15 Old Age Homes in India for Abandoned Senior Citizens

People who are at the age of 60 and beyond are known as senior citizens. They have reached the age where now they can peacefully retire from all the years of hard work and hustling, they did back in the days. When we see the senior citizen, we show respect, we offer basic gestures like offering a seat in public transport, or helping them cross the street, or pick up their heavy bags till a certain location, or offer them a drop off if they are walking. These are some basic things we as citizens can do to offer that little help.

But what happens to their own family members who feel they are a burden, or they cannot afford to look after them anymore, or they have faced death in the family and are alone and cannot look after themselves without external support or help. That is when these old age homes come to the rescue where they treat the senior citizens with love, care and respect as though they are their own.

What is Old Age Home?

Old age homes are a place that help homeless senior citizens a safe place and like-minded people live under one roof. It is definitely not the place a person would think of spending their retirement days like this. People who are abandoned and homeless end up in such homes. During the pandemic many such old people ended up in old age homes as they either lost someone or was left to live alone on the streets.   

Types of Old Age Home?

There are 2 types of old age homes. Government based old age homes and private owned old age homes. The homes that are operated by the government and are free of cost and any old person can come and stay here. There are many people who volunteer to help out the old people and the staff in government run homes. The private old age homes provide services for a certain fee. Proper care with good meals and affection is provided to the old people. If people can afford paying for the services and want better qualified staff, can opt for the private old age homes.

Facilities at Old Age Homes

There are basic facilities that are mandatory for old people. Since they are old, their bodies are also sensitive and immunity is far lower compared to others.

• Medical Care: irrespective of what the condition may be of an old person, they could be disabled, weak, or any illness, emergency medications, oxygen, therapy, nebulizers etc. are available.
• Lab Tests: if a requirement of any tests that need to be conducted, that facility is also available and accordingly they can be cured.
• Cleanliness & house-keeping: sanitization of the place is very important, especially after the pandemic and the virus spreading, it is a crucial part of any old age home to maintain hygiene.  
• Security: Every old age homes need security. CCTV is available at the premises to keep a watch on any mishaps or emergencies.

Old Age Homes in India

In India usually when parents or grandparents get old and staying alone, they automatically tend to rely on their children for help & support as it gets difficult for them to manage. But many children out there cannot deal with their behavior, or habits, or get tired of helping them at his age, and they end up leaving them in old age homes thinking they are better off with other old people who can provide care 24*7.

15 Old Age Homes in India for Abandoned Senior Citizens

What many people don’t understand is the senior citizens, all they need is some patience, and a little bit of support to live the rest of their lives. But there are helpless old people who don’t have anyone to go to. There are many old age homes in India that care for the abandoned senior citizens where they can feel safe and secure among other old people.

Basically, old age home is like a hostel for old people where you share a room, bathroom, dining area etc.

Here are 15 old age homes in India for abandoned senior citizens:

1. Shraddhanand Mahilashram

They provide shelter to women who are senior citizens above 60 years of age. The stay is free of cost for women who are abandoned and poor, but they also provided services that are chargeable to women who can afford it. These women are provided with some food, a bed to sleep, and staff who has experience in medical background.

2. Priyadarshini Seva Mandali

In 2012 they started an old age home called NEST that accommodates 20-25 people, and provide shelter for the destitute, and senior citizens who have been abandoned. 60 years and above people can live here at free of cost with food, and medical care provided.

3. Akshaya Trust

This trust is located in Mudichur, Chennai. Senior citizens who are destitute, and who are abandoned by family members live here. At present there are 55 people living here with safe and good shelter, food to eat, clothing, medical care, lots of love and support.

4. Jesus the Way Trust runs:

This old age home is also located in Chennai and is called “Charu’s home for elders” that provides a peaceful environment to the destitute & poor senior citizens. With high number of people coming in to stay, they are in constant need of donations like mattress, utensils, fan, chair, food, medical equipment, etc.

5. Ammucare Charitable Trust:

This charitable trust supports old abandoned people and help them with a make-shift shelter. 70 senior citizens are under this trust and are being looked after.

6. Ashraya Welfare Organization:

This old age home is located in Avilala village, Tirupati Rural Mandal. Food, shelter, medical care is all provided at free of cost. They have around 40 senior citizens and many of them have been dropped off by police or their own family members

7. Abhinav Samaj:

An old age home in Delhi known as Jai Ma Durga which offers free food, shelter and medical assistance to destitute senior citizens. Seniors should be respected and cared for, but instead many are abandoned by their own family and children. 94 senior citizens were admitted in this old age home in one year. If by any unfortunate incident the senior member passes away, their last rituals are performed as per their customs and religion.

8. Wishes and Blessings:

It has been over 3 years since they started this old age home for the abandoned and elderly. They have taken an oath to provide a friendly atmosphere with proper health care, good meals, medical care etc. for the elderly.

9. HelpAge India

In areas like Patiala and Gurdaspur in Punjab, Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and Kolkata in West Bengal, HelpAge India offers old age homes for the elderly. They have 26 old age homes and 5 barrier homes for the senior citizens in India.

