Resident's Comments on Chiranjiv Karam Bhoomi

(The Senior Citizen Home & Day Care Center)

S.K. Malhotra – (Rtd. CEO of a multinational)         January 1, 2010

I have now been in the Senior Citizens Care Centre for about 2 years out of which I spent about 6 months in USA with my daughter. I wish to share my experience with the management and existing and prospective residents.
At the outset, I would like to state that I am fully satisfied and content. I attribute this situation mainly to the following factors:

1. I realized the day I moved to the Centre that the Centre cannot and will not meet all my needs and therefore I decided from the very first day that whatever is not made available by the Centre, I will acquire it myself if I want to live happily. I don’t grumble about the quality of fruits or cereals or glassware or inadequate room/kitchen supplies as I acquire the right stuff myself as and when I feel the need. It gives me great peace of mind which far outweighs the cost of these acquisitions.
2. I talk to the staff politely and as a result they respect me and never talk to me rudely. If I do not like something about the food like too much salt or absence of certain ingredients in the curriers or khichri I point it out to the staff concerned in private rather than shouting in front of the other residents. I have similar relationship with the manager. My complaints/suggestions to him so far have been limited to installation of an auto switch on the generator, setting up of physiotherapy facilities, provision of a microwave oven, fruit juicer and a toaster, supply of uniforms to the staff or plumbing problems which I made in his office. One of the staff does shopping for the residents. Another staff member does the laundry. Rooms are cleaned every day and linen changed frequently.
3. Just a word about the management. Some of the management members visit the centre periodically. They invariably bring lunch with them which they share with us on the dining table. One of the trustees invites us to her home for lunch sometimes. The managing trustee sometimes takes us to a restaurant for lunch along with her colleagues. This makes us feel that we belong to an extended joint family here and are treated with dignity and not as unwanted and discarded seniors which we are not. It is a real moral booster.
4. The centre is housed in a relatively newly constructed spacious building which is surrounded by lush green trees. The rooms are specious, airy and well lit. The rooms are furnished with the basic furniture and the residents have the choice to add other items of interest including TV, computer, AC, oil heater, music system, carpets, linen, indoor plants etc. Rooms on 1st and 2nd floor have balconies where one can sit in the sun during winter and enjoy the freshness of the surroundings. All rooms have separate bath rooms. Some of the rooms compare well with well furnished rooms in well to do homes.
5. I have decided not to go abroad again and instead have asked my children to visit me from time to time which they have done since my return to India in September last year. I plan to spend the rest of my years here and I am certain that my stay will be comfortable and peaceful.
6. There is a generator which gives 100% power coverage in the event of power cuts which are fairly frequent. Each bath room is fitted with a geyser and there is constant supply of hot water. One is allowed to install his/her AC, heater, TV or computer. There is a separate meter for each room and one pays as per actual consumption.
7. We have a doctor from Umkal Hospital visiting us once a week and in case of need the manager arranges the visit of residents to Umkal. The manager lives in the Centre and is therefore available all the time.
8. We have an arrangement with a cab company and get cabs at a short notice. The Cab service is very reliable. We are therefore pretty mobile.
9. What I miss is social interaction as most of the residents are set in their own ways and we have very little in common. I try to achieve it by going out once a while or have my friends/relatives visit me.
• I will safely recommend this Centre to prospective residents who want to lead peaceful life in a congenial atmosphere where they are cared for.