MARY KANNAMPUZHA JOSE

ADM NO: HPGD/JL14/1132

SOCIAL CAUSE: OLD AGE IS GOLD AGE

NGO: HELP AGE INDIA.

PRIN.L.N.WELINGKAR INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT & RESEARCH.

YEAR OF SUBMISSION: 2015

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Declaration

I, Mary Kannampuzha, student of Prin.L.N.Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, with admission no.HPGD/JL14/1132, hereby declare that I have completed this project on ISR – Old Age disability, NGO – HELP AGE INDIA, in the academic year 2015.

The Information submitted is true and original to the best of my Knowledge.

Mary Kannampuzha.

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Table of Contents

Topic Page No

Executive Summary 4

Introduction : Social Responsibility 5 Corporate social Responsibility 6 Individual social responsibility 8 NGO’s working towards the cause – Old Age Disability 10

NGO – HELP AGE INDIA 15 About – Help Age India 17 What they do? 18 How do they manage the operations? 19 Idea generation behind Help Age India. 20 Services that are offered. 21

i. Mobile Health care & cataract surgeryii. Physiocare & cancer care 22iii. Health Camps & Disaster Management 23iv. Active ageing centre & Support a Gran 24v. Livelihood Support & Old age Homes 25vi. Elder Helplines & Researches 27

One of the case in Point – Rajaram Ganpath Patil 29 Want to get involved with Help Age India - -this is how 30 Awards & Recognitions 31 Partners with Help Age India 33 Boards of Directors and Management team. 34 Major Donors to Help Age India. 35

Conclusion 37

Bibliography & Webliography 38

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Executive Summary

The Project attempts to give an idea about various individual social responsibilities (ISR) and awareness about the requirement of how we as individuals can perform our social responsibility.

The social cause on which I have worked on in this project is “Aged people with disability”.

A brief insight is given on NGO – Help Age India, working on elderly people caring and sharing and bring back in the second own house. The aim of Help Age India is to help and support the Aged people who are faced with social causes so that they could have a normal living and be a part of togetherness in society. The same is the subject of the project.

Finally an attempt is made to capture the doing of Help Age India in a video, highlighting their work and support towards the Gold Age people.

Social Responsibility

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Social responsibility is an ethical framework which suggests that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystems.

Social responsibility means sustaining the equilibrium between the two. It pertains not only to business organizations but also to everyone who’s any action impacts the environment. This responsibility can be passive, by avoiding engaging in socially harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals.

“Each of us is a being in himself and a being in society, each of us needs to understand himself and understand others, take care of others

and take care of himself.”

Corporate Social Responsibility

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Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship or responsible business) is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a self-regulatory mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards and international norms. With some models, a firm's implementation of CSR goes beyond compliance and engages in "actions that appear to further some social good, beyond the interests of the firm and that which is required by law."

The term "corporate social responsibility" became popular in the 1960s and has remained a term used indiscriminately by many to cover legal and moral responsibility more narrowly construed. SR aims to embrace responsibility for corporate actions and to encourage a positive impact on the environment and stakeholders including consumers, employees, investors, communities, and others.

Key CSR issues: environmental management, eco-efficiency, responsible sourcing, stakeholder engagement, labour standards and working conditions, employee and community relations, social equity, gender balance, human rights, good governance, and anti-corruption measures.

A properly implemented CSR concept can bring along a variety of competitive advantages, such as enhanced access to capital and markets, increased sales and profits, operational cost savings, improved productivity and quality, efficient human resource base, improved brand image and reputation, enhanced customer loyalty, better decision making and risk management processes.

 CSR is not a new concept in India. Ever since their inception, corporate like the Tata Group, the Group, and Indian Oil Corporation, to name a few have been involved in

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serving the community. Through donations and charity events, many other organizations have been doing their part for the society. The basic objective of CSR in these days is to maximize the company's overall impact on the society and stakeholders. CSR policies, practices and programs are being comprehensively integrated by an increasing number of companies throughout their business operations and processes. A growing number of corporate feel that CSR is not just another form of indirect expense but is important for protecting the goodwill and reputation, defending attacks and increasing business competitiveness.

CSR has gone through many phases in India. The ability to make a significant difference in the society and improve the overall quality of life has clearly been proven by the corporate. Not one but all corporate should try and bring about a change in the current social situation in India in order to have an effective and lasting solution to the social woes. Partnerships between companies, NGOs and the government should be facilitated so that a combination of their skills such as expertise, strategic thinking, manpower and money to initiate extensive social change will put the socio-economic development of India on a fast track.

“Under the Companies Act, 2013, any company having a net worth of rupees 500 crore or more or a turnover of rupees 1,000 crore or more or a net profit of rupees 5 crore or more should mandatorily spend at least 2% of last 3 years average net profits on CSR activities as specified in Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013 and as amended from time to time. The rules came into effect from 1 April 2014”.

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Individual Social responsibility

Individual Social Responsibility (ISR) is about an individual becoming responsible in his/her actions that have affected on communities outside his/her immediate circle. The immediate circle being family and friends. There can be an argument about also including family and friends, but it would be rather pertinent to include them as part of Individual Personal Responsibility.

"The individual social responsibility includes the engagement of each person towards the community where he lives, which can be expressed as an interest towards what’s happening in the community, as well as in the active participation in the solving of some of the local problems. Under community we understand the village, the small town or the residential complex in the big city, where lives every one of us. Each community lives its own life that undergoes a process of development all the time. And everyone of us could take part in that development in different ways, for example by taking part in cleaning of the street on which he lives, by taking part in organization of an event, connected with the history of the town or the village or by rendering social services to children without parents or elderly people. The individual social responsibility also could be expressed in making donations for significant for the society causes – social, cultural or ecological. There are many ways of donating, as for example donating of goods or donating money through a bank account or online".