10. Omashram Trust

A home created for the elderly which is away from home. They provide great respect to the elders, comfort, a safe homely atmosphere living there, and ensure to watch their mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Food needs are taken good care of, health is also a priority here, and ensuring they live comfortably.

11. Paranjape Athashri

One of the oldest old age homes located in Baner, Pune offers great amenities and is one of the largest old age homes in India.

12. The Earth Savior Foundation:

A place that is recognized by the Indian government. They have rescued more than 15,000 senior citizens, homeless disabled people, and deprived females. They have shelters located in Bandhwari Village, Gurgaon, Haryana, and the other in Mandawar Village, Haryana. 

13. Universal Elder Care

A place that creates a family-like atmosphere, showering kindness, compassion, care, and a hygienic environment. Located in Tamil Nadu, this old age home believes in creating a friendly environment with regular activities to keep them busy, help them relax and not feel isolated. Apart from these, they offer private lockers to keep their valuables, last rites are done as per their religious customs, specialized health check-up, providing companionship, and emotional support.

14. Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram

The main one behind the idea of this old age home is SHEOWS (Saint Hardyal Educational and Orphan Welfare Society) It has been over 16 years they are providing shelter, food, clothes, medical care, love, support and care to the destitute and senior citizens that are abandoned. With the generous donations by the humble community and citizens around, they have been able to provide –

• 10 Special Care Unit
• 24/7 Doctors and nurses
• Physiotherapy lab
• Lifts for elderly
• Pathology lab
• X-ray monitoring machine
• Daily Medicines
• Nutritious food
• Clean clothes

15. MOKSHA Vridh Ashram

Moksha’s old age home is run by young people who are on a mission to provide quality care, love, respect, compassion and security to the senior citizens. This old age home is located in Haryana which is spread over 1000 yards amidst nature. Currently around 110 mentally challenged, helpless, physically ill old people are living in the old age home. Along with basic necessities, they also offer a prayer/meditation hall, personalized grooming needs, laundry, 24*7 medical help, nutritious food and much more.

Old Age Homes FAQs:

We have shared 15 old age homes above that are doing a wonderful job in taking care of the senior citizens who have been helpless, abandoned, mentally/physically ill, and destitute old people. You may have some more queries regarding old age home & we are here to help you out.

Here are some frequently asked questions that can guide you regarding old age homes in India.

Q1. How Much Do Old Age Homes Cost in India?

It depends on the type of old age home you are looking at. There are many old age homes that offer free services and facilities, and there are some that cost you. Depending on the needs of the old person, it starts somewhere around a basic fee of 2000/- a month if the person if staying on a long-term basis. But again, that depends on the old age home facilities and the condition of the old person too.

Q2. Are Old Age Homes Free in India?

Yes, there are many old age homes that are run by government that offer free services, free accommodation and free food.

Q3. How Many Old Age Homes Are There in India?

There are roughly over 700 + old age homes in India.

Q4. How Can I Help Old Age Homes?

One can volunteer in many ways. You can visit during visiting hours and communicate with them to keep them busy; you can organize easy & relaxing activities with the senior citizens, you can teach them something new, you can pray with them, you can help in grooming them. There are many ways where you can help out a senior citizen and keep them company.

Q5. How to Start Old Age Home in India?

If you are planning to start an old age home, the most basic and important thing you need is for you to register your old age home with the Registrar of societies under registration act, you also need to register the home under Section 12A and 80G (Income Tax)

Q6. Why Old Age Homes Are Increasing

Old age homes are increasing because people are becoming less tolerant and lacking empathy towards the senior citizens. Many family members are either not getting the time to take care of the old person or not willing to take extra efforts. As the generation’s lifestyle evolves, the old people end up in old age homes. Many younger generations leave rural or urban cities to move in a new environment for better opportunities and good pay, but at the cost of leaving their old parents home alone. 

Q7. Should There Be Old Age Homes?

Yes, at least the senior citizens have some place to rely on when their own family members abandon them. At the same time, we hope there shouldn’t be old age homes, we want people to show more compassion towards the elders and senior citizens.

Q8. How to Volunteer at an Old Age Home?

You can speak to the authority at the old age home and fix up a time and sign up as a volunteer, and talk about how you can volunteer at the old age homes.

Summary

This huge concern of dealing with elders and leaving them to live alone and leaving them to old age homes in becoming a problem as new generations get older and their lifestyle evolves. This problem is not just in India but it is a global problem. Many family members lack knowledge and are unaware of what the senior citizens are going through and how to deal with them. If the younger generation or the family members learn to live with compassion, empathy and practice more ethical living, we can only hope for old age homes to vanish in the future.

We hope that you have got a good understanding of what all old age homes offer and why it is becoming such a problem for senior citizens. We hope if you are reading this can in some way help to volunteer, or educate the people around you to respect the senior citizens and show more compassion and kindness.

Sakal Relief Fund’s organization and members are driven by their passion for disaster management, value honesty, mutual respect and professionalism in all aspects of relationships. Sakal Relief Fund, a disaster response NGO in India, is fighting to assist and empower people in case of unforeseen emergencies and any ongoing crisis. You too can contribute to our mission and donate online.