Samarth Magazine

Extend Your Family. Enjoy Your Age! HEALTHCARE COST FOR CONSOLIDATING YOUR “MUST HAVE” PRODUCTS ELDERS pg 13 INVESTMENTS pg 27 & SERVICES FOR BETTER LIVING pg 32 For Subscription Call Samarth Helpline on 880800696995959



FROM THE EDITOR Asheesh Gupta The “Great Procrastination” and Iwonder, given the evidence the rise of “Doers” underlying the increasing gaps in elderly healthcare The rapid-fire developments of the past few months ecosystem, if future generations driving this mission at Samarth have made it challenging will regard ours - amongst the to keep track of all the exciting work that we are doing epochs of history - as “The Great in the community. It can be even harder to stay focused Procrastination.” Squandering on what has been the most valuable, hopeful, and time, dithering on action, and encouraging amongst these initiatives. engaging in half-measures woefully But take heart! This issue is full of stories showcasing incapable of addressing a threat how, when people work together they can overcome that has all the warning signs of barriers of cost, lack of access, generation gaps etc. and becoming more catastrophic and what’s right can win the day. less reversible with each passing Learn how an innovative healthcare plan based on year. extensive market survey, can bridge the gaps in We at Samarth understand this healthcare insurance for seniors. Meet the people behind very well and we have resolved to our successful care program running across the country; reach every elderly in the country what they give up to keep their commitment to elder care to collaborate with them. We and in that process a bond of a life time is forged. Take a believe in the potential of the cue from the list of products that we feel will make your senior’s community, we have everyday living a blissful experience or use the interactive experienced the impact they have checklist of investments before the financial year-end to created in their work life, and we plan your money better. are going to stand with them in Last but not the least, read the testimonials of our their golden years; shoulder to community members to know how they are living shoulder. They do not need our their golden years to the fullest and sharing their pity, but time and trust. powerful stories of hope and happiness with the world outside. Please join me in taking a moment to be grateful for it all. We want to hear from you: Send us a letter or an email, a note on Facebook or a tweet. Let us know how we’re doing and tell us what you’d like to see. It’s your magazine, after all. Asheesh Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 1

FROM THE EDITOR Gaurav SAMARTH AT HR SUMMIT | integrating Agarwal Chief happiness with business excellence Operating Officer Dipti Sinha Care Delivery Manager Sonali SAMARTH CO-FOUNDER Gaurav Agarwal was invited Mishra as a speaker for the panel discussion on Integrating Care Happiness with Business Excellence at JK Lakhmipat Development University, Jaipur. As per a study published in January Manager 2019 by Harvard Business School titled “The Caring Company”, taking care of aging parents has been Jaswant identified as the single largest source of stress in Rawat employees over 40 years age. At Samarth, we are Samarth creating solutions around the problem to enhance Community the productivity of the employees (children) at the Mentor workplace, while giving them peace of mind by ensuring the well being of their aging parents in the country. The Vijaya companies can make a difference in the lives of their Seth employees, by creating awareness, talking about the Care challenges the employees face, and sharing with them Consultant the best solution available for aging parents. Raman Kapur Care Network Manager Bijendra Sheoran Head – Care Technology 2 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02 2 | samarth | Vol 02 | Issue 07

Join 30,000+ Samarth members in 110 cities EXTEND YOUR FAMILY. As the Samarth family grows, we invite you to include your friends... Please share the details and we will send them a membership and e-card on your behalf, absolutely free. Please whatsapp your details @ 87700677878 As a Samarth community member, enjoy great benefits: DISCOUNTS I EVENTS I TOURS I VOLUNTEER I EXPERT ADVICE www.samarth.community TM M - 80, South City 1, Gurugram - 122001 Call us on +91 8800 699 599 PPlleeaasseeuusseetthheefofromrmtotroecreocmommemndenyoduyrofruier nfrdisenadnds manadil imt taoiluistatto us or whatsapp detals to +91 87006 77878 Samarth Community, M- 80, South City - 1, Gurugram - 122001 MR. MRS. MR. MRS. MR. MRS. NAME NAME NAME AGE PHONE AGE PHONE AGE PHONE CITY CITY CITY EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL MR. MRS. PHONE MR. MRS. PHONE MY DETAILS: NAME NAME NAME AGE AGE CITY CITY PHONE SAMARTH MEMBER NO. EMAIL EMAIL

Cover Design: Aarti Uberoi CONTENTS 18 Cover Story Health and Healthcare: Adopting an innovative approach to manage healthcare costs Letters 09 Letters to Survey 13 Healthcare Editor costs for elders Selected letters/ emails/ snippets For prevention, from Samarth cure & readers ambulation Finance 27 Consolidating Inforgraphics 30 Checklist for investment your in the year-end investments Identifying your Benefits, schemes and tax savings problems & steps to mitigate them 4 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

Gadgets 32 “Must have” EDITORIAL GFaedatguertes Products for Editor: Asheesh Gupta Tradition better living Coordinating Editor: Indrajit De Community Contributors: Indrajit De, Aarti Uberoi, Curated list for our Dipti Sinha, Kajal Agarwal senior members DESIGN 36 Making a Designed by: Aarti Uberoi difference; one heart at PRODUCTION & LOGISTICS a time Manager Operations: Rakesh Upadhyay Manager Logistics: Vijay Menon 38 Happiness Asst Manager Production & Logistics: menu M.P. Singh Executive: Mohd. Ansari Lost recipes from loved ones OFFICE ADDRESS Published, Printed and Owned by Samarth 54 iImpact Life Management Pvt. Ltd. Published and stories printed on their behalf by Asheesh Gupta. Published at D-278, Basement, Sarvodaya Enclave, New Delhi. Printed at Tara Art Printers Pvt Ltd., A-46-47, Sector-5, NOIDA, (U.P.) 201301 For any customer queries and assistance please write to [email protected] Other Sections 01 From the Editor 06 Around the World 40 Prevention is better than cure 49 Mind Benders 51 Community Engagement Please recycle this magazine and remove inserts before recycling Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 5

AROUND THE WORLD | NEWS Source: All stories sourced from media reports DISCRIMINATION based on age -- MANY OLDER PEOPLE could improve their ageism -- is widespread throughout the vision by getting glasses or a new prescription. world, and it takes a toll, new research Swedish researchers assessed 1200, 70-year- reveals. The study of more than 7 million olds and found that most were content with people aged 50 and older in 45 countries their eyesight, but many overestimated how found that age affected whether or not well they actually see. A study found that they got medical treatment and, whether 61.5% could significantly improve their vision the treatment, its length and frequency by getting glasses or changing the power of were appropriate. the ones they already had. The investigators reviewed 422 Being 70 doesn’t have to mean your vision is published studies, and found that 96% of poor. Visual impairment can creep up on you, older people experienced ageism. making it difficult to notice that your eyes are getting worse. So it’s a good idea to visit an According to the new report, ageism optician regularly when you get older, even if led to poor outcomes in depression and you don’t feel your sight is deteriorating. physical health, including shorter life expectancy. The injurious reach of ageism Some findings show that many seniors who that our team documented demonstrates think their eyesight is good might be mistaken. the need for initiatives to overcome it. Having glasses of incorrect power was equally common among men and women, but men’s In 85% of the studies, they found that sight tended to be slightly better. Researchers health care was denied to older people, and said, that could be due to a higher rate of in 92%, ageism affected medical decisions. cataracts among women. Slightly more than Ageism affects people regardless of age, 27% of women had cataracts, compared with sex, or race and ethnicity, the researchers just over 19% of men. The most common eye noted in a Yale news release. diseases were cataracts (23.4%); age-related macular degeneration (4.7%), and glaucoma 6 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02 (4.3%). In all, 1.4% had diabetic retinopathy, (changes in the retina due to diabetes).

