They clap their hands and sing. They toss a ball or a rubber ring and play games. They even indulge in some mono-acts.
These are senior citizens who reside in the kuppams located off the Marina in San Thome. They too, like many seniors across Mylapore lead lonely lives.
And to lend something tangible to their lives, Dignity Foundation, with its base in Anna Nagar has been running a Day Care Centre for Seniors in Mullima Nagar, on Marina Loop Road.
Last year, it was a ‘now-open, now closed’ kind of situation. This year, the centre, which is a simple community hall hired from the local kuppam panchayat has remained open since late May.
“We get about 50 to 60 people from various kuppam blocks and most are women,” says Felista Jose, manager of Dignity’s Chennai chapter. “They have so much fun here that sometimes my team is surprised at their spirit.”
The seniors come in by 10 a.m. and leave after having a cup of tea at 4 p.m. During the day, they attend a drawing or a craft class, participate in group activities and converse. They are provided lunch, prepared by a women’s self-help-group in this area.
Felista says that more seniors are keen to attend Dignity’s centre but space constraints limits their plans. An appeal for a larger space for seniors in the same area has gone out to the Mylapore MLA, Dha. Velu and he has promised to locate a plot that can be developed.
Just now, she is hoping she can find the funds or a well-wisher who can set right a run-down washroom the women cannot use.
As a member of Dignity Foundation, Chennai Chapter I appreciate & thank the Mylapore Times for this report in highlighting the efforts of our team in making the underprivileged senior citizens of the Mylapore Kuppams live with dignity and socialise in this difficult times of Pandemic.
Well done Felista. What’s the cost of repair works of the Washroom? I will find it t.
Sheilu Sreenivasan