioned that it was taken in a day care centre of which the caregiver pictured is not a member of staff.

AsiaOne has reached out to Grace for more comments. 

This video generated many comments from angry netizens who felt that the caregiver shouldn't have been working there or taking care of that elderly given her apparent bad attitude.

"If [you're] not happy, don't work," a TikTok user mentioned in the comments.

Other users expressed their sympathies for the old lady.

"Poor ah ma," one comment said. "My heart hurts watching this."

Comments from others, some who said they are caregivers, also expressed disapproval towards the caregiver in the video.

"I think she didn't study [how to be a] caregiver," one user posted, "[because] we must have patience and [be] caring and love elderly."

The video was previously uploaded on Facebook by user Myat Min Soe but both the video and image have since been removed.

In Singapore, the Vulnerable Adults Act safeguards vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect or self-neglect. Abuse under this Act can include physical, sexual emotional and psychological abuse.

This Act came into force in Dec 2018.

If you suspect that a vulnerable adult requires protection from abuse, neglect or self-neglect, please call the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline at 1800 777-0000 and the police at 999 if there is imminent danger to life and safety.

Instances where the elderly have been mistreated have occurred before in Singapore.

In March this year, a maid was filmed hitting a wheelchair-bound senior in Queenstown, pulling at the old man's arms and apparently smacking his head.

In January 2020, a maid tried to flee Singapore after beating up and robbing her 61-year-old employer. 

AsiaOne has reached out to Facebook user Myat for comment. 

READ ALSO: Maid arrested for murder after 73-year-old man found dead in Bishan flat

khooyihang@asiaone.com