Let us congratulate Geriatrician Dr V S Natarajan who has been awarded Padma Shri.
We are all happy that our dear Dr V S Natarajan has been awarded Padma Sri
Dr.V.S.Natarajan, is the Chairman of the Senior Citizens Bureau since 2001.
INTRODUCTION
The Senior Citizens Bureau is a free guidance and information center for members of Society of all age groups which is run by Senior Citizens. The Bureau was founded under the original name of Citizens Advice Bureau in the year 1996 by the Probus Clubs at Chennai under the able leadership of General Aban Naidu, PVSM, AVSM, a world war veteran and social activist. Bureau renamed as a Senior Citizens Bureau was regisgtered under Societies Registration Act in the year 2002 and is headed by its Chairman Dr.V.S. Natarajan , M.D., FRCP, D.Sc(Hon), a renowned Geriatric Physician.
ACTIVITIES
FREE COUNSELING
Bureau provides free information and guidance through six departments such as Civic Affairs, Health Care, Law and order, Personal Administration, Finance and Education. Each of these is headed by a Secretary who is assisted by a panel of counselors possessing professional expertise and experience in the relevant field. So far 1200 letters had been received and satisfactorily dealt with.HEALTH CARE PROGRAMES
K Venkatachari
Bureau has been conducting special medical camps for elders periodically. Over 25 Health Care Programmes covering the following areas of health have been held.
(i) Asthma and Hypertension (ii) Dental Health (iii) Hearing disability (iv) Geriatric Master Health Checkup (v) Bone Mass detection (vi) Rural Eye Camp (vii) Prostate detection (viii) Elder Care (ix) Well Woman (x) Geriatric Counseling (xi) Psycho Therapy (xiii) Insomnia (xiv) Obesity (xv) Hypertension (xvi) Healthy Bones & Healthy Arteries (xvii) Dementia (xviii) Skin & Falls camp.
PP Probus Club of Chennai
Flat No 4, satya Apts, New 31, Old 17, Madhava Perumal Koil Street Mylapore Chenna-4, 044 24981099
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Dr V S Natarajan gets Padma Sri Award--congrats
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Chandigarh Poll promises - brighter future for old people?
Health insurance of upto Rs 2 lakh for the poor people, including
those with blue and yellow cards, old age pension for all above-65
years of age and subsidized atta-dal to poor families are some of the
promises, which the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal is likely to have in
its manifesto expected to be released on Sunday.
Sources said that the manifesto would promise removing the income
criteria for giving old age pension. Now any male above 65 years of
age and female above 60 years would be given Rs 600 per month as old
age pension.
Also, apart from the free health insurance, the other likely point in
the manifesto is that the amount given to the girls who get married
under the Shagun Scheme would be increased to Rs 31,000 from the
present Rs 15,000.
"The manifesto will also focus on social schemes like subsidized
atta-dal to poor families, free power to farmers, and highlight the
development projects initiated by the ruling alliance," said Sukhdev
Singh Dhindsa, the chairman of party's manifesto committee. He
admitted that some of these schemes were there in the party's
manifesto for 2007 elections.
The Atta-dal scheme, under which nearly 8.2 lakh families get wheat
flour and pulses at subsidised rates, helped the party gain a few
seats in the elections elections. The party is hoping that the scheme
may get them additional seats this time too.
Recently, the state government had expanded the scope of certain
social schemes by extending their reach to all the economically weaker
sections. This, the party insiders claim, has increased the political
base of the ruling combine.
Sources said that the party is also likely to push for agriculture,
trade and industry, self-sufficiency in power sector. The manifesto
would also promise free cycles to girls studying in Class IX and X
under the Mai Bhago Scheme.
Tags: poor families, Shiromani Akali Dal, Shagun Scheme
=========
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/health-insurance-for-poor-no-income-bar-for-oldage-pension-in-sad-manifesto/902121/0
Dr P Vyasamoorthy, 30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph
040-27846631 / 9490804278.I have started a third blog:
http://seniorcitizensdiscounts.blogspot.com/
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Senior Citizens of AP score a Victory
Citizens in a case filed before SHRC AP. This is from Sri RN Mital
President of AISCCON. Read on ....
