Elderly woman, 85, falls down in shower at Bukit Batok community care apartment, pressed call bell but no help for 2 hours

While in the shower at her community care apartment, 85-year-old Soh Hock Lye fell down and injured her hip.

But when she pressed the emergency call button, no help came.

Soh apparently had to drag herself to the main door, where she called for help and was eventually overheard by a neighbour.

It was over two hours after her fall when an ambulance was finally called, her daughter, Mary Aw, told Mothership.

Fall in toilet

Aw said that her elderly mother has lived at the community care apartment, Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok, for about two years.

The incident happened at around 12pm on Sep. 2.

After her shower, Soh fell and injured her hip.

Unable to stand, she pressed the emergency call button, which is one of the features of the apartment.

She heard a voice, believed it was a response, and waited to help to come.

But no-one came to her aid.

"She thought she [was] going to die that day," Aw told Mothership.

"She prayed, [and] she [told] herself to survive, she needs to help herself."

Dragged herself to door

Over the next two hours, Soh dragged her body to the flat's main door.

She could not get up or even crawl, and was undressed, wet, and cold, her daughter said.

With all her strength, she managed to use her walking stick to open the main door and call for help.

After that, a neighbour and other passers-by came to her aid and an ambulance was called.

Responding to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that on Sep. 2 at about 3pm, it received a call for assistance at Block 469A Bukit Batok West Avenue 9.

SCDF conveyed one person to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

Operation, investigation

Soh underwent a hip fracture operation the same day, and is now recovering in the hospital.

While she is now safe, Aw says that what happened is "unacceptable".

"What would've happened if she fell and died, because no help came faster? [Or] if she had a stroke? ...She's already 85 years old," she said.

She added that later, they learnt that the "voice" Soh had heard after pressing the call bell was actually an automated response.

But she does not understand why nobody went to check on her mother.

"If somebody [calls and says] hello, hello, but you cannot hear properly, [you should] still go to the unit and check. You cannot just leave it at that."

Reviewing circumstances

Responding to Mothership's queries, a spokesperson from Vanguard Healthcare, which operates the facility, said that they are aware of the incident.

They explained that it appears to be an "isolated incident", and that they are reviewing the circumstances to put in place further preventive measures.

"We have been in contact with the resident and her family to provide the necessary support and keep them updated on our ongoing investigation," the spokesperson added.

Harmony Village is Singapore's first community care apartment.

Community care apartments are part of an assisted-living public housing concept that integrates senior-friendly amenities and services.

As part of the assisted living concept, all residents are required to subscribe to a basic service package, which includes features such as a 24-hour emergency response.

They can then choose to add on additional care services, such as housekeeping, day care, and meal service.

In August, The Straits Times reported that prices of the basic service packages had increased significantly ever since the project's launch in 2021.

The prices were subsequently cut after feedback from seniors, and the service offerings streamlined.