Our Zonal Coordinator was in Agra on vacation when one of our members, Ms Ghosh, who stays alone in a flat in Kolkata, made an SOS call to him. The catheter fitted on her had somehow come off, causing her extreme discomfort. It was 11 p.m.

Without wasting a single moment, the Zonal Coordinator alerted our National Alarm Centre, which, in turn, rushed off a Member Care Associate to the member’s house. The National Alarm Centre also summoned a trained nurse from a partner hospital to help the patient put on the catheter.

The Zonal Coordinator, before going on leave, had stocked up the necessary medical paraphernalia for the member in her house. He explained to his colleague and the nurse over the phone where he had kept them. The nurse fitted the catheter on the member after which she got huge relief!

Support Elders Impact: Medical emergency at any hour is our highest priority

One of our Zonal Coordinators received an early morning call from a lady, who was extremely worried about the respiratory distress of her father, Mr Nandi. The lady, who lived abroad, was in a precarious health condition herself. She wanted to sign up her father, a patient of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The Zonal Coordinator rushed off to Mr Nandi’s residence and found him gasping. He took the member to his preferred hospital and admitted him under the care of his trusted pulmonologist. Mr Nandi fought against failing health for almost 10 days.

The Zonal Coordinator did his best giving constant updates to the member’s daughter, forwarding medical reports and creating an effective channel of communication between the doctors and her. Mr Nandi was discharged from the hospital and immediately put under the care of Support Elders.

Support Elders Impact: Following processes is important for us but humanity comes first

Our National Alarm Centre received an emergency alert from the smart watch of Mr Gupta, who stays with his wife, in a flat. It was raining very heavily that night.

The Member Care Associate reached the lane leading to the Guptas’ flat on his bike within 15 minutes and found it waterlogged. He parked his bike on the main road and waded through the knee-deep water to the building. Ms Gupta opened the main door of the flat. The Member Care Associate found Mr Gupta lying on the floor of the washroom and his head bleeding profusely.

The ambulance, alerted by our National Alarm Centre, reached the junction of the main road and the lane around that time. Its driver called up the Member Care Associate and refused to drive the ambulance into the waterlogged lane. The Member Care Associate persuaded him over a few minutes that the member was in a critical condition and needed immediate hospitalisation. Mr Gupta was rushed off to the emergency department of a hospital within the golden hour. The doctor, who attended to Mr Gupta, said the case could have turned serious had it got late.

The Guptas expressed their gratitude to the Member Care Associate and Support Elders.

Support Elders Impact: No situation is adverse for us in attending emergencies

The mobility of our members, Justice Ghosh and his wife, is largely restricted within the house due to geriatric complications.

When a Member Care Associate reached the couple’s residence on an IFS call this summer and requested for a glass of water, Ms Ghosh told him that their maid had not turned up that day and there was no drinking water. Enquiring further, the Member Care Associate got to know that lunch had not been prepared though it was close to 1 o’clock.

Using his presence of mind, the Member Care Associate quickly rushed and brought piping hot lunch for the couple from a nearby restaurant. Not only that, he also got food for dinner and mineral water bottles.

The Ghoshes were touched by the gesture! They expressed their gratitude to the MCA and to Support Elders.

Support Elders Impact: Serve with thoughtfulness and presence of mind