Chennai: Visiting a home for the elderly can be deeply moving. Each inmate has a story to tell, of how they became an ‘added expense’ to their children and of subsequent family discord. Subhadra Home in Uthandi, however, is a life saver for such people.
J Bharathi (61), founder of Subhadra home, is a shining light when families see aging souls as a burden. One may think it is only financial worries which push families to leave senior citizens in homes, but in this home, a teacher and military officer with children abroad have lived and died.
Bharathi says, “Growing up, I have been interested in helping others. I used to buy books for children and bus passes for the elderly. Thirty years ago, a group of friends had came together and began discussing a home for distressed and orphaned elderly in Neelankarai. We successfully opened the facility and 40 people poured in – 25 children and 15 elderly.”
But as time went on, of the seven friends who started the home, each of them went his/her ways, but Bharathi, a resident of Kottivakkam, continued her service. She had become closely attached to the inmates and the home.
Now, the home is located in Uthandi in a three-storeyed building with 31 inmates – both men and women – in the age group of 36 to 95 with 23 women and eight men. The home, registered and licensed by the government, runs on donations.
Bharathi says, “My family is supportive and I consider myself lucky to do such a service. I would say this opportunity came in search of me. When it came, I did not say no to it.”
Unlike most homes which insist on accommodating orphaned inmates, here anyone is welcome. “Nobody is born an orphan. There are cases of families saying no to having them; it is the family’s fault. They need a shelter and in some cases, the parents voluntarily leave.”
The home gives a monthly amount to the inmates for their expenses. “So far, we have got five people married, the children who joined the home initially completed college, and we have conducted final rites of 13 persons,” she says.
So, has any incident deeply moved you? “A mother desperately wanted to see her children, but when I contacted them they said they did not want to see her and asked me to lie that they were out of town. An army officer from Besant Nagar lived here. He had three children but none took care of him. In 2012, he passed away in a hospital. His son from Pune visited him when he was in hospital, but he left asking us to perform the final rites after he passes away,” she said.