Almost a million older people above 50 are living desperately lonely lives. In an attempt to support them to grow older gracefully with the right companion in their twilight years, three organisations in the city are getting together to conduct a swayamvaram in the city this Sunday. The venue is AV College auditorium at Domalguda.
For the last 18 years, Anubandha, Todu Needa and Elders Club International Foundation have been working in the senior citizen sector and helping them with their needs in the last decades of their lives. “In the last few years, with youngsters migrating to other countries or building their homes in another part of the city is making the elderly feel lonely. This becomes even more complex if the elderly are single either by choice or due to the loss of spouse or due to separation. We realised that there are several hundreds of elderly in Hyderabad itself who would be happy to build a new relationship. The swayamvaram is an attempt to connect them,” says
Mandadi Krishna, managing trustee of Elders Club International Foundation, Nallakunta. In the last three years, they have helped over 500 elderly between the age group of 50 to 80 find the right companion. He says that while it is easy to find good hospitals and caretakers for the elderly, finding a person who simply listens to them, holds their hands and makes them feel loved is tough to get. Elderly Club specifically focusses on loneliness mitigation, a sector that is still nascent in India.
For a token registration fee of `100 which covers lunch, the event also assists the couples with legal documents and marriage registration if need be. So far, they have got 300 enquiries and registrations. Usually the final turnout is typically twice the number of registrations,” members of the Club inform. Those interested in attending the event can come alone or with friends and family and be ready to interact and network to be able to establish contact during and after the event too. Details on 9848040199.
On a laughter ride
Noted actor-comedian Javed Jaffrey who was in town had the denizens laughing with his humour and the political satire against the current situation in the country. He performed at Lamakaan on Friday | S SENBAGAPANDIYAN