As the Squad For Change Coordinator, I recently organized a unique expressive art therapy session at the Mann Ka Tilak, our old age home. Collaborating with expressive art therapists, Megha and Taru, certified by UNESCO-CID, the session became a beautiful blend of emotions, memories, and stories.  The session began with a simple yet powerful invitation from Megha, asking each resident to introduce themselves by not only stating their name but also by singing a song that resonated with their life journey. The room buzzed with melodies and diverse experiences; some sang folk tunes that carr ..read more

According to the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), condition of elderly in India including the prevalence of elder abuse was greater in Bihar (12%), Karnataka (10%), West Bengal (8%), Uttar Pradesh (6%), and Chhattisgarh (6%). 77.3 percent of the elderly who felt mistreated reported verbal/emotional abuse, which can affect their self-esteem or emotional well-being. Physical abuse, which happens when a senior is harmed as a consequence of beating, kicking, pushing, slapping, burning, or other displays of force and brutality, was experienced by nearly one-fifth (23.7). Economic exploit ..read more

Old Age Homes are an establishment where senior, old people live together, sometimes also called an old people’s home. India is home to nearly 138 million elderly people of which 18 million senior citizens are homeless. What is the condition of the Old People in a family? These people are abandoned by their families or may just have no means of income or financial support. Conventionally, we are used to seeing/we have seen the concept of joint families in the country, however lately, there has been a shift in the paradigm as more and more people move towards a nuclear or smaller unit of f ..read more

Old age homes in India are places where people who need help are cared for. According to the Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections for India and States 2011-2036, there are nearly 138 million elderly persons in India. What is Old Age Home? Old age homes are residents with nursing and assisted living facilities for accommodating the elderly. Here the elderly are given continuing care and attention based on their needs and concerns.  As far as our country is concerned, old age homes are still a very nascent concept. India has always taken pride in its tradition of a recipr ..read more

The national-level minimum wage in India is presently around Rs 176/day. The citizens who are not able to earn as per this limit fall under the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category. The State of Working India 2021 report by Azim Premji University states that 23 crore additional citizens were pushed into the Below Poverty Line benchmark, largely because of the ongoing pandemic Thus, falling into the category of the “new poor”. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared the 17th of October, 1987 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. According to a UN definition of ..read more

My First Visit to Elderly Home: Mann Ka Tilak Don’t we see the embodiment of our grandparents in the face of elderly people? I did too. On 8th March 2022, I was invited to come along with Dr. Chopra to the old age-home of Wishes and Blessings, Mann Ka Tilak, the emotion of awe and exhilaration ran through my body. I was a bit scared with the thoughts running through my mind on whether they would like me or if I would be able to comfortably express myself , as this is the place I was eagerly waiting to visit after learning its back story. On reaching the centre, I sensed the warmth radiating t ..read more

Throughout the world, the proportion of old people is growing, while the attitudes of families towards their care are simultaneously changing. What were previously considered the normal results of ageing are being increasingly recognized as the result of illnesses, deprivation or externally or internally inflicted abuse, and therefore avoidable. Unlike developing countries, the developed ones have shown some success in reducing the level of incapacity in the elderly, with the exception of dementia, by improving their health when younger.  What is becoming increasingly understood is ..read more

The elderly are full of wisdom and worldly knowledge owing to their lived experiences. This is why we approach older people for guidance and often take their advice before making important decisions. Unfortunately, in the era of fast-moving life we tend to forget or become ignorant towards their needs. Furthermore, Covid has not only imposed restrictions but also posed great risks towards the mental and physical well-being of the aged. It is important to understand their struggles and support them – no strings attached – just as they do. What is International Day for the Elderly? The 1st of Oc ..read more

Life presents you with many firsts. I had never been to an old age home as such but my first was definitely an eye-opening experience. A long car drive led to an off situated Mann Ka Tilak, the old age home of Wishes and Blessings. Upon entering, a peaceful and blissful warmth engulfed me. There was an eerie calm to the entire ambience. We stood at the empty maidan in between two wings of homesteads. The ammas and uncles collectively walked out, knowing that a few of the Wishes and Blessings team members had come to visit. They greeted us with joined hands. Inadvertently, my hands too joined ..read more

Volunteers from our Squad for Change community were invited to watch and review the movie ‘102 Not Out’ and here are their reviews! Ketan Nanda ‘102 Not Out’ is a well-crafted family comedy that reminds us to live life to the fullest every moment and showcases that there is no point living with negative thoughts, indifferent people and sour memories. The movie further reinforces that our happiness lies within ourselves and is not dependent on others, that we cannot control what others may do but we can control what we can do. It later reiterates that life is temporary, so one shouldn’t be self ..read more