It is a time when senior citizens need help the most during the lockdown, with many household helps not being allowed into buildings while some do not have transport to go to their workplace. The good news is, there is help coming in from corporates, associations and individuals to lend a helping hand.
Tribeca, a subscription based service which has been used by 15,000 senior citizens since 2015, has now the ‘Dare to Care’ initiative during the Covid-19 situation. This promises to be a timely service for senior citizens struggling to get grocery delivered home or needing help with doctor advice. As the lockdown affects senior citizens disproportionately, Tribeca’s 24/7 emergency helpline is fully functioning for ambulance call outs and hospitalization. Their attempt is to reduce the stress for elderly, reduce their need for stepping out of the house and reduce their exposure to the virus.
“In most cases, our care managers are recognized as health workers and are therefore exempt from lockdown restrictions.” Say the Co-CEOs Prateep Sen and Tamojit Dutta of Tribeca Care. “We see a significant spike in stress, depression and mental health issues among the elderly since the onset of Coronavirus. TriBeCa has now launched #Talktome - a phone based FREE psychological support service where the elderly can get in touch with trained psychologists nationally.” Add the CEOs.
Social distancing is of utmost importance right now, which means limiting visitors or deliveries from outside, as well as any person who may have travelled from the affected places. In this scenario, the Tribeca care co-founders recommend keeping a full time attendant at home instead of separate attendants for day and night, for senior citizens since that would involve outside contact. This does come at a cost, which has been reduced further in the given circumstances.
However, not everyone can afford such help at home. For them, there are other initiatives being taken by corporates houses like the Emami group too has reached out to the elderly and people in need who deliver supplies of essential food items and medicines. Apart from this, luxury marketer and start up evangelist Sabeer Alhuwalia along with family and friends have created a pool of funds to buy ration or medicines for senior citizens and others in need of such help in Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi.
These are few of the many corporates, associations and individuals coming forward in desperate times, when the elderly who stay alone are often edgy with the spread of the corona virus and the high risk they are could be at. Reassurance makes a lot of difference and brings a smile to the faces of several senior citizens who are not alone.
