July 24, 2019
’After my time, what will happen’? That’s a question that
parents and caregivers of people with disabilities are often confronted with.
Saanidhaanam, a home for disabled adults and senior citizens coming up
outside Mumbai, aims to address that worry and provide a home away from
home.
Shobha Sachdeva’s daughter Deepa is an
entrepreneur. An independent working woman, Deepa, 36, runs a beauty parlour
in Mumbai. She has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair and does not let that
come in the way of doing the things she wants.
As her parent, Shobha wants to ensure that Deepa is provided for after her
lifetime. Money alone won’t ensure that. She always looking for a safe,
secure and home-like set up where Deepa would be happy and safe.
It was this quest that led her to think of founding
Saanidhaanam, a home for people with physical disabilities
as well as senior citizens. Shobha, in partnership with Sangita
Jagitiani Vaswani and Amit Kataria decided to start
the home in Palghar outside Mumbai.
I used to constantly worry about what would happen to Deepa after us. I
have a colleague at ADAPT who was concerned about the needs of the elderly
in this regard as well. People who don’t have children to look after them
or other support. So, we joined hands with the Kataria Foundation, which is
well-known for its work among the under-privileged to start Saanidhaanam. –
Shobha Sachdeva, Co-founder, Saanidhaanam Home for Disabled People
& Elderly
Saanidhaanam will open its doors in January 2020 to residents. Initially,
there will be space for 10 people and gradually the facility will be fully
opened. “60% of the residents here will be people with physical
disabilities, 40% senior citizens”, says Shobha.
The home will be only for people with physical disabilities, says Shobha as
there are many such facilities for people with visual impairments and
intellectual disabilities. “In contrast, homes for wheelchair users barely
exist because their physical needs are very high. Whatever exists is
sub-standard and offers the bare minimum – food, clothing and shelter”,
she says.
Saanidhaanam, which has the backing of Congress leader Priya
Dutt promises to offer a home away from home – a caring, secure
and accessible environment where all needs are taken care of. From therapy,
to social skills to medical therapy – all needs will be provided for at
this residential home.
Nisha Choudhary, a parent to an adult son with cerebral
palsy, says she chose Saanidhaanam for the family-like atmosphere it
promises. “It is the first of its kind where the caretaker, medical support
and other facilities are all under one roof”.
A facility like this is essential in India given that unlike in the West
where governments provide shelter homes for people with disabilities, there
is no such arrangement here, says Jasmina Khanna, a working
woman with CP. “Even the few negligible shelter homes that are existing
around the country are not in good condition. Parents belonging to middle
class and higher class strata find it difficult to keep their children in
such homes after they are gone. Hence a good state of the art home is the
need of the hour. A home where people with disability are not shunned but
given compassion, love, respect and dignity”.
Shobha hopes that Saanidhaanam will inspire trust, which is paramount.
“This sense of trust is important so parents have the confidence that they
can leave the child with us”.
CONTACT + 91 98201-19354 and +91 9323-196610 for details. EMAIL:
directors@saanidhaanam.com ,
sangeeta@saanidhaanam.com,
shobha@saanidhaanam.com . Visit the
website
for more details.
