Geriatric care and counseling are crucial for improving the health, well-being, and quality of life of aging individuals, as well as their families. Geriatric care at Shantigram is a multifaceted approach that incorporates various components to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of ageing individuals. The spiritually charged comfortable living space here caters for  improvement of well-being of elders in a natural way.

The following points explain the importance of Geriatric Care & Counseling:

1. Improved Quality of Life: Geriatric care and counselling help improve the quality of life of aging individuals by addressing physical, emotional, and mental health issues that often arise in old age.

2. Preventive Care: Geriatric care and counselling focus on preventive care, which can help detect and manage health issues before they become serious.

3. Health Management: Geriatric care and counselling help seniors manage common health issues such as chronic pain, arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease, among others, which often become prevalent in old age.

4. Mental Health Support: Counselling can offer seniors emotional and mental support to manage depression, anxiety, and stress-related issues that may arise due to loneliness, loss, or other aging-related challenges.

5. Family Support: Families of aging individuals also benefit from geriatric care and counselling as it helps them provide better care and support to their elderly loved ones.

The constituents of geriatric care at Shantigram  include:

1. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA): A comprehensive medical assessment that evaluates a senior’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social health status.

2. Medication Management: Proper medication management is essential in geriatric care to avoid adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, and other complications.

3. Nutritional Support: Geriatric care focuses on providing seniors with a balanced and healthy diet, which promotes overall health and helps manage chronic conditions effectively.

4. Yoga Based Physical Therapy: Yoga Based  Physical therapy helps seniors maintain their strength, balance, and mobility, which are vital in preventing falls and other injuries.

5. Counseling and Emotional Support: Geriatric care provides support to seniors dealing with emotional challenges like depression, loneliness, anxiety, and grief.

6. Energy healing. Energy healing is a form of non invasive therapy which is quite effective for reducing the symptoms of anxiety, depression and pain in older adults without using any medicines. Also, studies have proven that energy healing improves the quality of life of individuals  having chronic conditions such as cardio vascular disorders and malignancy. At Shantigram,  specific  forms energy healing are provided by specialists in the field to the needy.

6. Palliative Care: Palliative care is an essential component of geriatric care that focuses on managing symptoms and improving the quality of life for seniors with serious illnesses. Palliative care , wherever necessary, is being outsourced at Shantigram with the help of public health care agencies.

The following factors are taken care of at Shantigram while doing geriatric counseling:

1. Respect for Autonomy: The elderly are a diverse group of individuals with their own unique life events and goals. It is important to treat them with respect and avoid making assumptions about their needs. The counselor should not impose their own values and beliefs but must listen to and respect the goals of the elderly.

2. Empathy: Geriatric counseling requires the counselor to be able to empathize with the elderly’s experiences and feelings. Having an understanding of what they are going through can help build rapport and trust, leading to better outcomes.

3. Sensitivity: As people age, they may face multiple health problems, social isolation and financial issues among others. Counselors have to be sensitive to their clients’ particular needs and concerns to provide effective counseling.

4. Patience and Time: Geriatric counseling can be time-consuming, and the counselor must have the time and patience to listen, understand, and guide their clients. It is essential to give them space and time to express their thoughts and feelings.

5. Collaboration with Caregivers and Public Healthcare Providers: Geriatric counseling can complement the care provided by doctors, nurses, and public healthcare providers. Counselors can help in providing support and guidance to caregivers and developing a plan for managing physical and emotional health in elderly individuals.

6. Communication: Effective communication is an important factor in geriatric counseling. Counselors must be able to communicate in a clear, concise, and respectful manner, taking into account the elderly’s hearing or vision-related impairments and other factors. Providing adequate explanations and accommodations are important too.

In summary, while there are advantages for living interdependently, the drawbacks of social  isolation, health concerns, safety issues and financial concerns might lead to a better quality of life at Shantigram Manaviyam Centre where elderly people are provided with professional care and assistance.