Volunteering for Senior Care: Hyderabad Scenario

1. Volunteering for Senior Care: Hyderabad Scenario Dr. P Vyasamoorthy Senior Citizens Forum, Secunderabad vyasamoorthy@gmail.com

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 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 ILC

4. Volunteerism for Seniors • Definition • Characteristics • Formal & informal • Govt supported, private, both • Fee based or free or both • Physical help / money / soft help 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 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 ILC

7. Financial Income Tax Filing Investment Suggestions Securing Loans Concessional purchases Second Career opportunities 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 ILC

9. Companionship, Emergencies • Companion-ship: • Senior Dating & matching services • Personalised listening services • Companionship for shopping, cooking etc • Emergencies • Helpline offering guidance ILC

10. Mysore, Delhi, Bangalore • Mysore: Elders Council & trust • Delhi • Delhi Police Helpline • Bangalore: Nightingale Trust • Helpline • Enrichment center 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) 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) 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) 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 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 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 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. 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 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 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. 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 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 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 ILC

24. THANK YOU ILC