Lai Pei Ting and Leong Jia Xin, both physiotherapist assistants at Tzu Chi Day Rehabilitation Center, are demonstrating simple body exercises while a kidney patient follows their move in front of the TV with the company of Tzu Chi home visit team. (Photo by Chong Yu Jia)
Singapore reports an uptrend in COVID-19 cases in the second half of 2021. For many kidney patients, going for kidney dialysis is the only time they are out of their homes. Singapore Tzu Chi Renal Support Group took notice of this and was concerned about their limited social interactions. Thus, the group decided to care for this group of care recipients differently to keep them active physically and mentally even at home. To achieve that, an online programme called “Super Sunday” has been organized by Tzu Chi Renal Support Group since July 2021. The support group also launched the Tzu Chi Renal Friends Fellowship Telegram channel to keep these care recipients posted.
Lasting for 45-minute each session, "Super Sunday" focuses on home-based activities to encourage kidney patients to live an enriching life through exercises, art, cooking, and maintaining a positive mindset, among others.
(Photo by Chong Yu Jia)
The first online event broadcasted on 4th July 2021 was Fitness @ Home, led by Lai Pei Ting and Leong Jia Xin, both physiotherapist assistants at Tzu Chi Day Rehabilitation Center. After some warm-up exercises, the physiotherapist assistants demonstrated using everyday household items such as towels and water bottles as workout tools to stretch and exercise every part of the body. In the meantime, kidney patients at home followed the live broadcast with the home visit team.
Next, TCM physician Chan Chiew Yong introduced Master Lee Feng Shan's Ping Shuai Gong (Swing Hands Exercise), which promotes blood circulation and strengthens the body and mind. The exercise is simple, easy to learn and is suitable for people with disabilities as it can be practised in a sitting position
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, staying at home has become a norm for Maznah. Hence, the online interactive programme hosted by Tzu Chi became a break she yearned for. In the company of the home visit team, Maznah followed the demonstration of the physiotherapist assistants and TCM physician to perform the exercises while having a smile on her face. She commented: "This programme is really good. I hope that other kidney patients can participate and have more confidence in themselves and don't have to worry about this or that."
The second online programme themed Mindful @ Home was held on 5th September 2021 to keep the kidney patients positive and mindful through stretching exercises to relax their bodies and muscles. Maintaining positive mindfulness has many benefits, including reducing anxiety, improving sleep and focus, regulating mood, relieving pain, relaxing mood and reducing stress.
Tzu Chi volunteer Lee Voon Kong, who holds relevant training certification, shared: "Staying at home every day may cause our minds to become erratic. One may relive the past and feel frustrated with the present. In the next instance, one may think of the future and feel the uncertainties. All these would result in anxieties. Even if one does not leave the house, one must maintain a happy state of mind. Only when one focuses on the present can one feel calm and relaxed."
Lee Voon Kong then shared the "Mindful Breathing Method". By being mindful of our every breath, one can maintain a peaceful state of mind. If one’s thought drifts away, just acknowledge it and bring it back. It is normal for our thoughts to drift away, there is no need to be stressed and blame oneself for not being to hold one’s thoughts. He also shared the “Mindful Stretching”, which consists of four exercises, V, W, T and L, to relax the muscles, promote blood circulation and obtain a peaceful state of mind and a healthy body.
Kidney patient, Madam Chen participates in the online "Super Sunday" programme very enthusiastically. Although the screen of her mobile phone is small, Madam Chen listens very carefully and follows the stretching exercises diligently. Madam Chen has kidney dialysis thrice a week. Due to her mobility difficulties, she can only take a taxi to the dialysis centre. She hopes that the stretching exercises can reduce pain in her feet and improve her insomnia.
Volunteer Tan Chew Boon helping Madam Chen (right), a Tzu Chi care recipient to join Tzu Chi Renal Friends Fellowship Telegram channel. (Photo by Ng Hock Soon)
Tzu Chi volunteers have always maintained close contact with their dialysis care recipients even during this pandemic, whereby social management measures pose additional restrictions. To overcome the social distancing barrier, Tzu Chi volunteers set up Tzu Chi Renal Friends Fellowship Telegram to ensure continuation in the contact. This channel periodically delivers articles on kidney care, humanities, music, Jing Si Aphorisms, motivational stories of kidney patients, and more.
One of the inspirational short films shared on this channel was that of the famous American lecturer Hal Elrod who shared his own experience. After a serious accident, Hal was told by the doctor that he could no longer walk as eleven of his bones were fractured and his brain suffered permanent damage. Hal said to himself that since he couldn’t change the fact, he chose to accept the reality of lifelong dependence on a wheelchair. He even aspired to become the happiest person in a wheelchair. As such, Hal adopted a positive attitude enthusiastically and worked hard in rehabilitation. And eventually, he was even able to stand up and take his first step forward.
Tzu Chi Foundation (Singapore) Community Service Executive, Alex Chen, hopes that through the online interaction and Telegram channel, Tzu Chi can deliver multi-faceted care so that the kidney patients can live a more fulfilling, enriching and positive life.
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