Helplines & Counselling

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Counselling Services & Programmes
SAGE HELPLINE FOR SENIORS 1800 353 8633
The Helpline service provides a listening ear for anyone who wishes to talk about matters concerning older persons. For example, a caregiver can call to talk about the stress or difficulties in taking care of a frail older person or an older person can call because he/ she needs to talk to someone about his/ her problems.

Another service rendered by the Helpline is information about and referral to community services, for example day care centres or nursing homes, for older persons and their caregivers. This Helpline is manned by trained volunteers who are supervised by Centre staff. Most volunteers are bilingual and speak at least one dialect. Confidentiality is maintained.

FACE-TO-FACE COUNSELLING
This provides an avenue for the older persons and/or their caregivers to discuss various issues and concerns which may include:

Marital or spousal conflicts between older persons, intergenerational or relationship difficulties
Physical or psychological (e.g. suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression) health issues
Loneliness and isolation
Stress
Abuse
This face-to-face service is provided by Centre staff who are trained professionals. Problems discussed are kept confidential. It is currently provided free-of-charge and appointments are made via the Helpline.

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT OF VOLUNTEERS Helpline volunteers undergo a 30-hour training programme over three months after which they are "mentored" by experienced volunteers. All volunteers can seek guidance from the Centre's professionals staff. Besides training and guidance, there are opportunities for volunteers to attend courses in self-awareness as well as gerontology. Visits to other VWOs and social get-togethers such as the annual Volunteer Appreciation High Tea with SAGE Management Board and staff are routinely organised for volunteers.

The Volunteer Training & Development programme aims to equip volunteers with the necessary knowledge and skills to work with older persons through the Helpline.

This training is provided by Centre staff and other professionals.

Topics of training include:

Basic counselling skills
Self awareness
Understanding older persons
Community services and resource for older persons
Communications skills
Death and dying
Volunteers' potential will be further developed as they serve. Thus far, the Centre has experienced very low volunteer attrition rate and it will strive to maintain this standard of development.

Advocacy - The Golden Life Workgroups on Elder Suicide Prevention and Elder Abuse Prevention

Golden Life Workgroup on Elder Suicide Prevention Formed in late 1999, the Golden Life Workgroup on Elder Suicide Prevention comprises to date of 17 participating organisations. Mrs Helen Ko, Senior Consultant of SAGE Counselling Centre, chairs this Workgroup. The mission of the Workgroup is to prevent Elderly Suicide because the Workgroup believed that Elder suicide can be prevented. It aims to:

Equip professionals to identify older persons at risk of suicide and manage older persons with suicidal tendencies
Create public awareness on Elderly Suicide
Its activities include:

Intervention workshops for professionals
Public forums
Caregivers' workshops
For enquiry on the latest activities of the programme, please call 6354 1191.

In August 2001 a Training Manual on Elderly Suicide Management and Intervention in Singapore was produced to facilitate training of professionals and para-professionals on this topic.

Golden Life Workgroup on Elder Suicide Prevention
SAGE Counselling Centre formed this second Golden Life Workgroup on Elder Abuse Prevention in 2002. The Executive Director of SAGE Counselling Centre, Dr Chiang Hai Ding, chairs this Workgroup. Mrs Helen Ko is Co-Chair. Since its inaugration, this Workgroup has brought together stakeholders from 26 organisations to tackle the challenge of Elder Abuse in Singapore. The mission of the Workgroup is "to create awareness about Elder Abuse and to undertake and recommend actions to detect, manage and prevent it, with a view to enhancing family and social cohesion in Singapore."

It has completed its Report to policymakers entitled "Say 'No!' to Elder Abuse" in August 2004.

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You don't have to face life's darkest moments alone

Series of seminars organised in observance of World Mental Health Day casts the spotlight on depression

In conjunction with World Mental Health Day 2003, Mount Elizabeth-Charter Behavioural Health Services is organising a series of events for healthcare professionals and the public, focussing on Depression. The talks, which are scheduled between October 15 and November 9, 2003, aim to de-stigmatise psychiatric care and further raise awareness of the devastating effects of untreated depression in Singapore.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has projected that by year 2020, depression will be the second most crucial cause of disability. The series of talks will promote a better understanding among the general public, highlight recent findings on depression and equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills for the successful management of depression.

