10 NGOs Supporting and Caring for The Elderly in India

While we enjoy the joy of youth, follow our ambitions, experience madness for the sake of ‘learning’, and live like there will be no tomorrow, it is the elderly who have usually been pushed aside, with their rights and needs being ignored.

People live with dignity all their life and suddenly one day they are left with no choice but to beg to survive. In villages, many elderly are left alone after their children move to the cities in search of a better livelihood. In the last few years of their lives, who will they look up to? 

In India, 39% of 103.9 million elderly are either abandoned or live alone. 

Assisting the elderly and bringing about a meaningful change in their living standards is an urgent need since the elderly make up an essential part of India’s population. Their vulnerability to difficulties in all aspects of their lives rises as their health diminishes, and society’s carelessness and stereotypes add to their rising burden. 

Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) strive to raise awareness of the importance of old folks and improve their way of life by addressing their issues and concerns. As a result, these non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for the elderly have not only assisted the old folks in overcoming problems but have also elevated community understanding about such situations.

Manavlok 

Manavlok is the abbreviation for Marathwada Navnirman Lokayat, where Navnirman means Creation and Lokayat denotes people's opinion. Manavlok symbolizes a new idea or an experiment in rural development. It is actively involved in river rejuvenation, the desilting of dams, and providing seeds and fertilizers to farmers. 

The organization believes that collective local leadership plays an essential role in mobilizing local resources and making their best use. It trusts in providing the means for development. Their focus of action and control is the villagers themselves.

As a part of their initiative to help the elderly, Manavlok focused on women's empowerment, with emphasis on the empowerment of widows and single women. The organization says, “As a means to support their livelihood, 2 goats have been distributed to 45 women.” 

Manavlok also hosts a community kitchen initiative. Under this program two times fresh meals are provided daily to the needy beneficiaries. From 2016 onwards, this activity is being run to support the poor and lonely elderly villagers. 

The organization says, “Currently, the program is being implemented in 34 villages benefitting 427 persons. So far, 3,58,102+ meals have been served to 427+ beneficiaries from the villages of Ambajogai, Kaij, and Dharur blocks of Beed district and Omega, Lohara blocks of Osmanabad district.

Source: Abhoy Mission

Abhoy Mission 

Abhoy Mission is a non-profit organization started in the year 1988. The organization has an objective of providing multi-dimensional services to disadvantaged groups of people especially destitute senior citizens and persons with disabilities. 

Benevolent service is rendered to provide care and protection, education & rehabilitation to children with special needs, tension-free comfortable life to senior citizens, vocational training to youth with disabilities and Manpower development.

The organization says, “In the year 2020-21, Abhoy Mission initiated various programs for senior citizens. This includes a Rehabilitation Centre for Senior Citizens (Old Age Home), Abhoy Ashram - a Community Based Rehabilitation for Senior Citizens, and a Rehabilitation of Senior citizens through a helpline and Counseling Centre. Hundreds of families benefited from the programs and the awareness talks.”

Shraddhanand Mahilashram

Shraddhanand Mahilashram was started in the year 1927 in memory of Swami Shraddhanand Ji (Munshiram). It was launched as a shelter for women and now has an old age home in Vasai.  

The Vruddhashram recently completed over 54 years of providing a contented life to senior citizens. Every resident is encouraged to do physical exercises, engage in recreational activities, and socialize with other residents. There are regular medical check-ups at the Vruddhashram. 

The serene, green surroundings of the premises add to the charm of their simple, retired lives. The Vruddhashram has two sections: a) Janata Section for those who have no alternative accommodation available. Lodging and boarding are provided free of charge b) Suvidha Section for those who can afford to pay a nominal fee for their lodging and boarding. 

Dadidada Foundation 

DadiDada Foundation is a non-profit organization (NGO) that assists the elderly. Dada-Dadi provides online and community-based assistance to disadvantaged seniors, allowing them to participate in those programs for which they are qualified. 

This foundation’s venture started with the aim of unfolding and understanding the pain and injustice our older people face and how we need to free them from this cycle of grief. With the idea of removing this shadow of darkness and giving top priority to ‘Healthy Aging’ and living an optimistic life that has a meaningful impact, the foundation coined the name – “DadiDada Foundation”. 

The NGO offers a wide range of services, including organizing social and cultural activities for older individuals, giving work possibilities, and educating them about health policies.

The organization says, “Another area we would look into is that of constructing buildings and maintaining villas where the elderly can stay and organizing recreational facilities for them alongside so that they can spend their remaining years in dignity.” 

Source: VridhCare

Abhilasha Foundation 

Abhilasha Foundation was established by a team of social workers who are working in the field of health, education, sustainability, vocational training, empowering women and child development. 

