Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 7.1

Chapter 7 – Founding the "Home for the Aged Sick"

Volunteering Her Services for Free
Teresa came to know about the Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital for the poor from Ursula. She also found out that due to a lack of funds, the hospital could not afford to hire a nurse despite having 380 patients.

In Teresa's mind, "This is the type of work that I want to do. If this hospital has money, it would be able to hire nurses and would not need me. It is because they lack funds, no one came, so I came."

"My objective in learning nursing is to care for the poor, not to make." Teresa

 

Establishing the Home for the Aged Sick
"I wish to set up a Home for the aged sick where I will give them not only medical treatment but also loving care and concern. I want to treat them with respect and let them know that there is still warmth in the world." This time Ursula was moved and decided to support Teresa in setting up the Home.

Ursula had been observing and assessing Teresa quietly during her Kwong Wai Shiu day and recognized that Teresa truly loved and cared for the elderly and sick patients.

The Early Beginnings of the Home
With Ursula's support, Teresa bought a bungalow and set up the "Home for Aged Sick".

In 1965 the Home for Aged Sick opened its doors and accepted a pioneer intake of 77 elderly residents.

Ursula funded all the expenses for establishing the Home including the purchase of equipment and the cost of renovations to the tune of $150,000.

Single-Handedly Running the "Heaven" for the Aged Sick

 Initially Teresa did everything at the Home. As she is a vegetarian from birth, she didn't cook fish and meat.

With generous donations 4 buildings were added and the Home could now accommodate 250 residents.

Teresa's Home quickly became known as the "Heaven" for the aged and the sick.

There were 4 conditions for admission. Any candidate who full\filled these 4 conditions was welcomed into the Home.

1. The candidate has no relatives, friends and money.
   
2. He or she must be above 60 years old as those younger were still capable of making of making a living by themselves.
   
3. He or she must be ill and needed medical care.
   
4. He or she must not have contagious disease or mental illnesses.