Time to Appreciate and Strengthen Development of Local Talent

Companionship: Engaging in meaningful conversations and activities to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness for the elderly by providing emotional support and being a good listener.
Transportation: Assisting with transportation to doctor&#8217;s appointments, social outings, grocery shopping, or any other errands.
Safety Supervision: Ensuring that the living environment is safe and free from hazards. Implementing safety measures, especially if the elderly person has mobility or memory issues.
Exercise and Mobility: Encouraging physical activity and assisting with exercises to maintain strength and mobility.
Monitoring Health: Keeping an eye on any changes in the elderly person&#8217;s health condition and reporting any concerns to family members or healthcare professionals.
Communication with Family: Keeping family members informed about the elderly person&#8217;s well-being and any notable changes in their health or behavior.

There was a time when I was heavily reliant of domestic help. Not just to handle daily chores but also to look after my little children and aging parents. Countless agents were contacted, and funds transferred as foreign maids come and go. Local help was hard to get.

When Kiddocare was founded, I made it a point to hire only local talents to become a childcare provider. That itself is specific to caring for a child. Their tasks would be focused on safety, enrichment and entertainment for the children trusted to them.

This model goes beyond babysitting where a babysitter would only look after the children, prep their meals, abiding to bath and bedtime. Kiddocarer are qualified to handle more than that but certainly would not perform domestic chores for the home. I understand that families with working parents would need both help.

However, I strongly believe now that the two isn’t a job fit for one. Our children need more attention if they were to feel enriched and fulfilled during the time that we are away from them. We certainly want our kids to do their homework, attend to their online classes and tuition, play less electronic games, eat at the table, and play outdoors where it is safe.

How can a domestic help aka maid be doing all this while they tend to daily chores? Half stay-at-home moms can vouch for how tiring it is to manage a home day-in and day-out. Even they are calling for help with their children in areas they can’t attend to themselves, like extra classes, post-natal care, etc.

Considering this news and a cross pandemic-endemic state, should we get used to not having foreign help and turn to trusted local provider? Not just for childcare but even cleaning, laundry, parent-care, cooking and so on. At least we could be certain that they’re vaccinated, qualified and understand our culture better to avoid frictions from failed communication.