On Friday, 4th of August, Samvedna Senior Care Foundation organized a
Tambola fund raiser game for “Alzheimer awareness among underprivileged elderly.”
It was an enjoyable event for all, while raising funds for a good cause. We started the evening with some songs to bring in cheer and excitement amongst the participants. Prizes were set for first, second and third line and two houses.
Samvedna Senior Care Team along with Helpage India conducted a smart phones workshop for the Senior Citizens Association of an apartment block in Rohini Sector 13, New Delhi. Our team taught seniors online payment transactions, WhatsApp and Facebook and answered their queries about these topics. The program started at 11:30 am with a brief introduction about Helpage and Samvedna Senior Care.
Written by Mr Biren Yadav, who has retired from Indian Army. He shares his journey as a dementia caregiver to his mother and how doll therapy has given her a new lease of life.
Mataji (my octogenarian mother) was diagnosed with dementia, an irreversible and terminal brain disease, about 3 years back. She had been showing symptoms since at least last 5 years, but we failed to notice them due to our ignorance about the disease.
Samvedna Senior Care Foundation organizes Dementia Support Group (DSG) meetings on a monthly basis. Any caregiver of a Dementia patient can attend this meeting, and it is free of charge. Caregivers are invited to discuss and share their experiences and challenges so that it can help other caregivers.
India’s 70th Independence Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Samvedna Senior Care Foundation’s Senior Centre in Gurgaon. Members and staff were dressed in national flag colours and it was a pleasant mix of orange, white and green signifying peace, valour and prosperity. Members shared their most memorable independence day from their past. While some of them had painful memories of the partition there were others who recalled the excitement of the day, they had experienced as young citizens of a new India in 1947. It was interesting to note that many of our members were born post-independence !
Ageing is inevitable, but to grow old gracefully is a choice. While we know that getting old is unavoidable, how we perceive this natural process depends greatly upon us. It is important to keep a positive, even humorous, perspective on aging.
Individuals with dementia find it easier to live in familiar surroundings. They prefer to eat things and spend their day in the comfort of a familiar environment. Having a routine that is consistent helps them as it reduces uncertainty and confusion.
I get up every day with gratitude in my heart and smile on my face. The days become nights and nights become days and life keeps on going at its pace. There is nothing which you can do about it except for one thing – You can enjoy it, love it and live it. I am Bhupinder Singh Phool, a young 87 years old , who still loves to explore life.