Monday, 8 May 2023

THE GHOST TREE OF TADOBA


The Tadoba safari through the jungle is not all about the tigers or the bamboo thickets growing wildly throughout the jungle in abundance. Nature abounds in plentiful here with birds, crocodiles, deers, sloth bear, jungle dogs and more. I got to see it all.

Nestled amidst this dry forest tree line and bamboo thickets, what stood out for me, was this very grotesque shaped tree with branch arms extending outwards, stark with its curled, twisted and leafless branches reaching out high into the sky.  The tree's bark and branches spreading it's tentacles like in a horror film white, bare and stark in contrast to trees around it.  The beautiful "GHOST TREE" or "bhutya" tree in Marathi, when shinning in the moonlight is said to certainly give you the goose bumps. The trunks change their colors to pinkish red and green with the changing seasons. I got to see the beautiful baby pinkish colour on the bark of a tree too.

This tree species is said to be available only in the central Indian forests. Its scientific name is Streculia Urens and it is a deciduous tree that can grow up to about 50 feet tall and it produces certain types of gums.  It is also tapped for use in the pharmaceutical industry as a laxative and a tablet binder. 

For me, it was the most fascinating part of the jungle safari for sure during the three safaris I took through the jungle. Stop and admire for sure and definitely don't miss sighting this one for sure.






Sunday, 16 January 2022

MAIN DURGA HOON

Main ek Ma,Patni, Beti, Jeevan Datta bhi hoon

Sangarsh ki aag mein jeeti hoon

Woh chingaari joh ab prajalit hoon

Maun hoon, par bol bhi saakti hoon

Main hi Durga, main Sita bhi hoon

 

Dheere-dheere avarodh kho na bhi jaanu

Main baadhaon ko todna bhi jaanu

Mod aaye toh behna bhi jaanu

Meri apanee taakat khud hoon

Mahatvaakaankshee, bhi  ho sakati hoon

Main hi Durga, main Ganga bhi hoon

 

Main aap hi adhik ke yogya hoon

Samarthan ke laayak bhi hoon

Yeh jaan lo !

Baadhaen nahin.. azaad  beparwah hoon

Main ab apni shakti aap hoon

Main hi Durga, Main Kali bhi hoon

 

Na nirbal, na kamzor hoon

Na tere haath kathputli hoon

Na tera saath, Na tera haath

Main ne jeena seekh liya hai

Main apni shakti aap hoon

Main hi Durga hoon..  main Durga hi hoon

Main Aaj ki Aurat hoon

 

Tuesday, 21 December 2021

Senior living in #Covid times

While we were always talking about how to tackle climate change and pollution and grumbling about no time to spend with family, God just decided he had enough. He decided to step in and here we are. A deadly virus locked down the world and disrupted our lives in such a way that it will probably take us years and years to recover from it.  Economy, livelihood and the very freedom of living life were snatched from us and we lost loved ones. No one was ever prepared for this onslaught. With this came a pandemic of human sufferings.  Thousands of families, including daily wage earners, senior citizens, widows, transgenders, migrant workers, old age homes and orphanages residents, etc, were impacted. But then when we face a situation with helpless times of distress, we not only find ourselves, but humanity comes alive and we actually became truly 'human' with a small act of kindness. In this very frightening environment, there emerged #CovidHeroes who stepped out of their comfort zones to help others without worrying about their own safety. 




People found new strengths and qualities, they never knew they possessed and the deadliest virus that took lives also gave back our lives to live anew. In a long time, people stopped to smell the flowers, as they say. However, in all the good, there is something we seemed to have sidestepped. The importance of the impact the virus had on seniors, which cannot be understated. It is at this stage, that most seniors actually required more care and support but sadly, it did not happen. It has affected their psychology, physical strength, behavioral patterns and they have become quite unstable and unsure of themselves.

Impact on Seniors

The COVID-19 pandemic caused untold fear and suffering for seniors across the world. As the virus spread rapidly to developing countries, the death rate for seniors also rose rapidly. Health care was denied for conditions unrelated to COVID-19 as the case rose. Seniors, especially those with medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cancer became more likely to contract the virus. Neglect and abuse in elder care facilities impacted their well-being and mental health.

