Before i started out as a social worker, i was lucky to come across many social workers who were committed to the social work values. Through their education, guidance and supervision, i was able to practice these in exciting ways in my first job at a residential home. This was where people who were considered destitute, call home. Our residents consisted of older adults, people with disabilities and mental health conditions from a wide range of Activities of Daily Living abilities. I was the home’s first social worker and was tasked to establish a Individualised Care Plan for each of the 120 residents. At this point, i did a needs assessment to assess the needs of the residents as well as the live-in-staff and local staff. I interviewed staff, residents. The staff were from multiple disciplines (doctor, nurses, caregivers, welfare officers, occupational therapists and physiotherapists, administrators, etc) as well as from different cultures (Singaporeans of different ethnicity and background, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Philippines). I created template based on biopsychosocial assessment and proceeded to coordinate monthly case conference meetings for the team and the residents to discuss their Individualised Care Plans to collaborate to improve their mental, physical, and sense of meaning through increased support.
Through my observations, interviews and assessments, i saw that some residents could have a better fit (Person-in-environment fit). but i soon learnt that this required a lot of tact and perseverance as the staff had a mostly permeable boundary (Systems theory), and not comfortable with change due to the culture, beliefs and expectations. Initially, we started small - i would prepare with the resident the steps we were to take, reflecting on their employment history, discuss job strategies and trainings. The occupational therapist, Sze Jie and i strategised and worked together to set up different programmes for the residents according to their needs and strengths. These programmes were reinforced and enriched by a new system of token economy (initiated by Sze Jie), where participation in training, programmes or helping around could earn you a point towards getting milo, snacks or goes towards a trip (my idea) to the neighbourhood foodcourt to practice their purchasing food skills and social skills with volunteers, and their favourite hawker food (very important!).
This took much perseverance to introduce these different ways of being, and slowly, with a lot of negotiation and hiccups. The residents involved, Sze Jie, some allies and i managed to establish trust and confidence with the rest of the team. We tapped into the banks of care and love for the residents and this community. I supported the residents in this process, together with those too who saw the potential in these residents. The result was the facilitation of 3 residents’ access to employment - One was a licensed street busker, the second a room attendant at a hotel and the third, a chinese masseuse. The first 2 managed to get accommodation and live in the community. and i'm happy that years later i saw the other in the community too. Later, the team was very receptive to more changes, and were committed to bringing their patience into guiding the residents into regular employment routines around the home. I structured the mostly informal and unpaid chores the residents did into the Home Earning Scheme, and involved more residents. We also facilitated many social and training programmes for the staff to meet well being needs. At the end of my employment at the Home, the staff were taking much ownership in improving the quality of life for each individual person at the home.
Clockwise from top left: Our daily morning exercise, buying slippers during the Neighbourhood Trips (NT), Buying Hawker food @ NT, Residents taking over the responsibilities of the Daily Token Economy stall, Visiting the Barber @ NT