Student Social Responsibility: this is a responsibility of all students for his/her actions. It is morally binding on everyone to act in such a way that the people immediately around them are not adversely affected. It is a commitment everyone has towards the society – contributing to social, cultural and ecological causes. SSR is based on an individual’s ethics.

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Some of Social Responsibilities are mentioned below :

Keeping in View the limitation of the project, we cannot cover on each and every factors mentioned above. We will narrow our view on one of the topics that is working towards the aged in the society focusing mainly on their needs and disability.

FEW NGO’S WORKING TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT FOR AGED DISABLITY

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1. AISCCON: All India Senior Citizen’s confederation:

Purpose: Formed in 2001, AISCCON is the largest national organisation to bring together and represent senior citizens across India. Today this federations/ associations affiliated to it from 14 states in India.

It devotes itself to networking, advocacy and research on the issues concerning welfare and development of senior citizens with governments at both the state and national level. The organisation also provides services activities including health care (Physio-therapy services, eye care services and other advisory services).

2. DIGNITY FOUNDATION – KOLKATA/CHENNAI

Purpose: We are committed to changing the way people look at ageing in India. We enable senior citizens to lead active lives through easy access to trusted information, opportunities for productive ageing and social support services.

The Goals of the foundation are twofold:

To rid the minds of the senior citizens of the fear that age means decline and retirement means loneliness, isolation, loss of prestige and so on. The Foundation works assiduously to re-instil in the elderly minds the confidence that age and productivity are not mutually exclusive. It does this by utilising their experience and maturity in activities that serve the needs of the community.

The other goal is achieved by attending to the needs of the elderly whose social support systems have weakened or are non-existent.

The Dignity Foundation vision is to create an enlightened society in which senior citizens feel secure, confident and valued, and can live with dignity.

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3. THE FAMILY WELFARE AGENCY – MUMBAI

Purpose: The Family Welfare Agency (FWA) has been established since 1950 in the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.  It is a voluntary social organization, registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act of 1950.

The agency has developed from working with general community based issues to providing specialized services in the field of Ageing and Mental Health. The FWA has worked at three levels preventive, promotive and curative within the community and nearby areas.  The agency has, thus progressed from ‘remedial’ to ‘therapeutic’ and has now broadened its approach with a ‘social development’ perspective, emphasis on integrating approaches.  This integrated development approach has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of life along with people’s participation to achieve the same.

In 1979, FWA initiated need based day services for the elderly, such as recreational, educational, medical and income generating activities at a micro level. The agency has been sensitive and proactive to the needs of senior citizens before the Government recognised the need for day care services to reach out to them. Hence, the development and growth of FWA at the micro level in the field of elder care is significant.

4. SILVER INNING FOUNDATION – MUMBAI

Purpose : We at SIF provide elderly care by counseling, elder helpline; need base services, advocacy and networking and many more. To uphold and secure the rights of elderly and actively work towards improving their quality of life by networking, advocating.

Our vision is of an elder friendly world in which ageing becomes a positive and rewarding experience.

Counselling. Elder Helpline. Need base services. Research & Development.

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5. AGEWELL FOUNDATION – DELHI

Purpose: Agewell Foundation, India is a not-for-profit NGO which has been working for the welfare and empowerment of older persons since 1999. Agewell has set up a two-tier network of over 7500 primary and 80000 secondary volunteers spread across 640 districts of India and interacts with over 25000 older persons on daily basis through its volunteers’ network.

Old age is an unavoidable part of our life cycle and should be lived gracefully rather than grudgingly. In today’s fast paced world we only start noticing signs of old age much after the gradual process is well underway.

Important aspects of life that foundation provides for the aged: Interaction center for older people Monitoring & evaluation center Training program Free Health care campaign Sharing the warmth campaign Reflection on social development

6. JANASEVA FOUNDATION – PUNE

Purpose: Janaseva Foundation believes that service to people around is the true form of service to God. Since its inception in 1988 this simple truth became the guiding principle and motto of those who made the Foundation over the years. For them serving was synonymous with helping the helpless, irrespective of their caste, creed, community or colour. Janaseva Foundation strives to serve this goal by being a care provider to the weakest of the weak: the elderly, the disabled, the disaster-stricken and the destitute. At the same time it looks to the development of the human mind and intellect through its wing devoted to education and training. The humanitarian cause is prime to its existence, against this overriding goal, the cost considerations recede in the background.

Activities: Healthcare Elderly Care Disabled care Destitute care Education & Research Seminars and workshops. Driving Training.

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7. SHEOWS ASHRAM – DELHI

Purpose: “SHEOWS” is currently running two Vridh Ashrams under the National Programmed of Vridh Seva Abhiyan of SHEOWS, since 29 Nov. 2003. About 70 helpless, mentally and physically sick, destitute olds are being admitted to our Ashrams by Delhi Police from different Police Stations of Delhi as well as from the Govt. Hospitals and Social Workers.

Facilities: Adequate bedding: Currently there are 100 beds. Planning to add 500 more beds

soon. Natural and Nutritious food: Free breakfast, lunch and dinner is provided. It can

be sponsored by any donor. Click Here to Know More Medical aid round the Clock: 24 hours availability of 1 doctor and 1 nurse. In-

house clinic with physiotherapy facility. Visiting doctor on alternative days for routine check-up.

Recreation arrangements: Spiritual healing, yoga, meditation and music therapy, Kalyan Reiki, Bhajan Mantra, dance and carom etc.

Restoration: We have helped 80 people to go back and live with their family and beloved ones.

Dying Care Unit: This unit brings the serious accident victims lying on road side to our treatment facility where they are taken care off.

