Here Are The Organisations Providing Support To Senior Citizens During The Coronavirus Crisis

Find out about the organisations and volunteer groups helping the senior citizens with doorstep delivery of essentials like medicine and groceries during the time of lockdown due to the Coronavirus crisis. 

As India goes into lockdown for 21 days as announced by PM Narendra Modi on March 24, a large number of senior citizens living alone may face the brunt of sourcing groceries and essentials like medicines. In a bid to help them during this time of emergency, several independent volunteers from across the country have expressed their desire to help these senior citizens with doorstep delivery of essentials.

BANGALORE

Silver Talkies

Silver Talkies, a social engagement platform for senior citizens in association with Sai Keshav, 22, a young volunteer from Bangalore and a group of his friends has taken the initiative to help seniors with a hassle-free self-quarantine period. It is predominantly covering areas in North, South and Central Bangalore. 

Things volunteers can help you with

. Going to local shops and buying essential and critical items like medicines, fruits & vegetables and basic groceries (milk, bread, rice, etc)

. Make comfort/friendly calls to ensure seniors are in a healthy state of mind during this period of social distancing and self-isolation.

. Research online information and provide correct information from authentic sources (only government and ICMR based information) to seniors to prevent unnecessary panic.

. All volunteers must have their own vehicle (if they have opted to help deliver essentials), a mask and sanitizer.

For help, contact: 9591111300 or 6362890768

Apart from the Silver Talkies initiative, there are several other organisations and groups of independent volunteers across the country who have extended helping hands for socially distanced seniors living alone in various parts of the country. Here’s a list of some of them you can reach out to in times of need.

Primus Senior Living Community

In order to encourage senior citizens to stay at home and maintain social distance, Primus Senior Living Community is offering free delivery services exclusively for seniors in South Bangalore. Primus has engaged its in-house staff to become volunteers and facilitate free deliveries at the doorstep of senior citizens. 

Things the volunteers can do

. Medicine pick up and drop-off

. Shopping and delivery of groceries

. Shopping and delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables

. Laundry pick-up and drop-off

. Delivery of essential packages and courier

. Shopping and delivery of pet supplies

For help, contact 9060695845

Organisation: Caremongers

Started by Mahita Nagraj, a digital marketeer from Bangalore, Caremongers is a social media-based community volunteering initiative ensuring pan-India volunteer delivery of groceries and medicines to senior citizens who are living alone. Apart from Bangalore, the volunteers have covered other cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Noida, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Odisha.

Things volunteers can do

. Doorstep delivery of essentials like groceries, medicines, milk, vegetables, fruits and any other urgent requirements

For help, call 9591168886

Organisation: Seniority in collaboration with DocsApp

Seniority, a health and lifestyle based retail company for senior citizens has joined hands with DocsApp, a digital healthcare platform in order to bust myths, reduce panic and educate the senior citizens on Coronavirus. This will offer exclusive medical assistance to older adults and their family members.

Services that are being provided

. A 24/7 helpline support to enable senior citizens and their families have access to skilled medical professionals during this crisis time

. Free online consultations across all departments from doctors at the convenience of their homes

. A repository of informative articles, blogs, weekly newsletters and webinars imparting accurate information and safety measures related to Coronavirus

To seek medical assistance, call 08047193443

CHENNAI

Organisation: Bhoomika Trust

Senior citizens living alone in Chennai and needing assistance for medicine and food supplies may seek help from the Bhoomika volunteers.

Things the volunteers can do

. Deliver essential items like groceries, milk, vegetables and fruits

. Deliver medicines on request at the doorstep

For help, contact 04446314726

HYDERABAD

Organisation: One Big Family

One Big Family, a delivery app for the elderly has launched the ‘Stay Safe Stay Home’ initiative in Hyderabad, offering free delivery services to senior citizens of the city via a fleet of well-trained associates/delivery executives.

Things volunteers can do

. 24/7 free doorstep delivery of essentials like medicines, groceries, vegetables, etc.

For help, call 18005725200 or download the mobile app from Play store for android version and Appstore for Apple I-Phones to order online.

BHUBANESHWAR

Organization: #CovidSupportForElders

A community of independent volunteers, it is trying to build a support system for senior citizens.

Things the volunteers can do

. Creating senior-specific awareness about social distancing and self-isolation

. Ensuring steady supply lines for essential items for seniors in two ways:

The volunteers get in touch with the senior citizens and when they specify the needs, the volunteers patch hem up with third-party vendors for doorstep delivery of the items. The group has tied up with some vendors like Bigbazaar, Milky Moo, Apollo Pharmacy, Om Pharma that are offering home deliveries of essential items like. rice, atta, milk, oil. They are also enabling gas refills. Besides, the volunteers are doing online payment of water, electricity and television bills on behalf of the seniors.

