The Tzu Chi Eye Center’s medical team, consisting of 65 members provided, medical assistance to residents of Haven for the Elderly in Tanay, Rizal on Oct. 27, 2024.
Led by Tzu Chi Medical Foundation president Dr. Antonio Say and Tzu Chi Eye Center medical director Dr. Bernardita Navarro, the team conducted comprehensive eye exams for 124 elderly residents, including those who were ambulatory and confined to wheelchairs or bedridden.
Deputy medical director Dr. Susan Irene Lapid-Lim and volunteer Dr. Catherine Macaraig visited the bedridden residents in their quarters to perform consultations.
During the outreach, the medical team identified 94 residents in need of cataract and pterygium surgeries.
The patients will be referred to Tzu Chi Eye Center in Manila for surgery, with transportation and pre-surgery requirements coordinated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office IV-A, which manages the facility.
In addition to eye conditions, the doctors also observed psychological challenges among some residents, including behavioral outbursts during consultations.
Nurse Jocelyn Reyes, who oversees the care of 275 residents at the Haven for the Elderly, expressed gratitude for the support from Tzu Chi.
“We have been seeking help for the past two years, and Tzu Chi’s assistance is invaluable,” she said.
“If our residents regain their eyesight, it will help prevent falls and allow them to continue reading and learning, which can also prevent dementia,” she said.
The Haven for the Elderly is a government-run care facility for abandoned and homeless elderly individuals.