8. ANANDAM – CHENNAIPurpose: Vicissitudes of life have contributed to the misery of elders with no one to depend on, no means of income, no emotional security making them destitute with a big question mark over their head about how to carry on with their lives and their only asset is their will to survive. To afford a helping hand to these senior citizens, Anandam was created.

Facilities: To move to own well designed premises to accommodate 100 elderly people To provide in-house medical facilities and physiotherapy To provide a place for prayer, yoga, meditation, recreation, library and other needs To develop organic kitchen garden to make ANANDAM self sufficient. Care and affection also is a large part of Anandam’s philosophy. On a regular basis,

this is provided by well-wishers and daily visits by the Trustees of Anandam.

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9. SOBHA MEMORIAL CHARITABLE TRUST – KERALA

Purpose: The intended activities of the trust are to provide whatever possible physical and financial assistance to poor and needy people in our villages for medical, educational and other social needs. The Trust also intends to establish an old age retreat“Tharavadu” meeting international standards on hygiene, healthcare and safety to provide good community living to the elderly people in our society who are financially sound but are left alone due to circumstances beyond the control of their children. 

Facilities: Tharavadu” offers you convenience, comfort and dedicated service, all under

one roof, so that you live life with abundant happiness, freedom and love and above all, enjoy your ‘Golden Years

Trust has opened its free Ayurveda and Allopathic Outpatient Clinic from 4th September 2011. Free consultancy is provided to the residents of “tharavadu” and general public on a part time basis at the moment.

The Trust has already commenced its charitable activities by providing assistance to financially weaker families to build and own their own house, financial assistance to families for the marriage of their children, medical assistance to people who are unable to support their own hospitalization expenses themselves etc. 

10. HELP AGE INDIA – MUMBAI

Purpose: To support the aged and make them feel their due importance in the society by reaching their maximum happiness and sharing their life together.

In this project I have tried to peep into the working of NGO – Help Age India and have attempted to know their way of operation by going through their history and knowing their involvement for the betterment of the elderly people.

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Vision: To work for the cause and care of disadvantaged older persons and to improve their quality of life.

Mission: Help Age envisions a society where elderly have the right to an active, healthy and dignified life. 

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After all the hard work of their life, there comes a stage when they is no one even to look after or fed them…

In today Nuclear family it is a total dispute and the elder are never reached out for support, left all alone.

Even in public places, none to reach out to them.

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About: Help Age IndiaWhat began as a humble initiative from a rented two room office in New Delhi's Kasturba Gandhi Marg has now blossomed into an extensive operation spread across 26 states with 90 project offices in India and headquartered at the capital's Qutab Institutional Area.

HelpAge India came into being in 1978 with Cecil Jackson Cole, founder of HelpAge International (UK), as its first President. Around this time two other men figured prominently in the HelpAge India story - John F. Pearson and Samson Daniel.

We are integrating our programs and services, and consciously moving from welfare towards development and long term sustainability for seniors. We are working closely with Senior Citizen Associations and encouraging seniors to speak up for their own rights.

We are actively working as a pressure group and focusing on Elder Rights such as the Right to adequate Health Insurance, Right to Universal Pension and working towards providing elders a society with age appropriate services.

In our continuing fight against poverty, isolation and neglect of elders though we have made significant strides, but they are just a drop in the ocean.

Hoping to achieve the following milestones by the year 2020:

Livelihood security for two million elderly through institutions of  elderly Health security for two million elderly A National movement of elders that gives them a voice and  political constituency Age appropriate services to 12 million elderly in partnership with government, private

sector and civil society.

The aim is to help elders rebuild their own lives and take charge of their own future, restoring within them a sense

of self worth and confidence.

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Help Age India...What They Do?

At present 95 million people in India are above the age of 60, by the year 2025 nearly 80 million more will be added to this population bracket. With improved life expectancy rate in our country, it’s estimated that as many as 8 million people are currently above the age of 80 years. Changing family value system, economic compulsions of the children, neglect and abuse has caused elders to fall through the net of family care. Homes for the Aged are ideal for elderly people who are alone, face health problems, depression and loneliness.

Over the past several years, Help Age India extended financial support for infrastructure development and provided assistive devices to nearly 90 such institutions around the country.  Help Age India has also compiled a list of 484 Homes for the Aged in 16 cities of the country with information about basic facilities, key features and contact details of these Homes, available on Help Age India’s website. 

Field Operation:

Tamaraikulam Elders Village (TEV):  Recognized as a model demonstration project by the Government of Tamil Nadu, TEV is the first Home for the Aged constructed by Help Age India. Situated in Cuddalore, about 20 km from Pondicherry, the construction of this Home for the Aged was made possible by the generous donations from viewers of NDTV. This model age care, free stay facility for rural poor has a capacity for 100 persons. TEV has multiple age friendly facilities and is self-sufficient in terms of energy and food. Active residents raise livestock, look after a fish pond, a vegetable plot, a greenhouse and a rice paddy field. As part of their income-generating activities, they produce items such as toiletries, banana-leaf rope, straw bags and pickles for sale in order to raise money for TEV. The residents have excellent healthcare facilities, practice active ageing techniques, participate in community meetings, celebrate festivals and are also involved in recreational activities with local community and Panchayat. TEV takes care of all the needs of its elders and provides them emotional and physical care.

Kalyan Ashram, Kolkata: Located in Chetla (South Kolkata), this donated two-storey home has been converted into model age care facility for elderly women. Managed by Help Age India Kalyan Ashram has a capacity for 10 persons with all the age friendly amenities essential for a Home for the Aged. The residents have access to excellent healthcare services and physiotherapy care. The facility also serves as a service hub for senior citizens of Kolkata and surrounding areas, providing support through a toll free elders helpline, physiotherapy care and medical services. Services to 38 Homes for the Aged of Kolkata are provided from this facility.

