MUMBAI- The number of senior citizens in the world including India is increasing and their health problems are arising with age and in today’s small family system, many families need a helping hand to fulfill the responsibility of taking care of them. Now transgenders are going to take care of the senior citizens of Mumbai under this initiative Ek Kadam. Mumbaikars will see transgenders working as caretakers for the first time and this is the first of its kind in the country.
Transgenders will work as caretakers for senior citizens in Mumbai. The Center for the Study of Social Change (CSSC) and the Yes I Can Foundation have trained transgender people in geriatric care. With this training, transgenders can get jobs as caretakers for senior citizens. In the first batch, 18 transgenders were trained as caretakers in their residence in Mankhurd. Out of this, 18 transgenders were selected as caretakers.
The transgenders will act as caregivers for the senior citizens. They will exercise the senior citizens, measure their vital signs, prepare nutritious breakfast according to the dietary needs of the senior citizens and will also take the senior citizens for walks, according to Center for the Study of Social Change (CSSC) and Mumbai. Former Mayor And. Nirmala Samant-Prabhavalkar and Neha Khare of Yes I Can Foundation gave Lokmat.
On Saturday at 3-30 pm, the transgenders along with CSSC and Yes I Can Foundation officials will reach the grandmother’s house in Shivaji Park area, after which they will be introduced. From 3.45 to 4.15 pm, they will receive basic arm, shoulder, neck exercises from the senior citizens. Between 4.30 and 5 they will prepare tea and breakfast (upma), between 5 and 5.15 they will do the remaining tests, between 5.15 and 5.30 they will perform chair dance, between 5.30 and 5.45 And.Nirmala Samant-Prabhavalkar and Neha Khare informed that they will take a memory test and from 5.45 to 6.10 a round will be held in Shivaji Park for public awareness. For the first time in the country, we will see transgenders working as caregivers. In this way we try to create an inclusive society. This will create awareness in the society and many senior citizens and their families will come forward and show acceptance, he expressed.