I enrolled my mother, Mrs Mira Banerjee, with Support Elders on a visit to Kolkata in February 2018. Despite being fiercely independent, I realised that my mother needed help and support. It was with some reluctance that she agreed. Following the enrolment, other than the daily telephone calls that were made to her, enquiring about her welfare and requirements, Support Elders also provided her with weekly visits. These were useful. My mother lived alone and required help even for basic needs like drawing cash from bank, and other necessities.

In mid-2018, my mother had a fall and injured her spine. Support Elders then arranged for the required X-ray and medical support to be provided at home. The visits by their Member Care Associates were stepped up to daily visits till she decided to revert to the earlier frequency.

The spinal injury led to progressive deterioration in my mother’s health, leading to her death in February 2019. During the period that her health started to decline, I requested Support Elders to arrange for medical support at home. This was provided. If my mother had a lease of life for about a month, it was because the attending doctor could reach her on time, make the proper diagnosis, and recommend hospitalisation. I live in Bangalore; my brother in Delhi. Hence, in emergency, it was Support Elders that arranged for the ambulance to transfer her to the hospital and arrange for her admission to ICU.

While the support that we received was exemplary all across, I am grateful to the care managers of Support Elders. If they had no errands to run for her, they would sit and chat, something that my mother would have enjoyed, in an otherwise lonely existence. Their discipline and conduct were exemplary.

My mother-in-law is also enrolled with Support Elders. There are many others who are members of Support Elders too.

My mother may have agreed to the enrolment with reluctance, but I now realise that had I not done that, given that I do not live in Kolkata, she would not have the support that she needed. For this, I would like to thank the entire Support Elders team. Needless to mention, I would whole-heartedly recommend their services to all who need extended support to be provided to their elderly relatives.

I came to know about Support elders while attending one of the functions of Airforce. I was a bit hesitant if I should consider being a member then because I thought I could do the out of house work all by myself. One day when I was in Gariahaat market for shopping I missed a step and fell down on the street. Thank God nothing serious happened to me but at that very moment I was worried, helpless and feared if something happens to me, what should I do. With the help of some locals I managed to come back home and immediately contacted Support Elders and decided to be a member.

Now I feel absolutely safe and tension free, I know if something happens to me I can get immediate help from them. Their approachable and efficient way of working made a significant difference in my life.

I was planning to go Bangladesh to visit my ancestral home and requested Support Elders to accompanying me for my Visa stamping. They sent one of their member care associates to take me to the Visa office. He made sure I entered the office and waited for me outside. There was a person known to me at the Visa office, so after doing all my Visa related work I was having a long conversation with my old friend. I thought that he must have left because it was few hours when I finally came out from the office and was surprised to see him waiting for me outside for that long. I was embarrassed and asked, “why didn’t you go back, it’s quite late now?” With a warm smile on his face he replied, “How can I leave you here sir, my responsibility is to reach you home safely”. The words touched my heart and I could realize how responsible the people of this organisation are! Every now and then someone comes to spend time with me, other than calling me everyday to enquire about my health. My daughter who stays in Hongkong also knows that there is someone to take care of me back home.

Recently, my mother, Swapna Dutta, a member of Support Elders, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and stays alone in Kolkata, accidentally burnt her arm while using an immersion rod to heat a bucket full of water. Her skin was so severely scalded that it came off in places. Support Elders staff facilitated immediate medical intervention and follow-up.

I was worried sick about how my mother could manage all by herself that night. Thankfully, Ma is a member of Support Elders. Sensing the risk of letting Ma stay alone further, I called up the Support Elders NAC team and sought assistance in procuring a full-time caregiver for Ma.

The concerned Member Care Associate rushed to a village in Burdwan, a good 2-3-hour journey by train from Howrah. He somehow convinced a lady, whom he knew from earlier, to accompany him back to Kolkata the same night to attend to Ma, who was in distress. I was so relieved and thankful to the entire Support Elders team for rising to the occasion and going beyond the call of duty!