Forum: Tap young people to support network of medical escorts
The need for medical-escort and transport services has been rising, and service providers are finding it difficult to meet the demand (
- by autobot
- April 25, 2023
- Source article
Publisher object (23)
The need for medical-escort and transport services has been rising, and service providers are finding it difficult to meet the demand ( April 24). This is where the young can alleviate the manpower shortage. The Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (Minds), the Public Transport Council, and Youth Corps Singapore have collaborated to launch a “Travel Buddy for Special Needs” programme. Under this programme, youth volunteers accompany and empower persons with intellectual disabilities to travel independently on public transport from their school to their homes. I suggest that schools and Youth Corps Singapore launch a similar project for young people to assist elderly patients who need someone to accompany them during and after hospital visits. The scheme can be open to seniors who live near MRT stations as hospitals already have shuttle services to ferry patients to the nearest MRT station. This will make it easier for the young people to accompany the elderly home at the end of a train ride. Such a scheme will help students bridge the intergenerational gap and also give them a chance to learn how to interact with the elderly and to empathise with them. But this suggested programme should be for elderly outpatients who need only door-to-door transport arrangements. Medical escorts remain a better option for those who require higher levels of care because they are better trained to support the elderly in door-through-door transportation. More elderly people are living alone in Singapore and they may not have the necessary knowledge or resources to make transport arrangements. Doctors and social workers should provide medical-escort contacts to these patients if they need help with transport.