NEWS U.S. life expectancy goes up living in most other wealthy countries to be first time since 2014 hospitalized for hypertension or diabetes; two diseases associated with obesity. DESPITE THE SLIGHT uptick, life expectancy in the U.S. is the lowest among wealthy nations. Some reports also found that despite living Life expectancy in the United States went up shorter lives, Americans spend nearly two for the first time in four years in 2018, thanks times more on health care than any other high- largely to a decrease in death rates from cancer income country. In addition, suicide rates in and drug overdoses, the Centers for Disease America are twice as high as in the U.K. The Control and Prevention. numbers illustrate a larger societal problem. Suicide mortality going up may be tied to Death rates for six of the country’s 10 leading the drug epidemic, but is also an indicator of causes of death dropped for the first time stressful life events. The safety net in U.S. is since 2014; the decline in cancer death rates much less secure than in other countries. and unintentional injury rates — a category that involves drug overdoses — accounted for There’s a tendency to think of health nearly half of the decline. Drug overdose death statistics in terms of health care, but health rates, in particular, went down for the first time is about more than the health care system. in nearly three decades. Policymakers needs to recognize that the decisions they’re making about jobs, education Rates of cancer-related deaths decreased by and infrastructure investments, are health more than 2 percent between 2018 and 2017, policies and have consequences not only to while death rates due to unintentional injuries pocketbooks but to life expectancy. and chronic respiratory disease both dipped by nearly 3 percent. The rates of stroke and On a positive note, the sharp decline in the Alzheimer’s disease deaths declined by almost number of cigarette smokers in the past four 1.5 percent, and heart disease death rates decades has likely had a positive impact on declined by less than a percent. Deaths related smoking-related deaths including cancer and to diabetes and kidney disease stayed about respiratory disease, especially because quitting the same. smoking before turning 40 reduces a person’s risk of dying from smoking-related disease The fact that almost 40 percent of Americans by about 90 percent. Advances in cancer are obese also likely plays a role in the U.S. treatments and early screening are also positive falling behind other countries. influences on U.S. life expectancy. The Commonwealth Fund report found that Expanding jobs that pay wages that are Americans are twice as likely than people on par with today’s rising health care and housing costs could make a big difference in easing financial stress. In addition, U.S. must invest in education, especially on skills that are in demand that could help people land 21st century jobs. Looking at this longer-term trend over the past few decades, it’s clear that there needs to be a change in which they apprroach life if one wants to sustain this decrease. Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 7

NEWS Masters degree at ‘Jab tak hai jaan, karte rahe kaam’: 97: This man from Meet Delhi’s 65-year-old ‘Parathewali UP has proved age aunty’ is a number! You cannot help but agree she was asked to leave that Holding a Master’s degree with 65-year-old Dalbir Kaur place too. But Dalbir refuses is no big feat in today’s with a beautiful smile. to give up. She returned to day and age. But for the original spot, opened the Bareilly’s Raj Kumar Vaishya, Famous as the ‘Parathe dhaba without a name board it is indeed a lifetime wali Aunty’ runs a dhaba at and has been successfully achievement. the Milan Cinema Road in running it ever since. Delhi’s Karampura area, Kaur Born in 1920, the man opens the tiny establishment Dalbir serves about 150 had graduated from Agra at 11 AM, and only leaves by customers everyday, and University all the way back midnight. supervises the running of the in 1938. And 79 years later, dhaba with great care. She he successfully completed Dalbir was born in cuts the vegetables herself his second innings in Gurdaspur’s Athwal village. and ensures that they are higher studies. His earnest Her father was a mason and cooked in a hygienic manner. dedication and love for the sole breadwinner of the The place might not be very education led to his name family of 11—his wife, parents fancy, but she works hard and finding a place in the Limca and 7 children. Getting just ensures that customers are Book of Records for being two meals a day was difficult, served fresh and wholesome the oldest person in the so there was no question of food. country to pursue an MA in sending the kids to school. Economics. Dalbir had also never been to Although Dalbir serves only a school. She started doing fresh seasonal vegetables Despite his advanced age, odd jobs early on in her life to with a different menu every he sought no additional support the family. day, the most popular item privilege and appeared for on her menu is the paratha, the exam like any student. Dalbir opened a dhaba at which is made in a kadhai. Father of three sons, all of the corner of Milan Cinema whom are retired central Road, named ‘Punjabi The money she makes is government employees, Paratha Corner’ in 2016. enough for her family to eat Raj Kumar’s achievement However, the signboard was three square meals in a day has left even the University taken away by the MCD and and save a little too. What officials astounded. He is a Dalbir was asked to leave that else should I wish for?” says huge role model and plans to place. She then took a rented this lady with a golden heart. spend his time writing about shop and started her dhaba socio-economic issues, with a there. But as luck would have special focus on subjects like poverty and it, the owner of the shop unemployment. soon wanted it back, and 8 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

pdy Press dom Little notes of appreciation: Dear Samarth team,“mTmhhyaoavtmnhinkoegtryhaooelunlr.oahTflelhyrvaoenvurkeybryyemoinsuugpcsehaocpifmaoalrur9tcy0ohotfuhProaubkmriinriftldaahnmdfeoaislyrys..ba“Iteniidnsglsoutvhcienhrgeacwbailrteehssfmoinryg Divya SwamiUS resident caring for her mother in Chennai with Rashmi Rashmi SinhatF“hrWrteelhoiwsvScehtpmeoaacoioerosmrhrTnuetcncaotaharrshnchkIfryeeitoiigbeonlaghlodduelgtloefdCre,en,CetcweCarsfahianalorermyahneer.rrlrpeoiedapeeIrpterrrohaltfC,eeomacferecIonuphoaeotmheus,latulaeeunt;hrptlvt,siiwnhemkspeeaeeleselinfpeognluecddmarIeolaollersttbotnerorrtsheedleurfylearinlocskynbfofpetiedenhanwaeedtweMrahlaeeidneoaurnpnsglmtptaltvbmwasprabwe,tnoleaeuihdIiornn.edetffgteuone.ttynAo.eoh”IeiflsteastyvamhfeoeirMnrycubMToametuhfmrhweahbmeaminYmeseaon“baFoiIerskadaiaerlrupcmwnyseiiyosainwdsohtobatanimaordnaiuenb’tablttvedh,rdueal.endstteetglhEptIhiohlsrbnhavwfceseoieeduntneaianniSelegrrlkakcclgiayhnbnnieayaamn.ugt”dmtloegrwmahjaofuedSogroeatabtamoarreyhtmn,emoihnsnteyCbeohaea.ryonareeseuIrotumrfimteghaunadihwnhatbg.peofhvhYealt.meScaeeharmo,nreresbeuyeielomyrua. Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 9

LETTERS FROM READERS Nishi & R.K Sinha, GURGAON Arti Caprihan, UNITED STATES ”For so many years, I could not leave my wife (Daughter of Renu Kumar, NEW DELHI) and go out as she was completely depen- “My mother keeps travelling from India to dent on me. Since I have had the support of spend time with me and my sisters in the US Samarth Care, both Nishi, my wife and I feel and UK. We started with Samarth to ensure very confident with my travels. It is a joy to that she returns to a welcoming and clean see Nishi laughing again and playing Ludo home which is extremely important given with Dipti, our care counsellor.” her allergies. Subsequently the Samarth care counsellor has become a good friend and Anshula & Vinod Subramani, SOUTH companion for her.” KOREA (Daughter and Son in law of Meera and Dr. Sunandini Lal, SINGAPORE Hari Om Tandon, MUMBAI) (Daughter of Kanchan Arora, NEW DELHI) “You have founded an amazing initiative in “Swati, you and our care counsellor, are our Samarth. If it were not for Rashmi, our care guardian angels. So happy we found you. counsellor, taking care of our father and his Thank you for everything you are doing for chemotherapy, we would have to personally us.” travel to Mumbai to take care of everything. I don’t know how you find such caring care Reba Mukherji, NEW DELHI counsellors.” “I can not thank Samarth and Swati enough for helping me through my eye treatment, Rajesh Johar, SINGAPORE accompanying me to the hospital and your (Son of Kiran and Ramesh Johar, efforts in getting the insurance claim was just JAMSHEDPUR) stupendous. It would not have been possible “Clearly Samarth fills up a huge gap in India, without you.” especially for people like me who cannot be there in person to care for our parents.” Vijay, Ranjit and Umesh Rajmani, UNITED STATES (Sons of Late R. Rajmani, NOIDA) “Thank you very much for the excellent care that Samarth provided for our father. You were our trusted confidantes through the entire period of nearly two years and the personal touch you provided was much appreciated by him and us.” 10 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

