Uncle Loh

After the brief mention in the December issue of Tiara Times about Uncle Loh, an elderly homeless man living on the streets, it is heartwarming to read that there are some caring Tiarans who actually took the trouble to look out for him. This is what a Tiaran emailed to Tiara Times:

This morning after my New Year's Eve party ended at about 3am, I drove by to the Paramount Garden area with a couple of others to see if Uncle Loh was around and whether he wanted anything to eat. I found him outside the Mediviron Clinic, and asked him if he had eaten. He said he would like some meehoon and failing that, rice.

I said that the shops were shut but I would see what was available at the 7-11 outlet across the road. Uncle Loh requested Mirinda Orange and if there was no meehoon or rice, he would like a sardine bun or any pastry.

I managed to get him what he wanted and he thanked us as he dug into the bun hungrily. We asked him whether he would like to go into a nursing home but he said he did not want to. He was happy to sleep on the streets, he added, explaining that he had a place to shower and a sleeping area available to him at the old Ruby Theatre grounds.

So we left him to his meal since he was not interested in our attempts to help get him into a nursing home.

Footnote:

Uncle Loh's case is not an unusual one,as in several other countries, especially the US, there are many such people. These people, though destitute, value their freedom and independence and refuse to be institutionalised. They may be labelled as tramps or hobos. The women equivalent are labelled as 'bag ladies.'