We care for you....

Joint families had their advantages and disadvantages. Many persons belonging to three or four generations living under one roof was possible and necessary in the days of limited opportunities to move away and make a living. There were strong men working in the fields or outdoor jobs and women looking after maintaining food supply at home. There were relatively idle older people to look after the babies and toddlers. The system itself took care of the old and sick. Nobody was left alone to fend for himself or herself and old age was not a burden to be carried on one's own shoulders. True, physical pain and suffering was not transferable, but emotional and psychological support was always available to the older ones at home. The comfort level for the old and sick might not have been the same for all; it depended on the atmosphere and values at their respective homes. Nevertheless, there were no huge problems of the old living a life in solitary sojourns and waiting for the final call. There were indeed some cases here and there; it had not reached epidemic proportions. Medical facilities were limited and life expectancy was low as well. 

Improved quality of life and developments in medical and surgical facilities have now enhanced the life expectancy. Education levels of women have noticeably gone up opening up abundant avenues for them to work and earn on the same footing as men. Advancement in transportation has enabled movement to far off lands for education and employment. Joint families have disintegrated and problems have crept up in taking care of infants and toddlers on one side and old and sick on the other. Better financial status of families can provide some funds for taking care of these sections. More and more "Daycare" facilities have come up for taking care of babies and toddlers and kids after they return from schools. The problem of managing old age and related issues has not yet found similar solutions around us at least for the present times. 

There are some organizations that are doing yeoman service in taking care of the aged and sick. Some institutions provide good "Day care" facilities for the aged as well. Old age homes are growing in numbers and some of them are indeed providing good care and security to the inmates. Cost for quality care is naturally higher and all cannot afford these charges. Old age homes with lower charges are unable to provide quality care. Some of them present a pathetic look and a visit to them makes one sorrowful and sorry. The faces of the inmates has only one expression; the one of awaiting the final call. There is an urgent need to develop institutions that adopt a commercial yet compassionate approach to running old age homes. 

Many old men and women would prefer to continue to live in their own homes and familiar surroundings than move into a old age home. This gives a better sense of living and purpose in life in those tender years. The care required is basically non-medical in nature. What are the requirements of the aged people who are constrained to stay either alone or with spouse, but want to remain in their own homes? Many of them need the following facilities:

• Companionship and social interaction. Movement physically may be restricted, but otherwise mentally agile and hence living singly during the day becomes a burden.
• Light house keeping help due to restricted movement on account of either advanced age or sickness.
• Assistance in preparation of meals of their liking and choice or as prescribed to them by a physician.
• Support for bathing and personal hygiene and assistance in laundry and grocery shopping and arrangement.
• Transportation service or companionship during outings for social or cultural functions and get-togethers.
• Fixing and managing appointments with family physicians and specialists.
• Reminding for medication, making beds and arranging their belongings so that they are within reach overnight.
• Additional support would be required for patients under rehabilitation after surgery, Alzheimer and Dementia cases.
• Wheel chair and bed-bound patients would require a lot more understanding and physical support.

Many countries have regulations for providing such support by registered institutions. The candidates sponsored by them are given adequate training in handling these requirements. They are also trained in giving first aid and emergency support. They have their own conveyance arrangement and motivated to develop service mentality along with working for a living as well through such work. The candidates can work either full time or part time. They can also offer to stay as live-in mates. The decision to choose the candidate rests with the hirers. The sponsoring organizations check on the service on an on-going basis. 

With each passing day, more and more members of the older generation are moving into the pool requiring such services. The need is to meet these requirements and yet provide the required assistance with reasonable charges. Governments of the day should devote some time and resources to address this problem. Some budgetary support and contributions from CSR sources would come in handy to reduce the financial costs as well. A regulated and answerable system to help the old and sick is now a responsibility of the society.

You are never alone, Now!

Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" was a favorite story for us in our school days. There used to be a subject called "Craft" and schools had craft teachers. There would be one or two "Craft" classes each week.  These classes were meant to teach some craft, art or trade requiring manual skills.  The craft teacher we had in middle school was very good at telling stories.  He started the story of "Robinson Crusoe" and it ran like the present day TV serials, for almost an entire academic year.  He would always finish the day's class at a very interesting stage and make us wait for the next class.  Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" was another story in his armory. "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens was yet another popular story in the classes. These stories would ensure that one full year's calendar was occupied and spill to the next year.  Gulliver's Travels was often quoted as a book read all over the world; from cabinet councils to nursery schools.  May be, Harry Potter has replaced them for the present generation.

"Robinson Crusoe" and "Gulliver's Travels" are now nearly three hundred years old. Daniel Defoe published "Robinson Crusoe" in 1719 and Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" was first published seven years later, in 1726.  Robinson Crusoe is the story of a sailor who found himself on a deserted island due a shipwreck which killed all others on board.  The description of the island nearly fits today's Tobago island.  Robinson Crusoe had to spend 28 years all alone in an island fighting with cannibals and managing a life all by himself.  He made a hut for his living, learnt hunting and farming and even made a calendar by making a knife mark each day on a wooden cross. He lived alone with nobody to speak to and almost forgot his language.  He finally liberated a slave from the cannibals and name him "Friday" as he joined him on a friday.  Friday was taught english and together they finally escaped from the island to be back in civilization.  The novel makes a very absorbing reading and was a big hit in the days without modren computers and gadgets.

Living alone is a very difficult stage in one's life as most of us would have experienced at one time or the other. Solitary confinement was and still is one of the most torturous punishments that can be given to a human being. Staying alone in one's own house when other family members are away is also an ordeal for many.  Yet, there are many instances in life when one has to live alone and fend for himself.

***** 

These are the days of electronic gadgets, tools and devices. The latest in the list is a new electronic gadget called "Amazon Echo" released by Amazon.  Amazon which brought out e-reader Kindle, touchscreen phones and tablets has now come with its "Alexa".  It is a 9-inch tall, black metal cylinder that can merge with the background when placed on a table, bookcase or with kitchen appliances. (See the picture given alongside). It's bottom part has perforations with speakers inside. It responds to questions with a clear and pleasing feminine voice. It can respond from a distance as well, like from the next room. It does not behave like a husband or wife who pretends as if he or she did not hear your call.  Alexa can understand every member of the family without training and respond to their voices. It is presently named as Alexa, but it may soon come with other variants like with a man's voice and changing the name from Alexa to your boyfriend or girlfriend.

Alexa listens to you but does not respond unless it is specifically addressed as "Alexa".  So, husband and wife need not hesitate to quarrel because Alexa is hearing and watching.  It is like a faithful little child; watches the parents quarrel but does not get involved unless invited to the proceedings.  It is pre-loaded with various useful applications; spelling and definitions, alarm, music, jokes, facts, time and distances etc.  It can get you latest news and weather reports, tell you about the schedules of various sports and games and many such other things for which you had to surf the net earlier. A question asked to Alexa is transmitted to the computer system with Amazon and sent back to it across the internet. Yet, the response is immediate and stunning.  It has capacity to upload your own music files so that you can hear them whenever you desire.

Some examples can drive home its advantages more clearly. Here are some interactions : 

User: What should I wear today?

Alexa: You are never fully dressed without a smile.

User: What is the weather like today?

Alexa: Right now, here in Seattle, it is 68 degrees Fahrenheit with mostly sunny skies.  You can expect more of the same with high of 72 and low of 66.

User: Alexa, I have a headache today.

Alexa: No wonder with all the excess wine you had yesterday.

User: Why don't bicycles wake up early?

Alexa: Because they are two-tired.

Alexa, of course, cannot answer some questions.  Like this one for example:

User: Alexa, My husband is annoying.

Alexa: Hmm, I can't find the answer to the question I heard.

Alexa is not very costly as one would imagine after learning about all these features. It costs less than a reasonably versatile smartphone.  It is priced at 180 US Dollars or about 12,000 rupees now. Its seven microphones can interact with clarity despite other noises and sounds around. Many more features  are likely to be added in the coming days.

*****

If Robinson Crusoe had an Alexa with him when he was left on the island due to a shipwreck, we would never had his story today.

You are never alone. Now, with Alexa around!