SINGAPORE – Having cared for the same employer for 14 years, domestic helper Priyanti quickly noticed something was not right with the 84-year-old woman over a year ago.
The elderly lady, whom Priyanti calls ah ma, would forget items she had bought at the market and want to purchase them again. Her moods also started changing without warning â all of which were possibly signs of dementia.
Subsequently, ah ma suffered a stroke and lost her mobility, leaving Priyanti even more worried.
âI (was) really scared because I didnât know what to do,â said the 38-year-old, who is from Indonesia.
After hearing about a dementia care course organised by the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) via social media, Priyanti signed up. She completed the course in July 2025 and learnt how to better communicate with her employer, such as by listening to her and calming her down when she is upset.
Priyanti is one of over 370 domestic helpers who have been trained over the past year under one of four caregiving pilot programmes run by CDE, an initiative of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).
The other three programmes cover caring for the elderly, infants and children, as well as caregiversâ first aid and emergency response skills.
For Priyanti, her bond with ah ma also grew after she understood the latterâs situation more via the course. The elderly womanâs memory of family members is fading, but she still remembers her helper.
âI really donât want to leave her,â the domestic worker told The Straits Times on June 21, at CDEâs 10th anniversary celebrations at Resorts World Sentosa.
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