Elder care support centre launched

Hyderabad: Tata Trusts, through Vijayavahini Charitable Foundation (VCF), in partnership with the Department of Senior Citizens, Government of Telangana, has announced establishment of a first–of-its-kind connect centre for senior citizens of Hyderabad – the Elder Spring Response System.

Operationalised in April, the connect centre is accessible through a toll-free number – 14567 – and provides information, guidance, and emotional support to the senior citizens in the city. So far, over 1,060 individuals in Hyderabad have utilised the services of this unique platform.

A connect centre team enables call acceptance and service delivery processes; on-field team to reach out to those who need assistance. The response system is being implemented by Vijayavahini Charitable Foundation (VCF), with support from Tata Trusts, Government of Telangana, police department, department of health, district administration, Legal Services Authority and other civil society organisations. These partners bring in their core expertise to seamlessly drive service delivery through the Elder Spring platform.

After a call has been registered, based on the needs, solutions are offered, along with follow-up calls, to ensure that the caller has received the due service. The first set of services that have been rolled out include: conversing with the elderly and counselling them; providing information pertaining to elderly care; rescuing abandoned elderly; supporting victims of abuse. The connect centre also provides specific information pertaining to activity centres, care givers, old age homes, products for the elderly, etc.

The connect centre is operational only for residents of Hyderabad between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm, 7 days a week. M Jagadeeshwar, Principal Secretary (Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizens), said, the Elder Spring Response System service would help senior citizens in the best possible way to take care of them – both emotionally and physically – at a time when it is required the most. "Interventions like these will have a long-term impact in ensuring a robust ecosystem for all senior citizens."

Sugandhi Baliga, Head – Geriatrics, Tata Trusts, said, "With a growing percentage of senior citizens in the country, it is important to develop means to address their needs effectively. The Trusts' Elder Spring Response System was designed with a vision to improve the quality of life of the elderly. We are thankful to the Government of Telangana, the police department, and all our partners for collectively working towards a common goal, and making this vision their own."

Abhishek Poduri, Zonal Head – South, Tata Trusts, and Director of Vijayavahini Charitable Foundation (VCF), said, "Tata Trusts aims to play a transformational role in the geriatric care segment by focusing on critical gap areas and creating an empathetic ecosystem. The goal is to improve the quality of life of elderly people through caregiving, decreasing their dependency, and creating a forum for social interactions and economic activities."