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How do they manage the operation at Help Age India?

The Help Age India is managed by different sponsors/volunteer & corporates to help and support for the operations at Help age India.

There are several programs that are managed by corporates like camps for medical checkup and donations of food /clothing or in financial terms.

Help Age India has numerous programs to aims for lifestyle happiness of the elderly persons in the organization.

Help Age India believes that the ageing process should not lead to the surrender of all independence in a residential care home. Along with catering to their needs, the homes must lend itself to the participation, involvement, independence and dignity of its residents. The Homes for the Aged directly managed by Help Age functions on a strict protocol where high standards are maintained with respect to the design and construction of the building, age friendly facilities and competent staff. The residents are actively involved with the management of the homes and participate enthusiastically in productive aging activities. These homes are more than just a place to pass the remainder of the lives; it's an abode for the elderly where they can support one other both emotionally and spiritually.

Celebration time…

Support by volunteering…

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Idea Generation behind Help Age India…

Help Age India has always worked to accurately account for and report the financial position of the Society, to promote sound financial management, and to provide quality services to the donors. The centralized finance function is performed from the Headquarters at Delhi and serves the needs of all the offices across the country. It ensures that all transactions adhere to the Society's policies and procedures, generally accepted accounting principles, and rules established by the statutory bodies.

Help Age India values a culture of accountability and integrity committed to doing the right thing. Help Age India was among the pioneers in the sector to implement ERP based accounting software which enables strong internal controls and checks and balances to ensure that its financial reports are reliable, operations are effective and its activities compliant with applicable laws and regulations.

From the CEO’s Desk - Help Age India:

This year, Help Age India introduced a call to seniors to practice Active Ageing. The Advantage programmed encouraging this practice is being rolled out by Help Age India and will extend manifold opportunities for seniors to bond with peers and engage in socially useful community work. These activities will ensure a physically and mentally active life for seniors, a prerequisite to healthy living. During the year, Help Age India met the challenges posed by two major natural disasters that affected millions of people in Uttarakand and Odessa. In both cases, comprehensive relief was delivered quickly, efficiently and transparently.

A significant feature of the anniversary celebrations on April 28th was the release of a book documenting the work of Help Age India “Out of the shadows into light: The saga of age care in India.” As the name suggests this journey closely parallels the evolution of age care in the country which Help Age India pioneered and today, leads.

The efforts of Help Age were further recognized when it received a award for transparency and excellence in financial reporting in the not for profit sector by "Institute of Chartered Accountants of India" for three consecutive years. Help Age was also awarded the Best Presented Accounts and Corporate Governance Disclosure Award 2010, in the NGO category by the South Asian Federation of Accountants

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Services that are offered at Help Age India…

Mobile Medical Units (MMU): In a nation where the reach of the public health facilities is dismal and where private health care is prohibitively expensive, the old in their post retirement years face enormous difficulty in accessing any kind of medical attention. In addition to this is the problem of near absence of geriatric medical skill and treatment. There are over 80 million elders over the age of 80 in the country, almost totally bereft of specialized attention that they require. The situation that Help Age India faces in reaching its Health Care outreach programs to the elderly in urban and rural areas is truly challenging.

What is Help Age India Doing?

To reach basic healthcare to one million disadvantaged rural and urban people, particularly the elderly in under-served communities, especially in remote geographical location and difficult terrain. In the next two years establish and operate at least one Mobile health clinic in each of the poorest 200 districts of the country and extend it over the next three years to cover all 621 districts.

The Help Age mobile health care services are designed to reach free healthcare to disadvantaged elders in rural and urban areas. On-site health care services include doctor consultation, basic diagnostics, medicines and home visits for bedridden patients. Linkage to local health facilities ensures referrals to specialist doctors. The team of health care providers consists of a doctor, pharmacist, paramedic, patient facilitator and is supervised by a qualified social worker.Typically, each MMU works six days a week, reaching the first site around 9.00 AM and works till 5 PM. It covers a cluster of 10-15 community sites/villages on a weekly schedule averaging 200 km per week. Thus, each MMU targets to reach medical services to 100-150 patients per day in remote rural locations and around 200 patients in urban areas. Annually, each MMU provides approximately 30,000 treatments.

Cataract Surgeries: Every year thousands of cataract surgeries are performed all over India through a network of specialized hospitals and organizations dedicated and working for eye care. Through this partnership with HelpMeSee, Help Age hopes to increase its reach furthermore and restore sight to more and more destitute elders."

81 per cent of blind cases in India is due to cataract 2 million new cases of cataract are reported every year in India 1 ophthalmologist for 100,000 people in India 60-69 year olds are at 2.74 times greater risk of losing vision 70+ are at 4.86 times greater risk of losing vision

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What is Help Age India Doing?

In the last 30 years, Help Age India has supported nearly 850,000 surgeries on poor and needy older persons by partnering with nearly 400 organizations (eye hospitals, trusts, NGOs). Every year, more than 20000 cataract surgeries are performed all over the country with support from Help Age India through credible and competent Eye Hospitals; and organizations working in the field of eye-care. The project includes awareness generation in the community, the catchment area of the organization, on eye care, prevention of eye diseases/infections, precautions to be taken during infections etc.

8,50,000 Treatments provided since 1980.As per the report there has been 9,870 Cataract surgeries conducted in the year 2014-2015.

Operation is the only cure for Cataract. Only when the hazy lens is replaced with an intraocular lens, the light rays can once more focus on the retina. The Cataract operation should be performed as soon as the cataract starts having an effect on the everyday activities of an individual. One should not let the cataract to spread too much as the harder the cataract gets the more problematic the surgery turns out to be. Unnecessary delay can cause unnecessary difficulties.

