Different matters

The ‘mumbling’ Sikh

In a comment on my post Mumbai disaster: a need for centralized and coordinated crisis management, ‘Anonymous’ (what else!) refers to Dr. Manmohan Singh as the ‘mumbling Sikh’. What ‘Anonymous’ apparently does not realize is that when this dignified man ‘mumbles’ the world leaders listen. That is the kind of stature the gentleman has.

It is indeed good news that Dr. Manmohan Singh’s bypass surgery was successful. The nation prays for his quick recovery.

Strange bedfellows

According to media reports posters are appearing on the walls in Kottayam, Kerala, exhorting the CBI to stop victimizing the three accused in the Abhaya case and Pinarai Vijayan, the Kerala State General Secretary of the CPI(M)! The latter has been implicated in the Lavelin corruption case.

‘Pakal Manya Samithi’ (Daytime-gentlemen group) claims the responsibility for the notices. Obviously it is a dig at the left leader, reportedly by rival group within his party.

In the meanwhile the State Home Minister has stated that the case would be fought politically.

Moral policing

Shocking news is that five young women who were quietly having lunch at a pub in Mangalore, Karnataka, were badly beaten up by a self appointed group of moral police. Two of the injured girls are in hospital.

Their crime? They were allegedly offending Indian culture! From the TV footage showing the girls being attacked and rolling on the pavement to escape the assult, they appeared to be decently dressed. The attire was jeans and T-shirt. No skirts to roll up the legs. There is no known law in the country barring ladies from having food (or drinks for that matter) in a licensed pub.

It is reported that the Karnataka police have arrested 10 people in connection with the incident. I hope the culprits are given some lessons in morals and Indian culture.

For senior citizens, those nearing retirement, and their close relatives

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Republic Day

India is a great country. Let us resolve to keep her that way.

Happy Republic Day.

Travel India: Sense and nonsense of air and train fares

My travel these days is mostly between Chennai and Cochin. Usually I go by train, Second Class AC lower berth. It is a comfortable overnight journey. But on 17^th of this month I had to fly to Cochin and return by train, Third Class AC because no other tickets were available.

During the comparatively long (one and a half hours) ATR flight to Cochin I had a look at the fare structure given on the printout ticket. The break up is: Base fare 1860, Fuel surcharge 2350, Air traffic congestion fee (whatever that means) 150, and something marked WO, 225. Total Rs.4585. Quite steep, I must say. The concession senior citizens used to enjoy, is no longer there.

I had to shell out that much money because of a faux pas. I had asked for ticket by Trivandrum Mail. The departure time of this train from Chennai Central is 8.15 P.M. Just before starting for the railway station I had a look at the ticket and was mortified to find that it was for Trivandrum Express leaving at 4.15 P.M.! I had to book an air ticket online. The moral: always check the ticket as soon as you receive it.

Now, about the train fare. My return ticket was reserved on Tatkal system. In this procedure, after the allotted quota for regular booking is taken up, one can obtain a berth by paying a hefty fee. The more the seats apportioned for Tatkal, the more money the railways make. The total number of seats on the train remains the same.

There is some unfairness about Tatkal. It does not differentiate between senior citizens and others. Everybody pays the same. The very concept of special consideration for the elders is nullified.

Last month onward journey by 2 AC from Chennai to Cochin booked through Tatkal, cost me Rs.1376. For return, again by 2AC, reserved from regular quota was only Rs.795. This month, for return from Cochin by 3AC, booked through Tatkal, the fare was Rs.1093. This does not make sense to me.

Tatkal arrangement could be useful in situations where one has to travel urgently on short notice. But it should not be used as a profit making procedure. Only a minimum number of seats should be kept apart for Tatkal. Again, a just fare structure would be: regular charge minus senior citizen concession plus Tatkal fees.

I hope the Railways would look into this.

◙

Also see:

Bangalore: Flying in, flying out

The romance of railways

Senior citizens

Read the article 'Elders: Sunshine in sunset years' at

Giving it a shot

http://gvk-givingitashot.blogspot.com/2008/07/elders-sunshine-in-sunset-years.html

A Forum of Love

In my village, Olavipe, there is an exclusive club where I am not yet eligible to join - Sneha Sadasse (Forum of Love). Only people of the village who have attained the age of 75 and their spouses can become members.

