HOME FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS OF TAPOVANAM

Beneficiaries-List-2023-24 and 2024-25

Staff-List-2023-24 and 2024-25

PROFILE OF THE AREA:

The Home for Senior Citizen, Tapovanam is located in the heart of the Chittoor District headquarters. It is 65 k.m from Tirupati. It is a backward and drought prone area which is predominantly in agriculture. People here are struggling to earn their livelihood.

Particularly old age people require basic needs, clothing and medical care etc. It covers 24 villages with a population of 4,72,000 out of which 2150 families depends on agriculture, which is ultimately depends on rainfall. A large percentage of people are below poverty line. The average income of the family ranges between Rs.8000 to Rs.9500 per month.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The home for the Senior Citizens was started on 01.01.1993. It is started by the RASS, Tirupati. The home is used as a rest house for old age people. It is also used as a sacred junction for the cultural and social activities. The home consists of 07 rooms. One is common hall with beds and cots and second one is recreational cum rest room, the third one is for the hall for recreational purpose. The spiritual pictures will be shown to the Senior Citizens to reconcile themselves from personal problems and also develop self-confidence, faith in God and so on.

NUMBER OF INMATES

On the basis of the standard criteria adopted, 26 inmates were selected from the nearby villages. They were all from economically poor and neglected families and who actually need help. They are all 60 + years. In this center 14 females and 12 males are residing in home and majority of the people belong to the SC and ST community.

SERVICES PROVIDED

In the Home, the grannies and granddads are being over 60 years of age. They have problems with defective eyesight, development of immature cataracts, partial deafness, and joint pains. They were individually checked by doctors and administered timely medicines to the grannies. Improvement in general health has been observed. Provided mosquito nets, hot water, and RO to the Senior Citizens.

i) Food

We are providing nutritious food for the grannies and grandads. In the morning they are given breakfast, tea and afternoon lunch and in the evening some fruits and biscuits. Weekly 05 days providing eggs and provide non-veg on Sundays to the SENIOR CITIZENS.

ii) Therapy

With the advancing of age, most of our SENIOR CITIZENS cannot tolerate either extreme heat or cold due to decreased vascularity of the skin. Many of them have suffered not only from bodily pains but also due to poor vision. They occasionally have respiratory infections. Sisters have taken preventive measures by administering timely medicines and so on. The SENIOR CITIZENS are checked twice a month by Medical Doctor. Providing Physiotherapy to some of the inmates as per their request.

iii) Recreational Activities

In Home most of the grannies and granddads had completely given up their recreational activities. After admission into this center, every day all of them mix freely and starts chit-chatting. We provided T.V and Tape Recorder for recreational activities and a library facility for literate inmates to read moral and spiritual books. T.T.D has also given a set of books on religion, health, and moral education.

V. ACTIVITIES AT THE CENTRE :

After prayer, yoga classes will be supplied break-fast. Some of the grannies will help in the kitchen. Some of them will engage in rope-making and leaf-plate making and in gardening. After completing lunch, some of the grannies will take a rest and read books, and watch entertainment (TV) programs.

VI. ACHIEVEMENTS

On the basis of consulting with the grannies and grandads it was found that this center caters to the various needs of the inmates like :

a) Physical needs: Such as food, clothing, shelter, etc.

b) Psychological needs: Facing loneliness, frustrations, and other psychological problems and insecurity to cover these situations and encourage to move co-inmates eco-friendly.

c) Sociological needs: Such as recreational activities, religious activities, and other cultural activities like Gana bajana and singing songs, etc., Organizing important events like Independence Day, Diwali, and Dasara celebrations.

COVID-19 Related Activities

Apart from that RASS has taken all necessary steps to ensure that we are prepared well to face the challenges and threats posed by the growing pandemic of COVID-19 the Corona Virus especially concentrating on Senior Citizen Homes. The active support of volunteers and local administrations involved to prevent the spread of the virus is to empower the senior citizens with the right information and take precautions as per the advisories being issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt., of India and Govt., Andhra Pradesh. RASS has initiation several measures like:

- Maintain social distance from inmates
- Hand and Hygienic facilities provided
- Provide proper nutrition foods
- Supply of masks and sanitary to individual inmates
- Strictly avoid visitors from outsides
- Followed health precautions
- Daily maintain cleanliness
- Regularly spraying bleaching and cleaning materials
- Doctors’ visits twice a week
- Yoga and meditation at Senior Citizen Homes
- Regular counseling on COVID-19 by the health department and social workers
- Supply of medical kits