LETTERS FROM READERS SAStuMPoppaAtroarRketneTtfHscoarrCeCAhoRfilEdtrheenir Mithilesh and VK Having Samarth with us is such a peace of mind.” Gupta, MUMBAI “We started with Rahul Bishnoi, UNITED KINGDOM Samarth in Mumbai (Son of Asha Bishnoi, NOIDA) “Thank you, Gaurav and Swati for all your because my wife support and ongoing care for my mom. Mithilesh was not It gives my tremendous peace of mind knowing you and Samarth are there at all keeping well. times. Your support, without doubt has been sterling and totally Rashmi, our care reliable.” counsellor and the Samarth team Roopa Naveen, UNITED STATES went beyond expectation and extended (Daughter of Mohan Naidu, help not only with her therapy, health and diet CHENNAI) “My dad is new to but she also got our passports renewed. She Samarth and is loving the experience with the team. I really appreciate even cooked and brought us pao bhaji like our the report you send me.” daughter. Samarth is continuing to support us in Delhi as we have come here for her treatment. “ Subroto Chakraborty, SINGAPORE (Nephew of Joya and Debdutta Bhattacharya, KOLKATA) “Thanks for bringing Joy and smiles in our lives. The first half of the 20th century Himadri Bhattacharya, UNITED STATES witnessed gains in life expectancy largely (Son of Swarnashri and Dr. Har Prasad due to reductions in infant and maternal Bhattacharya, GURGAON) mortality. Success was astounding. In a “Thanks for everything you do for my single century infant mortality decreased parents. I am not a man of many words by 90 percent and maternal mortality but I can not express enough gratitude to decreased by 99 percent. In the second Samarth.” half of the century, life expectancy continued to increase due to medical advances, largely in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, which extended life expectancy in adulthood. All told, nearly thirty years were added to average life expectancy in a single century. Increases continue today, with three months added to life expectancy at 65 every year. Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 11

LETTERS FROM READERS Sedentary Behaviour (sitting) Excercise 5% of our day 80% of our focus Sleep There are many proven benefits of remaining active throughout the day. It is a much more holistic approach to healthy living with activities broken into four domains: sleep, exercise, sedentary behavior, and light activity. 12 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

HEALTHCARE SURVEY By Samarth staff healthcare costs. Over the capita consumption of past few decades, rapid those households. These Imagine working your economic growth has allowed are signs that may lead entire life with the many of us to lift ourselves to “Catastrophic health plan to retire at the out of poverty but the lack shock” for the entire senior age of 65, only to of quality and affordable community in the near experience health related medical care has meant future. The absence of a ailments, declare bankruptcy that we as a demography well-functioning public due to medical costs and are aging into a vulnerable health system and the lose all your assets. While state of health shocks. Time low penetration of health experts place a lot of faith on and again, in our discussions healthy life style through the with care members, we have middle age in order to have come across rising healthcare a healthier retired life, the costs as a major concern for above is not some unlikely all of us. We also came to nightmare scenario. In fact, as know that in many families per published studies, the rate with elders, the average of senior citizens declaring annual health expense far bankruptcy has more than exceeds the annual per doubled since 1999, and the primary reason is rising Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 13

HEALTHCARE SURVEY insurance has created a with back surgery. I had pharmaceutical drugs, situation, wherein a significant several medical tests that my single handedly raised the share of India’s population insurance did not cover. This cost of healthcare in India seem to avoid or denied caused me to fall behind in by almost 50%. As our the formal medical system, my medical payments. The members become more lest they face a debilitating next thing I knew, the bills health conscious, they start financial burden, and land in a began piling up; I got to the devoting resources (both debt trap. The situation gets point when I owed more than time and money) towards even more alarming in case I had initially planned post my healthy living. The below of elderly because the high retirement.” illustration underscores the financial burden is reflected We at Samarth, remain complexity of decisions that in the extraordinarily high concerned for the situation elderly has to take care off share of out-of-pocket health and in order to better in their constant pursuit expenses in the country. understand our community of health as well indicates Even though public initiatives members, reached out to the average spend under each like Ayushman Bharat seems readers with a set of survey category: to address a percentage of questions. The need was the rising anxieties but it is far to get a ground level check from being a comprehensive on what are the primary coverage for the entire healthcare expenditures demography. Even though for Samarth community many senior members in our members. We wanted to community benefits from the know the rising cost of health insurance coverage, healthcare at the preventive, but not all costs are always curative or ambulatory stage. covered and an unexpected What are the services being bill can have devastating availed by the members effects on one’s finances. As across the country and how one Samarth member relates well are they being served. on his traumatic experience The survey responses and with health insurance: further analysis revealed “My bankruptcy started that the rising cost of 14 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

HEALTHCARE SURVEY As we age, our physical and emotional self medical bills out of pocket. That is a huge needs maintenance. We often depend on number of our members vulnerable and our social interactions for the same. Among prone to catastrophic health shock in the near the members surveyed, many (nearly 4% of future. Post retirement, many elders depend the respondents) indicated that they expect on the pension money or interests accrued on and depend on their children to take care savings deposits for their monthly expenses. of their medical needs. There is no harm in With the economic slowdown and lowering expecting the same however; a majority of of bank interest rates, often the spending the community members also underscored power of elders gradually go down. The their want for independent lifestyles including steady increase in prices of pharmaceutical taking care of their medical expenses. Nearly drugs, add to this situation considerably. 34% of elders stated that they have heavily Many medicine retailers offer senior citizen invested in medical insurance that covers for discounts in the range of 10 to 15% on most of their annual healthcare costs. Few of an average and many link the same to a the elders between the age group 55 to 65 minimum purchase amount (e.g. 10% discount years still benefit from the employer coverage on medicine bills above INR 2000). The of the same. Many retired government survey revealed that nearly 30% respondents employees nearly 8.6% of the respondents do not get or avail any form of discounts are covered extensively by the central and on the regular medicine purchase. That is a state government schemes. However, the significant cost added to their monthly living worrying trend emerges when almost 42% expenses. However, cost of medicines are not of respondents seem to be paying for their the only factors. Any ailment is followed by a Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 15

HEALTHCARE SURVEY series of visits to physicians’ every year and a staggering large role. But so do other chamber, diagnostic tests 10% spend more than INR 50, factors such as the growing (needed or random both), 000 on prescription drugs number of people with instances of hospitalization annually. On top of these, if chronic disease, increased and/or surgery, ambulatory the health condition requires costs for outpatient and nursing care etc. Often the hospitalization or surgery, emergency room care, elders have to go through this almost 45% of respondents higher premiums, and higher chain of events repeatedly end up spending between out-of-pocket costs. These in the same calender year INR 50, 000 and 5 lakhs factors are exacerbated draining the hard-earned annually. by inefficiency and lack of money and savings. Nearly With nearly 400 respondents transparency in the world 38% respondents stated to the survey, these are of medicine. The entire to have spent more than small numbers but when Samarth team is committed INR 10, 000 every year on one thinks about the to look for potential solutions diagnostic tests and almost elderly population in the including designing and 11% respondents spend more country and extrapolate the rolling out partnerships with than INR 25, 000 per year survey data to the larger key stakeholders offering on the same. These numbers population, the healthcare wellness programs targeting may seem to be small but costs become prohibitive. chronic illnesses and when added every year, they Each of the factors discussed integration of technology grow into much larger burden above contribute to rising to improve user experience on the pocket. Similarly healthcare costs. Increasing for our members. In almost 38% respondents costs for medical services, collaboration with our spend more than INR 10, 000 caused by both a growing readers, we will continue to on doctor’s consultation fees and aging population play a 16 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

HEALTHCARE SURVEY 71.9 65.6 67.3 59.5 59.4 Discount Discount on Discount on Discount Second on medicines diagnostic hospitalisation/ on doctor’s opinion on bought from tests procedures consultation hospitalisation retailers estimates & bills Continued on page 25 . . . Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 17

COVER STORY COVER STORY Health and Healthcare: Adopting an innovative approach to manage healthcare costs By Samarth staff Have you impotent. When he realized Yayati realized the ephemeral heard about the implications of the curse, nature of material things the “Yayati Shukra modified it, stating and decided it was time to complex”? that Yayati would regain his let go and grow old. He not As per youth and potency if one of only gave his youth back to mythology, when Devayani his sons willingly bore the Puru but also the valuable learned that her husband, burden of the curse. The experience of a lifetime, Yayati, had secretly married youngest son, Puru, agreed to acknowledging circularity of her maid, Sharmishtha, and become old and impotent so life. According to sociologists, that the maid had borne that his father could enjoy life. the Yayati complex speaks him two sons, Devayani ran Puru regained his youth and about the older generation to her father the Asura- earned the gratitude of his clearly setting examples for priest, Shukra, who cursed father years later when, after the younger generation to Yayati to become old and living his life to the fullest, follow. This is more relevant 18 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

