New Delhi [India], November 3: If you are an Indian professional or entrepreneur working in a large city in India or abroad, you no longer need to be concerned about your elderly parents living alone. Samarth Eldercare, a social enterprise founded by IIT, IIM, Cambridge, Yale, McKinsey, and Citi alumni, provides high-quality support for the physical and social needs of elderly parents living alone anywhere in India.
It is not uncommon for people to take important career decisions or life-altering moves such as relocation to India or within India, passing over advancements, even giving up their jobs to support ageing parents. While part of it is due to a strong sense of responsibility Indian feel to care for elders, the truth is that it takes an important share of the mind of so many Indian adults.
Samarth Eldercare serves people in India and 22 other countries to look after their elders in more than 60 cities. A visit to their website https://samarth.care/ shows a service menu that is fairly comprehensive and includes emergency and hospitalization management, healthcare support, doctor visits, medicine management on the one hand, and convenience needs such as home services, documentation, banking, renewals, accompanying on visits on the other.
Not only this, Samarth keeps the elders engaged and their minds active with hobbies, online and offline meetups, in-person consultation, counselling, etc. The organization also conducts sessions on technology, entertainment money matters, etc., with medical experts from hospitals such as Fortis, financial experts from firms like Anand Rathi, and musical concerts and games with professional and amateur performers.
Asheesh Gupta, Founder of Samarth Eldercare and an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and IIM Calcutta, experienced first-hand the challenges of supporting elders while working globally with McKinsey & Company. He says, “Our approach is to act as an institution in the same way that a son or daughter would act with their parents. As a result, the scope of the assistance is virtually limitless. While we have customized plans based on the situation, we understand that you cannot anticipate every need. Our team approaches problems in the same way that a son or daughter would.”
The model involves a very interesting blend of touch and tech, focusing on building trust and reliability with compassion and teamwork.
Anuradha Das Mathur, Co-Founder who works extensively in the area of empowerment and leadership for women, says, “We go to great lengths to bring in the right people and keep them excited about the team. Technology allows them to focus on things that leverage their passion and commitment while also improving reliability, transparency, and speed.”
In addition, the company is made up of more than 90% women, many of whom have advanced degrees such as a PhD or an MBA and professional experience in education, business, and counselling, added Mathur.
During Covid, the organization was a lifeline for hundreds of families, providing assistance during the peak of lockdown and even assisting with isolation and depression. It has also collaborated with leading global organizations such as IBM to provide this support to team members who may require it for their immediate or extended families.