Touching Stories

By early August, the social worker proposed to first assist Wai with his financial issues and arranged a meeting. However, the night before their meeting, his wife's condition took a sudden turn for the worse. She fell into a coma and required a tracheostomy to help her breathe. Additionally, her fingers showed signs of necrosis and needed to be amputated. Again, thoughts of self-harm emerged in Wai's mind... Life was truly difficult! Every time he listened to his wife share her struggles, it made him sad deeply, yet he had to pretend to be brave to avoid worsening her condition. The only motivation keeping him going was the need to care for his wife and children, something that no one else could replace. Fortunately, his children were very understanding, and his parents, sister, and brother-in-law provided full support, helping Wai regain his strength. He also began to pay attention to his mental health, trying to alleviate his emotions through hiking and religion.

Feeling lost and helpless for not eligible to apply for CSSA

Due to Wai's inability to meet the eligibility criteria for applying for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), the social worker had to first assist him with other issues. They contacted the primary school and kindergarten to inform the teachers and on-site social workers about the family's situation, ensuring they could provide support once school resumed. Additionally, they explored various feasible care options for his wife after discharge.

By mid-September, Wai's emotions had stabilized. Having previously worked in nursing, he decided to take care of his wife himself, not wanting her to be admitted to a care facility. Meanwhile, his wife underwent two surgeries to amputate fingers from both hands and was still struggling to accept this psychologically, refusing to meet with the clinical psychologist arranged by the hospital. A month later, she was transferred to the rehabilitation ward to begin physiotherapy and occupation therapy, as well as to assess her suitability for prosthetic limbs.

Social worker assists in applying for subsidies, helping to reintegrate into the community

At the end of 2024, she was discharged but still required regular hospital therapy sessions. TWGHs social worker also successfully applied for home care services for her. As her disability allowance did not cover adult diapers after post-discharge, the social worker quickly coordinated with doctors for reevaluation and sought assistance online. Soon, they successfully secured a supply of diapers and a better-functioning wheelchair.

In addition to providing financial and material support, the TWGHs social worker also aimed to help Wai and his wife reintegrate into the community. They referred them to other community support groups. By February 2025, Wai's wife was finally willing to go out. Wai also asked his sister to help take care of his wife and children, allowing him some much-needed breathing space.

Wai's family lives in a remote village house, which, although on the ground floor, is not wheelchair accessible and lacks barrier-free facilities. If they could move to public housing with comprehensive community amenities, having elevators and assistance from the Housing Authority for necessary renovations, their living conditions and recovery would be much more ideal. However, there are fewer public housing units in where they live, resulting in longer waiting times. If they choose a district with more public housing options, it would be inconvenient for family support, and the two children might need to transfer schools. After weighing the options, Wai decided to wait for a placement in their original area. To facilitate this, the social worker helped prepare the necessary documents and contacted the doctor for a recommendation letter. Once the placement is approved, the social worker will assist Wai's family in applying for the TWGHs Emergency Relief Fund to cover the costs of their relocation.