COVER STORY today than ever. strong mechanisms in place inpatient and outpatient India is home to 1.3 billion to address elderly care medical services route at people. We are world’s largest effectively. healthcare delivery facilities, democracy and a young a large part of non-clinical nation hungry for growth Classification of care, such as short-term care and professional dominance. elderly care management, is increasingly However, the situation in our getting addressed through country is paradoxical – on Caring for elders generally avenues such as home-care one hand we are reaping the comprise of both medical and services as well as palliative benefits of a large working non-medical services. Medical care services for long term age population and on the services cater typically to requirements. other we are staring at a point ailments, some of which Non-medical services, on the significant portion of it being are age-related, (such as other hand, largely cater to above 60 years by the year hearing impairment, vision other physical and emotional 2050, translating into ~300 loss, arthritis, diabetes, repercussions of ageing million elderly people. hypertension, cardiac that do not require medical This calls for a serious focus disorders and dementia in interventions. These services on elderly care, and we need various forms, etc.) and their too are classified based on to start now. The ramifications co-morbid complexities. short-term and long-term of an aging population, from These services are further care requirements. The a healthcare perspective, classified into clinical and former comprises of services are significant and diverse. non-clinical care. While provided at home or through Despite the growing need for clinical administration day care facilities, including healthcare of this segment, of routine, episodic or companionship, personal India does not have very chronic requirements can care, rehabilitation services be addressed only via the Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 19

COVER STORY The prevalence of Increasing Shifting disease diseases increases with average life burden towards age, resulting in the expectancy those requiring elderly segment bearing a higher burden of Limited prolonged Changing diseases as compared to healthcare support family other age segments. services patterns etc., while the latter is provided through facilities for the elderly focusing on the comprising of independent living, assisted living and skilled elderly NEED FOR nursing facilities. ELDERLY Few avenues CARE IN Need for elderly care (facilities/ seats) INDIA The prevalence of diseases increases with age, resulting providing geriatric in the elderly segment bearing a higher burden of diseases care training as compared to other age Limited Limited segments. The elderly face a changing disease mix, most government flexible commonly suffering from ailments such as cardiovascular healthcare insurance illness, circulatory diseases, and cancers, while younger expenditure on offerings for population segments suffer more from infectious and the elderly the elderly parasitic diseases. The elderly thus tend to suffer from The leading cause of death among the elderly in India chronic, long-term diseases is cardiovascular disease; other common chronic diseases and acute ailments that may with high incidence include chronic bronchitis, anaemia, require a longer ambulatory high blood pressure, chest pain, kidney problems, digestive period. In addition to medical disorders, vision problems, diabetes, rheumatism, and issues, they also suffer from depression. The combination of increased prevalence and a the non-medical implications changing disease mix (towards those that require long term of ageing, ranging from social care) translates to a significantly higher spend on healthcare & psychological issues such by the elderly as compared to the overall population, both as lack of companionship to in terms of absolute expenditure on healthcare as well as physical limitations that come percentage of total consumption expenditure. with old age. 20 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

COVER STORY Financial burden of elderly healthcare Gap in healthcare financing As per published reports, it is estimated that households with only elderly members incur a monthly per capita health The current financing expense that is 3.8 times that of households with no elderly mechanisms in India only cater members. Elderly households hence spend a disproportionate to medical care, while non- amount of their total monthly consumption on healthcare medical care has limited focus. needs when compared to other households. Financing through When juxtaposed with the lack of a stable income and resultant economic dependence of the elderly, this underlines iiiiiiiiGovernment subsidies the need for immediate action. Other issues in India such Currently, central and state as limited mechanisms of social security; lack of access to benefits such as provident fund, pension schemes, and governments provide subsidies gratuity to a majority of the elderly, further compound the for healthcare through various health financing issue. Additionally, insurance penetration schemes that target elderly remains low, and comprises predominantly of government care. The delivery is through funded schemes that have limited coverage. Even for the free or subsidized healthcare insured elderly, expenses remain a burden, with almost services in public health non-existent coverage for outpatient care or ever rising facilities. While this subsidized pharmaceutical needs. This results in a very high out–of– care model targets the low- pocket expenditure on healthcare by elderly people. income elderly population that would otherwise be unable to access care, issues around quality of care are of concern. Additionally, the fiscal burden of this mechanism renders it un-scalable and difficult to sustain. Insurance Overall health insurance penetration in the country is estimated to be 26%. Insurance penetration among the elderly, however, is significantly lower (estimated to be 1.6%) under public and private insurance schemes. This low insurance penetration amongst the elderly is further exacerbated by inadequate coverage provided to the Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 21

COVER STORY Insurance penetration restrict the effectiveness of for payment of an additional among the elderly, these schemes in an elderly premium. however, is significantly care context. lower (estimated to be Corporate insurance 1.6%) under public and Private health insurance companies with private insurance includes a combination of insurance offerings schemes insurance products that that have an entry target specifically only elderly age of above 65 years insured, in terms of both or general insurance plans include Apollo Munich, that have a flexible entry age. Max Bupa, Bajaj Allianz, amount and type of services Cigna TTK, and ICICI Restrictive conditions Lombard, amongst covered. further reduce the others. attractiveness of existing While the government options. For example, several Out-of-pocket policies do not cover care for has not developed specific common age-related ailments iiiiiiiexpenditure such as corneal transplant In the context of the above, insurance schemes or or asthma. Additionally, pre-existing conditions a large portion of medical financing policies for the often serve as an eligibility expenses incurred by the restriction for insurance elderly are financed out of elderly, social insurance schemes, or result in the need pocket for the uninsured and under-insured population schemes such as Rashtriya segments. Additionally, since non-medical needs Swasthya Bima Yojana are almost entirely financed out of pocket, this results in cover elderly care, as they out of pocket spend serving as a major means of health do not have an age limit for financing for the elderly as well as huge financial burden. eligibility. Additionally, there These lead to the average are a few initiatives and per capita healthcare expenditure on elderly to be schemes for the elderly that significantly higher than the population average. Moreover, have insurance or financing Lack of insurance awareness has proved to be one of the components such as the hurdles in penetration of insurance across the country. Therefore, in an attempt to enhance insurance awareness National Policy on Senior across the nation, IRDA celebrates “Insurance Awareness Day” on April 19 involving all stakeholders of the insurance sector. Citizens. However, issues such as limited coverage and low reimbursement amounts 22 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

COVER STORY these expenditures cover Need of the hour of this scale and scope, only the medicine-related various stakeholders were and various other clinical With economic brought together on one expenses. A considerable slowdown, the healthcare collaborative platform by the investment is needed for non- costs can increase rapidly Samarth team, rolling out clinical care such as longterm with time and age. Doctor differentiated products for care or assisted living in consultations, OPD, tests, different age groups with the case of elderly people. medicines, surgeries, following innovations: All these expenses further hospitalization, eye care, multiply the quantum of dental care, physiotherapy Service that caters to the actual expenditure on elderly etc. can have prohibitive differentiated needs of healthcare. Consequently, in expenditure affecting the elderly care such as home- future, the expenditure on overall living for the elderly. based care, senior living elderly will increasingly take In the absence of insurance up a larger portion of the total plans designed exclusively for Launched in 2008 by healthcare expenditure pie. elderly, the generic insurance the Government of India, Rashtriya Swasthya While this expenditure can schemes fail to cover most Bima Yojna (RSBY) is a be financed through different health insurance program routes, historically the share of the expenses for 60+ providing healthcare of public funds and health cover for the Indians insurance contribution out demography. The situation below poverty line. The of total elderly healthcare government launched this expenditure has been worsens in the age group mammoth insurance plan abysmally low. In terms 75 and above. Even when for the underprivileged of dedicated government the seniors pay out of pocket to help them in medical spending, Health department in cash, one ends up paying treatment without any made an investment of USD much higher than with no financial burden. Under 28 million under the National option of second opinion on RSBY, the insurance Programme for Health Care of hospital bill or estimates. This companies create the Elderly (NPHCE) in 2011. lack of empathy and market awareness programs The total health insurance options for our seniors in about the importance of premium raised from elderly their golden years prompted health insurance in rural for the same year was Samarth team to design a areas. Almost 130 million close to USD 250 million. comprehensive healthcare people have been insured As against these, the total plan and roll out the same under this scheme and elderly expenditure stood at for community members approximately 36 million approximately USD 7.4 billion. exclusively. The idea has families have received These figures underscore that been to provide insurance smart cards for their free most of the expenditure was products and offerings that medical treatment. financed out-of-pocket by are all inclusive, economically senior citizens. sustainable and yet flexible enough to incorporate a customized approach while providing effective coverage. In order to develop a service Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 23

COVER STORY facilities, and long-term SAMARTH HEALTH PRIVILEGE PLAN FOR SENIOR care management. CITIZENS Micro insurance products The Health Privilege Plan is an innovative out of box catering to low, medium solution designed exclusively for Samarth community and high-income groups in members. Aimed at providing comprehensive coverage urban India. for all type of medical costs, the plan is customizable for Products that include every member’s unique need, and delivered under the flexible payment and coverage components supervision of care counselors at a cost of less than Rs. keeping in mind the various 5 per day. Leveraging our extensive national network of considerations discussed such as age, socio-economic partner organizations, covering more than 9,500 hospitals, status, mode of service clinics, diagnostic centres, path labs, pharmacies in many delivery etc. Services and products at cities and offering discounts even on surgeries & higher than market discount hospitalization for the first time, it is of great value rates across the country. Service delivery with both as a substitute for and as a complement to Health customized care through Insurance for senior citizens. For further information and our team of dedicated care counselors. queries, please call us at 0129-663 2424 or connect The Yayati complex hints at the responsibility of older with your care counselor. generation to set an example for younger generation to hospitals, clinics, centres and follow. Given the present gap pharmacies in our network in healthcare financing in the country, it is the responsibility and more discounts on procedures; of the seniors to adopt an hospitalisation at 500+ hospitals innovative approach to healthcare cost management. discount on prescription medicines Products like Samarth health delivered to your home privilege plan are designed to meet this need perfectly and above discount on doctor benefitting not only the senior consultations at 750+ cities members of the community but it will also be an example to and more discounts on diagnostics and follow for those who are about path tests at 650+ centres to experience the golden years of their life in a decade or two. 24 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02 and above discount on dental and eyecare at 125+ centres

COVER STORY ; Continued on page 48 . . .

