The Hindu Business Line : Grey matters

It is a cool autumn morning in the lush green suburbs of Long Island, east of New York City. Dr Vasundhara Kalasapudi is scurrying about her house ensuring that everything needed for the seniors’ day is in order. Healthy snacks, berries and bananas, fuel for the van, addresses of new people joining the group — she quickly goes through her checklist.

The 14-seater van with Joel at the wheel rumbles off the driveway, making multiple stops along the way.

The quiet van soon is a cacophony of voices, greetings and laughter as over a dozen 60-plus men and women hop on board. The destination for the day is SNAP (Services Now For Adult Persons), a centre for seniors in Queens Village.

Indian Diaspora

Elderly NRIs at a social event in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Non-resident Indians in the US are by and large a successful lot — economically, socially and professionally. The Indian diaspora has the highest median income (about $78,000 in 2006) of any immigrant group in the US. Many of them have journeyed thousands of miles to become some of America’s top physicians, lawyers, academicians, business entrepreneurs and now even politicians.

However, the reality of the elderly members of the Indian diaspora is a different story. There are two subsets of people we are talking about here. Those who came to work, eventually retired here and will spend the rest of their lives in America. The other group has those who have been uprooted from their homes and social milieu and followed their young, ambitious children to a new life overseas. It is not easy for them to live in India without their children and so they follow them.

Dr Vasundhara, a psychiatrist and geriatrics specialist, who has lived and worked in the New York area, came across many such people in the course of her work. While most others would have treated it as a professional issue, she decided to do something about it. Personal experience of her father, who suffered from vascular dementia, acted as the trigger. Multiple stories she heard and saw within the community propelled her to put her emotions and ideas into action. Dr Vasundhara founded India Home in early 2007 and through it she has begun to reach out to senior Indian NRIs.

Meeting psycho-social needs

The main objective of the centre is to address the psycho-social needs of such NRIs and, in the process, enhance their quality of life. The greater New York area, which has a high density of Indian-origin people (about 2 lakh, according to 2000 census), was just the right place to roll out the initiative.

“The Jewish community, the Chinese community, the Korean community have made enormous strides in the way they care for their seniors,” says Dr Vasundhara, “There is still a big gap and need within the Indian community and we must address this.”

Senior citizens from India who move to the US have to deal with cultural and linguistic obstacles on a daily basis — from attire and cuisine to entertainment they find on TV. Overlay that with nagging health issues — and life can be overwhelming and discouraging. Not clued into the system or not having the appropriate immigration status, many of them are unable to avail themselves of the governmental support. For instance, case management services can be availed of by those afflicted with Parkinson’s disease. A nurse or a social worker will visit such a patient’s home or even a doctor will make a house call when the situation warrants. But most people are unaware of these services.

Diverse activities

Launched in April 2008, India Home already has three centres with once-a-week programmes for senior citizens. Its ultimate goal is to have its own centre that will be open 12 hours a day with diverse activities to keep the elderly physically, mentally and emotionally engaged.

A typical day at the centre starts just after 9 a.m. with singing, discussions around various topics or arts and crafts, followed by yoga. Then, it is time for a leisurely lunch followed by some relaxed banter and socialising. All this is interspersed with other stimuli in the form of lectures on health, nutrition, current issues or anything they think is relevant and interesting.

The day generally ends by 2.30 p.m. However, there is always the occasion to alter the routine through an excursion or a celebration — a birthday, a festival, an anniversary.

India Home relies heavily on the community’s resources. “The community has to begin to own this idea and generate resources — only then will India Home thrive,” says Dr Gavarasana Satyanarayana, a key resource for India Home.

The organisation depends on people like volunteer yoga instructor Abhilash Srivastava, who, at the age of 72, has dedicated himself to helping other senior citizens by leading a yoga programme and training other instructors. The yoga classes are a hit with the elderly group as they enjoy keeping in touch with their culture while keeping fit.

Helping each other

Also, the organisation’s emphasis is on the elderly helping their colleagues, as this brings better results. The volunteers also get gratification from getting involved in the community and making a difference in the lives of others.

Retired public school teacher Janak Datt, 69, feels empowered by the work she does with India Home. “Whatever I can give to the society through my services, I am grateful to do that,” she says.

Kamala Motihar comes up with new ideas and writes about the activities of the senior citizens.

Mamta Parwani keeps busy organising birthday celebrations.

Dr Vasundhara is keen on collaboration with hospitals, nursing homes, healthcare professionals, and other organisations and foundations. While the Doshi Family Foundation and Nori Family Foundation have helped with initial financial support, SAHI (South Asian Health Initiatives) is partnering on the health front.

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