I Have A Better Grasp On Life

Constant intake of painkillers, bladder infection, manual labour since his early adult life and biological ageing eventually took a toll on 70-year-old former bodybuilder, Mr Tng Ban Choon. He developed spinal problems and ended up with kidney failure two years ago, needing dialysis to stay alive.

Ban Choon has been suffering from spine degeneration in the neck and lower back – two areas most prone to deterioration – known as cervical and lumbar spondylosis respectively. His condition was accompanied by nerve compression, which caused chronic pain, muscle weakness, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, poor reflexes, travelling pain as well as soreness and stiffness. He had also undergone surgeries for three metal implants in his spine over the years. The doctor told him that if he had not gone for the first implant, he could have been paralysed from the neck down. Ban Choon’s hands, legs and neck movements were thus severely restricted and he had to endure great pain and suffering over the years because of his conditions. This has greatly affected his daily life and activities including moving around in and outside his home. More so as he has to travel to the dialysis centre in Simei 13 times a month.

Improving with OT
When he first joined NKF, Ban Choon had extreme difficulty standing up. With physical and occupational therapy proven to be effective treatments to relieve or help minimise nagging neck or back pain, he was indeed thankful to find out that NKF had just started an occupational therapy (OT) programme for kidney patients. He immediately joined the programme in March last year.

Once a week on Tuesdays, he undergoes OT sessions at NKF’s headquarters for about an hour. The exercises helped to loosen his joints and strengthened his muscles, especially his right hand which is very weak. The neck exercises also helped improve his body movements. Over the months, Ban Choon steadily made progress in his rehabilitation. Now, the pain that he has been enduring for such as long time is much more bearable.

More independent
NKF’s occupational therapist, Mr Joel Tham had also arranged for handrails to be installed in his home under the HDB’s Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) scheme to help him move easily and safely from one place to another. At home, Ban Choon – who lives with his wife, son and his eightyear- old grandson – has become more independent, thanks to the guidance and advice given by the OT team. Now, he does not need the help of his family so much. Only once in a while, his grandson spoils him by carrying a cup of tea for him.

Encouraging patients
Ban Choon always encourages other kidney patients at his dialysis centre to join the OT programme to improve their physical state due to ageing, especially those with multiple co-morbidities. “If not they will take life as meaningless,” he said. “Their life can be prolonged through such activities and they will be happier.”

About the Occupational Therapy Programme The programme is tailored to the individual patient’s needs to optimise both activity and participation by supporting and improving independent living, autonomy and quality of life.

Benefits
• Improves safety and enables independence of care at home
• Prevents falls and provides effective care and management in the event of falls to avert unnecessary hospitalisation and functional decline
• Strengthens and maintains muscular strength, balance, coordination and general activity tolerance and endurance
• Empowers patients to re-integrate into the community and re-engage in social activities and occupations that they enjoyed prior to disability/deterioration through various strategies to overcome environmental and social barriers
• Reduces the burden of stress on caregivers through education and training on how to manage and excel in their role
• Helps to assess patients’ equipment needs and apply to existing funding bodies for assistive devices; such as wheelchairs, walking aids and electric scooters