Physiocare Programmes: Every individual hopes to live an independent life with dignity and carry out daily activities of their life, unassisted. However, the natural process of ageing is accompanied by host of degenerative physical problems such as reduced muscle power and tone, reduced range of motion and bone density.With this in mind, Help Age India provides Physiocare that is aimed at enabling and supporting the elderly to maintain their fitness and mobility level, enhance their independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) as well as improve their self-confidence and self-esteem.

What is Help Age India Doing?

The physiotherapy clinics are operational in 70 locations all over the country in 23 states and are open six days a week from 9:15 AM to 5:15 PM on weekdays, and from 10 AM to 2 PM on Saturdays. The services are provided through stationary clinics, mobile services to remote communities, residents of homes for the aged and elders living at home.

Physiotherapists are duly qualified and registered with the IAP (Indian Association of Physiotherapists); patient registration cards are maintained by the clinic for records and clinical research; monthly reports are sent to HI head office along with case studies.

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Cancer Care: The single greatest risk factor for developing cancer is ageing. Prolonged exposure to carcinogens, reduced DNA repairing ability, genetic instability, decreased carcinogens metabolism and decreased immune surveillance dramatically increase the incidence of cancer in the elderly. In India demographically this population is increasing - a 280 percent increase in cancer rate is expected to occur by 2050. Cancer treatment in our country is highly priced and health insurance only benefits the upper and middle classes. In most cancer hospitals, needy elderly patients have to wait for months for diagnosis, preparing funds, seeking expert opinion and getting appointments from surgeons. Insufficient cancer treatment facilities and lack of early screening, resulting from poor public health system in the country has led to large numbers of cancer cases being reported too late for them to benefit from any long term treatment.

What is Help Age India Doing?

Help age India, also serves as a cancer care charity for elders. Therefore its the biggest challenge has been to provide sustained healthcare intervention for needy elderly cancer patients. Even the most basic cancer treatment lasts for at least a year. As the treatment costs are very high, many cancer patients are not able to finish a complete cancer treatment program. What is more heart breaking is that many elderly who are unable to collect the necessary funds for cancer treatment don’t opt for treatment at all.

Help Age India has been in partnership with number of credible and competent cancer hospitals and organizations for carrying out cancer treatments which include cancer surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy. These partners also conduct cancer awareness and cancer detection camps. Thus from cancer detection and treatment our partners have been able to deliver quality cancer care for elders in need of such intervention. Ever since Help Age India began its intervention in Cancer Care services for the elders, it has given support of more than Rs. 6.73 Crores to 29 hospitals and institutions in 11 states across the country. 25,000 Elderly have been screened for cancer and over 10,000 treatments provided. The target for next five years is to provide cancer treatment for 2000 needy elderly cancer patients.

Health Camps: India after decades of independence is still struggling to provide basic health care facilities to its citizens.  Provisions for basic health care services especially in rural India are few and far between. It’s an understood reality that the elderly fall way behind in receiving these services.

What is Help Age India Doing?

An important feature of Help Age India's health care initiative for the elderly is organizing health camps in rural as well as urban areas of the country. Since 2010, Help Age in association with its network has successfully organised both general and specialized health camps for the elderly. A general camp team comprises of general

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physician, pharmacist and assistant .A specialised health camp has a team of specialised doctors like dentists, ophthalmologists, gynaecologist, orthopaedic besides general physician, pharmacist and assistant. The health camps ensuring diagnosis, treatment and referrals for general ailments, dental care, gynaecological conditions and ophthalmic diseases are carried out. These camps also focus on preventive health care program through Information, Education and Communication and Behaviour Change Communication activities among the community.

Disaster Management: Natural calamities reveal that in the struggle for survival, the elderly are usually the last in the line and lost in the crowd, and therefore suffer the most. In a country like India, with its vastly different climatic and geographical zones, reaching survivors of natural calamities is a huge challenge. Given the size of its population and the dense habitation, disasters affect people by the hundreds of thousands, causing unacceptable fatalities and destroying families and homes. Floods, earthquakes, cloudbursts and even tsunamis are now a regular feature in diverse parts of India.

What is Help Age India Doing?

Help Age India started its disaster intervention programs in the year 1980. The first of its kind among voluntary organizations, the Help Age India unit was trained and equipped to bring swift and effective counter measures in the face of disasters. It carried out its first operation during the catastrophic floods in Uttar Pradesh and did significant work in the remote villages of the Sitapur and Jaunpur districts. The unit carried its own tents, tarpaulins and cooking equipment, making no demands on local resources, which is a major relief factor during such emergencies. Along the way, Help Age India has evolved innovative solutions as well. For example, setting up grain banks in small villages eliminates the need of victims to queue up for food-aid packages. These grain banks are entrusted to the elderly in each village to run. This also ensures a sense of solidarity in the community and a sense of respect among the people of the village for the elderly.

Today, Help age India's’ disaster response model is equipped to rush in quickly to reach out not only to the elderly but also to the community at large at times of large scale disasters, providing relief with food, clothing and shelter to establishing long-lasting rehabilitation programs. Which is why, Help Age India could immediately respond to disasters such as the earthquakes in Gujarat and J&K, floods in Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, cloudbursts in Leh and Uttarakand, tsunamis in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odessa. It raised donations, provided medical and survival relief and help establish long term rehabilitation projects.

Advantage - Active Ageing Centres:Most elders find themselves at a loss after an active work life, with no place to go, no colleagues and often no support group. Studies indicate that in most cases this leads to a feeling of complete isolation, neglect and loss of confidence and self-worth leading to depression and health problems. This is a serious situation calling for urgent

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remedial action. The consequences of not doing so are alarming considering that India’s elderly population is projected to reach 200 million by 2030.