My younger brother Jacob Tharakan who is the incumbent at Thekkanattu Parayil (see: OLAVIPE: Heritage Home of Thekkanattu Parayil Tharakans.) mooted the idea. He noticed some of the difficulties faced by the old people of Olavipe and decided to do something about it.

A major problem of the senior citizens is loneliness. Most of them in our village are not literate. Therefore reading to pass time is limited to a handful. Even in the few households with TV the choice of programs is decided by the younger generations. Social visits are not part of the local culture. Lack of mobility compounds the problem for the elders.

Jacob started Sneha Sadasse during Vishu (April 14) 2007. The launch and continued operation of the scheme was made possible by the some young men of Olavipe who volunteered to contribute their time and effort. They identified about 90 eligible people in the village, most of them women, and brought them together, cutting across religion, caste and economic status.

The group meets on the last Saturday of every month, usually at a pandal (a large tent) in our compound, for tea and snacks and fellowship. Useful programs like free medical consultation are also linked to the event. There are also common birthday celebrations.

Sneha Sadasse had two special programs last year. One was a picnic to Cochin, which the elders thoroughly enjoyed. Another event was a meeting of the senior citizens and children of the local school (see: Autobiography of a School). The young ones sang songs for the senior citizens, read stories to them and asked them many questions about their childhood.

The old people, in turn rendered popular songs of their youth, taught the children how to make toys from coconut tree fronds and other locally available materials, and so on. One Brahmin lady gave a talk about seeing Mahatma Gandhi when she was a kid.

Recently a scheme for elders to cultivate medicinal herbs for their own use has been initiated. This done under the guidance of qualified Ayurveda physicians.

The members of Sneha Sadasse are all excited about their next picnic, on May 4. Many of them have not seen airplanes take off or land. The excursion includes a visit to the Cochin International Airport. Jacob and his team of volunteers are busy organizing it.

Have a good time, elders of Olavipe.

Ends.

Also see:

Old age care

Old age care contd.

Senior Citizens, blogging is a passport to good health

Believe it or not - blogging at 107

In my post Senior Citizens, blogging is a passport to good health I mentioned about the 95 year old Spanish great-grandmother Maria Amelia Lopez who is a big hit in the blogosphere. Well, yesterday GV Krishnan has come out with an interesting article World’s eldest YouTuber? According to it an Australian great-great grandmother, Olive Riley at 107, is likely to be the world’s oldest blogger and You Tuber.

I visited Olive’s site. It’s delightful. How would you like to read about a horse who was a regular visitor to the local pub? Or the poignant piece about a girl running into a boy from her school days decades later in a ‘what could have been but was not to be’ story?

I’m giving below the Links relating to Olive, which Eric Shackle, 88, who is on a mission to convert elders to the computer, has been kind enough to provide:
Olive’s blog http://www.allaboutolive.com.au/
Olive’sYouTube http://www.allaboutolive.com.au/
Mike Rubbo, film maker (Olive’s helper) http://www.mikerubbo.com/
World’s favourite grandma ftp://ftp.bdb.co.za/olive_riley.pdf

And read Eric’s ‘Life Begins at 80’ at http://bdb.co.za/shackle

Coming to India, MYSORE BLOG PARK carries a post by a Mumbai based 75 year old lady, Anandi, who took up blogging just a month back. I’ve marked it to read later.

But one of the few blogs that I have bookmarked is Memories and Musings
http://memories-and-musings.blogspot.com/ by Maiji, a Chennai based great-grandmother, 79, (may be 80 now) who has been blogging since May, 2006. It is a site where the scenes shift from Trivandrum to Delhi to Chennai - people, places, events, so much of history.

Please read the comments on Senior Citizens, blogging is a passport to good health carefully. They are interesting and illuminating. The case of my good friend Jacob Matthan is inspiring. He is only about 65. The recovery of parts of his brain, which had been affected by excessive alcohol consumption, was helped considerably by his blogging through which he was able to establish contact with his old friends and slowly rebuild his links with the past. He has been a teetotaler for 25 years now.

I am quoting here a part of the comment by Ronni Bennetty, ‘As we get older, our social circles shrink. After retirement, we don't have the daily camaraderie of work colleagues. Families may live far away. Old friends die. And perhaps in time, it is not so easy to get out and about as we once did.

