Full-time Mum Offers Voluntary Haircut with Love
published by Lianhe Zaobao on April 26, 2022
许清雯起初在组屋楼下为独居老人理发，后来在其他义工的介绍下，开始到新加坡智障人士福利促进会、宏茂桥太和观医院以及雅西西慈怀病院提供义务理发服务。
为了帮住在疗养院的外公剪头发，全职妈妈许清雯10年前到民众俱乐部学理发，后来在导师的介绍下成为义工，定期为独居老人和慈怀病患义务理发。
育有两个孩子的许清雯（40岁）受访时忆述，外公生前患有失智症，好几次外出都没人发现，家人非常担心，因此安排他入住疗养院。
“我想为外公做些什么，刚好我对理发有点兴趣，就到民众俱乐部上课。教理发的导师平时从事义工活动，我跟他上了几堂课后，也开始加入义工行列。”
许清雯起初在组屋楼下为独居老人理发，后来在其他义工的介绍下，开始到新加坡智障人士福利促进会（MINDS）、宏茂桥太和观医院以及雅西西慈怀病院提供义务理发服务。
她说，有的病患虽然只见过一两次面，但跟他们聊天颇有感触。“印象最深的是一名菲律宾籍护士，他知道自己时日无多，却依然坚强乐观地面对人生，每次剪完头发，都笑着向我道谢。”
冠病疫情暴发后，医院和疗养院有好一段时间禁止接待访客，义剪活动也减少了。
不过，许清雯每月仍到雅西西慈怀病院为病患理发，有时也会跟着居家护理团队到病患住家，为行动不便的病患理发，但上门前要先做抗原快速检测。
她坦言，穿着个人防护装备理发是一大挑战，戴上手套后，握剪刀和剃刀都不太顺手。
若病患卧病在床，无法坐在椅子上理发，许清雯会把病患的枕头往下移，或请另一名义工帮忙轻扶病患的头部。
“起初很不习惯，因为不便在病患前面摆放镜子，我常担心头发剪得不整齐，要小心翼翼、慢慢地剪。”
尽管有诸多不便，许清雯还是一有机会就积极参与义剪。“我的小小举动可以带给他们欢乐，让他们漂亮、舒服、开心地走完人生最后一程。”
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Translation of article:
Full-time Mum Offers Voluntary Haircut with Love
Koh Qing Wen initially did voluntary haircuts at HDB void decks for elderly who stayed alone. She started to do haircuts at MINDS, Ang Mo Kio Thye Hwa Guan Hospital and Assisi Hospice after being introduced by other volunteers.
To help cut the hair of her grandfather who was staying at a nursing home, full-time mum Koh Qing Wen picked up hairdressing at a community club ten years ago. Under the introduction of her instructor, she began to volunteer as a hairdresser for elderly who stayed alone and at the hospice.
Koh Qing Wen (40 years old), a mother with two children, recalled that her grandfather, who had since passed on, had dementia and went out by himself without her family knowing. Her family was very worried and eventually arranged for him to be admitted into a nursing home.
“I want to do something for grandpa. I was interested in hairdressing and took up a course at the community club. The instructor volunteers regularly. After learning from him, I joined him in volunteering too.”
Koh Qing Wen initially did voluntary haircuts at HDB void decks for elderly who stayed alone. She started to do haircuts at MINDS, Ang Mo Kio Thye Hwa Guan Hospital and Assisi Hospice after being introduced by other volunteers.
She said that even though she only met some of the patients once or twice, she felt deeply after speaking to them. “One of the patients was a nurse from Philippines. Even though he knew that he did not have much time left, he still faced life with optimism. He would always thank me with a smile after the haircut.”
During the pandemic, hospitals and nursing homes stopped visitors for a period of time, and the number of volunteer haircut activities decreased.
However, Koh Qing Wen still does haircuts for patients at Assisi Hospice once a month, and even does haircuts for home care patients who are not mobile. She would do the ART test before visiting.
She expressed that it was challenging to do haircuts with PPE as it was not easy to use the scissors and shaver with gloves on.
If the patient had to be in bed and could not sit on the chair for the haircut, Koh Qin Wen would shift the pillow downwards to support, or get another volunteer to help support the patient’s head.
“Initially I was not used to it, as there was no mirror in front of the patient, I was worried that I would not be able to cut the hair neatly. I must do it carefully and slowly.”
Even though the process is not easy, Koh Qing Wen would still volunteer to do haircuts whenever she gets a chance to. “This small act can bring them joy, and help them to look good, be comfortable and happy in the final mile of their life journey.”