people living with advanced dementia<\/span><\/a> \u2013 from its founder Joyce Simard during a study trip to the United States. <\/p>\n\u201cIn Namaste Care, I sit beside the patient, I hold the patient\u2019s hand, I talk to the patient, or I don\u2019t even utter anything. I\u2019ll just massage the patient and be with that patient,\u201d added Dr Noorhazlina, who heads the geriatric medicine department at TTSH. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere are times when our patients just cannot communicate with us, and this is one way of making them feel seen, respecting their dignity, having that human touch.\u201d <\/p>\n
Namaste Care at TTSH uses multisensory interventions such as touch, calming music and aromatherapy to support patients with various conditions such as dementia, chronic illnesses, stroke or nearing their end of life. <\/p>\n
Currently, the patients hospitalised in the 16 wards at TTSH\u2019s Integrated Care Hub (ICH) can attend a weekly Namaste Care group session run by nurses and volunteers. Lasting about 20 to 30 minutes, the session typically starts with a five-minute hand massage accompanied by soothing music, and may continue with a grooming session like nail trimming or a nail polish session, for instance.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
By the end of the year, patients at the main TTSH building will also get to experience Namaste Care sessions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although this is usually done in a group setting, it can also be done at the bedside if needed or at home. TTSH has trained 89 caregivers in two workshops so far, and expects to conduct two a year. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt allows a caregiver to have that bond with… their loved ones. And when they visit the hospital, they know what to do because most of the time when you visit your loved ones in the hospital, you just don\u2019t know what to do,\u201d said Dr Noorhazlina.<\/p>\n
\u201cNowadays, people just focus on the things that our dementia patients can\u2019t do, but in Namaste Care, you give them choices. They decide whether they want to be touched or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s through these choices that you\u2019re respecting the person, and oftentimes, we don\u2019t give our elderly choices.\u201d<\/p>\n
It has taken a decade to scale Namaste Care at TTSH, after it was first piloted in a recovery ward. One challenge was Asians being less open to touch. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut what we have done is to start from the ends of our limbs, which are the hands\u2026 because sometimes, comfort can just be given through touching of the hands. And once our patients allow us to go further\u2026 eventually, you\u2019ll be able to touch their face and their hair,\u201d said Dr Noorhazlina. <\/p>\n
The biggest challenge was making healthcare staff understand that it should be a part of standard care because they viewed it as additional work.<\/p>\n
Senior staff nurse Alice Ha Nguyen Cam Thu, the programme\u2019s nurse coordinator, was initially sceptical. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m task-oriented, so I just want to finish my work as soon as possible, take care of the patient and go home. So when Namaste Care was introduced to me\u2026 it felt like extra work. I thought, \u2018Will I get extra pay for it?\u2019,\u201d she shared with reporters at a media event held at ICH on April 15.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But she saw results. \u201cIn our dementia ward, a lot of patients have agitation, aggression, hallucination, and it\u2019s very difficult for nurses to intervene for tasks like changing diapers, taking blood, or just bringing them to the toilet,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\nMadam Wong Lai Quen with her husband Steven Lau. Namaste Care uses multisensory interventions such as touch, calming music and aromatherapy to support patients.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\u201cWith Namaste Care, I only needed to spend five minutes sitting with them, massaging their hand, without the need to say a word and the patient would then calm down.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dr Noorhazlina said her breakthrough came when she started training more people, including volunteers, to provide the care, and they recognised that \u201cthis is so human\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her team also secured a $96,000 funding from Lien Foundation in 2025 to step up the expansion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are three things in life that we are lacking in: touch, time and trust,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I mentioned this to the caregivers in my recent workshop\u2026\u00a0caregivers started to realise, \u2018I haven\u2019t been spending time with my loved ones \u2013 I don\u2019t even touch or hug my loved ones\u2019. So this is a way of bonding.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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