Senior care is a cool job option

Mrigna Nagraj offers intellectual and emotional company to the elderly

Mrigna Nagraj offers intellectual and emotional company to the elderly

Mrigna Nagraj leaves home everyday with her iPad and a few literary classics in her bag. Once she reaches her destination, she is given a warm welcome by her friend. Together they spend about an hour and half reading books, discussing current affairs and playing games on the iPad. Mrigna’s life is worth envying! But this isn’t fun time — this is her job and the friend in question is a septuagenarian.

The city is waking up to the need for companionship and care of its elderly, especially as families get nuclear and life gets hectic for family members. Professionally trained elder care specialists are all set to provide intellectual and emotional company to senior citizens. They are paid anywhere around `2.5 lakh per annum to `6 lakh per annum.
“I was working abroad and returned to India almost two years back. We had my nani living with us and wanted to take care of her. But our schedules didn’t allow us to give her complete attention. I felt she needed company more than any other thing. After researching a bit, I decided to set up Epoch Elder Care,” says Kabir Chadha, founder and CEO, Epoch Elder Care, that trains and employs young elder care specialists.
With a population of 100 million above 65 and majority of population within the age of 30, it is only logical that the latter provide support to the senior citizens.
“It is such a rewarding experience to engage with the elderly. They share their life and experiences and give suggestions in return of our companionship. We play Scrabble together, read newspapers and even play online games,” says Mrigna. She tends to around three senior citizens in a day and has about one and a half hour sessions with each of them.
Talking about the background research work for their clients, elder care manager 25-year-old Neha Sinha puts forth, “We usually have to read up on the subjects our elderly client is interested in to strike a proper conversation. Apart from that, there are general traits that are essential to deal with the elderly like patience, persistence, creativity and empathy.”
The elder care specialists also engage their clients in walks, grocery shopping, family functions, temple visits, social engagements, or makeovers at beauty parlours.
I have a very loving family and a 16-year-old granddaughter who showers me with love and care. But they have their own life. They can’t always give me company. I love the discussions I have with the young specialists who come over and am learning to operate an iPad. It helps me stay abreast of latest developments,” says a 70-plus Swarn Malik, who says she waits for her ‘specialist friends’ to come over twice a week.
First Seniors is another organisation which provides a range of at-home services to the elderly, “Delhi has a large number of elderly people who are well-informed and well-off. Retired generals, government officials and judges are our customers, who take companionship services to keep themselves mentally stimulated,” says Sunil Sood, senior vice president, First Seniors.
As the elderly become comfortable with their specialists, they often reveal details about their life, their fears and pain. Do certain situations bog down the specialists? “Just like tricky situations in different professions, we also have to face occupational hazards. Elderly citizens can be very obstinate, suffer memory loss or be full of cynicism for the younger generation,” explains Prashant Shukla, an elder care specialist.

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