The Coronavirus pandemic may have put curbs on the outdoor activities of senior citizens in old-age homes, and restricted the visit of their near and dear ones, but most of them are not complaining having accepted the evolving situation, authorities of some facilities here said on Friday.
The 120 elderly inmates of 'Little Sisters of the Poor' old-age home here, run by a global missionary charity organisation, are confined to their rooms and obeying the instructions of the authorities.
A spokesperson of the facility told PTI, There are two occupants in each room and all are in sound health.
Gatherings on special occasions have been cancelled, but the inmates are not cribbing about it as they are aware of the risks, the spokesperson said.
The home authorities are making regular announcements over public address system, which is installed in every room, about the day-to-day routine to be followed, and also playing soothing music to ensure that the elderly people are not stressed.
We are cooking light meals for them in accordance with the diet chart. Our doctor regularly monitors their health condition, she said.
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The 239 senior inmates at two other facilities in 'Shantineer - at Baranagar and Tollygunje - are in sound health with no outsiders, including relatives, being allowed to meet them, a spokesman said.
"We are providing food to them in their rooms, and both our staff and the inmates are taking all precautions, including washing their hands with sanitisers," he said.
The spokesman, one of the directors of the old-age home, said that medicines required by the inmates are being delivered outside the locked gate of the homes and the staff, reach out to the senior citizens as and when required, wearing gloves and mask.
We are giving updates about their health to their near and dear ones over phone and communicating the information about their families to the inmates over intercom, he said.
While there are 200 inmates at the Baranagar facility, 39 elderly people are lodged in the Tollygunje home.
At Nabanir old-age home in the city, the inmates are safe and secure with the authorities regularly speaking to them to understand their needs and make them feel stress-free.
At Snehodiya, a housing abode in New Town area for senior citizens, run by the West Bengal Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), the residents are being taken care of in the present situation, an official said..
We are not letting in any outsider, he said.