’Real friendships form among bloggers, as strong over time as in-person friendships. And with blogging, one's new friends might be anywhere in the world.’ There is more.

Start blogging, it’s good for you.

Ends.

Also see: Senior Citizens, blogging is a passport to good health

Senior Citizens, blogging is a passport to good health

After reading You're never too old to blog. by GV Krishnan last month, I decided to write about my blogging experience. Actually it was a suggestion by GVK. I am going on 74 and have been actively blogging for seven months. That I thought was sufficient credential. I made the notes for the post, but put off the writing. Now I am preempted by The Hindu (September 2) which carried a Guardian Newspapers article ‘Senior blogger is a hit’.

The blogger is a Spaniard, Maria Amelia Lopez. Can you guess her age? Ninety-five! In the eight months that she has been blogging, her site has had over 340,000 hits from all over the world. This is something that only very few among the 93 million or so bloggers can hope for. Ms. Lopez, a great-grandmother, is an international celebrity today.

In his article GVK also referred to a piece by Hariharan Balakrishnan published by The Hindu. It is about a younger man, Eric Shackle who is only 88, who exhorts elders to shed the fear of the computer. He has published a web-book, Life Begins at 80.

Duly humbled by these inspiring stories let me narrate mine in all humility. I started using a computer as a glorified typewriter about seven years back, when I was 67. Initially the basics were explained to me. Along the way I picked up the more complicated operations on my own. It is an ongoing process of learning. Yesterday someone demonstrated the several uses of the computer ‘brush’. Just throw computer phobia out of the window. Once you start using a computer, you would love it.

Now about blogging. My inspiration was Jacob's Blog a successful one by Jacob Matthan a good friend from Bangalore days. I made a mistake though – registered four blogs! Can’t do justice to all of them. By God’s grace, this one has been reasonably successful.

Now, the reasons why senior citizens should start blogging. Keeping the mind and body active is your passport to good health. Blogging is a great mental exercise that is likely to help prevent/delay Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

Another point is that elders would have so much of experience and memories that would be useful and interesting to others. Unless recorded, they would be lost forever. Blogging also enhances one’s self-esteem.

One can almost hear the protest, ‘But I can’t write’. You can, if you want. As you go along, the writing would improve. Use simple words, short, uncomplicated sentences, and go about it in a conversational manner. Write about anything that you wish.

Creating a blog is very simple and free – click on ‘Create Blog’ label on the top right hand corner of this page. Just follow the instructions.

Come on, get on to the bandwagon.

Ends.

Also see:

Old age care

Old age care contd.

Personal Banking: Non-service without a smile

I lost my ATM card on July 13, reported the loss the same day to the bank and was assured that a new card would be delivered within ten days. On July 16 there was an SMS from the bank saying that the new card had been dispatched to Chennai Branch by courier for onward transmission.

After waiting till 27th I went to the bank around noon. A grim looking clerk listened to me and turned to his computer. After a while I reminded him that he hadn’t responded to me. He rudely told me that he was busy and there was a help counter from where I should take a coupon and await my turn. When I asked him why he hadn’t said that in the first place, his answer was, ‘I’m telling you now.’

I went to the manager who was sitting at a small table outside his cabin just ten feet way. He said he had seen what happened. He took the details from me and turned to his computer. After several minutes passed I told him that it was difficult for me [nearing 74] to stand [there was no chair for the customer]. He answered that his computer was too slow and I should wait in the lobby till I was called.

Strangely at that time a worker replaced the number sign on the last counter [next to the manager’s seat] with a ‘Senior Citizens’ board. The counter was not manned.

After some time I returned to the manager and said that I would go [since it was my lunch time] and he could give me ring. He agreed but no call came.

On 28^th morning I phoned. The girl who attended said pleasantly that the manager would call back. He did, in the afternoon with an incredible story – he couldn’t follow up the matter because the power failed and my data on his computer was lost! Imagine a bank computer without back up power or auto-save! He took the details again. So far he hasn’t come back. And here I am – an old man literally without any money.

You might think that this happened with a nationalized bank. No, it is one of India’s top new-gen banks!

What should I do? Blow the whistle?

Ends.

Also see:

Slow down on fast track

Old age care contd.

In my last post, Old age care, I had promised to give details of the Elders’ Nest project we had planned. Well, here it is. Detailing a project of this nature has to be site specific, but most of the services and facilities listed here can be worked into the scheme irrespective of location.

