Ageing with dignity: A peek into Nagaland’s care homes

DIMAPUR — As the world prepares to mark the 34th International Day of Older Persons on October 1, on the theme “Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide”, a growing number of elderly in Nagaland are finding companionship and support within a new generation of care homes.

These homes, defying the stereotype of abandonment often associated with such institutions, welcome seniors from all walks of life. They offer a place where residents can engage in meaningful activities and embrace their later years with dignity.

“The concept of starting an old age home was entirely to help senior citizens enjoy their golden years, meet and mingle with friends,” said Imlitongzuk Amri, the director of Tribal Old Age Home-Cum-Day Care Centre (TOAHCDCC) in Dimapur.

Amri’s own journey to becoming a caregiver for the elderly is one of transformation. Leaving behind a successful career as a professional photographer, he felt a powerful calling to serve this often-overlooked segment of society. “It was not an easy decision to make this major shift of responsibilities in my life,” he said.

Since its humble beginnings as a day-care centre in 2014, TOAHCDCC expanded into a comprehensive care facility, offering both residential and rescue services in 2017. Currently, over 60 senior citizens call TOAHCDCC home, their days filled with activities such as concerts, games, fellowships, and social gatherings to keep them engaged and active.

The senior citizens also pay regular visits to jails, hospitals, orphanage homes, widow homes, rehab centres, and churches, to spread the much needed values of a healthy and peaceful society, according to Amri.

The centre, he informed, runs on the motto “Service, Witness and Love”, with the goal of providing companionship, emotional support, food and shelter, therapeutic occupation, recreation facilities, health care, counseling and activities to overcome social isolation.

TOAHCDCC is a unit of Tribal Welfare Society, a non-profit charitable organisation, with two branches— the residential corner and rescue centre located at Thilixu village under Chümoukedima district, and the day-care centre at Indisen and Aoyimkum village in Dimapur.

“We have had older citizens coming from all classes with an aim to prepare for eternity and to live life joyously,” Amri said.

He also shared about the unexpected reunions within the centre over the decades: “The emotions that one undergoes when senior citizens get to meet their long-lost friends are overwhelming”.

Reaching the unreached

Over 300 kilometres away in Longleng district, the 50-bedded Senior Citizens Home (SCH), established in 2019 by the NGO Ayolta Human Resource Society (AHRS), provides a safe haven for seven elderly residents. Here, the focus is on providing essential care and comfort to those who have been left behind by circumstance.

Langau Chemdok, the Superintendent of SCH, told Eastern Mirror that the residents are all above 90 years old and most of them were “rescued” as they had no family to care for them and no roof over their heads. Except for one stroke patient, the others residents are active but have high blood pressure issues, he said.

The staff members at SCH go above and beyond to create a nurturing environment with daily routines that incorporate activities tailored to the residents’ abilities and interests. Basket weaving and handicrafts are particularly popular, as they not only offer a creative outlet but also a sense of accomplishment.

Navigating challenges

As per the United Nations, by 2030, older persons are projected to outnumber youth globally, with this increase most rapid in developing countries. This demographic shift, it said, has significantly transformed the caregiving landscape, encompassing a wide range of needs for both paid and unpaid support in formal and informal settings.

In Nagaland, funding remains a significant hurdle for organisations like TOAHCDCC and SCH. While TOAHCDCC benefits from the generosity of donors, SCH operates without any external financial assistance.

“We need help”, Chemdok admitted, expressing hope that churches and the community would step forward to support the elderly. However, at present, despite touring several villages and spreading awareness, hardly any help or support has come from the community, he rued.

Amri expressed hope that the centre would receive annual Grant in Aids (GIA) again from the government, if selected. Contributions from well wishers continues.

Meanwhile, Himja Leinak, Secretary and Chief Functionary of AHRS which runs the Senior Citizens Home shared that besides the seven permanent residents, the home also extends services to at least 80 beneficiaries from time to time.

While funds are not being received from the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, we hope to bring in more elderly residents, if the proposed fund from the centre is approved, he said.

Despite these challenges, the dedication of caregivers and the resilience of the elderly themselves shine through. While the TOAHCDCC works closely with Elderline 14567 and the police to rescue and provide refuge for abandoned or vulnerable seniors, Amri noted that many residents arrive seeking solace from loneliness and isolation. “They come to attain their social, emotional and spiritual needs, overcome loneliness or isolation, and fulfil their desire for community and socialisation”, he added.

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