Apple Hong with her late father, who died in August 2023 after a struggle with Parkinson's disease. Photo: Apple Hong/Instagram
Former Mediacorp actress Apple Hong recently opened up about the difficult decisions she had to make after her father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020.
The 45-year-old Malaysian-born star shared her experience navigating her late father’s ill health at an Alexandra Hospital Care Day event in Queenstown on Oct 5.
Hong’s father died in August 2023 at the age of 76.
She told Chinese publication Shin Min Daily News that prior to her father’s diagnosis, her family had little knowledge of the disease.
Parkinson’s disease is an age-related degenerative brain condition which can cause slowed movements, tremors, balance problems and more. It is not curable.
She said her father’s symptoms were not severe at the time of his diagnosis, and he managed his condition well by going for walks. But the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic kept him indoors and led to his swift deterioration. He then suffered a fall, which further worsened his condition.
Hong, who married her Singaporean businessman husband in 2017 and became a Singapore citizen in 2022, has long been based here while her father lived in Malaysia. Closed borders and travel restrictions during the pandemic meant she could not visit him despite his ill health.
After his fall, he was confined to a wheelchair and could not take care of himself. That was when Hong suggested to her older brother to send their father to a care facility.
Hong said: “I discussed the matter with my brother. I thought it made more sense to send him to a nursing home because there are trained medical professionals there and other elderly patients my father could interact with.
“But my brother was against it at first because it seemed like an unfilial thing to do. Actually, I struggled with those feelings too, but in the end, we decided to send him to the home.”
Hong said she understands why some people feel conflicted about sending their parents to nursing homes, and are afraid of being seen as unfilial. However, her family made the decision to make sure her father could receive quality care and professional medical help, she said.
“My brother needs to work, my aunt is in her old age and I’m in Singapore. Hiring a helper might not be the best solution,” she said.
Their family situation worsened when her mother became paralysed due to a blood clot in the brain. Eventually, both parents were sent to a nursing home, although her mother has now been discharged and is living with her brother in Kuala Lumpur, with a maid helping to take care of her.
“Making decisions like these means you will often end up in situations where you have different opinions from your family members,” she added. “The most important thing is to discuss matters peacefully and to maintain the bonds you have with your family.”
Hong, who has starred in series such as The Little Nyonya (2008) and Joys Of Life (2012), is now also a content creator who does live-stream sales on TikTok. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
