Staff and management of old age homes as well as the senior citizens living there are struggling to cope with the lockdown. Movement restrictions have resulted in many people employed at old age homes being unable to report to work. What is worrying is the knowledge that it is the elderly who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
Nightingales Centre for Ageing and Alzheimer’s, which has 98 patients with dementia, is functioning with about only 50 staff members. “This is not sufficient as each patient requires one caretaker,” said S. Premkumar Raja, co-founder of the Nightingales Medical Trust.
‘Hard to get vegetables’
Prajwal S., manager of Shree Old Age Home which has 20 senior citizens, said they were finding it difficult to procure vegetables. “After the announcement on the lockdown was made, we stocked up on the groceries but stepping out to get vegetables has been a challenge,” he said. He added that they have stopped visitors from coming to the old age home and do not allow any of the senior citizens or their staff to step out.
Similarly, Ananadashram, another home for the elderly, has had some staff being unable to come to work. Dilshad S., the manager in charge, said visitors have voluntarily stopped coming while others have been asked not to come. Donors are also not being allowed inside either. Though most staff are lodged within the campus, the ones who used to come to work from home are not able to make it. “We are also being careful and taking all precautions. We have provided masks to everyone and are encouraging frequent hand washing. We are also not letting anyone go outside for now,” she said.
Dip in requests
Caregiver providers are also seeing two developments: a dip in requests, as well as many caregivers who offer daycare out of work. The manager of one such agency, which has presence in six States and caters mainly to the elderly, said they were not providing any day visits. “We are also getting very few requests for 24x7 care. The caregivers, trained in bedside assistance, are paid when they have work. They are also hit now,” he said.
(This is the first of a two-part series on senior citizens .)
