By Razif Rosli
BATU GAJAH, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- What may seem like a small gesture has made a world of difference to Muhammad Suhaimi Rafa’at, with a hospital bed loaned by Pertubuhan Jalinan Insan Prihatin (JIP) making it easier for him to care for his ailing mother and giving him some much-needed breathing space.
The 40-year-old vocalist of the band Sofea has been caring for his mother, Nadirah Shaharuddin, 79, for more than three years. She fractured her hip in a fall about two months ago and also has dementia.
Her condition means he has to attend to almost all her daily needs, including bathing, changing her diapers, feeding her and making sure she is never left alone, forcing him to put some of his career and personal commitments on hold.
“Before we got the bed, it was very difficult to change her diapers and bathe her. She could barely move and would often complain of pain because she had to remain in a lying position most of the time.
“Alhamdulillah, when we got the bed, I felt very relieved. She is more comfortable and everything has become much easier,” he told Bernama when met at their rented home in Taman Maju, near Seri Iskandar.
For Muhammad Suhaimi, whose income depends on stage performances, caring for his mother in such a condition has been no small sacrifice, with some career commitments, including recording sessions and performances, having to be postponed.
However, he considers his mother’s comfort his top priority, as her well-being also affects his own.
Muhammad Suhaimi and his mother are among hundreds of families who have benefited from JIP, an organisation that lends various patient-care equipment to those genuinely in need.
JIP’s journey began with a personal experience of its founder, Muhammad Don Abdul Rahman, 59, who bought a hospital bed for his mother-in-law, Jeriah Pandak Wahab, 70, who was bedridden at the time.
He said the second-hand bed, bought for about RM500, was used for only a day before Jeriah died in September 2014. However, the experience made him realise that the equipment could still benefit other patients.
He subsequently tried to help a friend whose bedridden father needed a hospital bed, only to realise that many other families were facing the same predicament.
“From one bed, we bought more until we had five, then 10, 15, and eventually the number kept growing until today, when we have 314 hospital beds,” he said, adding that the initiative later developed into a more organised aid movement before JIP was officially registered around 2020.
Apart from hospital beds, he said JIP also provides wheelchairs, oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders and other care equipment, depending on the needs of recipients and available stocks.
To date, about 936 recipients have been recorded as having benefited from the use of hospital beds, while hundreds more have used other equipment.
He said JIP’s principle is to help those in need regardless of race, religion, age or economic status, as illness can affect anyone.
In the early days, Muhammad Don used his own money to acquire the equipment before more people began coming forward with financial and in-kind contributions to help more families.
In fact, he said, the donors come from various races, with some contributing money towards the purchase of equipment despite never having met him personally. Such support, he said, was a testament to how people could come together to help one another regardless of race or religion.
Unlike aid programmes that provide equipment directly to recipients, JIP operates a conditional loan system to ensure the equipment can be used by more patients.
“Every recipient has to fill in an application form and make a pledge that the borrowed equipment must be returned once the patient recovers or no longer needs it. This is important so that we can reuse the equipment to help other patients who also need it,” he said.
For M. Raja Kumar, 71, the hospital bed loaned by JIP has brought immense relief in caring for his wife, M. Pushpa, 66, who has been bedridden for about five years and is unable to get up without assistance, requiring help with daily needs including eating, bathing and personal care.
Making things even more challenging, Raja Kumar himself undergoes dialysis due to kidney problems, yet continues to care for his wife at home. He learnt about JIP through an in-law, who helped him obtain the assistance.
For him, the bed provides more than convenience; it ensures his wife’s comfort while easing the burden of caregiving on him.
-- BERNAMA