Elderly man sleeps outdoors as Bedok flat overflows with junk
An elderly man living alone in a rental flat in Bedok Reservoir has been sleeping on a chair at the void deck every night - because his home is so packed with clutter there's no room for him inside.
The 78-year-old, known only as Mr Lin, is believed to have a hoarding habit. He reportedly also uses the nearby coffee shop to shower, as his own bathroom is inaccessible.
Non-profit organisation Helping Joy highlighted Mr Lin's situation in a recent Facebook post, describing his unit at Block 704 Bedok Reservoir Road, as being filled "floor to ceiling" with all kinds of miscellaneous items.
The kitchen passageway was completely obstructed, and the living room was the only space left with some standing room.
The group added that there were cockroaches in the home, raising concerns about hygiene and fire safety - not just for Mr Lin, but also for his neighbours.
When Shin Min Daily News visited the flat, the front door could barely open. Debris blocked the entrance, forcing people to step directly onto the clutter to get inside.
Speaking to the paper, Mr Lin said he began picking up discarded items during the Covid-19 pandemic after he lost his job.
"It started with a few things I thought I could sell. Over time it just piled up. Some items I couldn't bear to part with," he said.
He acknowledged that his neighbours had complained about the clutter, especially items left outside his door.
"Eventually, the authorities sent people to clear the area. They threw away four large bins of stuff - even the things I had hanging outside," he recalled.
Volunteers from Helping Joy were scheduled to help him clean up his unit on June 8, but Mr Lin admitted he had wanted to postpone the clean-up.
"I'm worried they'll throw everything away. I need time to sort through it. I'm afraid I'll be left with nothing. What if I throw something out and later realise I need it?"
Neighbour Mr Peng, 78, said that while Mr Lin lives alone, he does have family. He once saw Mr Lin's daughter-in-law and grandson visit briefly during Chinese New Year - they stood outside the flat to greet him before leaving.
Mr Pang and a coffee shop employee both confirmed seeing Mr Lin using the coffee shop toilet to shower and relieve himself.
"He's in there for over 10 minutes each time," said Mr Pang.
The coffee shop employee did not report the matter, as he sympathised with Mr Lin's situation.
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AsiaOne
4 hours ago
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'I will have nothing': Elderly hoarder in Bedok fears volunteers will throw away belongings, Singapore News
His home is choc-a-bloc with things he has collected over the years, but he does not want to part with them. The 78-year-old man, known as Lim, lives alone in a Bedok Reservoir flat and is worried that the charity trying to help him clean up his house may leave him with "nothing", according to Shin Min Daily News. He sells the stuff collected to earn a living. Lim told the Chinese daily that he was worried volunteers would "throw everything away". "If everything is thrown away, then I will have nothing," he said. "I don't want that, and I fear I won't be able to find the things I need." In a Facebook post on June 2, charity Helping Joy said that Lim has been living in a "heavily cluttered" flat with items accumulated over years, with no space to move. It has since cleared some of the belongings from his home following "12 hours of hard work and battling cockroaches" in a project that began on Sunday, according to multiple posts on Monday (June 9). The charity said Lim's home posed health risks and a fire hazard to both him and his neighbours. "We hope to help Uncle Lim declutter, paint and clean his house and provide him with new furniture and electrical appliances," the charity wrote before they cleaned the house. They added: "Let's come together to help Uncle Lim to have a better and cleaner living environment." Helping Joy is also seeking monetary donations for Lim as well as basic essentials and appliances, such as a bed and mattress, a shoe rack and a standing fan. Lim requires "long term care and support", Helping Joy said. Showering and using the toilet at coffee shop According to a Shin Min reporter who visited the home, the door could not be fully opened and guests would have to tread on the items to enter. Lim said he could not find a job during during Covid-19 and decided to collect items to sell. "Things accumulated little by little, and I couldn't bear to sell some of them," he told Shin Min. "I've had arguments with my neighbours because of the items outside my door." This resulted in authorities throwing away "four large buckets of things", he said of a clean-up that occurred prior to Helping Joy's assistance. A neighbour surnamed Peng (transliterated) told Shin Min that that Lim has children and grandchildren and that they visited him during the Chinese New Year. They stood outside the home to greet him before leaving. He also said that Lim goes to the coffee shop below the block to take a shower and use the washroom. AsiaOne has reached out to Helping Joy for more information. [[nid:683521]] khooyihang@
Straits Times
6 hours ago
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Elderly man sleeps at void deck, showers at coffee shop -- as his Bedok flat is filled to the ceiling with rubbish
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New Paper
10 hours ago
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Elderly man sleeps outdoors as Bedok flat overflows with junk
An elderly man living alone in a rental flat in Bedok Reservoir has been sleeping on a chair at the void deck every night - because his home is so packed with clutter there's no room for him inside. The 78-year-old, known only as Mr Lin, is believed to have a hoarding habit. He reportedly also uses the nearby coffee shop to shower, as his own bathroom is inaccessible. Non-profit organisation Helping Joy highlighted Mr Lin's situation in a recent Facebook post, describing his unit at Block 704 Bedok Reservoir Road, as being filled "floor to ceiling" with all kinds of miscellaneous items. The kitchen passageway was completely obstructed, and the living room was the only space left with some standing room. The group added that there were cockroaches in the home, raising concerns about hygiene and fire safety - not just for Mr Lin, but also for his neighbours. When Shin Min Daily News visited the flat, the front door could barely open. Debris blocked the entrance, forcing people to step directly onto the clutter to get inside. Speaking to the paper, Mr Lin said he began picking up discarded items during the Covid-19 pandemic after he lost his job. "It started with a few things I thought I could sell. Over time it just piled up. Some items I couldn't bear to part with," he said. He acknowledged that his neighbours had complained about the clutter, especially items left outside his door. "Eventually, the authorities sent people to clear the area. They threw away four large bins of stuff - even the things I had hanging outside," he recalled. Volunteers from Helping Joy were scheduled to help him clean up his unit on June 8, but Mr Lin admitted he had wanted to postpone the clean-up. "I'm worried they'll throw everything away. I need time to sort through it. I'm afraid I'll be left with nothing. What if I throw something out and later realise I need it?" Neighbour Mr Peng, 78, said that while Mr Lin lives alone, he does have family. He once saw Mr Lin's daughter-in-law and grandson visit briefly during Chinese New Year - they stood outside the flat to greet him before leaving. Mr Pang and a coffee shop employee both confirmed seeing Mr Lin using the coffee shop toilet to shower and relieve himself. "He's in there for over 10 minutes each time," said Mr Pang. The coffee shop employee did not report the matter, as he sympathised with Mr Lin's situation.