If you deem it fit please tweet about it or mention it in your
Facebook Wall, citing this blog post accessible to all Thanks.
Vyasamoorthy
===============
Dear friends
The Senior Citizens in Andhra Pradesh have won a significant victory
Here a paradoxical situation prevailed. As perhaps you know the
Arogyasri Health Care Trust provides health security to the entire
BPL population of AP and thus covers 82%
population [AP has its own definition of BPL].But unfortunately the
BPL inmates of Old Age Homes who are obviously the most entitled, are
deprived of it because they do not possess a proof of Identity and
also the white Ration Card.
If a BPL inmate falls sick, his family is asked to take him back.
Usually the families do not respnd. As neither the inmate nor the OAH
have the resources to afford medical treatment. the fate of the sick
can be imagined. The fate of the terminally ill or disabled is
miserable.Therefore, adequate health security for the inmates in OAH
homes is a must.
But in AP the Administration has laid down a condition regarding the
possession of white ration card for their own convenience as it is not
specified in the Trust Deed of Arogyasri. Therefore, imposing an
arbitrary condition and depriving a vulnerable segment of society of
the benefits of a welfare scheme, is a violation of their Human
rights; more so because being in the average age group of 75+ it is
not possible for them to run around to get a ration card issued.They
have neither the resources nor the physical ability to do so.
The other mandatory requirement is to submit a deletion certificate
from the original ration card endorsed by the local Revenue Officer.
It is generally impossible because their families are nor interested
in providing it as in most cases they are the abandoned souls or those
picked up from Hospitals, roads etc.
On account of these facts they are also denied the Old Age Pension and
the right to vote..
Having failed in their effort to persuade the Administration to take
remedial action in the matter,, the APSCCON [Andhra Pradesh Senior
Citizens' Confederation] finally filed a petition before the State
Human Rights Commission in 2010 and after two years of hearings and
adjournments the Commission has accepted our plea and has directed the
State Government in short to
1] to arrange visit of an administrative officer
periodically to issue the Ration Cards/Health Cards/ Identity Cards to
eligible inmates on the spot.
2] to issue Arogyasri Health Card on the basis of the
above and to arrange deletion of the names of inmates from the
original ration cards.
3] to ensure payment of Old Age Pension and enrollment
as voters using the above cards as proof of identity.
4] to set up CMCO referral centres in all District
Headquarters for all poor residents to avail benefits of the Arogyasri
scheme.
The State Government has been given 5 months to implement the order.
The petition filed by us before SHRC and their order dated January 9,
2012 are attached.
(This blog post does not have these two attachments. Those interested
may get it by email from author / me). We are trying to give it as
wide publicity as possible so that friends in other States can use
this case as an example, where necessary, to get similar rights of the
poor .senior citizens in Old Age Homes in their States recognised.
Best regards,
R.N.Mital
President,
All India Senior Citizens' Confederation [AISCCON]
8-2-333/14a, Rd.3,Banjara Hills, Huderabad - 34
Tel : 09052004913
website: www.aisccon.org
Friday, January 13, 2012
HelpAge Advantage Card
HelpAge Advantage Card
HelpAge will eventually tie up with a good number of companies offering discounts, rebates and concessions on products & services of special interest to seniors citizens. Holders of Advantage cards can avail themselves of good discounts. Healthcare, Nursing Care, Hospital services, LOcal and outstation travel, Special goods, Fitness Aids, Legal help, etc are intended to be covered. This will be a mutually advantageous service.
This is what HelpAge has to say as of now
==
It is in this silver segment where marketing companies can discover
gold - through the tailor made AdvantAge Card, being introduced by India’s most respected senior citizen advocacy and welfare services provider, HelpAge India, a NGO with country wide presence.
The AdvantAge card will provide its subscribed members, aged 50 years and above with a range of services:
- Attractive discounts offered by a chain of preferred partners covering wide variety of goods and services
- Social networking through web based community
- Helpline based assistance services in healthcare, safety and security
I shall keep you updated on this as this project unfolds. Just follow this blog.
