About Us

As I stepped foot into All Saints Home at the end of 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic had only just reached our local shores. Nobody could have anticipated the journey, the hardships, and the triumphs that the following years would bring.

Yet, as I witnessed how our Board Members, staff, volunteers, donors and other stakeholders came together to face these challenges, I am constantly filled with a great sense of pride and gratitude.

Welcome Back!

With the relaxation of visitation rules, we were able to resume our onsite activities such as outings, musical performances, festive celebrations and chapel services, much to the delight of our residents, clients, volunteers and staff.

It was gratifying to see many existing volunteers sticking with All Saints Home through thick and thin, while new ones signed up to serve alongside us. Many responded without hesitation to undergo the compulsory Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (TDAP) and Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccinations required of regular volunteers. Thank you, dear volunteers!

Compassion in Action

During the year, numerous ground up initiatives sprouted to serve not only our residents, but also our staff to help them cope with work stress and homesickness.

Following our successful Myanmar Day in 2021, our Project WeCARE team at the Yishun Centre organised a special Filipino Day for staff to gain a greater appreciation of the rich cultural heritage of our Filipino colleagues through traditional Filipino costumes, food, games and music. Over at the Jurong East Centre, our staff were given a taste of the local Peranakan (Straits Chinese) culture through Peranakan Day which featured a mini-exhibition, quizzes, musical items and of course, Peranakan food. Going forward, more of such events will be organised to showcase other nationalities and ethnic groups.

As an employer, All Saints Home continued to be an inclusive hirer. A significant achievement during the year was the successful hiring of two more staff with mild intellectual disabilities through a collaboration with SG Enable. It was a joy to see these new staff flourish in a safe, caring, and empowering work environment with buddies willing to go the extra mile for them.

Our Medical Social Services and Corporate & Community Affairs teams collaborated to launch the Packets of Love project, where they raised funds to purchase for our residents their favourite hawker food. Supported by volunteers who helped collect, pack and distribute the food, our staff’s labour of love was rewarded as our residents beamed with smiles as their gastronomy cravings were satisfied.

Animals can play a part in bringing cheer to our residents too! Our Community Relations team approached dog owners from around the neighbourhood to invite them to visit the Centres with their dogs to offer our residents some companionship. Such human-animal interaction never fails to bring joy and excitement as even our most stoic residents broke into smiles and laughter upon seeing them!

Striving for Excellence

All Saints Home continued its quest for excellence, through the promotion of a healthy learning culture. On the clinical front, the Nursing Team continued to deepen its expertise in topics such as wound care, mental health and infection control; the Wellness Support Programme led by the Rehabilitative Services Team approached its third and final year as its second year concluded successfully; and the Medical Social Services Team stepped up on Advance Care Planning while continuing with its clinical supervision programme. These efforts bore fruits not only in terms of better clinical outcomes but also in the individual and team awards received during the year, which were a tremendous encouragement to the team.

As part of the wider healthcare community, All Saints Home continued to benefit from partnerships with community and acute hospitals. These include our partnerships with St Luke’s Hospital for medical coverage at our Hougang and Jurong East centres; Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Project RESPECT (Advance Care Planning) and Project CARE (palliative support), both at our Hougang Centre; and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Gericare (geriatric support) at our Yishun Centre. Over at our Silver Lifestyle Clubs (Senior Care Centres), an ambitious organisational transformation was achieved through job redesign. This involved the integration of the Therapy Assistant and Care Associate functions, and the adoption of the Community Care Associate training and certification programme to enable staff to transit into the new role. The benefits to our staff are manifold – they are now better equipped to create more wholesome programmes for the enjoyment of our clients, while achieving higher productivity with a more meaningful career pathway. Our Silver Lifestyle Club also received Transitional Grants in preparation for the transition of its Senior Care Centres in Yishun into Active Ageing Centres. We look forward to playing a more active role in contributing to the realisation of the national vision of Healthier SG.

The mammoth Dementia Friendly Project which started in 2019 concluded successfully. This achievement is particularly sweet as the team had to weather challenges throughout the pandemic to bring better person-centric care to our residents with dementia. The completed murals, gardens, signages and fixtures are a testament of the team’s tenacity for quality and excellence, and I am certain that this project will always hold special meaning for all involved in bringing it to fruition.

To achieve stronger governance and greater transparency, our Risk Controls & Compliance Department developed a roadmap to ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and best practices in the sector. This includes performing internal audits across key domains and processes and refining our models for enterprise risk management and business continuity.

Digitalisation continued to feature prominently in All Saints Home’s priority as part of its long-term digital roadmap. During the year, the Volunteer Management System was launched, while cyber security and business continuity were strengthened.

Forging Ahead

Coming out of the pandemic while still operating in a volatile and disruptive environment, we are acutely aware that the key to long-term success in the longterm care sector rests in a person-centric Model of Care that is delivered with excellence and supported by data for operational effectiveness and financial sustainability.

Hence, moving forward, we will focus on two core strategic thrusts: first, defining and realising our superior Model of Care; and second, optimising our services and business model to achieve greater financial accountability and sustainability. These two strategic thrusts were formulated after an intensive management retreat in December 2022, backed by a comprehensive costing study which provided financial basis for the deliberations. They are aimed at making All Saints Home a robust and sustainable organisation and a “Community Care Organisation of Choice” for residents, clients, next-of-kins and employees, within the next 3-5 years.

To achieve these, the team needs a fundamental mindset shift to embrace change and reinforce teamwork with a long-term strategic view.

Gratitude and Confidence

Finally, I would like to thank all ASH stakeholders – the Ministry of Health, the Agency for Integrated Care, Board Members, residents, clients, next-of-kins, donors, volunteers, community partners, vendors – for your unwavering support. My team and I are deeply grateful to you for your acts of kindness, words of encouragement and collaborative efforts – they mean the world to us.

To my staff: the strength, determination and self sacrifice you have demonstrated day after day, despite unending challenges, never fail to impress me. You are the heroes and heroines, each in your own right. I am proud to co-labour with you as we plod on to “provide quality care, bring joy and comfort, and honour the dignity of our residents in a caring Christian environment”.

As we sail into the unknown, let us always remember that we have God as our Captain to steer us through the storms. With Him in control, not only do we not need to fret over challenges or obstacles, we can confidently look forward to the wonderful possibilities He has in store for us. As we are reminded in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

May all praise, honour and glory be to God Almighty!

Samuel Tan