According to health professionals, elders who are part of a social or work group fare much better in terms of physical and emotional well-being. The solution seems to lie in like-minded elders forming small groups and working together on socially useful projects which not only benefits society but is of immense benefit to the elders themselves as it keeps them socially engaged and imparts a sense of self-worth. Which is why, Help Age India , the country’s leading advocate of Active Ageing has launched unique programs that strive to meet these objectives.

What is Help Age India Doing?

Help Age has always encouraged Senior Citizen Associations to form small groups of like-minded people to engage in community work. However, it was soon realized that these groups of elders need a physical space with at least a minimal infrastructure for them to come together to engage in social work and pursue their interests. Hence, there was an urgent need for Advantage Centers. Help Age India envisages setting up Advantage Centers across the country. This follows the successful Advantage Active Ageing programs and is structured along the lines of the already well established Age care Centers supported by Help Age India in multiple locations.

The centre will be set up at a location which belongs to or is rented by a Senior Citizen Association and will be managed by elders. While the initial start-up infrastructure would be funded, the socially useful work that the elders will engage in is required to become self-funding by the seniors within a specified time period. Additionally, since it is accepted that physiotherapy provides help in prolonging active life for many elders, and is also much in demand, the centres are to be equipped with a set of physiotherapy machines and a trained physiotherapist. The centre charges a token therapy charge from non-members which contributes towards the running cost of the centre. 

Support a Gran: Thousands of elderly, living in both urban and rural areas, have to make do with inadequate medical facilities; many of them are living below the poverty line. This segment includes, in addition to impoverished elderly men and women, widows who are illiterate older than 60 years. They are one of the most disadvantaged sections in the Indian society. The situation is grim for old people in our society. If there is no intervention now, the situation will only get worse.

What is Help Age India Doing?

Known earlier as Adopt-a-Gran, Support-a-Gran, is Help Age India’s way of extending a lifeline of support for elders with no family, financial or social support. Under this program, donors sponsor the basic needs of elderly people. Help Age India launched development programs aimed at involving elderly persons in income generation through the revival and upgradation of traditional crafts, cottage industries and animal husbandry units. The major thrust of the programs remains that of organizing the elderly as a group and increasing their participation in individual and group based income generating activities. They are involved in procuring raw

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materials, managing the production process, and in marketing the finished products through Apni Dukans — which are self managing and self-sustaining units of production. Revolving loans facilitated these small enterprises to enable a life of dignity for many senior citizens.

(Reached out to1284 rural and destitute across 17 states through the Support a Gran program in year 2014-2015.)

Livelihood support: India had 90 million elderly persons in 2011, with the number expected to grow to 173 million by 2026. Of the 90 million seniors, 30 million are living alone, and 90 per cent work for their livelihood. The number of elderly women is more than that of elderly men. Nearly three out of five single older women are very poor, and two out of three rural elderly women are fully dependent on others for want of appropriate livelihood opportunities towards economic security.

With poor social security arrangements for the elderly, it is not surprising that around 37 million elderly in India need to work in order to survive. A majority of these workers are illiterate or have limited levels of education. Rural Elderly have been doubly disadvantaged as the access issues common to rural areas to health, economic and development services are only exacerbated due to the fact that the elderly are invisible and unorganized.

What is Help Age India Doing?

In order to decrease the socio-economic vulnerability of older persons, particularly the disadvantaged in the rural areas, Help Age works with these elders to set up and build Elder Self-help Groups (ESHGs) into viable and sustainable groups and to facilitate their federation at local and district level. 

It aids these Groups by accessing adequate doses of financing for their institution and investing in livelihoods assets like processing units, pump sets, agriculture equipment etc. It also actively strives to reach various government entitlements to the village elderly. Further, Help Age invests in imparting knowledge and skills to local volunteers and develops them as village level Para professionals working towards the institutions of poor elderly. Currently, Help Age is working closely with 3241 Rural Elders Self Help Groups in different states.

(Supports5394 Elder Self Help Groups involving 71.272 senior citizens across 17 states).

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Old Age Homes: At present 95 million people in India are above the age of 60, by the year 2025 nearly 80 million more will be added to this population bracket. With improved life expectancy rate in our country, it’s estimated that as many as 8 million people are currently above the age of 80 years. Changing family value system, economic compulsions of the children, neglect and abuse has caused elders to fall through the net of family care. Homes for the Aged are ideal for elderly people who are alone, face health problems, depression and loneliness.

What is Help Age India Doing?

Over the past several years, Help Age India extended financial support for infrastructure development and provided assistive devices to nearly 90 such institutions around the country.  Help Age India has also compiled a list of 484 Homes for the Aged in 16 cities of the country with information about basic facilities, key features and contact details of these Homes, available on Help Age India’s website. 

Tamaraikulam Elders Village (TEV): Recognized as a model demonstration project by the Government of Tamil Nadu, TEV is the first Home for the Aged constructed by Help Age India. Situated in Cuddalore, about 20 km from Pondicherry, the construction of this Home for the Aged.

Kalyan Ashram, Kolkata: Located in Chetla (South Kolkata), this donated two-storey home has been converted into model age care facility for elderly women. Managed by Help Age India Kalyan Ashram has a capacity for 10 persons with all the age friendly amenities essential for a Home for the Aged. 

Elder Helplines: In these days of nuclear families, the older generations find themselves living alone, lonely and often with no one to speak to or seek help from in cases of medical or other emergencies. On the other hand, those elderly who still live with their immediate family find themselves strangers in their own house, shunned by their near ones and often abused only because they are old and cannot take care of their own needs. In these cases, the old are denied their Right to Dignity.

What is Help Age India Doing?