Vyasamoorthy
United India wins TN insurance scheme
Schembe) appears to be as good as Aarogyasri. Number of Persons
covered in a family, any special provisions for seniors in APL, total
number of persons / families covered, etc are some points worth
finding out. May be some Chennai member may help. I am also happy to
note that the trend of naming schemes after themselves by politicians
is slowly getting replaced by generic names -- earlier every State
scheme in TN was named after Kalaignar Karunanidhi. Vyasamoorthy
=============
United India wins TN insurance scheme
By R Srividhya Jan 11 2012 , Chennai
Tags: Insurance
Government-owned United India Insurance has won the contract to
deliver the Tamilnadu government-sponsored health insurance scheme in
the state that will add about Rs 750 crore to its premium income every
year.
Though the Maharashtra government's deal with National Insurance
Company a few days ago for health insurance carried an annual premium
of Rs 800 crore, it is expected to roll out only in phases, making
this the largest government-sponsored health insurance scheme in the
country.
The earlier scheme in Tamil Nadu floated by the previous DMK
government was executed by Star Health and Allied Insurance company,
which earned the company an annual premium of Rs 600 crore from the
government.
Following a change in government, the earlier scheme was scrapped, and
the new scheme invited bids only from public sector insurance
companies among which Chennai-headquartered United India Insurance
emerged successful.
The company already received the first quarterly premium installment
of Rs 183.64 crore from the chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday,
according to a statement from the state government.
Against the earlier scheme that provided coverage of up to Rs 1,00,000
for a year for a poor family of four members, the new scheme, named
'Chief Minister's Elaborate Medical Insurance Scheme' expands the
coverage to Rs 1,50,000 in cases of specific treatments and surgeries.
The scheme also provides insurance coverage for 1,016 treatments and
procedures, 113 follow-up procedures and 23 diagnostic procedures.
"Though the coverage is wider, we are confident of better claims
management and viable operations, as we have a lot of safety
mechanisms in place. The hospital network is also wider and includes
many government hospitals too," said G Srinivasan, chairman, United
India Insurance to Financial Chronicle.
Apart from the central government-sponsored Raashtriya Swastha Bhima
Yojana (RSBY), many states like Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have a
state government-sponsored health insurance scheme modelled on the
successful 'Rajiv Arogyasri' introduced by the deceased former chief
minister of Andhra Pradesh, YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
Though such schemes do not help the insurance companies much,
monetarily, they provide a reach to the most remote towns and
villages, which can eventually become targets for other products or
services.
rsrividhya@mydigitalfc.com
=============
http://www.mydigitalfc.com/insurance/united-india-wins-tn-insurance-scheme-913
Dr P Vyasamoorthy, 30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph
040-27846631 / 9490804278.
I have started a third blog: http://seniorcitizensdiscounts.blogspot.com/
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Status of RSBY implementation
Government of India
Ministry of Labour & Employment
12-January-2012 13:35 IST
Status of implementation of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY)
The Cabinet today reviewed the implementation of the Rashtriya
Swasthya Bima Yojana. The Scheme was launched on 1st October, 2007 as
the health insurance scheme for families living below the poverty
line. It was operationalised on April, 2008.
The basic features of the scheme are as follows:
(i) Government of India contributes 75% of the annual premium. State
Governments contribute 25%. In case of North-East region and Jammu &
Kashmir, the premium is shared in the ratio of 90:10.
(ii) The beneficiary family pays Rs. 30 per annum per family as
registration/renewal fee. Administrative cost is borne by the State
Governments.
(iii) Beneficiaries are entitled to smart card based cashless health
insurance cover of Rs.30,000 per family per annum on a family floater
basis.
(iv) Coverage of all pre-existing diseases.
(v) Coverage of hospitalisation expenses, including maternity benefit.
(vi) Payment of transportation cost of Rs. 100/- per visit.
