Volunteering for Senior Care: Hyderabad Scenario

Dr. P Vyasamoorthy

Senior Citizens Forum, Secunderabad

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

Introduction
•      NPOP 1999 Demographics
•      Emphasis in AP
•      NGOs in AP
–   310 OAH; 60 Day care centers; 120 aided by govt.
–   List given in Appendix

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

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  

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  

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

Legal, Security
•      Legal
–   Writing Will
–   Protecting Own Property
–   Abuse by family members
–   Criminal assaults / fraudsters
•      Security
–   Servant Screening
–   Issuing ID Cards
–   Installing Security devices

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

Mysore , Delhi , Bangalore
•      Mysore : Elders Council & trust
•      Delhi
•      Delhi Police Helpline
•      Bangalore : Nightingale Trust
–   Helpline
–   Enrichment center

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)

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)

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)

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

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
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

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.

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

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

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.
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
•      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

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