Elderly flock to new recreation centre

State-of-the-art facility for senior citizens at Tilak Nagar is a big hit; gadgets and physiotherapy machines biggest draw

What used to be a decrepit government building overlooking the bustle of one of west Delhi’s first Punjabi refugee settlements, now provides the oldest among its residents a choice to spend their afternoons in leisure with their peers.

Spread over 3,000 square feet, the Recreation Centre for senior citizens was inaugurated at a community centre in Tilak Nagar’s 12th Block on Tuesday.

The centre is not only equipped with a game room, library and a physiotherapy section, but also seeks to educate the elderly about using social media by learning to operate tablets.

Public suggestion

The roots of the facility, created with assistance from international NGO Khalsa Aid, lie in the Delhi government’s maiden

mohalla sabha, the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) public meeting initiative, held in the Tilak Nagar Assembly Constituency back in April 2014.

Local AAP MLA Jarnail Singh, who revealed that the idea for the centre was mooted by elderly residents, said that it was part of a one-of-a-kind initiative.

‘Have told all my friends’

“I live nearby and spend most of my time strolling in the park which is quite far away despite the weather,” said Ajit Singh, 76, a local resident who said he was visiting to confirm that the facility was as swanky as talk of it on the street posited.

“This centre is nothing like what I’ve seen before. I came for the inauguration function yesterday and have been telling all my friends and family about the centre, especially the tablets that they will teach us to use,” Mr. Singh added, while looking at his friend Harbhajan Singh, 70, who was undergoing a physiotherapy session.

The centre has become somewhat of a local attraction already, said Sadhna Sethi, 50, and Kiran Chandhok, 60, both housewives, who had come to learn about what physiotherapy equipment is available for use.

Word of mouth

“Will this be effective for my back pain?” Ms. Sethi asks Surender Kaur, the caretaker, before enquiring about the paperwork needed to access the centre on a regular basis.

“We were out shopping when I thought we should have a look at the centre that everyone was talking about in the market. It looks a lot better than the pictures (in the newspapers),” said Ms. Chandhok.

Tea party

Confident that the centre will be a hit, the AAP MLA did not rule out the creation of another such facility soon. The MLA added that a tea party would be held on Thursday to formally hand over the centre to the area’s senior citizens.

“We have also made arrangements for beverages and snacks to be served here. This will hopefully become their (senior citizens’) home away from home between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.,” the AAP MLA said.