BENGALURU: The members of an NGO that had been regularly visiting old age homes in seven cities observed the responses of all the senior citizens were the same- “We don’t need anything, just your time,” cites the members.
Gaurav Singh and Praveen Shukla, who started Being Social, an NGO run by volunteers, decided that instead of visiting old age homes, they need to take the senior citizens for a day-out. “In the same way we take our parents out, we will be taking the senior citizens of the old age homes on a curated day-out event,” says Praveen Shukla.
On the day, volunteers and senior citizens will meet at Meenakshi Mall in Bannerghatta Road at 8.30 am and head to an ashram in Kanakpura Road for meditation. After which, they will have dance and singing programmes.
Gaurav Singh, founder of Being Social will come for a day from Delhi. “We have been visiting old age homes for six months, almost regularly, but it is the first time we are organising a day-out,” says Gaurav.
Besides the entertainment and meditation programme, interactive games including story-telling will be organised and coconut water will serve as refreshment. “Considering their health condition, we thought it is best to have coconut water over soft drinks,” says Praveen, who is organising the event.
Talking about the initiative he adds that two groups of people will come together to celebrate a day-out which can be synonymously called a picnic. “We hope that volunteers, who are mainly students, will learn to cherish older people, learn from their stories and learn to spend more time with their own family members,” adds Gaurav.
Gaurav himself made a cherishing bond when he visited an old-age home in Jaipur last February.
“One old ammi remembered my birthday and called me up from Jaipur to wish me,” smiles Gaurav.
So far, over 190 volunteers have signed up to take about 40 senior citizens of the Om Ashram on this outing on July 30.