One caregiver, four dependants, and a fight to survive

In a modest four-room HDB flat, 56-year-old Zuridah Hassan’s days starts early and end late.

Her life is a daily juggling act — caring for elderly parents, raising two teenagers, managing household chores and navigating the uncertain waters of unemployment.

It is not the life she imagined, but one she has embraced with quiet determination and resilience.

“I don’t really have a life of my own anymore,” she said.

As a single mother to a 17-year-old daughter and a 19-year-old son, she also cares for her 84-year-old father, now having difficulty moving after a stroke, and her 81-year-old mother, a cancer survivor undergoing regular hormone injections.

Her days revolve around their needs — preparing meals, attending medical appointments, and maintaining the household.

From career to caregiving

For nearly three decades, Zuridah worked in the oil and gas sector.

She began as a general clerk and worked her way up to a sales coordinator. It was a job she stayed loyal to for 29 years, right until the company folded in April 2024.

The retrenchment could not have been worse time. “When the company closed down, my dad’s condition worsened. He has difficulty moving since October,” she recalled.

She has been using her retrenchment package, personal savings and her father’s CPF to keep the family afloat.

But as the sole breadwinner with no income and mounting responsibilities, her savings have rapidly dwindled.

“Almost 80 per cent used up,” she estimated.

Mother first

Despite the stress, Zuridah takes pride knowing both children are studying in the Institute of Technical Education and doing their best, even taking on part-time jobs during school holidays to ease the burden.

She has full custody and single-handedly raised them since her divorce 11 years ago.

Her ex-husband, who lives in Malaysia, contributes minimally — when he does at all.

“I used to get angry, used to push him about his responsibilities. But I decided I didn’t want to stress myself anymore,” she said.

From the start of her divorce, her focus has been clear: to give her children a stable home and a parent they can depend on.

Help that matters

With limited resources, every bit of help counts.

Since 2022, she has received several forms of assistance through the NTUC-U Care Fund.

The assistance includes vouchers from the CapitaLand – U Care Resilience & Enablement Fund (CAP+Ure Fund) and the NTUC Care Fund (e-Vouchers).

“It’s not much but it helps,” she admitted.

The vouchers have gone towards essentials items like groceries, school bags and shoes, and utility bills.

Soon, she will be receiving $400 in cash under the NTUC Care Fund (Caregiver Support) for Single Caregivers.

Launched in April 2025, the initiative aims to assist single lower-income caregivers of young children and elderly parents.

Eligible NTUC union members can receive a quantum of $350 per child and $200 per elderly dependent to help ease caregiving expenses.

Searching for stability

Zuridah is actively looking for work but said finding a job that fits her caregiving responsibilities is a challenge.

Between caregiving for her father and taking her mother to hormone treatments, a flexible workplace is something she hopes for.

“If something happens to my mum or dad, I need to be able to respond,” she explained.

She had lined up an interview earlier this year, but her mother had a fall just days before.

Everything had to be put on hold again.

But she is not giving up. She hopes the right opportunity will come after the June school holidays.

Quiet resilience

Zuridah does not think of herself as extraordinary. But in her quiet persistence and daily sacrifices, her strength is undeniable.

Her hope is simple, she said: “I just want to work again. Not to be rich, not to chase anything. Just enough so I don’t have to worry about tomorrow.”

Until then, she will keep going — for her children, her parents and herself.

To help those in need like Zuridah, you can donate to the NTUC-U Care Fund.