The perfect cuppa and a listening ear

SINGAPORE — It is a simple weekly ritual of serving coffee to residents of the Asian Women’s Welfare Association’s (AWWA) Community Home for Senior Citizens, but for many seniors there, these “kopitiam” sessions are a highlight they look forward to.

And Madam Annie Tay, 64, who has been volunteering at the home for 13 years, tries to make it as interesting as possible, working hard to brew the perfect cup or introducing new flavours to tickle their palate.

These sessions — which see residents trickling into the room an hour before the sessions start at 1.30pm — also see Mdm Tay lend a listening ear to the seniors, most of whom are without family. “They really like to talk and sometimes rant about their lives, so I will be there to listen to them,” said the housewife.

Mdm Tay’s first foray into volunteer work started more than 10 years ago when she accompanied her elder brother on visits to distribute food to charities.

Deciding she wanted to continue with community work, she picked the AWWA home, as it was a mere 10-minute walk from her home in Ang Mo Kio.

Every Wednesday, she can be found huddled in the home’s small pantry, sterilising the porcelain cups and boiling water to brew coffee for the residents. She occasionally helps out with the gardening on Thursdays.

The home — which is supported by the Community Chest — provides shelter for some 140 Singaporeans aged over 60 who are on Public Assistance or have no family or means of financial support.

In Mdm Tay’s experience, what these seniors need most is companionship. But, aware that they are sensitive about the subject of family, she sticks to subjects like their hobbies.

She feels “a natural affinity” with the residents and loves interacting with them. “You need to be patient and understanding when you are with the seniors,” she said.

Her patience comes through in the way she remembers how her 20-odd regular “customers” prefer their coffee. “She knows I like kopi-ga-dai (coffee with more sugar),” said resident Alice Seah with a smile as Mdm Tay served her a drink.

Ms Karen Choong, 57, Programme Executive with the home, said Mdm Tay would sometimes find unfinished coffee, and would ask the seniors what was wrong with it.

“She loves to improvise and experiment with different spices when it comes to the coffee and tea she brews,” Ms Choong added.

When people occasionally donate coffee powder that is unpopular with the residents, Mdm Tay would personally hunt for a coffee powder of better quality to mix and achieve the favoured taste.

And once, after a holiday to India in 2007, Mdm Tay decided to let the residents try the masala tea she tasted there. As it turned out, only one senior liked it, but for the next five years, Mdm Tay would specially brew the tea for him and spend afternoons chatting with him. It was hard when he died last year, she added.

Nonetheless, she continued with her weekly visits and even reschedules activities around them. “They also say nice things to me, like ‘I miss you’,” she said, which motivates her to return every week.

Asked if she, too, worries about growing old, Mdm Tay responded: “I do think about growing old, think about how, one day, I will be too old and weak to even come here and make them coffee.”