AgapeCARE society, a non-profit social organization, launched their second AgapeCARE Home for the Elderly (or ACE Home) in Melaka, on 21st of November 2015.
On the 11th of November 2015, the ACE Home Dedication was held with the ACE Home Trustees of the Datuk Low Kiok Boo Foundation, AgapeCARE board members, church pastors, and other interested parties.
AgapeCARE Chairperson Josephine Au stressed the importance of unity among Christian in Melaka. The board comprises of nine volunteers from eight different churches, and the staffs come from 10 different churches in the community.
Citing Luke 8:16-18, she shared with the attendees, that if they consider themselves as salt and light in Melaka, they need to think of how to light as many lamps in Melaka as possible, and how to salt Melaka as salty as possible.
A practical way to be salt and light, she urged, is for churches and Christian organizations to work together and consolidate efforts – that is to break down the territorial mentality and work on common projects for the common good. So, this is victory in the spirit realm.
How ACE Home 1 started?
In January 2012, AgapeCARE started ACE Home when they prayed and sourced for a place to start a residential and day-care home for the elderly.
Datuk Wira Wong Soon Lim heard about our need and was very generous to give his house for our purpose.
At that time, Datuk Wong’s house was already a fully-renovated, purpose-built, and equipped nursing home with 15 beds, designed for his mother and other old folks who needed special care.
Upon his mother’s death, the house was handed over to AgapeCARE to start the first ACE Home (or ACE Home 1) at 115H/I, Lorong Mayang 3, Taman Pringgit Jaya, 75400, Melaka.
By early year 2014, the Ace Home 1 had already reached its maximum capacity of one day-care and 13 stay-in senior citizens.
How ACE Home 2 started?
At about the same time, the adjoining house was up for sale. Hence, we approached Datuk Wira Wong and his fellow trustees of the Datuk Low Kiok Boo Foundation, and they again generously purchased the house, which is called as Ace Home 2.
“Almost all non-profit, charitable organizations have at least one key benevolent individual or corporation to support them,” said Josephine.
Likewise, AgapeCARE is so blessed to have the trustees of Datuk Low Kiok Boo Foundation to believe in the purpose of ACE and generously supports us.
With this additional house, ACE Home 2 can now accommodate a maximum of 30 residents and 10 day-care clients, of low to medium need level.
Purpose of Ace Home
Ace Home 1 and Ace Home 2 cover a total of 4,800 square feet of space. In addition to the renovated rooms and new facilities, every resident has a personal wardrobe, bedside table, bedside lamp, and a wall fan.
Both of our Ace Homes are aged-care homes for any elderly with low to medium needs. It is not a nursing home, although aging-in-place is under consideration for the near future.
Caring for the elderly is multi-faceted, and is often emotionally and financially difficult for the caregiver and the family. This task becomes even more difficult for those without family and financial means.
Hence, at ACE Home, we endeavour to help every elderly individual to holistically deal with their declining health and aging issues, while preserving their dignity with all love and respect.
Their everyday regime includes five meals, and various activities including physical exercise, mental stimulation, spiritual fulfilment, and emotional management activities.
Twice a week, most of the residents would go out of the homes to join the ACE Club program involving excursions and retreats.
A variety of fruits and vegetables are cultivated here too such as lemon grass (or serai) and moringa leaves. The leaves are dried and made into tea for the resident’s consumption.
ACE Club
ACE Club, another AgapeCARE community project, is a social platform to gather and empower the elderly to support one another through health and wellness programs, recreational activities, excursions, and niche-hobby groups.
Currently, there are two club chapters, with one located in Malim Jaya meeting on every Thursday, and one located in Peringgit meeting on every Wednesday.
Through this launch, AgapeCARE also hopes to raise RM150,000 to repay a loan taken for the purchase of items and renovations for the second ACE Home.
“How will we shoulder this enormous responsibility and challenge in providing this wide range of services to the elderly community? Not unless we have your fullest support and financial contribution,” said Josephine.
We appreciate the ways that people can help us, especially financially to assist us in our operational cost, so we can continue providing our various services to the community.
To donate or for enquiries:
PAYMENT DETAILS :
Account Name : Persatuan Kebajikan Agape Melaka
Account No : 039-201-200251-4
Bank Name : AmBank Berhad
Address:
609 Taman Sri Indah, Kampung 8, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia.
Tel/Fax:
+606-3341121
+6019-6231023 / +6019-6681023
Email:
agapecaremlk@gmail.com
Website : www.agapecare.com.my
*ALL DONATIONS TO AGAPECARE ARE TAX-EXEMPT
We are also seeking Christians, either young or old, to assist or partner us to develop two social enterprises, especially in these areas:
(1) Online marketing of aged care / rehab speciality products – we are looking for someone who is internet savvy and can develop a programme.
(2) Marketing of food products (i.e. frozen form and other baked products) – we have producers and a food technologist with us but we lack the marketing expertise.
We believe these social enterprises relating to our helping ministries, can help us generate income and provide jobs in the long term, so that we can ease on organizing fundraising projects.
Note: A. Jagan Anandan, the article writer, is also a board member of the AgapeCARE society in Melaka.
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