When the Enriching Cognitive Solutions (ECS) team went to visit Mr De, they saw the tensed member busy on a phone call. On enquiring, his wife said it was a call from an official seeking some bank account-related information and threatening blocking of their debit card.

The member, whose hearing is slightly impaired, was flummoxed. The call was continuing for half an hour.

The ECS team officials sensed it was a vishing call. Vishing is the fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details from customers, especially the elderly. They are most vulnerable to calls, where someone poses as bank executives or an RBI official to collect information for identity theft.

The ECS team lead deftly handled the situation and advised the member to never give any bank details to any phone caller. Mr De said that he had heard about vishing calls but somehow couldn’t avoid the person as he sounded very convincing.

Mr De thanked the Support Elders officials for handling the situation so well and informing him about the risks involved. The ECS team lead told him to inform Support Elders if any such situation arose again. When the member’s daughter called from the UK, he narrated her the incident. She spoke to the ECS team lead and thanked her profusely.

Support Elders Impact: Protecting our members’ interests is our highest priority

After suffering a personal setback, our member, Mr Roy, shifted to a home for the elderly away from the city. He refrained from keeping in touch with his friends and relatives.

After suffering a personal setback, our member, Mr Roy, shifted to a home for the elderly away from the city. He refrained from keeping in touch with his friends and relatives.

The Support Elders Enriching Cognitive Solutions (ECS) team organised a picnic for its members near the retirement home where Mr Roy resided and persuaded him to join in. He admitted having enjoyed himself there. A month later, he was invited to participate in the Basanta Utsav. The interaction with the other members rekindled his passion for writing. He started to contribute to the newsletter and write blogs for our website.

Three months on, he has become one of the most active members among the ECS subscribers. Mr Roy searches the internet and goes through reference books to seriously prepare for the topic taken up at every discussion event that is organised by the Support Elders team.

But the most rewarding thing for us is that the regular ECS events have made Mr Roy move back to his own house in the city though he visits the old-age home occasionally. It shows how much faith and trust he has in Support Elders. And we feel honoured by that.

Support Elders Impact: ECS enhances our members’ lives

Though our members, Mr and Ms Basu, took passport renewal interview appointments online with Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Kolkata, for the same day, yet the PSK allotted them separate time slots.

Though our members, Mr and Ms Basu, took passport renewal interview appointments online with Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Kolkata, for the same day, yet the PSK allotted them separate time slots.

A Member Care Associate accompanied the couple to the PSK on the scheduled date and seated them in the waiting lounge. But the electronic board displayed that they would be interviewed at separate counters and time slots. It was a tricky situation because it implied that the Member Care Associate would have to queue up on behalf of the couple at two separate counters during the afternoon rush hour. Else, one member would miss the interview, leading to unnecessary harassment.

The Member Care Associate, an ex-serviceman, managed the difficult situation with considerable tact, running up and down between the two counters, located far apart, and persuading PSK officers and other interviewees to let Mr and Ms Basu advance in queue. By the end of the day, both Mr and Ms Basu completed their respective passport renewal interviews smoothly.

The couple lauded the efforts of the Member Care Associate and were happy to have enrolled as members of Support Elders.

Support Elders Impact: Smooth experience ensured for our members, no matter what

Wing Commander Mukherjee was due for an audiometry evaluation for the past five months. However, the necessary tests kept getting deferred. Finally, a Member Care Associate escorted the Mukherjee couple to Command Hospital. At 90, the member suffers from orthopaedic problems in his spine and legs because of which he cannot walk long distances. His hearing difficulty poses another challenge for him.

On reaching the hospital, our staff realised that the stairs to the ENT department were closer for Wng Cdr Mukherjee than reaching the elevator. Supporting Wng Cdr Mukherjee carefully, the Member Care Associate took him upstairs with considerable effort. He made the couple sit in the waiting lobby and went in search of the audiometry room.

The Member Care Associate located the room at the other end of the floor. There, the technician was busy examining another patient. So, the Member Care Associate requested him to carry his instruments to a room closer to where the Wng Cdr was sitting and test him there. The technician refused, citing protocol. The Member Care Associate offered to get permission for the shift. But the technician was adamant.

Finally, the Member Care Associate was forced to reveal that he was an ex-army paramedic with 20 years of experience and was well-conversant with the operations at the defence hospital. That made the technician relent. The Mukherjees were very thankful that they did not have to walk across the sprawling floor.

During the hearing test, the Member Care Associate facilitated the Wng Cdr’s conversation with his son over the phone. Testing over, he escorted the member downstairs with utmost care and seated him in the car.

Ms Mukherjee remarked that had it not been for Support Elders, she could not have taken her husband for the long overdue audiometry test without which he could not get a hearing aid.

Support Elders Impact: Ensuring hassle-free hospital visit for member