Kochi’s care homes come as boon for aged and disabled

In the twilight years of life, one needs support and care and many senior citizens have to suffer as they are unable to get them. Filling this need is Joseph Alex established Signature AgedCare – a care home for those who are no longer able to live on their own due to illness, disability or old age – in Kochi, Kerala.

Signature Foundation runs two such facilities in the city. One is located at Chalikkavattom near Vennala which has 80 beds and the other one is at Kakkanad with 75 beds.

In both these facilities health-care, personalised nursing care, timely medication and assistance to consult doctors is provided for the inmates. Among those residing in these two places include a retired scientist from Indian Space Research Organisation, college professors and a renowned filmmaker.

Till now Signature AgedCare has taken care of more than 1,600 parents and also helped 261 of them to exit the world in a dignified, peaceful and graceful manner. The latter is provided under the Vayogen programme which allows members to pre-secure the last stages of life.

Explaining this Alex said that under Vayogen a member gets to decide the level of treatment or care one wants in the last stages of their life.

Alex, who was working in a corporate house, was shocked and distressed to see his friend’s 92-year-old mother living in unhygienic conditions despite having a full-time nurse to take care of her. This egged him to quit his job and start the Foundation and care homes in 2015.

Ploughing the revenue, the Foundation earns back for caring of the people, Alex wants to build a state-of-the-art building in Edakkattuvayal in Mulanthuruthy where residents of Chalikkavattom and Kakkanad will be moved. He wants to use the former facility for those who can’t afford to pay under the Foundation’s CSR initiative.