Budgam, March 09: ‘Ahat-e-Waqar – Place of Pride’ has emerged as a new hope for the senior citizens in Budgam as many people from various villages of this central Kashmir district are receiving day and night care here since its establishment three months ago.
Tahira Manzoor, Superintendent of ‘Ahat-e-Waqar’ told Rising Kashmir that this home was made functional by the district administration Budgam and the Social Welfare Department Budgam in December 2022, and it has been implemented by the J&K Students Welfare Mission.
“It can accommodate 25 senior citizens at a time. Presently, we have nine senior citizens who are receiving permanent day and night care,” Tahira said. “During the day, the senior citizens from various villages of the district receive care where everything is provided free of cost to them.”
She said women above the age of 55 years and men above 60 years receive permanent care in this home. “Those who have no one else in their family to take care of will be received here,” she said.
“Presently we are providing a lot of facilities for senior citizens which include shelter, food, medical checkup, medical care, library, legal assistance, social support, counseling, entertainment opportunities, life skills, integrated support and assistance, access to a range of government services, immediate emergency and non-emergency response, recreational facilities and care, and recreation,” Tahira said.
The superintendent said that some of the senior citizens who have not applied yet for their PM-JAY Sehat cards have also received their PM-JAY Sehat cards after we applied for these cards through this home. So these senior citizens will receive free treatment in the hospitals, she said.
The senior citizens can watch television, offer prayers and meet other senior citizens who are coming to this home during the daytime as we provide everything to them free of charge, Tahira said, adding. “We also wash their clothes and clean their rooms on a daily basis. And they do not have to spend a single penny.”
The home also provides legal support for those senior citizens who need such support. “So, these senior citizens will remain with their families. In such cases, we are trying to ensure that these citizens will receive home-based care, which remains our top priority. When the children neglect their aging parents and do not get any support from their families at this stage of their lives, these senior citizens will get permanent care here,” she said.
Tahira said there is a proper helpline number for senior citizens, which is functional 24×7. All they need is to call this number, she added.
District Social Welfare Officer Budgam, Dr Syed Farhan Asgar, said that Ahat-e-Waqar has received a huge response from the people.
“This is one of the facilities in the Budgam where senior citizens can come and read the newspaper and meet with other senior citizens. This is the first such home in the district that is meant for senior citizens where each and everything is given free of charge to them,” Dr Asgar said.
