Reaching out to the old and lonely

Another day, another lonely tryst with the TV set. With his son and daughter-in-law at work most of the day, the hours alone at home were getting to him. The regular stream of visitors had petered out since his wife's passing. His peers were mostly dead, dying or housebound. And with arthritis kicking in, leaving the house was difficult.

"Isolation is one big problem that senior citizens face," says Saikat Naskar, a senior social worker at Dignity Foundation, Kolkata. "Depression, loneliness and a sense of emptiness are common among the elderly in the city, many of whom have children living abroad," he adds.

With the joint family virtually extinct, finding a support system for the city's elderly isn't easy.

Trying to fill this gap are NGOs like Dignity Foundation which offer several programmes – what Saikat calls "life enrichment services"– for its members.

When Sumita Ghose first encountered Dignity Foundation, she was still short of the 60-mark. But the one-time fee of Rs 1,000 convinced the Calcutta International School teacher to sign up. At that time, the NGO's Kolkata chapter was scouting for someone to organise their entertainment programmes – Sumita fitted the bill.

Now 62, she enjoys spending time with fellow seniors; as does 64-year-old widower Tapan Chakraburtty, whose children live outside the city. For this sprightly sexagenarian, there's no room for self-pity. His association as a member and volunteer with Dignity Foundation began soon after his wife's death. "I had enough time on my hands, and realised this would keep me occupied," he says.

Dignity Foundation offers several services: a monthly chai adda meet, weekly meditation and yoga sessions, discounted medical services, legal, financial and medical consultation for free and even support from the Kolkata police.

One of the highlights is the Dignity Companionship programme where volunteers (most are senior citizens themselves) visit members who are lonely or housebound, offering company, conversation or just reading out the news.

Other special events have members turning guides, receptionists, stall managers and more. Saikat adds, "Our members are our volunteers. They have time on their hands, and they are the best ones to advocate their cause."

But stories of abuse and neglect of the elderly abound. The NGO intervenes in such cases, sometimes organising visits to homes of neglected elderly folk with plainclothes policemen in tow.

"Many of these people are extremely lonely. Their children live abroad and they are at the mercy of their attendants," says Sumita.

With greater numbers of old people being left in the care of the attendants, the blame is invariably heaped upon the children. As better work prospects draw people overseas, customised services for the elderly are badly needed. NGOs, with their limited funds, can do only so much.

This is where organisations like Parental Care India come in. The organisation offers home-based care services, property maintenance and travel assistance for separate fees. It currently has 20 permanent members with whom regular contact is maintained. But not all clients are members. Many go in for on-demand plans– which do not include emergency support and require 48 hours prior notice.

US-based Animesh Chowdhury came up with the idea for such an organisation after struggling to tend to his Kolkata-based parents, especially when his father developed depression.

"Little things like taking my mother to the temple, buying a book and replacing our old TV set became extremely difficult. Even collecting pension and encashing matured LIC certificates suddenly seemed huge tasks," says Animesh who started Parental Care India in November 2008.

Indiana-based homemaker Suparna Bose is a regular client. Her parents live off E.M. Bypass. Suparna says, "They help my parents collect pension, visit doctors, do bank jobs, and even shop for groceries. Each time, they give me a detailed report of the visit." Recently when her father fell ill, Parental Care called the ambulance, contacted acquaintances and made arrangements for his admission.

From scanning parents' medical test results to their children to setting up video conferences between the two, Parental Care India attempts to bridge the distance.

Part of the challenge is winning clients' trust. "Initially, our elderly clients tend to be suspicious. But once we gain their faith, they even trust us with large money transactions," says Debabrata Banerjee, COO of Parental Care India's Kolkata operations.

As for Parental Care India's representatives, minimum requisites are basic educational qualifications and references. Background checks are carried out. The representatives are scattered across the city so they can rush to the aid of members during medical emergencies.

"We badly need more retirement communities, more investments in hospitals and geriatric clinics and the creation of more senior citizen service centres," says Suparna.

Sumita agrees. "More than discounts for senior citizens, we need people to be around. And we certainly need many more comfortable old age homes," she says.


(Dignity Foundation: 3069 0991; Parental Care India: 9333733760)


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