COVER STORY NAME ********** ENROL AS A SELECT SERVICE CALL OUR GET DISCOUNT & PROVIDER MEMBER VIRTUAL ON SERVICES Buy your Visit your membership CONCEIRGE provider with securely online or Call us for your card & ID call us for other appointment proof to avail modes of payment bookings, your chosen services and services support 26 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

FINANCIAL SECURITY Consolidating your investments Ways to identify potential problems in investments and steps to be taken to mitigate them By Samarth staff After Jaya moved in with her ailing accounts at one bank, organized the father in 2010, she gradually bookkeeping for his rental units and uncovered a financial quagmire. discouraged his habit of giving his credit card Her father had eight different saving number to anyone who called on the phone. accounts at four different banks. “He was “What a pain it was to try to straighten things writing a whole bunch of checks” to charities out,” she remarked. However painful it must he had never supported before and he had be to put someone’s financial portfolio in not kept a checkbook register in two years. order, Jaya’s case was not one in a million He owned several rental units, and one of his scenario. In today’s time, many elders are tenants had not even paid any rent in last 6 duped into investing on financial instruments months. “He was really being taken advantage that may or may not be of any particular use of financially,” says Jaya, age 62, who to them. iestimates that her father lost roughly INR Financial capacity—the ability to manage your 1,50,000iinvesting in a mutual fund (equity finances in your own best interest—involves linked) suggested by local insurance everything from paying bills to reading a brokerage statement and weighing an dealer, before she investment’s potential risks and rewards. With stepped in to help. time, one’s ability to tediously look for details In the next couple in such a process may get rusty and preparing of months, Jaya for the potential decline of that capacity is consolidated his Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 27

FINANCE as important as planning for long-term-care generate income and help cover daily living expenses. Declining financial abilities may not expenses? Is it an emergency fund? Is it only result in a few unpaid bills but may also a legacy you plan to leave to your child? leave you vulnerable to financial abuse and Consider writing that sentence at the top of exploitation, drain your nest egg, and place each of your most recent account statements. heavy burdens on your loved ones. Being a little articulate and organized can Nobody likes to think about financial decision- help you—and anyone who might later help making ability declining with age. Yet “it’s manage your money—think about how to extremely common and inevitable. While allocate and rebalance those accounts. many people assume they’ll only need help managing their finances if they develop Step #2: Make a list dementia, the normal aging process can adversely affect faculties such as short-term Once you have simplified your finances, make memory and “fluid” intelligence, or the ability a list of all your assets along with key contacts to process new information. such as financial advisers, accountants, Senior citizens themselves, along with family insurance agents and lawyers. Such a list members and close friends, may be best can be “a lifesaver” after someone has lost positioned to recognize signs of diminishing capacity “and you have no idea how many capacity and simply watching for red flags accounts they have, who their attorney is or isn’t enough. It is best to start planning for where their tax documents are. possible problems before warning signs appear and one scrambles for firefighting Step #3: Assign a helping hand around the financial year-end. Step #1: Keep it simple Organize and simplify your finances. Complex investments and scattered multiple bank, brokerage and retirement accounts raise the odds that you, or someone acting on your behalf, will make costly financial mistakes. Take a hard look at each of your accounts and challenge yourself to describe its purpose in one sentence. Is the account meant to Identify someone whom you might trust with all the organized information. Which family members, friends or professionals might help you manage your money as you age? 28 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

FINANCE Step #4: Embrace technology manage your finances. The “durable” part is key—that means the power of attorney remains Online services that put all your financial in effect even if you become incapacitated. information in one place may help. In case you While you have capacity, you can always change are not technologically well informed, you can your agent or revoke the document completely. designate trusted family members or friends to Please note that in the wrong hands, a poorly do the needful for you. You may also integrate crafted power of attorney leaves the door wide their coordinates with your financial accounting open for financial abuse and exploitation. So system to receive alerts and have “read only” it’s critical to work with a lawyer well-versed in access to your accounts. such law when preparing the document. Step #5: Planning ahead Step #6: Watch for warning signs As family members begin to help you out The time to take all these planning steps, informally, it may be tempting to add a relative’s of course, is well before you have problems name to your bank account so that person can managing your money. However, no matter help pay the bills. That may work fine as a short- where you are in the planning process, seniors term solution, but it shouldn’t be your primary and their loved ones should watch for signs long-term plan for dealing with a potential that financial capacity is slipping. That may be loss of financial capacity. Joint accounts can a signal to accelerate your planning or reach out easily lead to disputes over misuse of funds, to trusted family members for help. inheritance and other issues. If you add your For starter, one may choose to ask the following: daughter’s name to your bank account, for example, that account will go to her when you Are you taking much longer than it did die, even if you intended to split your money previously to pay the bills or perform other evenly among your children. financial tasks? Instead of relying on such ad hoc arrangements, Are you having trouble understanding visual you should have a durable power of attorney financial information, such as reading bank for finances. With this document, you designate statement? someone you trust, known as your “agent,” to Are you having trouble doing mental math, such as figuring the tip in a restaurant? Is there a loss of conceptual understanding, such as confusion about why you need to make your mortgage payments? Is your once-tidy desk now stacked with old, unopened mail? Are you investing more aggressively than you did in the past, focus on the potential benefits of an investment rather than the risks? Remember, these issues are warning signs and once these warning signs have been identified, one must implement the following six steps to avoid potential financial trouble.

Checklist for investment around the year-end: Towards the end of the financial year, seniors must compile all income earned from various investments in the form of capital gain, dividends or interest, to ascertain the tax liability while filing returns: Bank statements Transaction statement Year-end bank statements of the investor If the investor has carried out any sale/ contain credits in the form of income received trading of securities, a transaction on investments. These can be procured statement and account statement for the online or by requesting a physical copy from entire financial year must be procured. the bank. Capital gain statement Securities statements Mutual funds and brokers provide Seniors will receive annual holding statements capital gain statements on request. This of securities for shares and other demat determines the total capital gain/loss securities. For mutual fund investments, a made during the financial year. consolidated holding statement is usually sent to investors. Home loan interest Interest certificate If there is a home loan, banks provide a certificate giving the total repayment Banks provide a certificate of interest paid during the financial year with a break up during the financial year on all deposits. of principal and interest paid. This should For savings account, banks give an interest be used for claiming deductions from certificate. This can also be taken from the total income. bank statement for the financial year. TDS certificate Banks deduct TDS on interest earned, if the interest exceeds Rs 10,000. A TDS certificate can be obtained from the bank for tax deducted, to ascertain tax payable at end of financial year. Exemption from TDS on interest on deposits can be availed, if certain conditions are met by submitting Form 15H by senior citizens. 30 | sa3m0a|rtsham| Vaortlh0|3V|oIsl s0u3e |0Is2sue 02

Here’s a checklist that will help you do that by checking in on your investment plan and make sure everything is on track. Check on Your Check for New Emergency Fund Investment Options Your emergency fund serves as a valuable Every now and then, you can update some buffer to keep your investment plan on track. or all of your investment options, and the end of the year is a good opportunity to With a safety net in place, you can weather make sure that you’re aware of them. any financial storm without dipping It’s possible that lower-cost options into your investment accounts. have been introduced or that new funds have been added that are a Take Stock of Your Debts better fit for your desired investment If you have high-interest debt, it may be plan. Or maybe fees on your current fund worth paying that off before putting extra selections have been raised, in which case it might make sense to switch. money towards your investments. Take stock of your debts, noting the balance, interest Rebalance Your Investments rate, and minimum payment due on each one. Your asset allocation is one of the most important parts of your investment plan. Update Your Retirement Savings Target Choose the right mix of stocks and bonds, you can shoot for a reasonable The most important part of your investment plan, by far, is your savings rate. And to return without taking on more risk than get it right, you need to know how much you’re either willing or able to take. Rebalance your investments and bring you should be saving based on your them back in line with your target asset personal investment goals. allocation to stay true to your long-term plan. Update Your Retirement Contributions Check for Tax-Saving Opportunities Make sure that you’re on the right track. Even if you can’t contribute enough to fully With the help of a good chartered reach your savings target, see if you can accountant you may be able to take increase your contributions by just a bit. Then advantage of some helpful tips on tax- saving opportunities. Understand the set a calendar reminder for six months possiblities. from now to make another small increase, Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 31 and again in another six months, and so on.