As on 31st December, 2011, about 2.57 crore smart cards are active and
more than 29.25 lakh persons have availed hospitalisation facilities
in 24 States/UTs.
The RSBY has also been extended to following occupational groups:
(i) Building and other Construction Workers
(ii) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA)
beneficiaries
(iii) Street Vendors
(iv) Beedi Workers
v) Domestic Workers
As is evident from the above, the scheme has been extended to a few
segments of unorganised workers. In future, it is likely to be
expanded to other segments of such workers.
*****
OLD PEOPLE BEHAVIOR
'Old people behavior'
My kids accuse me of it. I don't get it, but that's part of the problem. Not getting things done as quickly as I used to and not caring that I haven't. Thinking little things are funnier than they really are. Forgetting what I was doing, where I was going and why. Thinking doing one thing well is better than multi-tasking. Starting to think about my pillow as early as 7 p.m. Dressing my age. Texting the wrong words. Not wanting to buy things on the internet. Not checking my email often enough. I'm not sure why these things are concerning them, but when they observe it, they do look at each other, grin, and say "old people behavior."
I think that's one reason I love the job I'm in. If I express any concerns to any of my clients about this, they just say "Oh, honey, don't worry. You're young yet! You have nothing to worry about. It gets worse." Comforting.
I don't make New Year's resolutions, and therefore I don't break them. However, this year I'm going try to really appreciate my age — embrace "old people behavior" and enjoy it! One of my favorite writings by Erma Bombeck titled "If I Had My Life To Live Over" encourages us to the things we always thought we shouldn't, like eating popcorn in the 'good' living room. She says to slow down and appreciate things a lot more, and to laugh at life instead of TV. The answers to my kids, seeing the humor in things sometimes takes some of the worry away. There is no reason to do more than one thing at a time, and going to bed early is very healthy! I say, they are lucky I'm texting at all, because I really prefer to talk to them, but I'm agreeing to deal with text and email in order to compromise. If I ordered all their presents on the internet, I'd never enjoy the Christmas music in the stores or run into friends to chat with while I'm shopping. I'm ready to say, I don't see what's wrong with "old people behavior!"
Here's some more evidence for my cause. You'll likely find them around every corner: Older people who volunteer and make a difference in our community each day. Maybe it's through local churches, community organizations, neighborhoods, senior centers or health care organizations. Wherever these unsung heroes are working their magic, they are needed as local budgets evaporate and community needs escalate.
Helping others defines life for many of our retired seniors. Here are some interesting statistics.
• More than half of seniors volunteer their time through unpaid community service.
• Twenty percent of senior volunteers surveyed started volunteering when they reached the traditional age of retirement of 65 or older.
• Twenty percent of seniors who volunteer say that their community service is the most important thing they do.
• Seniors who volunteer give an average of 15 hours a month in unpaid service.
• Seven in 10 seniors who volunteer indicate they plan on volunteering forever. This percentage is slightly higher for senior volunteers who suffer from chronic health problems.
Examples of senior volunteer are everywhere, if you look closely. There's Ernest whose hospice volunteering helped fill a void after his wife died. And Pauline, who says volunteering helps her manage fibromyalgia neck and back pain. There's the lady at the front desk of the senior center, making sure people get to the right activities, and all those folks making the doughnuts that are sold to help the senior center financially. The person at the front desk at the hospital, so kindly directing us to the right spots and the gentleman helping people get to their cars safely are invaluable. The local nursing homes have energetic seniors calling bingo, entertaining with music, and spending time visiting one on one.
As much as they give to others, what a difference we have observed in seniors' health, attitude and outlook among those who choose to stay active as they age. In fact, managing chronic conditions and maintaining health are important motivations. Three-fourths of senior volunteers surveyed who have chronic conditions say that staying active through volunteering helps them manage these conditions.
The benefits really do run deep. Senior volunteering is a venue for developing important social connections, said Erwin Tan, director of Senior Corps, a national organization that links more than 400,000 Americans 55 and older to service opportunities.
"In addition, it's a great way for seniors to learn new things, whether a skill or just something about an issue in which they have an interest."