The first wave of #Covid came suddenly and with the hasty lockdown and no proper guidelines, it was all was trial and error. When a national lockdown was declared, the citizens, especially senior citizens who were already suffering from other illnesses or co-morbidity were asked to stay at home and not step out. Daily walks, exercise routines, access to a doctor, health care, medicine, food, recreation, caregivers, housekeeping was suddenly stopped. The pandemic impacted the health of seniors living on their own, that of seniors whose children had settled abroad and even of those living with their families in different ways. Misinformation and negative news added to the panic. To add to this, was the uncertainty and fear that they might not be fit enough to travel or perhaps never be able to travel abroad or within the country, to see their children in the near future. As time passed, restrictions in movement, communication problems and social distancing lead to social isolation, not just with seniors, but every member of the family. Children, who were used to their space began to feel suffocated working from home and it impacted their interaction with their parents too. Everyone was head down into mobiles or laptops and even talking to seniors about their daily routine went missing. With no entertainment or physical interaction, the atmosphere at home was affected and in some cases finances, work pressures and stress in the family became issues. 

The good part was that many organisations started virtual socializing and online events to keep seniors from being completely isolated while in lockdown. Some taught them skills like handling finance, making video calls while some created online contests. This helped a great deal in lessening the feeling of isolation and disconnect. However, living in urban India, most of us tend to forget about those seniors living in rural India, who have also been affected by the pandemic and social distancing norms. Workers have migrated back to their home towns and this has led to an increased risk of exposure to the virus among rural communities. There is a lack of awareness, low levels of nutrition, ill-equipped and insufficient public health centers too. Worst was the impact on women of all ages trapped at home with abusive husbands and their drinking problems.   

But where there are problems, there are also people who find the solutions.  #CovidHeroes, such as Actor, Sonu Sood helped migrant workers of all ages, to reach homes and even arranged foods and shelters for those stuck in the lockdown. Closer to home is my friend and inspiration, Sailesh Mishra, Founder, Silver Innings, who has been tirelessly helping seniors living alone at home and seniors at his own resident's home, since the first wave of the virus struck. Another friend, Dipesh Tank, a Mumbai-based anti-trafficking activist, distributed reflectors to stick on the backs of migrants to ensure their safety as they walked home on the highways. How can we even forget those unsung #CovidHeroes who went out of the way to help seniors and others, find oxygen cylinders, hospital beds and provided them medicines, provisions, etc? These heroes restored our faith in humanity each day during the darkest hours of the pandemic, despite the several challenges faced.

Challenges faced by seniors

Everyone faced challenges, irrespective of age, but in this entire time, seniors seemed to be lost in the mayhem.

Ø  Efforts to protect the mental and physical health of seniors as also that of health workers, caregivers, volunteers and community leaders became difficult. Mental health took a back seat.

Ø  Everything was sudden and unsystematic with no proper protocol or guidelines. There was a complete lack of coordination between different authorities from the Police to Municipality to Medical health workers, Health care professionals and so on.

Ø  With no public transport and restriction on movement, the caregivers and care partners could not attend to seniors. No one was available for home care.

Ø  Caregivers, medical professionals and nurses were unable to attend to the seniors as housing societies refused entry. Societies acted tough and did not allow people to visit, or home deliver grocery, medicine, food etc.

Ø  Seniors who spent evenings on the garden bench with their peers felt disconnected and at a loss.

Ø  Family members with person with Dementia and disability at their home faced challenging times.

Ø  Physiological changes that come with aging and other health conditions spiraled and reports of increase in Elder Abuse began to do the rounds.

Ø  Single and seniors living on their own suffered most especially as they faced challenges to use Digital media.

Ø  In rural India, the non-availability of transport, medical aid, food, absence of family members and even loss of employment and ignorance and myths around the pandemic and its transmission, affected the mental health of the seniors in remote parts of the country.

Ø  Misinformation, comorbidity, shortage and accessibility of the vaccination drive took time to get resolved, but by then many had already suffered at the hands of the virus.    

