PETALING JAYA: For the senior citizens who live at the Fupin Welfare Home, it is a sanctuary that provides them with the solace they desire to live out the rest of their days in relative peace and tranquillity.
Former personal driver Joseph Sebastian, 68, who suffers from a heart condition called unstable angina, is happy to be with other residents at the home, which is located at Taman Nanyang in Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur.
Unstable angina is a condition where a person’s heart does not get enough blood flow and oxygen, he said, adding that it could lead to a heart attack.
Sebastian said he found Fupin, which means “to help the poor” in Chinese, through mutual friends. Being estranged from his siblings, he said he could go to the nearest government clinic with the aid of the home’s assistant.
In the home’s living room, theSun met Lily Au Yeong Suan, 79, who suffers from high blood pressure.
“I miss cooking. I like to help out to cut vegetables in the kitchen for our meals if I can.”
Present with her was Tan Joo Sen, the home’s president and principal caretaker.
He said the home was started more than a year ago by a group who were keen to care for senior citizens and those who are too ill to care for themselves.
There are separate quarters for the men and women who rely on their services.
“I was called to help with the residents here, who are mostly bedridden, paralysed or had suffered from a stroke.
“Recently, we had a resident who needed surgery to insert a steel rod into her arm.
“It set us back RM5,000 and she is still receiving monthly treatments at the Selayang Hospital.
“We understand that their families may not have the financial means to care for them, so they stay here with us,” Tan told theSun.
He said the residents do not pay to live at the home but sustaining their medical and personal needs comes at a cost.
“There are two homes for the residents. We need more than RM40,000 monthly to maintain their welfare, including having two physiotherapists come in on Wednesdays or Fridays.”
Tan said donors have helped with its work and he hoped the public would continue funding its operations.
He added that those who wish to contribute vegetables, cooked food, adult diapers, soap or noodles are welcome to do so.
Individuals keen on assisting the home can visit www.fupincharity.org for further information or call 014-968 3909.