Tan, who serves as the expert U.S. source for the Salute to Senior Service program, said he hears constantly from the seniors in his programs that volunteering gives them a purpose in life. "They say that it's the reason they get up in the morning," he said. According to Tan, volunteering is a great way to expand horizons for seniors and help them feel as if they are still a valuable part of the community.
The research tells the many ways that volunteerism helps. The following are benefits those 65 and older who volunteer have reported.
1. Strengthened mission – 99 percent want to make a difference.
2. Improved physical health – 98 percent stay active and feel better physically.
3. Stronger emotional foundation – 98 percent feel better emotionally
4. Renewed spiritual purpose – 98 percent gain a sense of purpose.
5. Shared wisdom – 90 percent want to share their talents, skills and experience.
6. Refreshed perspective and mental acuity – 84 percent want to occupy their free time.
7. Effective pain remedy – 75 percent with chronic conditions say volunteering helps them manage these conditions.
8. Invigorated social networks – 74 percent are able to overcome feeling isolated.
9. Better mental outlook – 70 percent are able to overcome feeling depressed.
10. Long-lasting legacies – 53 percent say that they learned the importance of volunteering from their parents' community service and 84 percent say they have encouraged their children to give back to their communities.
Now that's "Old People Behavior! " Thanks so much to all those seniors in our community who are active and giving back and gaining benefits for themselves. Now there's my New Year's Resolution! Bring it on! I will be honored and know that really, I'm not quite live up to the definition of "old people behavior." I need to act more like the seniors in our community!
[There are so many opportunities to volunteer in our community. A few contacts include Mike Koechler at RSVP, DeAnn Barry at Lakes Area Senior Activity Center, Liz Csanda at Good Samaritan-Bethany, Deb Anderson at St. Joseph Medical Center, or check the Volunteer Section of the Brainerd Dispatch that runs the first Sunday of the month]
DEB CRANNY is the executive director at Home Instead Senior Care in Brainerd.
============
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Jeevanadhara stores to sell drugs at cheaper rates in Andhra Pradesh
APMS&IDC, on a pilot basis, had started some stores by roping in NGOs and non-profit organisations at King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam and teaching hospitals in Vijayawada and Kakinda. These stores have been selling drugs worth nearly Rs four crore every month. Buoyed with the response, the medical corporation has now decided to open similar pharmacies in the city.
"We are going to take up a massive campaign on the use of generic drugs, which are equally good in quality and cheap when compared to branded drugs. For instance, an antacid like Pantaprozole's branded tablet market retail price in the open market starts from Rs 60 for 10 tablets, whereas it costs only Rs 11 at Jeevandhra generic drugs," APMS&IDC general manager Ravi Udaya Bhaskar told TOI.
The corporation has been facilitating the NGOs in procuring 340 essential drugs (generic) through clearing and forwarding agencies The Jeevandhra pharmacies would sell the drugs by taking only 10% over the production cost. As a result, people will get huge discount at Jeevandhra.
PPF MIS KVP MPKBY etc - Important clarification
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Book Review: Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul
Sections | No. stories |
Signs from above | 9 |
The Healing Power of a Prayer | 6 |
Love from Beyond | 11 |
HIS/HER Messenger | 8 |
HIS Saving Grace | 7 |
Angels amongst us | 9 |
Answered Prayers | 9 |
Everyday Miracles | 12 |
Devine Appointment | 7 |
The Magic of Faith | 7 |
Our Guardian Angel | 8 |
The Call from Within | 8 |
I have started a third blog: http://seniorcitizensdiscounts.blogspot.com/
Monday, January 2, 2012
Care giver Training Mumbai (BSA)
Till three months ago, Chand Begum Shaikh, 29, had never held a
thermometer. Today, Shaikh can not only check temperature but has also
learned to resuscitate people not breathing.
In the following months, the Class 7 dropout who has never held a job
will earn a living taking care of senior citizens.
"Till now I would only see doctors examine patients, today I can also
check blood sugar. It is very exciting," said Shaikh, a divorcee who
lives with her father and has to fend for her three children.