When heartbreaking stories began to come in from all corners of the country, I turned again to Sailesh Mishra, Silver Innings to ask how difficult it was for him to handle the situation at his A1 Snehanjali, Mumbai city's First Assisted Living 24 x 7 Eldercare home for Dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. "Regular talk, updates and video call to families of residents and staff with regular counseling of staff and meeting the basic everyday needs of staff and care partners were key. It is a difficult time, but we continue with our routine meaningful engagement activity and person-centric care", he said. He added, ‘Sadly, people never realised that seniors were as it is socially vulnerable and that the lockdown brought with it a whole lot of other problems, such as insomnia, depression and those not directly related to the pandemic. I still receive a number of calls from seniors for support."

 

I questioned the way forward for support to seniors and here are some way forward learnings as suggested by Sailesh Mishra, Founder, Silver Innings:

Way forward learnings by Sailesh Mishra, Founder, Silver Innings

Ø  Social distancing should  not result in social disengagement, in any way

Ø  Create disaster management plans for times like the pandemic, especially for seniors with a special focus on food, clothing, shelter, health care, recreation, livelihood, security and rehabilitation with dignity

Ø  Make old-age care as ‘Essential Services’ in the manifesto

Ø  Create a national single point contact center for seniors with a mental care helpline and outbound calls to understand their needs and well-being.

Ø  Identify, understand and resolve the challenges currently faced by seniors, not just in urban areas but in rural areas of the country too.

Ø  Involve NGOs, educational institutes, relevant authorities, etc. and create a university course on old age care with special SOP for Dementia and mental health.  

Personally, I think the first step would be to start closer to home and involve local communities and societies to take care of seniors in their areas, especially those living alone. The next and perhaps the most important step is that youth with new technology and seniors with their experience, need to work together to create a better inclusive environment for all. Protecting senior citizens rights will help them to lead dignified, secure lives, as equal members of society will enable them to be treated with respect on an equal basis with younger people. Providing care and comfort to enable them to lead a healthy life without worries and anxiety is their right. Aging cannot be prevented and everyone grows old. We do not need another pandemic to teach us how to deal with the well-being of our seniors. 


For senior citizens related issues contact: sailesh@silverinnings.com 

 

 

Saturday, 8 May 2021

Let's talk #MissionHelp in any way you can - Hira Mehta

 



A deadly virus has locked down the world and disrupted our lives in such a harsh and sad way, that it will take years and years for us to recover from it. Economy, livelihood and the very freedom of living life has been snatched from us. We are losing loved ones and everyone is sailing in unchartered waters waiting to get to shore intact. No one was ever been prepared for this onslaught, and yet it has not stopped the human race  from being who we are - human. We all know from the ashes rises the phoenix and it is no wonder that everyone has joined hands to do whatever they can, to make it better for those who need help. Networking has worked wonders and become prime for helping the community, especially in this pandemic. There are many Covid soldiers out there, but there is that one untiring humanitarian soldier, Sailesh Mishra, that I admire, get inspired and who never fails to amaze me.

Sailesh Mishra, the Founder of Silver Innings, a Social Enterprise which is working towards creating an elder friendly world where aging becomes a positive and rewarding experience, through his Silver Innings Foundation, has once again stepped up. He has been tirelessly helping underprivileged and vulnerable families, single women, differently abled, transgenders, widows with monthly grocery and especially for senior citizens are struggling, since the virus struck in March 2020.  Even during this 2nd wave of the pandemic, since April 2021, Sailesh and his foundation continue to do good work and he has added-on three more humanitarian programs to help and serve others.

#MissionFoodDonation - Silver Innings for Humanity Foundation in association with Sushma Rana Malhotra, Food Partner & Founder, Aanyo's and delivery partner, Making The Difference (NGO) has been providing free homemade meal two times a day for people in quarantine in the Mira Bhayanadar area and also distributing ration to needy since a long time now.

#MissionFeedIndia - Providing free dry ration to underprivileged and vulnerable in association with 'Market Place'.

