Bapuji Anand Ashram
(Home for the Destitute Elderly)
Bapuji Childrens Home Trust was originally set up to look after destitute children. After running the Childrens home for about two decades, the Trust saw another emerging urgent need of the Indian society, where the old family fabric was seen to be under a great strain for looking after the aged. Dr. Anandi Bai Prasad, our founder, had seen this coming and had been toying with the idea of starting an old age home. After her death, the Trustees took up this challenge of providing shelter for the destitute elderly of the society.
In 1995 an Old Age Home for ladies was started in the premises of the Bapuji Children's Home on an experimental basis. This Old Age Home had 10 elderly ladies who were either thrown out of their homes or didn't have anybody to look after them. The ladies spent their time doing their own work, chatting, playing with the children or watching TV etc.
They were the 'Ajjis' to the little ones. In due time, as these ladies became much older, they were shifted to our new Old Age Home.
The first building of a separate Old Age Home, Bapuji Anand Ashram, suitable for men as well as women, was constructed on a 2-acre plot in 2001. This building now houses a dormitory for 10 persons, kitchen, dining room, reading room and a small office. The second building which currently houses 40 residents was made ready in 2004; the third building to house 40 residents was constructed in 2007 for occupation. At present elderly, of both genders, live in Bapuji Anand Ashram.
Most of the residents are reasonably healthy with usual old age problems. Several of the earlier residents breathed their last peacefully in the home and the Trustees performed their last rites. Terminally ill patients were happy at the time of their deaths in the home because they were provided with medical care, comfort and pain controlling drugs to cope with the agony they were unable to handle otherwise.
