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PONCARE a gift for the aged

Special Correspondent

Number of persons enrolling themselves on the rise

Pondicherry: The five - year-old Society for the Care of the aged here known as PONCARE has 440 persons and is taking care of them in a planned manner. Holding of health camps every month and providing facilities for members such as reading room, indoor game and opportunities to interact among themselves on the premises of the Day Care-cum-Recreation Centre in Brindavanam Housing Colony are the important highlights of the society's activities.

Around 90 elderly citizens turned up on Wednesday for a check up at a camp held for identification of neuro-related disorders among the geriatric people. G. Rajaram a senior specialist in the department of neurosurgery in the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and PG Institute who led a team of medical personnel rendered service to the elderly people. He also presented a special talk on various complaints that the elderly citizens would face. He explained the systems of First Aid an elderly citizen should take whenever they faced exigencies involving neuro disturbances.

A society spokesman said the number of persons enrolling themselves as members was on the rise.

The society also associates doctors from Indian systems of medicine and camps are being held. Indoor games and reading rooms are available in the day care centre.

Ganesan, a senior citizen said the society was a boon to geriatric patients. Individual care is being maintained and at times members were taken to pilgrim centres.

There was also a feeling that the society now functioning in a rented building could have its own premises. It was learnt that a site had been acquired for a more comfortable premises.

A senior citizen said the Government should start a branch of the society in Karaikal also and representations were made to the administration.

The society is also running a Home for the Aged in another housing colony and around 20 persons had been enrolled as inmates of the House.

The Union Territory Administration has earmarked for the activities of PONCARE around Rs 50 lakhs in the budget.

It is expected that the membership would increase to touch a total strength of 1000 members soon. A majority of the members are retired government officials.

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