It was dead in the night. NAC got a Medical Emergency Call from one of our members. 1.10 am on 14 August 2019. The call was about the member’s wife, also our member, lying unconscious on the floor and bleeding profusely. It was conveyed that she woke up in the middle of the night and was heading to the wash room. She barely took two steps and suddenly fell down on the floor. Her head banged against a table, causing the bleeding. Our NAC staff assured the worried member that one of our staff will come for his help very soon. Immediately CODE RED was raised. One of our MCA staff was informed to attend to the emergency and an ambulance was requisitioned. He reached the member’s house in 6 minutes flat and found her lying on the ground; her husband and a neighbour were standing there bewildered. Our staff lifted her up to lay her on the bed. She was still bleeding. There was a swelling on the right side of her head, just above the ear. It seemed critical. Ambulance arrived in the next 5 minutes and she was taken to a hospital near Tollygunge Phari crossing. Our staff did all the running around to complete the hospital formalities, while she was being treated in the emergency. The doctors were unable to find the source of bleeding. She was rushed to the CT Scan room. After examining the report, where a blood clot was found under the skull, doctors advised us to shift her to a hospital, having better neurological treatment facilities. Time was moving like a tempest. Instantly another ambulance was arranged for and she was shifted to another hospital near Mullickbazar, Park Circus. Our staff completed the hospital formalities while the doctors examined and admitted her. By that time it was 5.30 am, the pre-Independence Day morning. The call was closed.

Support Elders Impact: Member relief is our topmost priority

The landline phone is indispensable to an 89-year-old member of ours, who stays in a south Kolkata flat. The former teacher, whose vision is largely impaired, is not comfortable using a mobile. When two members of the Support Elders ECS Kolkata team recently visited her, they found the lady distraught about her dysfunctional landline phone. It cut her off from the outside world, even the building security guard. Though our smart alert watch assured her safety, the break in communication with her family upset her the most. .

The ECS Lead immediately called up the Area Coach and explained the problem. He, in turn, contacted a Member Care Associate with the help of the Operations Team Chief and asked him to visit the member and solve the problem. The member wanted the ECS Lead to go and pay the landline bill. The ECS Lead called up the customer care and found no amount pending against the bill..

Instead, he told the ECS Lead to check the phone cables. Finding no fault in those either, she booked a technician visit between 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. Accordingly, the Area Coach told the Member Care Associate to reach the member’s flat on time. The Member Care Associate attended to the technician at the member’s flat and ensured that the phone connection was restored. Later, the ECS Lead called up the member on her landline to cross-check.

The member sounded very relieved. She could not stop thanking the Support Elders family for being such a great help.

Support Elders Impact: Member relief is our topmost priority

Ms Gani, who stays in a flat under the care of Support Elders, was detected with arterial blockage during a routine ECG. The cardiologist advised her to go for pacemaker implantation.

The family members were informed of the doctor’s advice. The Support Elders staff started coordinating with the cardiologist and the member’s family to assist Ms Gani undergo all pre- and post-operative tests and making arrangements for admission at the hospital.

A day ahead of the surgery, an MCA accompanied the member and admitted her to the hospital. During the surgery and thereafter, the Zonal Coordinator regularly updated the member’s family on the situation.

The Support Elders staff monitored the situation right up to her discharge and even after she was put under the care of nurses at home.

Support Elders Impact: We give our heart to care for elders

One of our members, Dr Chakraborty, started getting stomach cramps around 8 on a Sunday evening. His son rushed out to search for an SOS medicine earlier prescribed by a doctor for similar symptoms. He failed to find the drug and sought help from our National Alarm Centre around 9 p.m.

Our National Alarm Centre, in turn, alerted a Member Care Associate, who was on his way to join the night shift. He immediately started searching for the medicine at pharmacies. Not many were open at that hour. After failing to find the drug at around 15 pharmacies for close to three hours, lady luck smiled. Without losing precious time, he sped to the member’s residence with the drug.

Dr Chakraborty was in a bad shape by then. The Member Care Associate waited after the member had the medicine. He kept our National Alarm Centre on alert lest the member’s condition worsened.

After around 20 minutes, the member got some relief from the pain. The family expressed gratitude to Support Elders.

Support Elders Impact: Tackling emergencies responsibly is our solemn duty.