AIIMS lends a helping hand to elderly dt : 04.07.2017

Institute ‘adopts’ 50 senior citizens from Narela to provide them free-of-cost treatment

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has adopted 50 elderly citizens from Narela to provide them with various healthcare facilities at the hospital.
The project has been introduced by the Department of Geriatric Medicine, AIIMS, in collaboration with NGO Healthy Aging India.
Emergency casesThe beneficiaries are either economically or physically challenged.
Prashun Chatterjee, assistant professor at the department, said AIIMS will provide medicines free of cost at the citizens’ doorstep, facilitate their treatment and also transport them to the institute in case of an emergency.
Health tips“The citizens will be given medicines free of cost and also sensitised about the benefits of exercising and a healthy diet,” he said, adding that the institute is looking at improving the quality of the lives of those adopted.
The initiative was taken after a study conducted by the department revealed that around 80% of those living in old age homes in the Capital did not have access to health facilities.

Around 1,200 inmates living in 20 old age homes and around 4,000 from the society were interviewed. Most of the residents were found to be suffering from multiple health problems like diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease, among others, which need long-term medicines and regular monitoring.
Common diseases
Age-related issues like falls, frailty, dementia and depression were also common among the respondents, said Dr. Chatterjee.
“Elderly abuse is on the rise and the cost of healthcare facilities has sky-rocketed. Through this programme, we want to tell people that adopting older citizens and taking care of their health and daily requirements are essential,” he added.
Recently, the department, in association with the NGO, organised an interactive session on “Active Ageing and Stress Management in Late Life” for senior citizens at Satyagrahy Auditorium at Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti.
On the occasion, experts spoke about various old age-related ailments.