Meet Md Salleh Jetty, a Consultant at Pertapis Senior Citizens Fellowship Home. Starting his journey with Pertapis 16 years ago as a welfare officer, he now provides expert advices with his wide experience in dealing with elderly care and staff management.
Q & A with Md Salleh Jetty
What is your role and how long have you worked with us?
I am a Consultant that provides expert advice at PSCFH. My advice and support provided is based on the experiences on what works well and I hope will spur the leadership of Rafidah Rafid, the Head of Home (HOH) and Raudhah Zahirah, Deputy Head of Home (Dy HOH), to greater heights. And the results has been evident with the newly introduced initiatives that has been well received by staff and impressed the senior management.
My choice of wanting to work in an aged home 16 years ago have served me well and with pride. Starting as Welfare Officer, then as Senior Welfare Officer, later a Dy HOH and prior to HOH before holding a Consultant position, I experienced growing old together with colleagues and residents. They gave me a wide experience in dealing with elderly care and staff management. We bear in mind: Patience and respect is the basic principle. Its time-tested and stay true through to this day.
What makes you want to stay with Pertapis?
To share with as many colleagues as possible about my experience gained in elderly care and staff management. For example, how to run and upgrade the Home to keep up with the times. Working and contributing as a Consultant on new projects such as Standard of Care, SOPS, Home expansion, maintaining relationship with volunteers and donors and others in the community.
Could you share a few details about the favourite part of your role and the team at your Home?
Favourite part of my Role:
And now as a consultant I “walk a lot” & see things that I “don’t see and take for granted”
Walk thousand steps
Never cooped up in my room
From where I stand today, I can see the new pathway built for the convenient of residents: the cleaner canal which provide clean and cool air to the residents dorm, the newly to be opened jogging track, basketball courts which is near to our Senior Garden which won the bronze Award in the NParks Competition this year. We look forward to VIPs and MPs opening ceremony soon, so an added attraction to attract them as well as the community including donors and volunteers to our Aged Home.
One interesting fact, the Home is a fertile ground for language learning. Nobody notice but it’s a fact. By interacting with the elderly, non-Malay speaking colleagues easily picked up Malay language / Bahasa Melayu in a speed time. Our Myanmar and Philippines Nurses mastered the language which helped them well in their daily work.
The team, comprising of Head of Home, Dy Head, Operation Executive, Welfare Officers, Nursing Aides, Driver and Housekeepers, are passionate individuals and they always rise to the occasion when it comes to giving the best possible care, not forgetting the basic principles in caring of the elderly ie Patience and Respect.
During Covid-19 where residents are homebound most of the time, the staff know how to have fun with residents. They created new activities that help reduce isolation and increase connection.
How would you describe Pertapis?
Pertapis is for the community, fun and collaborative. The phrases brings nostalgia - the good days where PERTAPISIAN are together in arms and shoulders having fun in walkathons, breaking of fast with the community thanks to the contribution by donors and sponsors, Care and Share events, Golfing togethers with the Professor, Annual Dinners, Staff Retreat, Korban, stage performances and more. We hope the good days will be back soon!
My slogan “ Be Courteous and Helpful - Be Community Friendly”.
In PERTAPIS you have to read a lot, especially the PERTAPIS handbook and the Annual Reports. I always look forward to the President and Senior Executive Director speech. Their speeches helps to create the direction of our efforts and strategic planning. From the Pertapis Handbook, I take the opportunity to remind all the following phrases which attracted my attention and would like to share for life:
“Work diligently and honestly in the interest of the organization.”
“Be a Good Listener-whoever you are dealing, listen to their point of view- understand occasional frustration or anger.”
“Always ask questions when in Doubt.”
Get to know more of our passionate and incredible employees at #lifeatPERTAPIS and learn how you can be part of the team!