Prepared for Life and Live Without Worries

Members of The Community Chest Project Worry Free always keep saying: ‘’Live happily in life and leave without worries.” The phrase encapsulates the essence of the project – run by People Service Centre and supported by the Chest – seniors living alone or living with their spouses are encouraged to understand and prepare for life and death through life education and funeral planning. This allows seniors to plan for their after-death arrangements autonomously so as to achieve the goal of “prepared for life and live without worries.”

Mr Chan joined the project in 2019; he was active in taking part in volunteer work and serving the community. He was frequently seen in Project Worry Free activities, and he got along well with other volunteers. He lived a colourful life in his twilight years by taking good care of people around him and become a role model for other members of the project.

Even though Mr Chan had kidney disease and had to go to the hospital regularly for hemodialysis, he never complained. On the other hand, he took his condition in stride. 
Unfortunately, Mr Chan, who had to visit the hospital for treatment, caught COVID at the height of the pandemic and passed away. Sadly, his wife, daughter, grandchildren and relatives were unable to say goodbye to Mr Chan due to the stringent anti-COVID rules.

When the project heard of Mr Chan’s passing, it immediately helped Mrs Chan to deal with after death arrangements, such as reclaiming the body, applying for a death certificate, applying for cremation and contacting a funeral home. This greatly eased Mrs Chan’s burden.

As Mrs Chan used to live with Mr Chan, and that their daughter wasn’t living in Hong Kong, she preferred to stay in Hong Kong so as to preserve her memories of Mr Chan. Ever since Mrs Chan started living alone, she has experienced insomnia and self-guilt. The project offered emotional support, grief counselling, home visits and other pertinent support so that Mrs Chan could slowly accept the fact that her loved one was no longer around.

The daughter was relieved that her mom was well taken care of. Mrs Chan believed that with the project’s support, she would be able to adapt to the new life without her husband. At the same time, many members felt that Mr Chan was truly able to “live happily in life and leave without worries.”
 

Mr Chan always volunteered and performed magic to the community.

Mrs Chan memorised Mr Chan by watching old photos.