Elderly couple plead for single-sized mattress from welfare organization

An elderly couple who have no mattress to sleep on made an unusual request to a welfare organisation. They only want one single-sized mattress.

Lee Siew Yian, a volunteer from welfare organization ‘Keeping Hope Alive’ wrote about the story of the elderly couple she came across in Bendemeer.

She says although the couple had no mattress to sleep on; they made the unusual request for a single-sized mattress.

She says instead of hoping for a bigger one or even a bed; they wanted a smaller mattress to share between them instead.

‘Keeping Hope Alive’ aims to provide less privileged Singaporeans with a better quality of life.

The volunteer, Lee Siew Yian spoke about the elderly couple whom she helped.

When Lee knocked on the door and asked if the woman and her husband needed a mattress, the old lady replied that they did.

Upon entering the house to assess the living conditions of the couple, Lee wrote, “I entered the house, there is NO mattress insight. The floor is EMPTY”.

The elderly lady told her she sleeps on a very thin mattress – which looked to be more like a mat – and her husband on a chair.

Despite all this, when asked how many mattresses the couple needed, the woman only asked for one.

Lee says, “I Took my paper and pen, I wrote ‘TWO’”.

Lee also told TISG, “I have decided to let the dust settle instead of having more publicity. Many people end up blaming the agencies for not doing enough. Their personal judgement from a FB post”.

“I wish more people can be on the ground to see for themselves and experience first hand”, she added.