c o n v e r s a t i o n s: EPOCH For Elderly Indians

Introduction

“niiti”, a Sanskrit word means, in different contexts, policy, ethics, tenets. To us, who belong here, it is our raison d’etre, our touchstone. So we constantly turn to our ethics and tenets when we re-examine the basis of what we do and how we do it over and over again. This is our space to engage with our core, with you, our readers and companions on the path towards an equitable society in the deepest meaning of the word. Over the past years, there are several social issues and organisations that we have engaged with and been enriched with both experience and knowledge along the way. We believe that in creating a conversation platform for those engaged in the field, including some of our clients, partners, all of you out there who have reached this site wanting to be the change and others who have expertise to comment and critique, we can actually crowd-source actions and solutions for some of our most pressing social issues.

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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

EPOCH For Elderly Indians

January 1st marks more than the start of the New Year ( and a Happy New Year to you! ) – it is also Global Family Day – a global day celebrated of peace and sharing. To start off the new year and to celebrate family care, Niiti is going to focus on an organization whose motto is “…because the fun does not have to end.” Certainly something useful to keep in mind with regard to family! Epoch is a foundation providing elderly care to families in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Elderly care is a soft spot for all of us who couldn’t or wouldn’t want to live without grandma’s cooking or grandpa’s secret wages – the elderly have a hold on us as being a special part of our hearts, and often pass down the most important of life stories and incomparable words of wisdom.

Epoch Elder Care was founded in January, 2012 by Kabir Chadha, a Stanford University and McKinsey & Company alumni. Inspired by his grandmother, he researched the needs of the elderly and found:

• India is a young country with the world’s second largest elderly population

• The elderly have many needs, but the biggest one is that of loneliness and companionship

• Indian elderly want to stay at home, unlike their Western counterparts

• However, there is no professional at-home care service to help the elderly, all you have is family and domestic help

• The elderly are unwilling to pay for high quality services, but their children are

The highly impressive team of employees at Epoch is responsible for taking into consideration all aspects of elderly care and life where there could be improvement. Home visits and regular check-ups, Epoch is like a friendly neighbor. Intellectual companionship was the first of three services that Epoch provides. Epoch team members will take you out for coffee, play games, explore the blogosphere, discuss current events and using its resources can create a whole new social space for the elderly community. With specialists in Healthcare management and medical systems engineering, Epoch also guarantees a second service of health monitoring. Seniors who recently returned home from hospitalization are ensured home visits for check-ups, monitoring of vitals like blood pressure and blood sugar, medication management and for creating a fall-proof home environment. The third service provided by Epoch is Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Epoch specialists conduct cognitive exercises, help label the environment, create daily calendars, train caretakers and provide respite care.

The vision and values of Epoch are something to surely appreciate on a day like this. The organization prides itself for creating and celebrating fulfilling relationships. Both at work base and within the elderly communities, Epoch does business with compassion; trust and good humor as the only end goal and it proves to be self-rewarding as the organization continues to grow. The organization is creating employment and if you go to the website will find are presently hiring caretakers in Delhi and Mumbai. Contact: Kabir Chadha - Founder & CEO - kabir@epocheldercare.com Phone: +91.989.946.9345 http://www.epocheldercare.com/

Iliana Foutsitzis is a recent graduate of Northeastern University's Political Science curriculum. Before embarking on a law degree Iliana is spending a gap year in New Delhi, India interning with the Niiti Consulting team. Contact Iliana at ifoutsitzis@gmail.com.