GADGETSGADGETS audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic, sports, and “ Must have” products & other real-time information, services for better living such as news. Alexa can also control several smart A curated list of products to make homes devices using itself as a home comfortable for our senior members automation system. Alexa is capable of responding By Samarth Staff in 10 languages and its capabilities can be extended ELDERS need homes that following products listed by integrating it with various are tailored for their safety, below. Do you use them other apps. Alexa is a service comfort and other unique already? If not then it is that can be availed with needs. That means updating time to get tech savvy and compatible products like the home with devices outsource many of your Amazon Echo; however, one to keep seniors safe and worries to gadgets in the cannot just buy Alexa since it integrating technology that market. needs a platform to run. can make senior living easier and financially sustainable. ALEXA AMAZON ECHO From bed rails, to kitchen Amazon Alexa or Alexa is Echo is a brand of smart tools, to shower seats, there a virtual assistant (artificial speakers developed by are plenty of products intelligence) developed Amazon. Echo devices available in the market by Amazon, first used in connect to the voice- to make the adjustments the Amazon Echo and the controlled intelligent personal one may need for a safer Amazon Echo Dot smart assistant service Alexa, which and easier living situation. speakers. It is capable of will respond when you say These also can substitute voice interaction, music “Alexa”. You may change as practical gifting ideas playback, making to-do this wake word to “Amazon”, cementing bonds between lists, setting alarms, “Echo” or “Computer”. The generations. Check out the streaming podcasts, playing features of the device include voice interaction, music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, and playing audiobooks, in addition to providing weather, traffic and other real-time information. It can also control several smart devices, acting as a home automation hub. 32 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

GADGETS Alexa and Echo are a say, “Alexa, put milk on my formidable team that can shopping list,” or “Alexa, put make elderly living almost ‘do the dishes’ on my to-do hassle free. Few actions are list.” Whenever you are ready explained below that one can to hear the whole list, just ask take using these gadgets: Alexa to read it out for you Medication Reminders Control Smart Home Devices You can set up reminders to The Echo gets even more take medications at a specific useful when you connect it to time. Just say, “Alexa, remind me to take my medicine at 8AM your smart home devices. If every day.” You can set as many reminders as necessary to cover you have smart home devices multiple medications or at different times of day. like light bulbs, locks, or thermostats, you can control Date & Time all of them through the Echo. The great thing about having Alexa around is that she never gets Just say, “Alexa, turn the tired of answering your questions. Anyone who struggles with lights on in the living room”. their memory can ask, “Alexa, what day is it?” or “Alexa, what time is it?” Alexa will always be happy to give the answers. Personal Alerts You can use your Echo to Entertainment easily send alerts to friends The Echo can play music, radio, or audiobooks for quick and and family when you need easy entertainment. Just say, “Alexa, play Kishore Kumar,” or help. There is an Alexa Skill “Alexa, play popular songs from the ’50s.” etc. called “Ask My Buddy” that allows you to designate Jokes & Riddles contacts to alert if you find Another entertainment option that the Echo provides is jokes yourself in need of help. and riddles! Just say, “Alexa, tell me a joke!”. Hence, with Alexa you can never be away from sense of humour. Calls & Messages You can send messages or General Information make calls between Echo Echo can also be used to get information on just about anything. devices. If you have one at You can say, “Alexa, what’s playing on TV tonight?” or “Alexa, home and your daughter has who was the 2nd prime minister of India?” one at her house, you can quickly send a voice message Get Reports to her device. The blue light The Echo can give you current reports on anything you are at the top of her Echo will interested in tracking traffic, news, sports, stocks, weather etc. light up to let her know she has a new message. All she Make Lists has to do is say “Alexa, play Use the Echo to make a shopping list or a daily to-do list. Just my messages!”

GADGETS FITBIT CHARGE 2 running, and treadmill or SMS. The device can also One of the best fitness workouts. In all, the device function as a silent alarm by can track about 19 different vibrating on your wrists rather trackers for elderly because workout types with GPS than making sounds that may it is an all-round device that connectivity feature, through disturb people around. packs every element of senior- which the device can connect friendliness. It sports a large with the GPS functionality The device also has a display that spans the length in your phone to accurately sleep tracking feature, which of the band and allows you track your pace. monitors the duration of your to see a lot of information sleep and lets you know if without having to scroll. And The device has a “relax” you’re having enough sleep yet, the characters are big mode that will take you or not. enough, so you don’t have to through guided breathing stare too hard to see what’s sessions (2 or 5 minutes long) The Fitbit Charge 2 works on the display. Those are huge whenever you are stressed up with the Fitbit app, which advantages for elderly users. and need to unwind. runs on a wide range of smartphones. The app On the underside of the Another cool feature of the displays how many steps you device’s body lies the heart Fitbit Charge 2 is the VO2 max have taken so far, how many rate monitor, and on its left side score, a metric that monitors floors you have climbed, is a physical button that helps your overall fitness level by how much distance you have to navigate the interface. You detecting how much oxygen covered, how much calories can also operate the device by you use during cardio activity you have burned, and how tapping on the screen. (the more oxygen you use up, long you have stayed active the healthier you are). for. The Fitbit Charge 2 is water resistant, but NOT waterproof. When you are not using the Powered by a strong What this means is that the Fitbit Charge 2 for working out battery, the device can run for device can tolerate splashes of or relaxing, it can also serve 5 days with constant use and water (such as light raindrops other purposes. For example, even longer with lighter use. and accidental shower it comes with notification splashes) as well as sweat, but feature, which alerts you The product is available it cannot tolerate underwater each time you have a new call online for INR 15, 000. use. Therefore, it may not be suitable for swimming. The lightweight device and its wristband perfectly conform to the curves on your wrist. The device comes with an auto-detect feature that automatically starts tracking whenever you start activities such as bike riding, walking, 34 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

GADGETS WALKING STICK WITH SEAT under-blanket that contains *All these products Living an active lifestyle in integrated electrical heating can be purchased wires. There are many types golden years is not a choice of electric blankets available from https:// any more rather it is the in the market. Mostly these www.samarth. responsibility of every senior are used under the mattress community/ or bed sheet to maintain webstore/ or citizen. One of the constant warm temperature easiest way to do that is of the bed. The temperature any other online to walk a lot. However, difference between the room e-commerce platforms. walking for prolonged and the bed can cause serious period can also cause trauma to the body in colder and polluted winter. breathlessness and climates or cities like Delhi The price varies between tiredness. In such experiencing harsh biting cold moments, a walking stick INR 1500 to 3000 for online that can also double up as purchase. a seating chair, serves the purpose beautifully. Priced between INR 1500 and 2500, the product can be purchased online or from the local medical and surgical instrument shops. ELECTRIC BLANKET This is a type of blanket or Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 35

SAMARTHFEFAETUARTEURE Ms. Mansi Babbar joined Samarth to find engagement in her spare time. After all her kids were growing up and during their school hours, she wanted to remain busy with constructive and meaningful activities. Little did she know that few months down the line, her part time engagement would turn into a passion. Samarth editor, Asheesh Gupta caught up with her in between her calls and field visit. AG: Mansi, can you describe for our readers, her out for shopping, restaurants, local market your first day at work? How did you feel? etc. and off course ensure that she is taking her MB: I still remember my first day at work. I was medicines on time. on my way to meet Mrs. Uma Charles. I was so nervous. Nervous because I was not sure AG: How did you decide to become a care whether she would let me be a part of her life. counselor? What is your previous experience I had never done that kind of work before, but like? aunty made me feel comfortable in her home. MB: For the longest time, I worked in the I met aunty for the first time, on her birthday. corporate sector, almost 11 years. Then my In her early 70s, aunty soon became part of my kids took up my time and I decided to devote life, my thoughts and my actions. fully towards raising them. I left my job and committed myself to home making. Only when AG: Interesting that you mentioned how Mrs. my kids started going to school, I found lot Charles became part of your action. What of free time to spend. I decided to work in a exactly do you do in your role? sector that will bring joy to me as well as to the MB: I try to be there for her just as her own people I connect with. I am fortunate to meet daughter would. Every day, I wake up in the Gaurav (Co-Founder of Samarth) then and one morning, leave my family at home and meet discussion led to another. He explained to me my other family, Mrs. Charles. I call her “aunty”. the plight of children who have to move abroad On days when I have other work, I call her up, because of their job requirements and how talk to her at length and share a laugh or two. parents are left behind either because they That is what they are looking for; someone to chose not to move out or their health doesn’t talk to, someone to share life experiences with. allow them. He explained to me the importance Over time, we become best of friends. I take of care counselor in the lives of elders we serve. I 36 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

