​"Our work in healthcare requires us to be prepared to be called to the frontline when the need arises; at the same time strike a fine balance between our responsibilities at work and at home. With the rise in COVID-19 cases in Singapore in April 2020, there was an urgent need to conduct surveillance testing of nursing home staff to ensure that the elderly in the homes were kept safe from the virus. When I was activated to support the swab operations in the nursing homes, I had to ensure that the daily needs of my elderly parents and son were being taken care of, while staying focused on setting up the swab operations together with my nursing colleagues.

Despite the stresses of caring for my father who was hospitalised for a knee amputation, I am thankful for my neighbour who helped by buying food and groceries for my family. My friends also checked in on me regularly to see if I was coping alright. I tried to isolate myself at home, as I did not want to expose my family to any risk of exposure.

We hope our support at the nursing homes provided the nursing home staff some relief, as they were anxious about being infected and passing it on to the vulnerable residents who tend to be frail and have medical conditions. As a healthcare worker, I am proud to have contributed in a small way to bring down the curve."

- Melissa Tan, Assistant Director, Intermediate and Long Term Care Integration, Changi General Hospital

Originally published on We Are Majulah Facebook. Read more here.