Nurse spreads CNY goodies and joy to elderly in nursing home, reminds them they are 'not forgotten'
Instead of feasting on snacks or collecting red packets, one nurse chose to spend the morning of Chinese New Year a little differently.
Emily Yap went to St Theresa's Home to drop off homemade cards by Dunearn Youth volunteers and goodies for the home's elderly residents.
St Theresa's Home is a nursing home licensed by Singapore's Ministry of Health, with a capacity of 200 residents.
According to her mother Audrey, Ms Yap made the visit alone. Among the festive treats she delivered were pineapple tarts, love letters, kueh bangkit, honey bahulu and peanut puffs. The nurse was there in the morning, before a busy day of visiting relatives.
Ms Yap said: "While many were celebrating at home, I chose to begin my Chinese New Year at St Theresa's Home – a quiet affirmation that love and belonging must extend beyond our own dining tables."
The rain on Feb 17 did not dampen Ms Yap's spirits, but reminded her of the need to extend care to the elderly in homes, who often spend the CNY period alone.
"For those who receive few visitors, such gestures are modest but meaningful reminders that they are not forgotten," Ms Yap added.
The senior staff nurse at Alexandra Hospital was recently featured in a video with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on the importance of palliative care. In the video, Ms Yap shared more about what palliative care entails, including managing patients' comfort and supporting them "emotionally and spiritually".
Not just individuals, but systems
Ms Yap also reminisced on the history of Dunearn Youth, which she founded six years ago.
"In 2020, a few friends and I carried bags of rice and cooking oil up the staircases of rental blocks, unsure if anyone would answer the door. There was no formal structure, only a conviction to show up," she recounted.
"What began as grocery deliveries grew into regular check-ins on isolated seniors, digital guidance and basic health education. We listened first, then responded to needs we observed on the ground."
Through grants, Dunearn Youth eventually reached more vulnerable residents while involving an increasing number of youths in its service.
Ms Yap shared that the $50 million SG Partnerships Fund reflects a meaningful shift towards recognising citizens as partners in nation-building.
The SG Partnerships Fund, which was announced at Budget 2026, will provide tiered funding to ground-up initiatives that help improve the community. Applications have not opened, but more details will be shared this March, according to the Singapore Government Partnerships Office.
The nurse said that funding is only one part of the equation: "For ground-up initiatives, navigating grant processes, compliance requirements and reporting obligations can be daunting, especially for volunteers balancing full-time work.
"If citizens are to be true partners in nation-building, partnership must be accompanied by clarity, proportional accountability and practical accessibility."
Ms Yap concluded: "A caring society is built not only through programmes, but through systems that empower people to care."
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