Shaikh is among 20 women from Dharavi being trained to take care of
the city's elderly in various aspects of nursing by Shield Foundation,
a non-government organisation.
"Having worked with the elderly for many years, I realised they need
good caregivers especially in situations where they live alone because
their children are abroad or just too busy," said Swati Ingole,
founder, Shield Foundation. "We are training a unemployed women who
are willing to take care of the elderly."
Ingole claims that this is the first such initiative in the city.
"The nurses hired from various agencies are not trained. I am sure
these women will be placed," said Ingole. The course -Respite
Caregivers Training Course -includes sessions every weekday between
October 2011 and January this year.
"For the first time, I heard so much about diseases and about our
body. Dr Daksha Shah (who teaches basic health) taught us how to take
care of ourselves and others," said Shakila Rafi Shaikh, 26, who has
four children and is a Class 9 dropout.
The course includes training on basic health, mental health,
communication building, and supportive therapy with lessons on yoga,
acupuncture and practical training in hospitals. "It's very difficult
to keep getting maids to take care of me. This new initiative will
help people like us," said Naju Padhsa, 75, who suffers from
arthritis.
The course also covers aspects like dealing with people in a bank or a
post office, calling a doctor and checking temperature.
URL: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/PUBLICATIONS/HT/HM/2012/01/02/ArticleHtmls/Caring-for-the-elderly-a-career-option-for-02012012004004.shtml?Mode=1
==============
Dr P Vyasamoorthy, 30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph
040-27846631 / 9490804278.
I have started a third blog: http://seniorcitizensdiscounts.blogspot.com/
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Seasonal Email ID harvesting
During Dec-Jan every year thousands of people exchange Seasonal
greetings for Xmas and New Year. Most naive individuals (especially
those who have taken to the net recently) send greetings to friends
leaving email addresses open for anyone to harvest.
For instance our friend Sri Kodavanty Subrahmaniam does not realize
that when he replies to post from a member in the group, the reply is
sent to all members of the group. He has replied every New Year
Greetings from Group Members thus increasing NYG messages by adding
his own twenty plus in just a day to EVERY ONE OF 650 members of
sss-global group!
There are simple programs to collect addresses from email messages,
remove duplicates, verify if message can be sent (if addressee is
reachable), whether there are domain name based errors etc. Using
these techniques a good spammer friendly database can be created
easily. Then the fun begins.
Just you are bombarded with hundreds of SMS messages of all types in
your cell phone, your Email Inbox may be inundated with
inappropriate, indecent invitations to many things such as:
"come and sleep with me; I am very hard to please" shouts a teenage girl
"Buy Viagra and experience heaven" says another
"become a millionaire overnight" dupes yet another
"bribe God by forwarding the message" fools another email
Limitless are ingenious ways in which you can be spammed.
If you ask me why I have not sent any NYG message to our members, I
would like to reply with a poker face:
"I was busy building an email database of senior citizens"
Incidentally a message is a spam if 1) it is distributed to a very
large number of people AND 2) it is sent unsolicited and is not
expected.
==========
Dr P Vyasamoorthy, 30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph
040-27846631 / 9490804278.My blog:
http://vyasa-kaaranam-ketkadey.blogspot.com/
I have started a third blog: http://seniorcitizensdiscounts.blogspot.com/
Re: [sss-global] TAMIL NADU TO BUILD SIXTY FOUR SHELTERS FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Tamil-Nadu-to-build-64-shelters-for-the-elderly/articleshow/11311849.cms
Tamil Nadu to build 64 shelters for the elderly NN | Dec 31, 2011, 05.42AM ISTCHENNAI: Chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday announced that 64 integrated complexes will be established at a cost of Rs 12.18 crore to accommodate senior citizens who do not have any social support.
The integrated houses, which will be constructed in partnership with non-governmental organisations and big private companies, will also lodge destitute children and children affected by the HIV.
The complex will also have a separate area for differentlyabled senior citizens. The chief minister has directed the setting up of such complexes in 32 districts in 2011-12, an official release here said.
