Coimbatore’s assisted living facility opens a range of sensorial games for the elders

Coimbatore’s assisted living facility opens a range of sensorial games for the elders

When you visit Elca Elder Care, an assisted living facility at Peelamedu, you may see elderly women and men engrossed in pallankuzhi, a game that has kept generations entertained. The two-player game demands the use of one’s mathematical insight, cognitive and motor skills, and hand-eye-coordination to crack it. Players use shells, tamarind seeds or beads on pits on special boards for the game.“We have elders who refuse to budge for tea breaks or lunch, playing for hours together,” says Dhinakar Perumal, managing director of Elca Care, adding that the touch-and-feel nature of the seeds or shells used in the game is said to have a therapeutic effect on fingers and body.

The three-year-old facility serves as an option for elders who need help getting to the bathroom in the middle of the night, personal care services, as well as round-the-clock medical care, and supervision of a nursing home. “It is open to anyone who needs rest and recuperation post a hip surgery or any surgery as month-long stays at hospitals might work out expensive. We are also reaching out to cancer survivors who need special medical care and also provide palliative care. Elders can stay here for a day, week, or month (for post-operative care or stroke rehabilitation) and infinitely too,” says Dhinakar adding that the thrust on psychological counselling using play-way methods has made a positive impact on the occupants. This prompted them to hold such sessions for the aged regularly.

Explains B Sridevi, chief psychological counsellor of Elca, “Elders with dementia come here without being aware of their condition as they might also experience co-morbidities like delusion or be bipolar. They are sleep-deprived and display aggression, verbal or physical that is unmanageable. Once we address the clinical needs, we work on improving their quality of life starting with food intake, quality sleep and a range of activities that keep them engaged and happy.”

What is recommended is an active lifestyle. “A sensorial game like pallankuzhi improves finger grip. The coordination of fingers to take the pieces from the pit, swiftness in distributing them to other pits, analysing the capacity of the opponent, remembering the coins in each pit, calculating the coins and expecting the outcomes are crucial features of the game. It addresses isolation and activates cognition. They also try their hand at art, rangoli, weaving, knitting, and sometimes old women want to just sit down and tie flowers,” says Sridevi adding that there are sessions that allow elders to go down memory lane.

As they encounter new challenges related to physical health, social interactions, and emotional well-being, such therapies give an outlet to express, cope with life changes, and find renewed purpose. “Once there is social connection, loneliness is addressed. They build bonds with other elders in Elca, also with medical staff and care takers which gives them hope. All they look for is someone who listens and spends quality time with them. Our nurses address them as thatha paati and birthdays are celebrated with revelry,” adds Sridevi.

Pune-based Ramakrishnan Eswaran, 65, rewinds back to May 2023 when he moved his brother (62), mother (87) and sister (71) from Melbourne in Australia to NNRC retirement community at Theethipalayam near Siruvani. “My parents are from Palakkad, so we are familiar with the language and food habits here. Later, I put my sister who has dementia and vision issues at Elca. My mother joined her as she was frequently hospitalised and needed more care. The team led by Sridevi have been empathetic while caring for the elderly. I get updates regularly. Though my mother is completely bedridden now, I am here in Pune only because I know that they are cared for like family. They play games and laugh away their stress,” explains Ramakrishnan.

Dhinakar reasons that counselling helps bridge gaps in relationships that the elders may face with their children. “I lived in Boston for 10 years, but wound up and rushed here to attend to my ailing mother as there was no access to assisted living facilities then. Parents feel neglected while children feel guilty, but once they realise that it’s a part of life, half the battle is won. This is where counselling helps. At Elca, it brings routine, discipline in their lifestyle, and benefits the elders in their overall well being,” he says, adding, “It’s been a rewarding journey with blessings, especially from elders.”