to just a clean and tidy atmosphere to stay where they get reasonably good food and the facilities for entertainments, reading, and periodical health check up. Meeting friends and relations occasionally will certainly make them cheerful. We need such Geriatric Homes in Trivandrum.
Instead of looking for supportive action from Government machineries, the voluntary service organizations functioning in the city like Lions Club, Rotary Club or Ys Men can take lead roles in this direction. Joint ventures with like-minded organizations or some corporates having social commitment can also be ideal propositions.
A fine example is the“ Lions Bhavan” at Thiruvallam on the Kovalam By Pass Road. Lions Clubs in Trivandrum and Quilon Districts( District 318 A) decided to set up a Geriatric Care Home, and an adhoc body – Lions Foundation Kerala – was formed. Members of various Lions Clubs in the area took contributory membership in the Foundation, and raised a substantial amount. Lions Clubs International Foundation( LCIF), the
www. metromartdaily. com contributing arm of Lions Clubs approved the project and came forward with a matching contribution. The project was visualized designed and inaugurated within an amazingly short period of 12 months.
Today, this Geriatric Care Centre provides accommodation and other facilities to some elderly citizens and conducts regular medical check-up and lab tests for inmates as well as the elders in the neighbourhood. Lions Club, joining hands with the Alzhiemers and Related Diseases Society of India( ARDSI) is giving shelter to 15 Dementia patients at the Lions Bhavan. A Vocational Training Centre for Autistic Children also functions here.
Lions Bhavan is just a guiding light. We need more such homes in our city in the near future itself. Of course, there may be hurdles and setbacks. But
a group of philanthropic people with clear vision and total commitment can definitely make the results.
Shri. R. Murugan is the Chairman of the PRS Group, Trivandrum, and the Executive Director of Lions Bhavan. The project was his brain child; and executed when he was the Lions District Governor in 2004-05. Presently Shri. R. Murugan is the Secretary cum Treasurer of Lions Co-ordination Committee of India and he has also been endorsed to be the International Director of Lions Clubs International
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