The organization works among migrants, poor and abused women, neglected children, senior citizens, school dropouts, Self Help Groups, and awareness on various social, health and current issues. The underprivileged need to be given the appropriate opportunities and they need to be motivated. 

Abhilasha Foundation works to help the poor community through various welfare activities.

The organization says, “Today, we support 25 senior citizens for their nutrition and shelter, and ensure the good physical, mental, spiritual and emotional well-being of each. An old age home is usually a place, a home for those old people who have no one to look after them or those who have been thrown out of their homes by their children. This is a misconception. The place is of course like home where the inmates get all the facilities for a routine living, like food, clothing, medical and shelter.” 

VridhCare

VridhCare is a Delhi-based non-governmental organization (NGO) that works with older citizens. It focuses on their complete well-being and hence attempts to meet all of their needs: financial stability, housing, health care, everyday necessities, and so on. 

The organization says, “We aim at making a difference in the lives of elderly people. We use different approaches and thought processes as we work towards catering for the needs of the elderly. We believe in providing basic means of survival to our elderly population and upgrading their lives.”

VridhCare helps senior citizens in getting back to their normal health conditions. This includes restoring their physical, mental and/or cognitive ability. 

The organization says, “In addition to these, we also offer companionship and emotional support to the elderly who grapple with trauma, low confidence and self-esteem engendered from some unfortunate events they may have experienced in the past.” 

Agewell Foundation 

Since 1999, the Agewell Foundation has been striving to support the elderly. The NGO engages with old folks and understands their needs and problems, subsequently handled through a network of volunteers. With its team of professionals, volunteers, and social workers, the organization conducts many projects and activities targeted at improving all aspects of the lives of seniors.

The organization says, “The foundation seeks to reach out to a larger audience of older persons and act as a catalyst of change in bridging the gap between generations and ensuring a respectful and comfortable life for old people.” 

Today, Agewell Foundation interacts with over 25000 older persons daily through its volunteers’ nationwide network. Recognizing the work being done by Agewell Foundation, ECOSOC granted Special Consultative Status to Agewell Foundation at the United Nations in 2011.

Source: HelpAge India 

HelpAge India 

HelpAge India is a not-for-profit organization in India set up in 1978. The organization works for ‘the cause and care of disadvantaged older persons to improve their quality of life’ HelpAge envisions a society where the elderly have the right to an active, healthy and dignified life. 

The organization says, “Our programs are focused on direct interventions in the areas of Healthcare (mobile healthcare units, cataract surgeries), Agecare (helplines, senior citizen care homes and daycare centers, physiotherapy), Livelihoods (elder-self-help groups; linkages with government schemes), Disaster Response (e.g. covid19 relief response), as well as Advocacy and Awareness on rights and policies relating to elders.” 

Since 1980, this NGO has helped 45,000 people receive cataract surgeries each year. HelpAge India recently became the first and only Indian organization to be honored with the ‘UN Population Award 2020’ for its exemplary work in the field of aging, relief efforts work during the Covid 19 pandemic. The award also recognized the organization’s outstanding contribution to population issues and efforts in the realization of older persons' rights in India.

Asha Kiran 

Asha Kirana Seva Trust (AKST) was established in 1995 to work in the areas of health, education, disability, women & child care, senior citizen care, and other rural developmental activities. The trust works in Bengaluru's urban and rural areas with the support of the government, corporates and donors. 

AKST aims to uplift and develop rural youth, women and children, and senior citizens. The organization says, “At present, we are running a senior citizen care home near Big Banyan Tree Mysore Road. We have arranged all infrastructure facilities like ventilated 11 rooms with cots and beds. In one acre of green land, all basic necessary facilities are available for keeping the seniors engaged. There is also a separate kitchen with the necessary equipment.” 

SerudsIndia 

SERUDS is an NGO based in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It works as a charitable trust for the welfare and development of deprived street children, orphans, destitute women, and senior citizens. SERUDS has been working since 2003 through its need-based programs focused on access to food, livelihood training and healthcare. To date, they have worked in various slums and helped 100s of children and 40 senior citizens. 

The organization says, “We reach out to impoverished senior people and assist them in fighting poverty. Especially during times of natural disasters like floods. We rescue the most vulnerable people, the very old and very young. They are sheltered in a free Old Age Home for Elderly Ladies, and Poor Old People and are fed under the Midday Meal Scheme. Abandoned senior citizens and women are given monthly rations.”

Old age is an unavoidable part of our life cycle and should be lived gracefully rather than grudgingly. With the help of such organizations, several senior citizens will lead comfortable and dignified life.