Coping with COVID-19 Paradigm Shifts

A regular client at SHF’s Heart Wellness Centre who used to attend up to five sessions a week, 62-year-old Edward now embraces technology in the face of COVID-19, turning to video conferencing tools for communication and SHF Facebook videos to keep up with exercise regime.

SHF: How are you feeling in relation to COVID-19?

Edward: Honestly, I am not too worried because if we adhere to the advisory, we should be fine.

How are you coping?

The circuit breaker has brought about paradigm shifts, forcing seniors like me to learn and accept technology. I have been spending time on Zoom and Skype these days to maintain communication.

These days, I wake up in the morning, have a quiet time alone, do some reading, do the house chores, cook for my children as they are working from home and watch movies at Netflix.

Besides that, I continue doing various resistance band exercises and following the videos produced by SHF. The videos really help in reminding us of the proper techniques of exercise.

What are you doing to protect yourself?

Personal hygiene is important in our daily life and with the current COVID-19 situation, we should take extra safety measures such as social distancing, washing of hands and sanitise your hands with soap and water.

Tell us about your heart episode.

I experienced cold sweat, sharp pain in my chest and requested my wife to make a cup of milo but the pain did not subside hence I called my friend and I was brought to Tan Tock Seng Hospital where I did my ballooning. At that time, I did not go for my rehab despite my doctor’s advice, as my children were still young, and I needed to put food on the table.

Fast forward to 2012, my doctor told me that my heart valve was not functioning properly and that they needed to do a Mechanical Valve Replacement, which should last me for a lifetime. After my operation on 4 July 2012, I was referred to SHF for my cardiac rehabilitation and have been there since then.

How has the cardiac rehabilitation helped you?

The sessions help me to tune my body to regular exercise, which makes me want to exercise even when I am not at the centre. With the subsidised rate, it pushes me to work harder as the rate we are paying includes good guidance from physiotherapists and important health tips from the dietitian/nutritionists.

Any encouraging message for your fellow heart patients in the time of COVID-19?

Everyone should think hard and do what is correct for their family, friends and most importantly for ourselves as heart patients.

Watch Edward narrate his heart attack episode and road to recovery in this video by Our Grandfather Story.