Maid says she’s overworked and sleep-deprived after just one week caring for elderly man in Singapore

SINGAPORE: A domestic helper from the Philippines has reached out online for advice after a difficult first week on the job in Singapore, saying she has been overworked and sleep-deprived while caring for an elderly man.

In her post, the helper shared that she spends the entire day cleaning the house and attending to the elderly man’s needs, with no proper breaks. Her only time to sit, she said, is during meals.

“My only time to sit down at daytime is my mealtime, and at night I don’t have enough sleep,” she wrote on the Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper Facebook group. “I get up every 1 or 2 hours to help Grandpa’s urinal. I’m overworked here at my employer’s house.”

The helper also mentioned she had previously worked in Taiwan for over six years, caring for a 90-year-old man with complex needs. During that time, she became fluent in Mandarin and was trained in colostomy care and phlegm suctioning.

Despite her experience, she says the workload in her current job has been overwhelming.

Seeking advice from the community, she asked, “If I ever break the contract, do I have to pay my employer? Or if ever I will complain to my agent, are they going to pick me up or what? Need some advice, please. Don’t know what to do. I’m so stressed…please don’t judge.”

“You have to talk to your employer.”

In the comments, fellow helpers pointed out that caregiving jobs in Taiwan and Singapore can be very different. In Taiwan, they said, caregivers are usually hired specifically to focus on elderly care, without being expected to do household chores.

In Singapore, however, it is common for caregivers to also handle cleaning, cooking, and other domestic tasks, even if their main role is supposed to be caregiving.

Some also questioned why she had not clarified the “job scope” before taking the position.

Others were more sympathetic and offered practical advice. “Ask for transfer, sis,” one netizen wrote. “Taking care of the elderly is not an easy job. We have to wake up every two hours. If, in the day, you have to do all the household work, it will be very hard. You will get sick sooner or later because [you won’t have] enough rest. I think the agency will understand that.”

Another said, “If you really can’t, just ask to move, sis…if your boss doesn’t allow you to move, then it’s better to just go home first.”

A third, however, advised that the helper raise her concerns with her employer before quitting.

“First, you have to talk to your employer. If they are the ones who hired you to come to Singapore, I’m sure it won’t be pleasant to them that within a week you will ask for a transfer,” they said.

“Imagine the money they spent on hiring you. They may feel used by you as a stepping stone to come to SG. So if I may suggest, talk to your employer about how difficult you find your job without enough rest during the day, since at night it is impossible to get the 8 hours of sleep.”

Where to get help

Domestic helpers facing issues such as overwork, unpaid salaries, or not having enough to eat can reach out for support.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) advises affected helpers to call the MDW Helpline at 1800 339 5505, which is available from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

They can also contact the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) at 1800 225 5233, which operates 24 hours a day.

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