Home away from home for elders

Chennai: Working in Indian Bank in the pension department for more than a decade was a life’s lesson for Bhageerathy Ramamurthy (57). She often got to interact with desperate elderly persons which made her realise that money cannot buy courtesy. When she shared her thoughts with her family about beginning a free old age home for elders with no living children and income, their instantaneous support gave her the enthusiasm to achieve her 25 years’ dream - Anandam old age home.

It is a paradise for destitute senior citizens run by Bhageerathy, the retired bank employee who respects and treats all elders in the old age home as her own parents. She states, “It is loneliness which kills elders more than illness.” Hence to ensure that everyone feels at home in Anandam, these old people do all the activities like cooking, cleaning, gardening by themselves —like one big family of 100.

Spread over an area of about 36,000 sq ft in Ambattur, this old age home has many amenities like prayer hall, library, medical unit, television rooms, dining hall, physiotherapy centre, etc. Routine classes for music, meditation, yoga take place on their premises and they conduct many activities and competition like rangoli, singing, dance and fancy dress to keep themselves engaged and lively. Most of the elders have had a tragic past and find this place a haven because they never get time to feel remorse for what went by.

This home does not stop with elders helping elders. Many of them have had good education and they nurture downtrodden younger ones in the surrounding areas by teaching them for free. They also provide Rs 5,000 per year for deserving students.

A recent occasion of sadabhishekam took place for elderly couples in their home which was an emotional experience for everyone, as many had not got an opportunity to take part in such an event even till this age. Many seemed reluctant to remove the garland around their necks!

It is remarkable that all the elders have pledged to donate their eyes through Sankara Nethralaya, and do counselling for alcohol addicts in the neighbourhood and have got a few positive responses as well.

This public-aided home runs mainly on donations which they receive on occasions like donor’s birthday, wedding ceremony and other special occasions. They also receive contributions in kind; neighbours offer cooking and household materials. Sundaram Medical Foundation, Hindu Mission Hospital and Sankara Nethralaya contribute for the medical needs of this home.

The future plan is to set up a free eye clinic and a unit for terminally ill cancer patients. To ensure self-sustainability, they are actively gathering corpus funds so Anandam home exists for many more generations.

Greet Anandam home at 044-26860366. Web: http://www.anandamoldagehome.org/