Volunteering for Senior Care: Hyderabad Scenario

Dr. P Vyasamoorthy

Senior Citizens Forum, Secunderabad

vyasamoorthy@gmail.com

March 05 ILC 2

We shall see today….

• Introduction– NPOP and Andhra Pradesh– NGOs in AP

• Volunteerism in Elder Care– Definition– Characteristics– Volunteering for Seniors

• Scenario in Hyderabad (7 institutions)• Observations & summing up

March 05 ILC 3

Introduction

• NPOP 1999 Demographics

• Emphasis in AP

• NGOs in AP– 310 OAH; 60 Day care centers; 120 aided by

govt.– List given in Appendix

March 05 ILC 4

Volunteerism for Seniors

• Definition

• Characteristics– Formal & informal– Govt supported, private, both– Fee based or free or both– Physical help / money / soft help

March 05 ILC 5

Seniors’ Concerns

• Shelter :Provide info on specialised shelters for elders; evaluation & recommendation based on budget, requirements etc

• Legal: • Writing will

• Protecting own property from others

• Abuse by family embers

• Criminal assaults / fraudsters

March 05 ILC 6

Health• Insurance; help in choosing suitable scheme• hospitalisation: visit• funds for treatment & surgery• home care for bed-ridden or immobile• nursing and medical care• mental – depression loneliness : counselling• abuse: protection, prevention, intervention• neglect: counselling family members; listening

services• buying medicines

March 05 ILC 7

FinancialIncome Tax Filing

Investment Suggestions

Securing Loans

Concessional purchases

Second Career opportunities

March 05 ILC 8

Legal, Security

• Legal– Writing Will– Protecting Own Property– Abuse by family members– Criminal assaults / fraudsters

• Security– Servant Screening– Issuing ID Cards– Installing Security devices

March 05 ILC 9

Companionship, Emergencies

• Companion-ship:– Senior Dating & matching services– Personalised listening services– Companionship for shopping, cooking etc

• Emergencies – Helpline offering guidance

March 05 ILC 10

Mysore, Delhi, Bangalore

• Mysore: Elders Council & trust

• Delhi

• Delhi Police Helpline

• Bangalore: Nightingale Trust– Helpline– Enrichment center

March 05 ILC 11

Agencies in Hyderabad

• Sri Satya Sai Ashram Kondapur• Society for Aged SAW• Solivare Care Senior Citizen Resort• Heritage Hospital• SCF, Secunderabad• Association of Senior Citizens, Secunderabad• Care For the Aged (MEANS)

March 05 ILC 12

Sri Satya Sai Ashram, Kondapur• Old Age Home – 13 years – 25 residents

• Free food shelter clothing

• Religion & spirituality centered– Bhajans, Prayers, Meditation

• Twice a week Medical attendance– Free medicines – outsiders also cared for.– Ms.Shanti Kumar (23005634)

March 05 ILC 13

Society for Aged and Women (SAW)

• Three year old – Secunderabad – twenty volunteers

• Supports OAH in Jeedimetla by providing goods & services

• “Pidi Arisi Thittam” (Rice collection from households on daily basis)

• Bone Mineral Density Camp: 250-300 beneficieries per camp

• Dr Kumda Raghavan. (Phone: 2780 2544)

March 05 ILC 14

Solivar Care Senior Citizen Resort

• Set up by Software company of same name.• No OLA maintained.• Free training programs for Seniors:

– Yoga, Meditation, Spoken Sanskrit etc– 8 students attend Sanskrit classes thrice a day.

• Free Lending Library• Gymnasium with minimum equipment• Plans: medical care, counselling• Ms. Madhavi Latha: Phone -5577 9839

March 05 ILC 15

Association of Senior Citizens, Secunderabad

• Affiliated to Probus Club• Conducts four meetings a month• Concentrates on Health care / health check

up etc• Adopted an NGO running OLA –

Newspapers & periodicals subscribed• Directory of Hospitals/nursing homes /

doctors and drug stores offering concession for Senior citizens

March 05 ILC 16

Heritage Hospitals, Hyderabad

• Established in 1994• Caters to Seniors care exclusively• Provides training assistants at home for seniors

who are sick or immobile• Offers six months Training with sponsorship of

MOSJE.• Runs a second careers center for seniors• Publishes Senior Heritage Selections –

Quarterly magazine• Organizes a Cloths bank for distribution to the

needy

March 05 ILC 17

Heritage Helpline for Elders

• Dial 23390000 Local Police Commissioner co-operates with Heritage. 12 hours/day

• Seniors in distress – abuse, neglect, quarrels• Emotional support, counseling, information,

police help, legal help, pointers to affordable medical treatment sources, addresses of OLAs, House visits, arbitration and other assistance are given

• Trained Seniors and sociologists man the Helpline.

March 05 ILC 18

Senior Citizens Forum, Secunderabad

• Based in Secunderabad – Ten years Old• 250 members from all walks of life.• Day Care Center: Half a day daily; Newspaper

clippings, Carom Chess, discussions.• Monthly twice lecture meetings• Local and Out of city Heritage tours• Centenary High School adopted• Education Fund created• Monthly newsletter : Abhilash published

regularly• Members have ID Card, cap etc SCF song

March 05 ILC 19

SCF – Voluntary work

• Volunteers – Physician, lawyer, judge, financier/banker, IT specialist, Engineers, Consultants etc proffer advice & help

• Medical doctor offers one hour daily for five days: free diagnosis, second opinion, and prescription are given; Even School Children benefit

• Members visit OLAs regularly – distribute sweets, food, clothing etc

• They visit sick members & others in hospital• Col NA Kumar. Phone 2781 7597

March 05 ILC 20

SCF – Discussion forum on Yahoo• Web based Discussion Forum – fifty

members. 70 messages per month.

• This web facility is open to ALL – not restricted to SCF members

• Started in 2002. Articles on health, shelter, insurance, investment, budget, security, facilities & concessions for seniors, literature, links to senior web sites, lists of OLAs etc are all distributed & discussed.

March 05 ILC 21

Care for the Aged • Unit of Medical Educational and Natural

Services (MEANS). Started: 1994/2000• Nursing assistance for sick elderly people• 40 persons are at present provided food shelter,

geriatric health care and medicines.• Six doctors and four nurses plus ward boys• Consultation, diagnosis, prescription,

medication & minor Surgeries given free.• Affiliated to Twin cities OLA Association• Collect left over medicines from houses in the

locality

March 05 ILC 22

Care for the Aged (2)• Self supporting – no govt funds as grants• Cataract camps – many conducted• Problems: Space : own building needed

– Problems of old age not known to general medical practioners – no geriatric specialization

– Diagnostic equipments are not available in Govt hospitals

– Corporate Hospitals are unaffordable

• Helpline started last year could not function due to lack of manpower.

• Dr Prakash Phone: 9391039990

March 05 ILC 23

Observations & Suggestions

• Sporadic & informal attempts

• Training for volunteers– Sweekar Upkar, Swayam krushi, Heritage

• Mapping Expectations & Requirements– Various types of volunteers– Requirements of customers– Matching & conversion of different types

March 05 ILC 24

THANK YOU