Seniors' homes get makeover

SINGAPORE - Madam Soh Lun Ying, a 79-year-old retiree, has lived by herself for more than a decade in a one-room flat in Bukit Merah.

House-cleaning is a challenge for the former social worker and Singapore Mint employee, and she slept on a mattress infested with bed bugs.

Yesterday, she was one of about 25 households that received help from a Tanglin-Cairnhill Citizens Consultative Committee effort called Project Fresh, so named because it aims to help some seniors by fixing, refurbishing and enhancing their homes.

The project aims to help 1,900 households in six rental blocks in Bukit Merah View and Henderson, and has benefited over 300 so far.

Yesterday, grassroots volunteers and 100 people from the Singapore Contractors Association's Clean A Home programme scrubbed homes, replaced basic bedding and dining items, did minor repairs, and got rid of bed bugs through fumigation. Some homes were even repainted.

A grateful Madam Soh said: "I wanted to pay (the volunteers), but they said no need. They did a very good job."

The Central Singapore Community Development Council provided cleaning equipment and bed sets under its Silver Homes programme, which aims to improve the homes of those aged 50 and above.

This article was first published on May 31, 2015.
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