PARIVU SENIOR CITIZENS' WELFARE SOCIETY

After having established a retirement home for senior citizens especially for N.R.I parents ,It has been my dream for long time to establish a society to care for the seniors living alone, not able to attend on their own for hospital appointments, payment of bills, or who need help when there is a bereavement at home to arrange for funeral services, some seniors needing counseling etc .I knew that such services  will not be possible without the support of like minded citizens with compassionate outlook for senior care. I need to mobilize a team to make my dream a reality. While I was browsing, one day I stumbled on the concept of TIME BANK a voluntary organization which is operational in foreign countries.

It is a concept wherein the volunteers develop, social contact, develop courage, confidence  and by interacting, caring for the needs develop a big social network thereby building  a social capital. It is such a   wonderful way of serving the society without any monitory exchange. It is also known as TIME TRADE in western society. This wonderful idea was conceived by Mr.Edgar.S. Cahn .According to him the core values of Time Banking impressed me and they are

Every member and volunteer is considered as an asset and the work done has no monetary benefit whatsoever. With such service both the giver and the receiver benefits with the young volunteer establishing a god social contact and an opportunity to develop a community net work. Such service helps them to develop a mutual respect for each other irrespective age difference.

 I knew that to carry forward my dream, I cannot do it single handedly –I need a  team of dedicated volunteers for senior care.

With this in view I approached Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Gurugulam and he wholeheartedly supported my views and agreed to be honorary patron. Similarly Mr.M.Krishnan of Sri.Krishna Sweets and Mrs.Vanitha Mohan, Managing trustee of Srithuli a voluntary organization to preserve water body and ecological nature agreed to be Patron of our society. Mrs.Vanitha Mohan appropriately named our society as “PARIVU” a Tamil word which means compassion. After forming a society with few my retired friends as executive members PARIVU was registered with the registrar in August 2013

To create awareness amongst the public a Curtain Raiser program was organized wherein our distinguished patrons Mr.M.Krishnan and Mrs.Vanitha Mohan congratulated our efforts and felicitated our society “PARIVU”.Chief guest of the day Dr.B.Krishnaraj Vanarayar  addressed the audience about the importance of mind set,to remain contended as we age chronologically. Latter Mrs.Andal Priyadharshini Director Pothigai Doordharshan spoke on “GENERATION GAP PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS “ and Dr.Jayanth Sri .Balakrishnan spoke on “GRACEFUL  AGING” . The program was well attended with nearly 600 Coimbatore public participating.

                                                                

Dr.Krishnaraj Vanavarayar and Dr.Krishnan Addressing                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                

 

Mrs.Vanitha Mohan addressing                     Audience at Nani Auditorium 

In September Puja Sri.Dayanada Saraswati inaugurated our society ‘PARIVU” officially and blessed for the society to become a movement focusing to take care of seniors. PadmaSri.Dr.V.S.Natarajan renowned geriatrician addressed the audience of nearly 1000 about care of health and mind and stressed importance of healthy food, exercise for aging with happiness. He emphasized the need for a preventive Pneumococcal and flu vaccination for elder citizens and about 100 members registered for vaccination. They were vaccinated in two different sittings at PARIVU office.

 Puja Swami Dayananda Saraswati                  vaccine registration

Puja Swami Dayananda Saraswati                     Audience at Sarojini Auditorium

Mrs.Vanitha,Dr.Krishnan & Swamiji                Swamji addressing,Dr.Natarajan beside

About 60 members from the public registered themselves for volunteer work. A training program was organized for the volunteers at G.K.N.M Hospital.

Couple of months latter PARIVU web site ‘www.parivucoimbatore.org’ was launched.

In February 2014 a get-together of members held in a club wherein a power point presentation of “EAT HEALTHY, FEEL HEALTHY, AND STAY HEALTHY” was shown with active interaction from the floor.

 Latter the members were entertained with a fun program by our vice president Dr.Sadasivam. Secretary Dr.Sankaran proposed vote of thanks and requested the members to bring in their friends as members of our society. It was also decided to have  a meet once in 4 months with leading  doctors of Coimbatore addressing the members about health care  with respect to their specialty,cardiac ,diabetic,ophthalmic,urological, orthopedic  etc. We are in the process of publishing a news letter periodically