They are also developing a database on the shops that are open and functioning in Bhubaneswar and the outlets that are doing home delivery. The volunteers are also helping seniors to pursue hobbies and interests to help them overcome loneliness. Depending on the hobbies of the senior citizens, the volunteers send curated videos to them.

For help, register yourself at https://forms.gle/te3Q1VeJJ4bCo6Pt5

PUNE

Organization: Independent group of young volunteers

The senior citizens in Pune can now reach out to an independent group of volunteers to source necessities like food or over-the-counter medicines which will be delivered outside the door to prevent unnecessary contact.

What the volunteers can do?

Go to local shops and buy essential and critical items like medicines, fruits and vegetables and basic groceries.

. Deliver cooked meals at the doorstep for the seniors who cannot cook for themselves

. Extra care is taken to use gloves, masks, and sanitizers while delivering the items

For help, contact 9146025252

Organization: Action for Pune Development

Action for Pune Development, an organisation of students engaged in several developmental programmes aimed at children and youth provides support to the seniors who are 70+and living alone.

Things volunteers can do

. Doorstep delivery of essential items like basic groceries, rice, atta, oil and medicines

. Ensure volunteer availability to help seniors in case they face any emergency

For help, contact 9657610008

Organization: Ninebee Foundation

Ninebee foundation is distributing free kits containing essential grocery, milk, mask and hand sanitisers to senior citizens who are reaching out to the volunteers for help. Besides Pune, they cover Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Things volunteers can do

. Facilitate the free distribution of essential supplies and groceries at the doorstep

. Deliver meals at the doorstep for those who are unable to cook on their own

For help, WhatsApp to 8007776088 or call 9212136088

Organisation: Friends@Senior Citizens

Friends@Senior Citizens, a volunteer organisation is operating in Pune and PCMC area in order to help the senior citizens overcome the crisis period of the lockdown.

Things volunteers can do

. Doorstep delivery of essential items like groceries and medicines

. Arranging for transport to hospitals for check-ups

. Providing doorstep delivery of tiffin services

For help, call 9422517939 and 9822981267

MUMBAI

Organisation: Fit Brigade

Independent volunteers from Mumbai have come together to form a community called Fit Brigade to cater to the essential needs of senior citizens who are living alone across Mumbai at this time of crisis.

Things the volunteers do

. Deliver essential items like groceries, medicines, fruits and vegetables at the doorstep of senior citizens

. Facilitate kitchen service for those who cannot cook and deliver meals at their doorstep

For help in South Mumbai, call 9821887707/ 9820391911

For help in Central Mumbai, call 9004670600/ 9833170665/9773706712

For help in Western Mumbai, call 9819236951/9821159710/9022420360

DELHI

Organisation: Vardaan Senior Citizen Centre

Vardaan Senior Citizen Centre in Malviya Nagar, an organisation committed to looking after senior citizens living alone, far away from their families has come up to provide free delivery service to senior citizens in and around Malviya Nagar, New Delhi. 

Things the volunteers do

. Provide free delivery of essential items like groceries, medicines, fruits and vegetables

. Taking complete charge of ailing seniors who are living alone and providing comprehensive care

CHANDIGARH, MOHALI and PANCHKULA

Organisation: Grey Shades

Grey Shades, a young organisation that offers a six-month-long fellowship program for senior citizens to keep them engaged and active, is helping them in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula during the quarantine phase.

Things the volunteers do

. Provide a steady supply of groceries, medicines and other essential needs to seniors.

. Pick up the items based on the queries and deliver it to the senior citizens at the doorstep.

. A volunteer counsellor comfort calls to senior citizens who are undergoing anxiety and panic attacks.

For help in Mohali, contact 7303441719

For help in Panchkula, contact 9876781057

For help in Chandigarh, contact 8968821155

AHMEDABAD

Organisation: Swara Smile Foundation

The volunteers from Swara Smile Foundation, an NGO are helping senior citizens in Ahmedabad with doorstep delivery.

Things volunteers can do

. Doorstep delivery of food for senior citizens during the lockdown period

For help, call 9265255908 or 8306596333

KOLKATA

Organisation: Kolkata Police

Kolkata Police have started a senior citizen helpline to help senior citizens who are living alone in Kolkata with their children settled abroad. Kolkata Police have urged the children and relatives from abroad to get in touch with them in case of any emergency help and requirements for senior citizens.

For help, call 9830088884

GOA

 Government Helpline

The senior citizens in Goa can reach out to a government helpline, functional between 9 AM to 6 PM providing free home delivery of groceries.

To avail the facility, call on 08047191000

Goa Help Map

A help map has been formed where an individual can post anonymously for help by creating an account and the volunteers nearby can reach for help.

In order to post for help, click here: https://goahelp.ushahidi.io/views/map

In case you want to volunteer for help, contact: helpmapgoa@gmail.com

Do you know of any other initiatives? Write to us on connect@silvertalkies.com