Extended Interview of Cover Story in latest Life Point newsletter! 生命同行坊最新会刊封面故事的详细访问内容！

Life Point just published the latest newsletter and the cover story is about the “Live Well Leave Well” event in support of the inaugural National Advance Care Plan (ACP) week.

You can read the newsletter here 

This is the extended interview of organizers

This is the interview summary between Life Point (LP) and Mrs Sara Tan (ST), Executive Director of Society of Sheng Hong Welfare Services and Ms Chee Wai Yee (WY), Senior Director of Montfort Care on their experience in co-organising this special event – Live Well Leave Well on 12-13 May 2019 at the Open Plaza outside Chinatown Point (shopping centre).

LP:  What makes your agency decide to organize this event?

ST:  Both Life Point, a project under Sheng Hong and Montfort Care have programs serving the seniors and we believe in the value of starting conversations in Advance Care Planning early in the community. This event aligns with the mission of both agencies in supporting seniors for making informed decisions for themselves and ensuring that their wishes are respected.

WY: We are strong advocates of planning ahead and ensuring the conservations about care planning are promoted in the community so that more people can benefit.  Meeting a fellow professional colleague who shares the same belief is the first step to consider working together and sharing resources and strength to do better what we are already separately doing.

LP:  What are the messages you wanted to communicate to the public from this event?

ST: The message that we want to communicate is that Advance Care Planning is never too early and it is not a taboo. Rather, it is a way of caring and respecting self. With the facilitation of skilled facilitator, seniors can express their wishes to their loved ones so that the latter will know how to respect the wishes of the seniors. It is a way to share love and care towards each other.

LP: Any challenges faced while preparing for the event? What is the most memorable experience?

WY: Working together for the first time, the two staff teams have to learn to work within their own team and across teams. I must say both sides were very open, accommodating and willing to understand the different systems and processes and find ways to around any constraints. Both sides contributed what we have generously – volunteers, expertise, contacts, time and money to make the event possible. I am very grateful to colleagues and volunteers from both teams.

ST: This is the very first time that staff from the two agencies working together.  I am happy that we can develop good teamwork within a short period of time. We shared our resources and complimented each other in many ways with our unique strength and capabilities.

WY: The interfaith forum has left an indelible impression on me.  I think we should have more of such dialogues as the spiritual traditions of multi-ethnic Singaporeans have a strong influence on their decision making related to care choices at end-of-life.

ST:  I agree.  Our action is often guided by our belief and values.  Having a conversation on Advance Care Planning provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our belief and values which will influence our decision in action and planning.  The interfaith dialogue forum triggered our personal reflection and also provided us with a glimpse to understand how religion plays a part in supporting our decision making.

LP: What is “Live Well Leave Well” to you?

WY: To me, living well and leaving well takes a community. I cannot live well and leave well if others in my community are not able to do so. We need policies, infrastructure, services and the right mindset of individuals to enable living and leaving well.

ST: On a more personal level, Live Well Leave Well is when we have our wishes fulfilled, with little regret, having made peace with ourselves and with others, that we have accomplished our life purpose.

生命同行坊刚出版最新一期的会刊，封面故事是关于 “活得精彩 走得自在” 活动，是由生命同行坊和蒙福关爱为响应第一届全国预先护理计划周。各位可以在此阅读会刊。

以下是访问主办者的详细访问内容

主办者的话 – 为社区长者 携手合作

我们生命同行坊很高兴与城隍慈善基金会执行主任陈胡丽群女士和蒙福关爱资深总监朱慧儿女士之间进行访谈, 分享主办这次“活得精彩 走得自在”活动的经验。这个活动已于2019年5月12日至13日，在牛车水唐城坊商场的户外广场举行。以下是访谈摘要。

生：生命同行坊    陈：陈胡丽群女士    朱：朱慧儿女士
生：当初是怎么想到举办这次活动？

陈：城隍慈善基金会属下的生命同行坊，以及蒙福关爱都有为乐龄人士为对象的服务项目。我们相信在社区推广预先护理计划的价值所在。这项活动符合两个机构的使命，就是支持老年人为自己做出明智的决定，并确保他们的意愿得到尊重。

朱：我们都是提前规划的积极倡导者，并在社区上推广预先护理计划，使更多人受惠。遇到具有着相同信念的机构以及他们专业的同事，是彼此寻求合作，结合资源和力量，更好地进行我们本身已经各自在做的活动的第一步。

生：透过这次活动，想带出什么信息给公众？

陈：我们要传达的讯息是预先护理计划永不嫌早，不需避忌。而且这是一种尊重自己和关爱家人的表现。在预先护理计划协调员的善巧引导下，乐龄人士有机会对亲人表达自己的意愿，亲人也知道如何做可以让家中的长者得到应有的尊重。这是彼此关爱的方式之一。

生：在筹备过程中，有遇到什么挑战？或者让人印象深刻的事？

朱：这是两边团队的首次合作，大家都一直在学习如何在自己的团队以及跨团队去合作。我必须说，双方都非常开放包容，乐于助人并愿意理解不同的制度和流程，并在各种限制中寻找可行的方法。双方都贡献着各自拥有的资源，包括义工、专业知识，人脉、时间和金钱，使构想成为可能。我非常感谢两边团队的同事和义工。

陈：这是两个机构的同事的首次合作。我很高兴我们能够在短时间内培养出良好的团队合作精神。我们以独特的力量和能力分享资源，互相补足，并以多种方式相互鼓励。

朱：宗教论坛给我留下了非常深刻的印象。我认为我们应该有更多这样的对话，因为有着多元种族的新加坡人，他们的精神传统，对于他们作出有关临终护理选择的决定有着很大的影响。

陈：我同意。我们的行动时常以我们的信念和价值观作为指导。就着预先护理计划来进行对话，让我们有机会反思我们的信念和价值观，而这些会影响着我们的行动和规划决策。宗教论坛引发我们作个人的反思，也让我们了解在下决定时宗教是如何发挥作用。

生：你认为怎么样算是 “活得精彩 走得自在” ？

朱：对我而言，要活得精彩，走得自在，不能离开社区的支持。如果社区里的人都无法做到，我也无法活得好。我们需要适当的政策和基础配套，社区服务以及个人的正确心态，才能活得精彩，走得自在。

陈：我觉得一个人要 “活得精彩，走得自在”，需要实现自己的心愿，可以与己和，与人和，并达成自己的人生目的，没有留下太多遗憾。