The two-day Counsellor Forum is especially dedicated to counsellors, social workers, and anyone engaged in counselling work. Participants will be given an insight into the wide spectrum of depressive disorders and the management of these disorders, including treatment modalities and options, suicide epidemiology, risk assessment and suicide prevention.

The GP Symposium gives General Practitioners an update on the various disorders, their detection, onset and early intervention and management. The management of erectile dysfunction in depression will also be accentuated to address its growing concerns.

Through the Public Forum, the general public will gain a better understanding of what depressive disorders are across all ages, how it affects them or their loved ones, types of interventions and how the family can play a supportive role.

As a community outreach programme, Mount Elizabeth-Charter also offers a 24x7 HELPLINE: 1800 738-9595, and a free needs assessment on psychiatric related matters with our trained counsellors.

Please click here for programme details.

About Parkway Group Healthcare

Parkway Group Healthcare is Asia's largest healthcare organisation with an extensive network of hospitals and integrated healthcare facilities in the region. It owns East Shore, Gleneagles and Mount Elizabeth Hospitals in Singapore and has a network of seven hospitals in the region. Parkway Group Healthcare is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore-listed Parkway Holdings Limited.

About Mount Elizabeth-Charter Behavioural Health Services
(www.mountelizabethcharter.com.sg)

Mount Elizabeth-Charter Behavioural Health Services is the psychiatric arm of Mount Elizabeth Hospital. It helps adults, children and adolescents cope with emotional, behavioural and psychological disorders through a full continuum of care including intensive inpatient care that adopts the multi-disciplinary 'Treatment Team Planning' approach. Through this holistic approach, psychiatrists, counsellors, therapists, psychologists and nurses work closely to develop individualised treatment plans for each patient. Outpatient programmes include: Day Programme, Individual Counselling, Family Therapy, Aftercare Support and Psychological Assessments. Mount Elizabeth-Charter offers a 24x7 HELPLINE: 1800 738-9595, and a free needs assessment with our trained counsellors.

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The Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) was established on 1 December 1969. We are a non-profit and non-religious organisation, which aims to prevent suicide by providing emotional support and befriending to those who are despairing, discouraged or distressed. Our main services are:

A 24-hour Hotline
The Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) hotline 1800-2214444 is available 24 hours every day to anyone who is despairing, distressed or suicidal.

Our helpline is manned by a group of trained volunteers who come from diverse backgrounds, occupations, religions, ethnic groups and ages. They share a common capacity to care and listen to anyone who is going through a difficult time.

All information given by a client is treated as strictly confidential and anyone approaching SOS is free to accept or reject help offered and to remain anonymous if so desired.

Face-to-Face Sessions
We also provide face-to-face interviews for those who prefer to meet up to talk about their problems. Unless there is an immediate suicide risk, please call the hotline for appointment first. Face-to-face sessions are from (8.30am to 7pm only).

Emergency Squad
In a crisis situation where someone is at risk of attempting suicide, SOS sends out an Emergency Squad comprising two Samaritans to the scene.

Suicide Survivors' Support Group
The support group offers support to individuals who have suffered the loss of a loved one through suicide.

When someone commits suicide, family members and friends had to deal with their feelings of grief, bewilderment, anger, guilt and betrayal. The support group aims to help the 'survivors' of suicides to cope in their personal journey of pain and intense emotions.

*Please click here for more information on our 'Healing Bridge' programme.

*Please click here for online registration form.

Community Education Programmes
SOS conducts various talks and workshops for schools, voluntary welfare organisations and government institutions.

Our outreach programme in school aims to help students to cope with stresses in their lives as well as to equip them with basic intervention skills to help their peers who might be troubled and possibly suicidal.

Teachers, police, welfare organisations personnel, hotline volunteers and other caregivers are often the first to make contact with a distressed person. Our Suicide Intervention Workshop (SIW) aims to provide caregivers with some understanding of crisis and suicidal situations, and to equip them with basic intervention skills.

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The Singapore Association for Mental Health is a voluntary welfare organisation (non-government and non-profit organisation), which seeks to promote the social and mental well-being of the people of Singapore. More specifically, the organisation aims to promote mental health, prevent mental illness, improve the care and rehabilitation of the mentally ill and the emotionally disturbed, and to reduce the misconception and social stigma that surround mental illness.

hotline : 1800 -283 7019

http://www.samhealth.org.sg/aboutus.shtml