FEATURE still remember he told me, “You are just like their years and that gives me lot of respect for her daughter whom they want to spend time with vigor for life. and who understand their needs.” AG: Thank you so much Mansi for the wonderful AG: What is the most rewarding experience in insights in to your life and work that you do at your role as care counselor? Samarth. Would you like to say something to MB: When I met aunty for the first time, she the community in general? asked me, “What exactly is my job.” I explained MB: Aunty is a part of my family. If I call my to her, “I am here to take care of you whenever mom thrice a week, I make sure I call and you need me.” Since that day, I have tried to chat with aunty every 2 days. I feel so happy keep my commitment. Meeting after meeting and content that I can spend my time making a “connect” started to form between aunty and her feel special. My kids and my entire family me. We shared our stories together. I began to are so proud of me for taking up this role. At look forward to planning my “dates” with her. the end of the day, I feel good about my life Taking her for movies are my most memorable choices. Even if I have to quit my job in future moments with her. If I recall, she initiated every for unforeseen reason, I shall continue to take step towards building this into a loving and care of my aunty, just as I would for my own trusting relationship. Her sharing stories about parents. Thank you! her life as a naval officer’s wife, a working woman, her holding my hand for climbing stairs the first time we went for a movie, her eating popcorns with me at the cinema. Meeting her made me realize we have so many opportunities to make someone smile and make someone feel special, but we do not prioritize that. After meeting her, I have started going out with my own mom and dad, more frequently. AG: Did you ever feel challenged in your role? Had there been any situation that you found difficult to handle? Can you share with us? MB: Situations have not been that difficult because we work as partners, aunty and myself. We look after each other. However, yes, I often think that what I have committed to do puts me in charge of another soul’s well-being. Sharing someone’s life journey can also weigh you down occasionally. For example, Mrs. Charles lost her husband 23 years ago and she lived her life to the best of her abilities raising her children. I wonder what she must have gone through in these many Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 37

TRADITION By Samarth staff FOR TODAY’S GENERATION sidered “heritage” in Indian larly another desert, Chitua, bred on fast food, fast lanes subcontinent, but as part of a made from Govindbhog rice, and fast lives, comprehend- larger culture, it undoubtedly is unique in that it is almost ing the delicacies of bygone is. There are very few written like an appam (the batter is era seems too much to ask culinary accounts in India. fermented overnight, sans for. Some of those delicacies Recipes and kitchen lore are yeast; a technique that came required so much skill and passed on from mother to in with the Central Asian craftsmanship that they have daughter, from one cook to Muslims). It is served topped only found place in the imag- his successor, but unlike, say, with fresh, molten jaggery ination of subsequent gener- in France, where culinary used to be a seasonal dish ations. Some became “myth” maps and rigid rules define coinciding the fresh har- and some became “mithya” food, or even Thailand, where vest of rice. However, mar- but none of them can be a person’s prized recipes are ket demand for 24x7 food, denied the impact they had often published in funeral 365 days in a year led some in shaping our culture, tradi- books, in India, codification opportunist businessmen to tion and practice. has been virtually non-exis- prepare it year round irre- tent. While Ayurvedic texts spective of any empathy for Hyderabadi old-timers detail the ancient Indian phi- seasonal practices, people recall “tricky treats” such losophy of food (and medi- involved in the occupation or as lukmis made for bride- cine), accounts of recipes are cultural heritage of a place. grooms, which would hide not very common. However, the argument has live quail. It is said that the always been that food is not pastry would be fried with Take the example of com- considered part of our heri- the bird in it but with such mon bread. The Muslim tage. skill, that the bird would period in India is known to fly out once it was poked have left us a rich legacy With such a blatant capi- open. Well today, these are of breads, many of which talism of culinary space, it is figments of imagination were fermented or slightly our small endeavor at Sam- brought to live through an sweet and which travelled in arth to bring to our read- orator’s storytelling skills. various forms from Central ers a few selected recipes Asia, where the prototype from our senior members The fact of the matter is of the naan still exists. Simi- in every issue of this maga- that food is not really con- 38 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

zine. Many of these may still known as “Laddu” or “Naru”). pace. Ensure that the be in practice and yet many coconut is mixed uniformly are readily available in the Ingredients needed: with the jaggery. market restaurants. How- ever, what one may miss Coconut (grated) – 300 Step #5: When mixture in such market offerings is grams the love and affection with Jaggery – 150 grams gets cowing on the sides of which these dishes were Water – 1 cup the pan, and the mixture is prepared and served by our sticky to touch, then remove parents and grandparents. Cooking instructions: the pan from the burner. It is our sincere hope that Step #1: Put a pan on Let it cool for 5 minutes. when this present genera- tion gets over its infatuation burner, add a cup of water Step #6: Now comes the with everything western, it and put the jaggery in it. may take a step back, pause tricky part. Take a little ghee and peep into the kitchen of Step #2: Stir for 5 minutes on your palm and use the our parents. In those savory coconut mixture to make moments, these recipes will on medium heat until little balls by rolling the be the bridge to their own the jaggery dissolves in same between your palms. heritage past, an instant con- water completely without The coconut laddus should nect between generations, a forming any lump. be the size of a ping-pong way to rejoice moments, well ball. Ensure that you end up lived by our parents, to be Step #3: Take the jaggery rolling all the coconut balls lived again. when the mixture is still hot. If away from the burner and the mixture cools down then In this issue of Samarth pour slowly into another pan. the stickiness will go and one magazine, our care member, This removes all the dirt from cannot create the laddu. Ms. Manjula Das from Vasant the jaggery (that may have Vihar Delhi, shares the fol- settled down to the bottom). lowing recipe of making tra- ditional Bengali sweet dish, Step #4: Put the pan Coconut dumplings (also on burner again. Add the coconut and keep stirring continuously for 15 to 20 minutes at a slow An interesting fact about coconut dumpling is that there are more than dozen ways of making this sweet. The oldest form of coconut laddu was called the Narayl Nakru in South, dating back to the time of the Chola Empire when it was a sweet packed for travelers and warriors as a symbol of good luck for their expeditions.

PREVENTIVE HEALTHCARE Prevention is better than cure! Young or old, man or woman, the summer contribute to spreading harmful everybody is concerned about pollutants. the wellbeing of their body and There is no doubt that we live in a world mind. While the young generation where we are faced with stress, pollution and hits the gym and elderly like associated health problems on a daily basis. to have peaceful walks in the morning and Add to that high-pressure work, sedentary evenings, urban lifestyles are fraught with many lifestyles and self-imposed bad habits, and we challenges. Almost everything we consume is have a recipe for disaster. Due to these factors adulterated or contaminated. Even the air and and inadvertent mistakes, we lead sub-optimal water we ingest are heavily polluted. Harmful lives which affect our health. effects of the deteriorating environment that Disease sets in due to these modern hazards surrounds us cannot be denied. Air Pollution because of three broad reasons - rise of becomes a major problem near Diwali but what inflammation, oxidation stress and loss about the rest of the year. The Ministry of Earth of immunity. Acute disorders are ignored Sciences undertook a study in 2018 indicating because they manifest as minor symptoms that 21 per cent of the air pollution in Delhi was and neglecting these worsens the condition. caused by dust. The high-speed winds during Chronic illnesses are endemic in India due 40 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

