Singapore Red Cross give air purifiers to vulnerable seniors amid heat and haze

Staff from the Singapore Red Cross showing Anna Mary Raja Letchumi, 80, how to use the air purifier at her home in Woodlands on Sept 9.

Published Sep 09, 2026, 09:50 PM

Updated Sep 09, 2026, 09:50 PM

SINGAPORE – Anna Mary Raja Letchumi, who was hospitalised recently due to breathing difficulties caused by hazy conditions and smoke, had some good news on Sept 9 when the Singapore Red Cross visited her to give her an air purifier.

Subathra V. Manickam also received one. She has an autoimmune condition called systemic lupus erythematosus, which flares up when she is exposed to the sun.

Both of them were among the first of 200 seniors to receive air purifiers for some protection against the heat and haze.

As they live alone and are aged 70 and above, they were also given $100 from the organisation to help them defray electricity bills that could be higher from using the air purifiers.

Letchumi and Subathra also received care packs containing biscuits and drinks.

The seniors given the air purifiers are part of the Red Cross’s Home Monitoring and Eldercare and Medical Chaperone and Transportation programmes. Under the Home Monitoring and Eldercare programme, seniors living alone have panic buttons and motion sensors in their homes, so that the Red Cross can respond to emergencies.

Karine Tan, associate director of community engagement at the Singapore Red Cross, said the current haze season and hot and dry weather pose a dangerous situation for seniors, especially those who live alone and have underlying conditions that can worsen their risks of heat-related illnesses, respiratory distress and dehydration.

The care pack for seniors living alone includes an air purifier, drinks, a multi-grain beverage pack, and biscuits. ST PHOTO: SARAH LEE

The care pack for seniors living alone includes an air purifier, drinks, a multi-grain beverage pack, and biscuits.

The care packs are meant to help them stay hydrated and help them stay indoors as much as possible to avoid unhealthy air.

Since most of the Red Cross’ beneficiaries are from slightly lower income backgrounds, the organisation also provided the $100 utility bill support as it did not want them to be worried about rising electricity bills when using the air purifiers.

By early October, an additional 500 people from vulnerable groups and families will receive the care packs, without the air purifiers and $100.

The Singapore Red Cross’ efforts build on an earlier islandwide outreach in April, which saw the group distribute 600 care packs to protect beneficiaries against heat and hazy conditions . The items included a portable fan and face masks.

Heat resilience talks for 450 outdoor migrant workers were also organised under the outreach.

On Sept 4 and 5, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index crossed into the unhealthy range for the first time since 2023 because of haze. Amplified by the warming El Nino phenomenon, forest fires have been raging in Kalimantan and Sumatra for weeks, sending smoke haze to Singapore and the region.

In the second half of August, the highest temperature recorded was a scorching 35.5 deg C at Seletar on Aug 25. There were also several warm nights when minimum temperatures remained above 27 deg C.

To alleviate the heat at home, Letchumi and Subathra rely on standing fans in their one-room rental flats.

Subathra’s health challenges extend beyond lupus: She also suffered two minor strokes in May, had Covid-19 and is grappling with spinal issues. These ailments worsened her appetite recently, making it harder for her to hydrate.

“The doctors tell me every time that I must drink, but I’m not drinking... For almost a month, I was on a drip because my body became dehydrated,” added the retiree who is in her 70s.

“But still, I have healthcare staff and Red Cross to help me out. That, I must appreciate,” she said.

Shabana Begum is a correspondent, with a focus on environment and science, at The Straits Times.

9 月 9 日，新加坡红十字会的工作人员在兀兰的家中向 80 岁的 Anna Mary Raja Letchumi 演示如何使用空气净化器。

发布于2026年9月9日晚上9:50

更新于2026年9月9日晚上9:50

新加坡——安娜·玛丽·拉贾·莱楚米最近因雾霾和烟雾导致呼吸困难而住院，9月9日，新加坡红十字会探望了她，并送给她一台空气净化器，这给她带来了一些好消息。

苏巴特拉·V·马尼卡姆也收到了一份。她患有一种名为系统性红斑狼疮的自身免疫性疾病，这种疾病在她暴露于阳光下时会发作。

他们俩是首批获得空气净化器的 200 位老年人之一，这些净化器可以起到一定的防暑降温作用，抵御雾霾。

由于他们独居且年龄在 70 岁及以上，该组织还向他们提供了 100 美元，以帮助他们支付因使用空气净化器而可能增加的电费。

Letchumi 和 Subathra 也收到了装有饼干和饮料的爱心包裹。

这些获赠空气净化器的老年人是红十字会“居家监护与养老服务”和“医疗陪护与交通服务”项目的成员。在“居家监护与养老服务”项目中，独居老人的家中安装了紧急按钮和运动传感器，以便红十字会在紧急情况下能够及时响应。

新加坡红十字会社区参与副主任陈嘉琳表示，目前的雾霾季节和炎热干燥的天气对老年人构成了危险，尤其是那些独居且患有基础疾病的老年人，这些疾病会加剧他们患上与高温相关的疾病、呼吸困难和脱水的风险。

为独居老人准备的关爱包包括空气净化器、饮料、混合谷物饮料包和饼干。（ST PHOTO：SARAH LEE）

为独居老人准备的关爱包包括空气净化器、饮料、混合谷物饮料包和饼干。

这些护理包旨在帮助他们保持水分，并尽可能让他们待在室内，以避免吸入不健康的空气。

由于红十字会的大多数受益者都来自收入稍低的家庭，该组织还提供了 100 美元的公用事业账单补贴，因为它不希望他们在使用空气净化器时担心电费上涨。

到 10 月初，另外 500 名来自弱势群体和家庭的人将收到护理包，但护理包中不包含空气净化器和 100 美元。

新加坡红十字会此次行动建立在4月份全岛范围内开展的援助活动之上。当时，该组织分发了600份爱心包，帮助受助者抵御高温和雾霾天气。爱心包里的物品包括便携式风扇和口罩。

此次外展活动还为 450 名户外务工人员组织了防暑降温讲座。

9月4日和5日，受雾霾影响，新加坡24小时污染物标准指数自2023年以来首次进入不健康范围。受厄尔尼诺现象加剧的气候变暖影响，加里曼丹岛和苏门答腊岛的森林大火已持续数周，烟雾笼罩新加坡及周边地区。

8 月下半月，最高气温出现在 8 月 25 日的实里达，高达 35.5 摄氏度。此外，还有几个夜晚气温偏高，最低气温保持在 27 摄氏度以上。

为了缓解家里的炎热，莱楚米和苏巴特拉在她们租住的一居室公寓里依靠落地扇降温。

苏巴特拉的健康问题不仅限于红斑狼疮：她五月份还曾两次轻微中风，感染过新冠病毒，并且目前正饱受脊柱问题的困扰。这些疾病最近加重了她的食欲，使她更难摄入足够的水分。

“医生每次都告诉我必须喝水，但我就是不喝……将近一个月的时间里，我因为脱水而一直在输液，”这位70多岁的退休老人补充道。

“但是，我还有医护人员和红十字会的帮助。对此，我非常感激，”她说。

沙巴娜·贝古姆是《海峡时报》的记者，主要关注环境和科学领域。