KOTA BHARU: Getting older has not hindered an elderly couple to remain committed and steadfast in taking care of their son who is a person with disabilities (PWD).
Zuriah Ibrahim, 61, said that she never grew tired of seeing to the needs of her son Abdul Rahman Hasan, 31, who has been bedridden for the past 11 years.
However, she expressed her concerns about what would happen to him should her husband Hasan Mat, 67, were to pass on first.
She said that Abdul Rahman, who is the eldest of three children, was born normal, but everything changed after he had a high fever when he was just four years old.
She added that subsequently, Abdul Rahman found difficulty in balancing when he walked.
"However, when he was about 20, he could no longer walk. He is unable to look after himself and lies down in bed. He will whine to get attention when he is hungry or wants to drink milk.
"We have been taking turns to see to all of Abdul Rahman's daily needs such as feeding, changing his diapers and bathing him," she said when met at their family home in Kampung Bunut Payong here today.
Zuriah said that each month she needed RM1,000 to buy items for Abdul Rahman's needs.
She also expressed her gratitude for the assistance of RM500 a month from the Welfare Department (JKM) which does help lessen their financial burden.
"Abdul Rahman only depends on drinking milk formula which is given twice a day, apart from eating soft foods.
"Hasan does odd jobs in the village and his income is not fixed, while my two other children are married. We do not want to burden them as they already have families of their own, though they still do try to help out where they can," she said.
Zuriah said that even though she was no longer as strong as she used to be, they were determined to care for Abdul Rahman till the very end.