The Toll-free Help Age Senior Citizen Helpline offers assistance to older persons in need of care and protection. It links the elderly to services and resources for long-term solution to their problems.  Helplines provide information regarding medical assistance and emergency services; gives advice, guidance and support in calls related to dispute and elder abuse. Through the helpline, senior citizens have easy access to professional help from volunteer medical specialists, financial specialist, legal advisers, family counselors and psychologists. The helpline also coordinates with the police, NGOs, government agencies, old age homes and centres working for the

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older persons. Help Age Elder Helplines operates from 23 locations across the nation.

Outreach in five years:It is aimed that in 5 years, the Helplines will be operational in 350 districts of the country. And it would service at least 600,000 queries of and by the elderly.

Operation:The helpline is operational six days a week, from 9:15 am to 5:15 pm on week days, and from 10 am to 2pm on Saturdays. It is operated by trained helpline counselors supported by social volunteers, social work professionals, students and interns. Rescue of abandoned elders, counseling to elders in distress, legal support, help desks, recreation tours, special talks, information related to services available, volunteering. 

Current Program status:Runs Elder Helplines in 20 state capitals.

Services Provider:Rescue of abandoned elders, counseling to elders in distress, legal support, help desks, recreation tours, special talks, information related to services available, volunteering. 

Research: Ageing is a phenomenon that is least understood in emerging economies like India. So, research is important to understand the bio-medical and social aspects of ageing. The understanding so developed would help to unravel the possible challenges this phenomenon would pose to our society and some useful insights to deal with the challenges in effective ways. Demographers, Gerontologist and Geriatricians the world over are making efforts to understand nuances of population ageing. Besides, there are multilateral bodies like WHO and UNFPA that are leading the research on comparative international data on health and other aspects of ageing. There are voluntary organizations like Help Age International that are constantly raising issues for research; besides, these organizations are also conducting research on many aspects of ageing that they encounter while implementing related programs.  

What is Help Age India Doing?

Help Age India being a voluntary organization is focusing on the policy related research on ageing issues particularly on urgent concerns like poverty, isolation and neglect. This is done with the view to mainstream the issues pertaining to aged and ageing in the country.

The extensive experience of Help Age in the field informs the research efforts of the organization. Accordingly, efforts were made from time to time to understand poverty in old age and possible ways of poverty alleviation in old age. The other most important aspect that requires urgent attention is safety and security of the vulnerable older persons. So every year HI brings out the nuances of elder abuse prevalent in society.  

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Cases in Help Age India: Rajaram Ganpath Patil Rajaram Ganpath Patil, 74 from Mumbai’s Ambedkar Nagar in Kandivali (East) was a mill worker for more than half his life till a near fatal accident severely injured his leg. Constant dizzy spells led to brain surgery. Patil tried to put up a petty tea stall but his physical condition — increasing age, poor hearing and eyesight made it exceedingly difficult for him to take on any kind of activity.

Along with the expenditure of seven leg surgeries was the constant need for medication, with approximately Rs 2,000 being spent on medical expenses every month. His wife Malati, 60, started vegetable vending to bring in some income. Patil, who was staying with his wife and grandson, began to feel that he was becoming a burden on his family. Help Age’s Support-a-Grandparent program took him under its wing, and today he and his family look forward to the monthly ration and money, which helps keep their family together and gives Patil a sense of independence.

A Reluctant start leads to financial independence for the elderly Maa Gangadevi Elder Self Help Group (formed under the Support a Gran program) is a group of 16 elderly (9 actively working) formed in August 2010 in village Suninda, Nimapara block, Puri District, Odessa. The formation of the group was  a result of the awareness drives like community mobilization meetings organized by Help Age India. The group started their journey of self-reliance in a small yet significant way by each contributing a fist full of rice daily.

After 6 months, Help Age supported them through livelihoods seed capital of Rs. 13,500/- which was used to cultivate and sell cauliflower. The profit from the activity came to Rs. 9400/- which was distributed amongst them first and was additionally used to give support to 3 destitute elders in their village. The group even helped a poor family with Rs 300/- and few kgs of rice. This is an example of how the two pronged approach of welfare and development is greatly helping to empower the disadvantaged elders in India.

From Farm Labourers to Entrepreneur: A small step forward has led to financial empowerment for 20 women from Nathbari (Supaul), Bihar. This group was started with a monthly saving of Rs. 50/- per member by 20 women members including eight widows, all of them belonging to economically and socially backward strata of society. By end of August 2012, the group had saved Rs. 26,000/-. Interest and internal loan rotation ensured that the total financial rotation by the group was as much as Rs. 79900/- in the last 2 years. One and a half years after the formation of the group, Help Age supported them with a livelihoods seed capital of Rs. 20,000. It is then that they decided to do collective business and bought a Diesel Pump Set (for irrigation in agricultural land) in the month of August 2012. In two months the group had earned a total income of Rs. 7,800 and a net profit of Rs. 1,950/- by renting out the pump.

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Want to get involved with Help Age India ………….

This is how………….1. Become a Volunteer:

As help age India grows in response to the need for their services, they count on the support of volunteers. In the past they have had interns and volunteers that include graduate and post graduate students who are taking a break year; housewives, retired professionals, working professionals and many others who want to make a difference. They are delighted to benefit from your time and whatever skills you think you can contribute to Help Age India. Volunteers at Help Age India help to take calls about cases, support the documentation of best practices, create communication tools, help at the Early Intervention Center, read to children and more.

Training One of their key activities is to help enhance the skills of the elders at Help Age India. If you are a skilled professional in developmental disabilities and would like to enhance the skills of their staff please do get in touch with them.

Communications Writers, photographers, editors, journalists, film-makers or any professionals who can help with communication activities such as making presentations, brochures, flyers, films, newsletters; developing press relations; making short films etc.

Fund Raisers Time and again Help Age India runs programmers to raise funds for various programmers. Volunteers who believe in giving a chance to elders with disabilities and help to create a more inclusive society are more than welcome to help us promote these events.