HEALTHCARE to indifference and misdiagnosis, and many or slow down this process of oxidative stress times reach a stage beyond repair. The lack of is to take high quality, complete and balanced balanced nutrition & proper hydration is usually nutritional supplements the rest of our lives. the last straw. There’s an old saying that Prevention is better than cure and understandably, if you if you Oxidative Stress can prevent yourself from getting sick or from Oxygen is essential for life itself; however, it is a disease, you will not need a cure. Therefore, also inherently dangerous for our existence. As Preventive Healthcare becomes the need of oxygen is consumed to create energy, you will today’s society. occasionally also create what is known as a free radical. If this free radical is not neutralized by How Preventive Care Lowers Health an antioxidant, it may damage organs at cellular Care Costs? level. Oxidative stress (free radical damage) is found to be the cause of over 100 chronic Preventive care helps in lowering health care degenerative diseases like Diabetes, Heart costs by preventing diseases before they Disease, Dementia, Parkinson’s etc. require emergency room care. Why is this a There are three ways to get the antioxidants our problem? The number of emergency room bodies need: visits has increased in recent years. Hospital 1. Naturally: our bodies have the ability to make care is very expensive, making up one-third of some of their own antioxidants. all health care costs. That’s especially true for 2. From our Foods: we are able to get additional the uninsured. The cost of emergency room antioxidants from the foods we eat, especially care for the uninsured can be extremely high. from our fruits and vegetables. 3. Nutritional Supplements: We are now able Major Causes to get optimal levels of antioxidants by Sadly, a large number of deaths are caused supplementing a healthy diet. by totally preventable chronic diseases. These diseases are heart disease, strokes, chronic IMAGE: Pexels.com Balance is key! To minimize oxidative stress, obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer etc. we want enough antioxidants to handle the free More than half of the total cardiovascular radicals produced. The best option to prevent disease deaths in India in 2016 were in people Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 41

HEALTHCARE younger than 70 years.. Vitamin E or vitamin C is not a drug. These are What can we do? simply nutrients that we can get from our foods; however, because of supplementation we are now able to get them at levels we cannot get from our foods. When you consume high-quality, complete and balanced nutritional supplements, you optimize your body’s natural immune system, natural antioxidant defence system, and natural repair system. Cellular Nutrition Turn to Nature! Nature has all the answers. Cellular nutrition is providing the body with We are just being stubborn not listening to it. all the essentials nutrients at their optimal or Nature is the best Physician. The lives of people advanced levels. When you provide cellular in Ancient India was full of health. Alas, we do nutrition to your body, one plus one is not not have a time machine yet. However, if we two, it is eight or ten. The synergistic effect start following some good practices today then of cellular nutrition not only increases your the return to the old days in terms of health is chances of decreasing oxidative stress, but also not far from us. We just have to let Nature do optimizes your body’s natural immune system its miracles. and natural repair system. While letting Nature take care of our mind and body is easy, just eat natural food, right? You are right but it is not enough. Today, the safety of a vegetable is questionable? Unless you are growing them in your own backyard, you cannot be sure of its purity. To address this, clinically supported Herbal extract supplements are available now. Supplementation is about Health - Not Many of these products are based on carefully Disease selected herbs with clinically supported data on their impact on preventing various ailments. The Products are categorised as per their action: Anti-Inflammatory Silent inflammation in our body is a result of poor diet, lack of exercise and excess weight. Inflammation is a body’s natural 42 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

HEALTHCARE defence against foreign particles, but disease to heart arrhythmias usually known as chronic inflammation can lead to compromised cardiovascular disease. immunity and various health problems. Immune Health Immunity is the capability of the body to Bone & Joint Health resist harmful microorganisms from entering Arthritis affects over 350 million people it. All living things are subject to attack from globally. Osteoarthritis is the most common disease-causing agents. Infection occurs when form of arthritis, affecting many people a pathogen invades body cells and reproduces irrespective of the age. It is often characterised leading to an immune response. If response is by the breakdown of cartilage tissues thereby quick and effective, infection will be eliminated causing pain, stiffness, and loss of movement. or contained so quickly that disease will not occur. Digestive Health Bloating, gas, pain, constipation, diarrhoea, Life is about achieving indigestion and reflux are common problems a balance and enjoying due to many reasons like irregular meals, wrong it by building on your food combinations, improper quality and strengths and improving quantity of food which leads to disturbed gut. on weaknesses. Heart Health Cognitive Health Our heart never takes a break and keeps Your brain is your most precious organ that working even when we are sleeping and works you have to keep as fit as every other muscle double when we are in stress conditions. Heart in your body. At times, our mental state is less diseases, one of the major causes of deaths than optimal and experience mental buffering. in the world, can range from coronary artery Vol 03 | Issue 02 | samarth | 43

We become inattentive, heart arteries is due to age- events and wisdom may unfocused and forgetful. related inability to produce expand. Nitric Oxide (NO). NO Respiratory Health functions as a vasodilator and To summarise the Respiratory disorders and supports cardiac health. NO above facts, nutritional infections are becoming also helps in reducing fatigue major causes of health issues. and maintaining an optimum supplementation may be Common breathing problems level of functioning. looked as Health Insurance. include chronic sinusitis, However, nutritional allergies and asthma with Stress Relief supplementation is not an symptoms such as nasal and Stress and anxiety are a alternative or substitute chest congestion, running state of mental or emotional for nutritious diet and nose, cough, wheezing, strain or tension, which can medical care. You should laboured and shallow lead to underperformance have nutritious meals breathing. and represents a substantial with balanced intake of burden on overall quality of carbohydrates, protein, fat, Energy Management life. vitamins and minerals. If needed one should consult Active and competitive Weight Management a dietician or nutritionist to individuals strive to Weight management is the get recommendations on perform better and demand phrase used to describe healthy eating. Similarly you supplements that deliver both the techniques and must never quit taking any optimal strength, stamina and underlying physiological medication prescribed by faster recovery. processes that contribute to a your doctor without his or her person’s ability to attain and consent and direction. Life Sports Nutrition maintain a certain weight. is about achieving a balance Sports nutrition plays a Most weight management and enjoying it by building on key role in optimising the techniques encompass long- your strengths and improving beneficial effects of physical term lifestyle strategies that on weaknesses. activity, whether you’re a promote healthy eating and bodybuilder, professional daily physical activity. athlete in training or exercising. Narrowing of Anti-ageing Ageing represents the accumulation of changes in a human being over time, encompassing physical, psychological, and social changes. Reaction time, for example, may slow with age, while knowledge of world 44 | samarth | Vol 03 | Issue 02

dfork leFkZ ,d eafnj leFkZ ,d eafnj gS] leFkZ ,d eafnj gS- gekjs cqtqxZ vkSj o;kso`) blds nsoh nsork gSa fopkj&foe'kZ vkSj vuqHko dh ekyk ls] ge budk lEeku djrs gSa] budh çfrek esa] ek¡ Hkxoku gSa oUns ek¡ rq>s lyke] ek¡ rq>s lyke leFkZ ,d eafnj gSA thou ds yEgksa ij ppkZ dj lsokdkaM] lsgr&pkyhlk dk ikB dj feyu esa [kqf'k;ksa dk çlkn ck¡Vrs gSa] gkFk tksM+dj lsok ls iwtk djrs gSa] leFkZ ,d iwtk?kj gS] ,d eafnj gSa] leFkZ ,d eafnj gSA leFkZ cqtqxksZ ds fj'rs cukus esa buds feyus&feykus vkSj tksM+us esa lrr dk;Z djrs gSa] muds eqf'dyksa vkSj FkdkoV esa muds djhch cu] dsvj cu tkrs gSa] tjk LekVZ gkFk c<+kb, ge vkids ikl gSa] leFkZ ,d lsok&lkFkh dk ?kj gS] leFkZ ,d eafnj gS] leFkZ ,d eafnj gSA Contributed by Samarth Community Member Shri J.C. Srivastava, Gurugram



By Ariki Thakur, Class V Ariki Thakur is currently a class 6 student at Shriram Millenium school, Noida. These poems were written when she was in class V.

YOGIC SECRETS Yogic secret Healthcare is working to unveil the secrets of Yogis who used to live healthy and happy for years together and that was possible only by staying close to the Mother Nature. Over the last few decades, we have been witnessing the deteriorating condition of health across age groups due to changes in diet and life styles and staying away from the Mother Nature. Yogic Secrets logo further explains the philosophy that there are five main constituents of life to remain healthy and agile. These are Nature (green), River & Sky (blue), Energy (red dot), Aura (yellow) and Spiritual (orange). Objective The purpose and objectives of Yogic Secret Healthcare is to introduce solutions that emphasize the maintenance of healthy living which is more than just the absence of disease. In other words, the focus is to maintain the functional ability which is of highest importance with the changing lifestyles and day to day pressures. Yogic Secrets products are- Heavy Metal Tested Preservative Free Herbal Extracts Non-GMO Clinically Supported Gluten Free Microbial Tested GMP Certified Pesticide Tested FSSAI approved Halal & Kosher certified