Elderly people cook together at a special house in Đông Thuận Ward, Bình Minh Town in southern Vĩnh Long Province. The house accommodates around 20 elderly people with difficult circumstances from many cities and provinces. VNA/VNS Photo Lê Thúy Hằng

This home accommodates around 20 elderly people from many cities and provinces, including Vĩnh Long, Cần Thơ, Hậu Giang, and Sóc Trăng.

Those who come to this house are people with special and challenging circumstances. Most are elderly, lonely, weak, and sick. They share joys and sorrows during their twilight years. The healthy ones cook, exercise, and engage in cheerful conversations, while the ill ones rest and receive care.

Over time, those who were once strangers have become like brothers and sisters.

Trần Thị Gọn, from southern Hậu Giang Province, was among the first to move into the home. After months of struggling to live alone, she now has many sisters who encourage her to live happily and healthily.

"Life used to be very difficult for me. I lived alone, struggling day by day. Every month, Hùng came to visit and brought gifts. Seeing me alone and unable to afford medical treatment, he suggested taking me in to care for me,” she recalled.

“After living here for several years, these sisters who were once strangers have become like family. Each one of us has our own difficulties. Healthy ones help the sick, and we share with each other to reduce sadness,” she said.

Sharing the same fate of loneliness and relying on help from neighbours, Phạm Thị Lan, from southern Sóc Trăng Province, said she felt lucky to be welcomed into this special home.

Due to her old age and failing eyesight, Lan relies on others to complete daily activities. She receives full care, including meals, beds, and attentive healthcare whenever she falls ill.

Lan shared: "I am so happy being here. I had no house, no children. Now I live here. Nothing is better than this. Thanks to these sisters and brothers who take care of food, medicine, and hospital visits, I am now healthier."

Apart from providing free accommodation for the elderly, those who established this home also show sincere care and encouragement to the elderly. Every meal is carefully prepared to enhance their immune systems and the weaker receive special attention, care, and timely medical treatment.

Dedicated to the elderly in need

The Đông Thuận Ward Home was established by Bùi Văn Hùng, with help from his family and friends in 2017.

Hùng said after a period of time supporting the elderly in the ward, he and his friends started providing monthly support for more than 50 elderly people in difficult circumstances in Cần Thơ, Vĩnh Long, Hậu Giang, Sóc Trăng thanks to the community’s contributions.

These people had quite a hard life although they were getting support from the community. Empathy towards those in hardship pushed him to build this home to welcome elderly individuals.

"Seeing these elderly people struggling with sickness and loneliness, I feel deeply sorry. Having them here, I feel relieved knowing that I can take care of them to some extent and help them have a better life,” he said.

“We always encourage them to care for and love each other, so they can enjoy their twilight years happily," he said.

Nguyễn Thị Dúng, a fellow companion at the special house, talks to an elderly lady while providing her with a meal.

Hùng's actions have attracted many other community members to join in.

As a fellow companion in the operation of the home, Nguyễn Thị Dúng in Cần Thơ City said she always considered the elderly residents at the home as her own family. With this mindset, she remains willing to help despite the difficulties and hardships.

Every day, she travels from Cần Thơ City to the home to support in preparing meals, cleaning, bathing, and caring for the elderly. In her free time, she engages in conversations with the elderly.

Along with providing care for over 20 elderly people at the house, the members of the Đông Thuận Ward Home also regularly support and care for about 200 other underprivileged elderly living in nearby provinces.

Ngô Minh Phúc, deputy chairman of the ward’s People's Committee, said Hùng’s house has contributed to providing better care for the lonely and underprivileged people in the local area.

The local authorities always paid attention to and supported the home, and considered it a model to spread humanitarian values within the community and contribute to the care of the elderly who were alone and vulnerable.

Chairwoman of the Red Cross of Vĩnh Long Province Nguyễn Thụy Yến Phương said the organisation would continue to call for more resources to provide care for more elderly people in difficult circumstances. — VNS