#Mission5000, Mission JOSH - Due to the surge in cases, there is now a huge demand for oxygen concentrators. Amid the massive shortage, social media is flooded with messages of people looking for oxygen concentrators for their friends and family. This initiative supported by Bollywood Singer, Tulsi Kumar, Actress Bhagyashree, Designer Sonaakshi Raaj, Special IGP of Maharashtra Dr Pratap Dighavkar, Global Business leaders Farhana Haque of Microsoft and Farzana Haque of TCS has set out to provide free oxygen concentrators to patients at home through their partner NGOs Sanjeevani- Life Beyond Cancer, Ladli Foundation and Silver Inning Foundation  in the Covid affected cities across India focusing and is prioritising those who require immediate attention (including cancer patients) in Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Surat, Pune, and a few more cities. It is India’s first fundraiser that aims to provide oxygen concentrators with an idea behind being to save beds in hospitals for the use of severely impacted patients.

Support mission here: https://www.ketto.org/fundraiser/mission5000

And of course, there is Sailesh's on-going #MissionSeniorCitizen of Silver Innings. Sailesh continues and will continue to help affected people who live alone or have elders at home as also address and resolve the micro and macro level issues of the elderly.

Support my friend, Sailesh Mishra in his heartwarming efforts. Write on   silverinnings@gmail.com or whatsapp 9987104233

It is said that together we can make a difference. If you cannot step out to help,  then like me, perhaps you can become the bridge, the voice for the cause and share information to as many people as possible. Things do not just happen, nor get resolved on their own, so what's the point of waiting for things to happen. Every day is a struggle and the truth is it is the time to act, join hands, donate  and support in any way one can....... and now it is up to you!

ABOUT

Sailesh Mishra, is an extremely dedicated social entrepreneur and Founder of Silver Innings, Founder of  'A1 Snehanjali’-Mumbai's 1st 24x7 dedicated assisted living, elder care home, author of a book titled 'REMEMBER ME - YOU, ME AND DEMENTIA', and a unique annual stage talent show for the 55 plus seniors to showcase their talents titled "UMANG" - organized by his silver innings foundation, since 2008. An exclusive referral search portal ‘Silver Innings Helpline" has also been set up. Contact: silverinnings@gmail.com or whatsapp 9987104233.

 

 

Monday, 8 March 2021

KHUD KO KHOJ RAHI HAI JOH


 



POEM DEDICATED TO WOMEN STILL STRUGGLING TO COME OUT OF THEIR SHELLS.....


                   खुद को खोज रही है जो ....आज की औरत हूँ मैं

ना तेरे हाथ, ना तेरे साथ, ना तेरी कठपुतली हू मैं ....

ना बंधन कोई... ना अंध विश्वास ...

ना नफरत की इजाजत है .....

ना सुनेगी ... ना साहुगी चुपचाप

संगर्ष की आग मुझ में भी है......

मौन हूँ, पर बोल भी शक्ति हूँ मैं

में बंधन को जोडना भी जानू ....

मोद आये तोढना भीना जानू ....

आपनी ताकात खूद हूं...

 मैं आप  अपनी सच्चाई बनूंगी  ...

.......मैं ही दुर्गा, मैं ही काली... मैं चंडिका भी हूं

मैं सत्य, सीख और ज्ञान हूं  .. 

शिक्षक, दोस्त, मार्गदर्शक भी हूं

सीखना भी चाहूं  सिखा भी सकती हूं...

 मैं खुद संघर्ष की कहानी हूं 

....मैं ही दुर्गा... मैं ही काली...  मैं  सरस्वती भी हूं

खुले आसमान में उड़ना  हैं मुझे  .....

कौन हू मैं, खुद से  पूछना हैं मुझे

हर लकीर में नयी कहानी लिखनी हैं मुझे

कुछ सपने बाकी हैं जो पूरा करने हैं मुझे

माँ, बेटी, पत्नी, सब हूँ मैं ... हर कर्तव्य निभाऊंगी ....

परं फिर भी, कभी कभी... खुद से मिलना जाया करूंगी

मैं ही आप शक्ति बनूंगी 

मैं ही दुर्गा... मैं ही काली...  मैं भवानी भी हूं

खुद को खोज रही है जो    

मैं वोह नाई कहनी हूँ