2. Donations:

FINANCIAL SUPPORT Help Age India, as a non-profit, depends entirely on the generosity of individuals and organizations. They strive to help all elderly people with developmental disabilities, irrespective of financial considerations. Over 40% of their patient sessions are with underprivileged elders who pay little to nothing for the high-quality care they receive. Help Age India has a vision to reach more Aged through research, awareness building, and advocacy. This vision simply cannot be fulfilled without more funds. For this reason, they are actively looking for funding. They have tax exempt status in India, the United States and the United Kingdom, and are certified.

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Awards & Recognitions:Over the years Help Age India's work has been recognized by various organizations and institutions. We are thankful to them for entrusting their faith and belief in our services and giving us such an honor. It encourages and makes us believe that we are on the right track and at the same time reminds us of the great responsibility we carry on our shoulders towards the elderly of our society.

Help Age India receives Chairman’s challenge Award:

Help Age India volunteering program with Prudential Process Management Services (PPMS) has received an award in the innovation category of Chairman's Challenge Award along with prize money of £ 5519. Prudential Process Management Services has been supporting Help Age India for last seven years through volunteering and involvement of their employees in Help Age India's projects. The employees get to meet and spend time with the elderly and enrich themselves.

NGO Leadership & Excellence Award 2014 & 2015:

Mrs. Shanta Chatterji (second from right), Member, Governing Body and Mr. Prakash N. Boragaonkar (second from left), Territory Head, Gujarat, Maharashtra & Goa, Help Age India, receive a trophy and certificate from Mr. H. E Sim Sitha (left), Director General, Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority, Cambodia and Dr. Sanjay Muthal (right), Executive Director, RGF Management Search, in the NGO Leadership & Excellence Award ceremony organized by ABP News where Help Age India was recognized and awarded second time in a row for its work toward the elderly cause.

Awarded VAYOSHRESHTHA SAMMAN (National Award for Senior Citizens):

Mr. Mathew Cherian (second from right), CEO, Help Age India, Help Age India, receives the Vayoshreshtha Samman 2014 (National Award for Senior Citizens) from Mr. Thaawar Chand Gehlot (third from left), Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India and Mrs. Sumitra Mahajan (fourth from left), Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha. Help Age India was selected as the ‘Outstanding Institution’ for its efforts of working over three decades for the cause of the elderly.

The BHARAT NIRMAN Institutional Award in Kolkata:

Help Age India was awarded the prestigious Bharat Nirman Institutional Award against its outstanding services for senior citizens. Mrs. Susmita Ghose (centre), National Director (SAVE), Help Age India, upholds the trophy which she received on behalf of Help Age India at the 21st Annual Bharat Nirman Awards Ceremony on the 14th June 2014 at Kalamandir Auditorium, Kolkata.

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ICAI for Financial Excellence 2011 – 2012:

Outstanding contribution to Social welfare 2011:

Best NGO Award:

Healthcare Leadership Award 2012:

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Partners with Help Age India

Mr. Cecil Jackson Cole – Founder of Help Age India Mr. John F Pearson – Trustee of Help Age India Mr. Samson Daniel – Founder of Help Age India in

Mumbai/Madras/Calcutta Mr. Philip Jackson – Chief Executive Mr.M.M sabharwal – President of Help age India

Mr.Amal Ganguli Mr.K.S.B.Sanyal

Mr. Mathew

Mr.P.C Sen Mrs.Shanta Chatterji Mr.J.C.Luther

Mr.TS Krishan Mr.Arun Seth

Ms.Rumjhum C

Dr.Mrs Asha Padgaonkar

Mr.Arun Nanda

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The Management Team

Boards of Directors & Management team.

MAJOR DONORS FOR HELP AGE INDIA

Individuals : Help Age's biggest supporters are its community of individual donors who contribute to the cause regularly, often without any expectation of returns, other than the satisfaction of doing a good deed. Among them are school children as young as five, motivated by teachers and parents, to do their bit for the elderly.

Corporates & Business Houses:

ONGC Standard Chartered Bank Master Card Jaypee Greens BHEL CAIRN Energy IRCTC GMR Parry’s Sugar Company

Foundations & trusts:

Many of our interventions such as the Restoration of Vision and the Sponsor a Grandparent programmers receive wide support from Trusts & Foundations across the country.Organisations such as the Palriwala Foundation are pillars of HelpAge.

BI-LATERAL & MULTI-LATERAL FUNDERS:

Some of Help Age’s biggest programmers are funded by the European Union, Disasters Emergency Committee (UK), and Department for International Development (UK), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and US Agency for International Development, Japan Foundation, HelpAge International and Cordaid.

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Kindly Come and Join hands with

Help Age India…

An opportunity to change life and light up their ending journey on Earth.

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Conclusion

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”

 ….Kalu Ndukwe

As rightly said in the above quota, being socially responsible is our duty and obligation towards the society we live in. We are obliged to perform our social responsibilities towards the society by large number, as an individual, corporate or any other entity.

There are many organizations and NGO who perform this duty with their full heart. We see this in the illustration of Help Age India who works toward transforming lives of elder people in our society.

With the conclusion of this project would like to highlight that if each one of us contributes a little to the society we live there would be so much of peace and love in the country, there wouldn’t be any needy left in our society.

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are.

When we strive to become better than we are,

Everything around us becomes better too.”

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Bibliography:

Help Age India Handbook

Webliography:

http://www.helpageindia.org/ http://www. aisccon .org/ http://www.dignityfoundation.com/ http://www.familywelfareagency.org/ http://silverinningfoundation.org/ http://www.agewellfoundation.org/ http://janasevafoundation.org/ http://sheows.org/ http://www.anandamoldagehome.org/ http://www.sobhamct.com/

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