IN many corners of society, care homes are seen as places of last resort for the elderly when there’s nowhere else to go. Too often, they are framed as shelters for the “homeless aged”, their denizens treated as charity cases rather than individuals with stories, preferences, and pride.
But what if we shifted that lens? What if care homes were not just places of provision but also of presence – where the elders are not merely housed but also honoured?
My brother Chin Huat passed away recently. He was a man of quiet dignity who valued autonomy, resisted rigid control, and found joy in small freedoms.
I’ve been reflecting on the role of care homes not just as shelters but also as sanctuaries of dignity since his passing. His life reminded me that dignity does not end with age, illness, or death.
Dignity is something we carry, and something we owe to others, especially in their most vulnerable seasons.
The phrase “Beggars can’t be choosers” has no place in caregiving. Every elder regardless of background deserves:
> Choices in daily routines, meals and personal care;
> A voice in how they are addressed, treated and included; and
> Dignity in how their space, body and story are respected.
True care is not about ticking boxes. It is about:
> Calling someone by their preferred name;
> Knocking before entering;
> Listening to life stories;
> Allowing small choices; and
> Creating beauty through music, plants or poetry
These are not luxuries; they are the soul of care.
I urge care homes, families and communities to move from sheltering to honouring, managing to listening, and charity to partnership.
Care homes can be more than institutions. They can be homes in the truest sense – places where elders are not just cared for but also cared with. Because no one is ever too old, too poor or too forgotten to deserve beauty, choice and respect.
LYN LIM
Penang
