Chronic Sick Unit
The Ren Ci story began with the establishment of our first Chronic Sick Unit (CSU) in 1994. Comprising a total of 120 beds, our CSU is located within Ren Ci Community Hospital at Irrawaddy Road where we care for patients with high dependency and intensive care needs. As they stay with us for long periods, we refer to them as “residents” instead of patients.
Patient Profile
Due to their medical conditions, our CSU residents are mostly bedridden and may be unresponsive. They require high levels of nursing care, regular therapy and sensory stimulation to maintain the integrity of their muscles, joints and sensory functions. They may have to be on oxygen support or require a tracheostomy tube. As they are from lower socio-economic backgrounds, the value-based care that we provide is made possible by the generous support from our donors and subvention from the government.
Programmes
The CSU team works tirelessly to improve the well-being of our CSU residents. One such instance of the team’s effort is the Trial-off Tracheostomy project, which was the result of two years of development and training. Where residents once had to wait for a doctor from an acute hospital to initiate weaning from the tube, our nurses have been trained to perform this task instead. As a result, residents are able to breathe and eat on their own without suffering the discomfort of a breathing tube in their necks. This has greatly improved quality of life for our chronic sick residents, and this programme has been adopted as a standard of care for suitable residents.
We also offer psychosocial support to our CSU residents and even extend this to their caregivers. For example, our music and art therapists offer therapy sessions. Our staff also organise outings for our CSU residents with nursing support to ensure their safety and give our residents and their families peace of mind. We bring in volunteers, who conduct various activities such as hair cutting services, birthday celebrations and performances. Spiritual support for the major religions is also provided to residents in partnership with various religious organisations.
Admission
Admission to Ren Ci Community Hospital for Chronic Sick services is by referral through the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), a centralised government agency that monitors the availability of beds across all ILTC (Intermediate and Long Term Care) facilities in Singapore.
To apply for admission, you will need to consult a social worker at the hospital or polyclinic, and they would assist you in submitting an application to AIC.
Should your application be deemed suitable, both nursing and social assessments will be conducted. Please note that a copy of the total household income (where the applicant is registered under) and identification are required for the application. We will then arrange for the transfer.
Upon arrival, our friendly ward staff will orientate the resident (if responsive) and next-of-kin.
Please click Agency for Integrated Care to read more about the various types of eldercare services available.
Cost Reference
For estimated costs, please see here.