The Indian NGO helping elderly residents feel less lonely, an hour at a time
It was a scolding from an elderly client that made Rohit Mamgain realise his not-for-profit group in Dehradun, north India, had neglected them as a group.
"Please spare a thought for us too," the man, a 75-year-old widowed former executive, had said.
Mamgain, 31, reflected on the rebuke. There were some 138 million people aged over 60 living alone in India, according to 2021 government statistics, many whose children had moved away for work.
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He realised he had to do something to help. His solution was a "time bank", where volunteers visit seniors to help them run errands like paying bills, picking up medication or taking them to the hospital for check-ups. The hours spent are treated as "currency" which is deposited into a volunteer's account at the time bank. In return, these hours can be redeemed in kind as the volunteers grow older and seek help from others.
Mamgain, who works as a medical researcher for a large US multinational that he declined to name, was inspired by examples of similar time banks in Switzerland and Scandinavia, where the system is more formal and a part of the state. The number of hours that volunteers spend with the elderly is deposited into their social security account.
Mamgain said one call from a senior client left a particularly strong impression on him.
"In one of the first calls I made to an elderly gentleman, I chatted for a while and then asked how he was, but he hung up," Mamgain said. "When I rang back, he said he disconnected because he couldn't speak. He was choking with gratitude at someone asking after him."
About 550 people have registered their interest to become a volunteer at Mamgain's NGO, the Nirogi Bharat Foundation, since it launched the 'time bank' initiative about a month ago. The organisation vets all candidates carefully to ensure volunteers are kind, responsible and uphold the safety of all the elderly clients. Local police help by verifying volunteers' identities and to see if they have any records.
Mamgain says he makes it clear that volunteers should not treat their work as charity or pity the people they help. Seniors who have signed up for the service are also told that volunteers are keen to spend time with them to learn from their life experiences, making the interactions mutually beneficial.
On birthdays and other special occasions, volunteers will also surprise their elderly clients with flowers and cake, at the NGO's expense.
Currently, the time bank is limited to Dehradun, but based on positive feedback, there are plans to expand it to other cities later this year.
Retired civil servant Sunil Kumar, 69, said he enjoyed the first visit from a volunteer and looked forward to more.
"My wife and I do feel lonely sometimes. When an outsider comes in to talk to us, it's more stimulating, you pay more attention than when it is a family member," said Kumar, who lives with his wife and daughter.
A retired project manager, who declined to be named, said regular visits to the doctor for his diabetes and heart disease were intimidating for him.
"The chaos on the roads and the traffic is too much. Although I go in a taxi, I find it overwhelming. If a volunteer comes with me, it gives me confidence," he said.
Homemaker Deeksha Bose volunteered soon after the initiative began to do her part for the community. "My reason for joining is simple: we are all going to grow old and no one should feel lonely," she said.
The 48-year-old has made two visits, both to a woman in her late 70s who is unsteady on her feet but likes to be escorted to the local park for some fresh air. "I could see her happiness. She had so much to talk about but no one to listen to her," she said.
Fellow volunteer Neelam Rawat, 27, has visited elderly residents in her housing estate in Dehradun. She signed up mainly because her own parents were getting older, and she had become aware of the problems older people face.
"My visit isn't going to solve their loneliness. But at least for the couple of hours I'm there, they feel less lonely. One gentleman has had a fascinating life that I love hearing about," she said.
Mamgain said he saw the impact his service was making when he forgot to check in with an 82-year-old retired doctor who struggled with loneliness.
"She said she could live without food but getting through a day without talking to anyone was torture," said Mamgain, who recalled the doctor sounding upset and emotional. "I had no idea she looked forward to my call so much."
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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