Coronavirus pandemic

Weekly visits scrapped, but close friends turn to tech

Madam Gloria Poedjosoedarmo (left), alongside her friend and former caregiver Madam Normadiyah bte Suhaimi. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NORMADIYAH BTE SUHAIMI

Every week, Madam Normadiyah Suhaimi, 48, would take along Hershey's chocolates when she visits Madam Gloria Poedjosoedarmo, 84, at Econ Healthcare Group's nursing home in Upper East Coast Road.

The chocolates remind Madam Poedjosoedarmo of her late father, an American.

But with the ban on visitors to all nursing homes until April 30, their get-together now will have to be, at best, through a video call.

The duo became acquainted in 1990, when Madam Suhaimi moved from Indonesia to Singapore to be with her husband. Her late mother-in-law was a friend of Madam Poedjosoedarmo, who was born in Miami, Florida, and migrated to Singapore 40 years ago.

Madam Suhaimi subsequently worked for her as a helper and later became her caregiver.

Now close companions, Madam Suhaimi is the closest Madam Poedjosoedarmo has to family in Singapore, as the elderly woman's husband and a son live in Indonesia, while her other three children live in the United States. Her children visit Singapore yearly.

Not being able to visit and be with Madam Poedjosoedarmo pains Madam Suhaimi, who told The Straits Times: "I miss her a lot. She's like my own mum."

Madam Suhaimi, also a mother of four, said her family visits Madam Poedjosoedarmo on her birthday and during Hari Raya Puasa.

The two women, both naturalised Singaporeans, usually spend the visiting hours reminiscing about their time together in the 1990s and mutual love of cats.

Now, they will do it virtually, with the help of Madam Suhaimi's children, all of whom are just as fond of the older woman.

Madam Poedjosoedarmo, who has a doctorate in linguistics, plans to spend her time this month writing and painting.

She said she is aware of the coronavirus outbreak around the world, but does not keep up with the news on it regularly. "It is too depressing."

Shivraj Rajendran

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 03, 2020, with the headline Weekly visits scrapped, but close friends turn to tech. Subscribe