1. Tile roofed single storey, self-contained, fully furnished suits where fairly healthy senior citizens can live independent and active lives with privacy without a feeling of being institutionalized. Each of these would have yards in front and rear so that lawns/gardens can be maintained.

2. A geriatric centre (GC) with bath attached single rooms with doors that will open either way, and sit outs, to give total attention to sick and morbid old people.

3. A 10-bed polyclinic with laboratory *a Club to which a few selected outsiders also can be admitted *common facilities.

4. A mobile clinic and ‘meals-on-wheels’ program to help poor elders of the locality.

5. A roofed promenade offering protection from sun and rain will connect the suits to each other, the Elders’ Club and common facilities, all of which shall be at the same floor level to avoid ups and downs while walking and to make the areas wheelchair accessible.

6. The Geriatric Centre will have supportive physical environments like grab bars and handrails in toilets and hallways. Full-time home nurse and daily visits by doctor to be made available if necessary.

7. The facilities and services will include *restaurant * health food *cold storage *basic shop and pharmacy *prayer hall *amusement games *a ladies nook *library *room service *cleaning and washing up *garbage removal *laundry *sheet and towel change *gardening advice * accommodation for visitors *security cover *taxi cabs

8. Residents in the Elders’ Nest can cook their own meals or have food in the restaurant or resort to room service.

9. Health services will have *in-house doctors *alternate medicine doctors on call *regular check-ups *tie-ups with major hospitals and specialists *escort for major check-ups *mobile intensive care units *emergency call system *counseling *physiotherapy *palliative care.

10. Also available will be *indoor and outdoor games *swimming *trekking *boating *angling *picnics *putting greens *gardens and open spaces.

11. There will be *group activities *training courses *discussion forums *competitions *cultural events *scope for social service and interaction with the locals.

12. Apart from the staff that would be fully trained, the residents also would be taught basic first aid and the Golden Hour concept to handle trauma and emergencies. First aid kits and lifesaving items would be placed at strategic locations for immediate availability.

There is more, but that would make this post too long. What is envisioned is a combination of a home, hospital, hospice, hotel and a holiday resort aimed at servicing a rapidly growing need. It makes good business sense as well.

I hope someone finds this information useful.

Ends.

Old age care

All over the world, meeting the needs of the elderly is becoming a critical issue. In 2001 India had a population of about 76 million senior citizens and it keeps growing steadily. The problem of taking care of them is fast reaching crisis proportions particularly in India’s Kerala State.

The reasons for this situation include replacement of joint family system by nuclear units, migration of children, changes in attitudes and values, cultural gap, and difficulty in obtaining domestic help. Also, the younger generation often fails to understand that old age brings several problems that lead to emotional and physical stress and strain and that the elders have to be provided proper atmosphere, facilities and assistance to live in comfort with dignity and delight.

The vast majority of people do want to look after their parents. But they can’t give up jobs to tend to the elders. On the other hand, the elders may not want to stay with their children in strange places where they could turn out to be misfits. It is not just a question of money. Often the elders have sufficient funds to live without taxing their children. The problem is the lack of appropriate facilities. Actually this is the world scenario in the field of old age care – growing demand, dearth of facilities, and escalating costs.

Ten years back I had worked out the details of a project in Olavipe to provide, on a commercial basis, top class facilities for senior citizens. We had ideal land (still have), management expertise, and project funds would not have been a problem. The scheme was to be based on the concept of delaying the onset of diseases. This is a thrust area that would curtail medical costs considerably and improve the quality of life of elders.

The idea was to have two separate wings – one to offer comfortable and enjoyable independent living for the reasonably healthy elders and the other to care for the geriatric cases in a separate housing. A great deal of detailing was done to make it an ideal place for elders.

Then we ran into a roadblock – Coastal Restricted Zone (CRZ) rules which proscribed major constructions near water bodies subject to tidal action. The project was shelved. Later on the rules were relaxed, but by then we had turned to other things.

I plan to do a post detailing the facilities that we had planned, for two reasons. One is that it might be of help to people who plan to put up such facilities. The other is that it could be a sort of benchmark for those who are looking for places to spend their sunset years.

Ends.

Also see:

OLAVIPE: Gift of the waves to Kerala, God's Own Country.