Samanwaya- Spread Joy, Ensure Healthy Ageing

"Samanwaya" is a new comprehensive project being implemented by the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation with the aim of creating a new Kerala model by creating a city free of the poor, elderly/disabled friendly, ensuring complete cleanliness and providing a healthy and happy old age.

Samanwaya means bringing under one umbrella various departments, institutions, organizations, the general public, people's representatives, inclusive and integrating the service of all, thereby ensuring the service and support they need to all the people in need of special attention and care in the society. Mainly the health department, social justice department, local self-government department, women and child development department, education, sports and culture departments all play an important role in this project.

For this, an online digital grid named Kerala Care will be prepared and everyone will be registered in it. services will be made available to the beneficiaries who register on the grid.

BENEFICIARIES

Irrespective of their socio-economic background, all senior citizens of the city above the age of 60 years, all bedridden patients, the poorest of the poor and the differently-abled, irrespective of their age, will be the beneficiaries of the samanvaya scheme.

Available Services to the registered beneficiaries on the Grid

1.Medicines

2.Delivery of food

3. Friendly Visits

4. The home health team will visit the homes and conduct a physical and mental examination and palliative care

5. Telehealth - Will ensure the service of health workers such as doctors, psychologists, etc. using telemedicine systems

6. Transportation- ambulance services and so on.

For this, divisional health teams will be formed focusing on the wards. Asha workers, Anganwadi workers, JPHNs and Volunteers will be part of the team led by the ward councillor. Once registered on the grid, the information will be made available to the health team online in real-time. Accordingly, the operation of the grid has been arranged in such a way that the beneficiary can provide the required service.

Palliative care

Through the Samanwaya Action Plan, various activities in the field of palliative care will be coordinated and all the palliative care system run by various sections such as the corporation, health department, voluntary groups, etc. will be brought under one umbrella and service gap and duplication will be avoided. In addition to providing accurate and quality service, it will also ensure all the services required for the patients, along with the support and proximity of volunteers, public servants and health workers to ensure that bedridden patients received at regular intervals. Along with this, assistive devices, medicines and other essential services will also be made available.

The services of professionals of the talent bank and volunteers, NSS units, NCC, Youth police, etc. will all be linked to this voluntary activity.

Elderly People-Health Service

Medicines and the service of a doctor will be made available to ensure better health care for all those above the age of 60 years.

The elderly who are critically ill (the elderly who are not bedridden patients) will be provided health care at their homes. The Vayomitram project will be arranged in the manner required for this. Vayomitram's structure system will be expanded in such a way that the service is made available to more elderly people. Existing OP clinics will be restructured and new ones will be increased as per the requirement. Steps will be taken to make the lab testing facility available as well.

A sum of Rs 1 crore will be set aside to make Kozhikode Beach Hospital elderly friendly and a geriatric ward will be arranged and treatment facilities will be arranged. Along with this, an idea of a geriatric ward in private hospitals will also be put forward and initiatives will be taken to take steps to set up this facility in private hospitals. At the same time, the corporation will also take steps to convert urban health centres into geriatric centres.

Steps will be taken to make them available in collaboration with the central scheme in January itself to make available the required support equipment to overcome age-related disabilities.

An open gym for senior citizens and walk trail - (early morning exercise space, health check-up kiosk) will be initially launched. These will be expanded next year.

Dementia screening for mental health, excursions, counseling service, YOGA, special visits and events will be held in colleges and schools along with the younger generation to bridge the gap between generations, as well as making elderly clubs more creative and dynamic.

The poorest of the poor

The people identified as extremely poor in the city are being lifted out of their poverty through sustainable development by ensuring their distress components such as food, health, shelter and income, providing employment to those who are employed and those in need of cooked food. Arrangements have been made to feed 678 people who were found in the poorest of the poor. As many as 659 people in need of health services are being given medicines and treatment. Surgery was performed on a person who needed an organ transplant. UDID cards have been made available to differently-abled people. Of the 31 people in need of income, 10 were provided with employment opportunities. Steps are being taken to provide employment opportunities for the rest. At the same time, the renovation of housing will be completed for 140 people, construction of new houses, 188 people who need to buy land and put up a house, through life mission and voluntary organisations, making it available to those who need rented houses.

Senior Citizens

Various programmes for art and cultural activities will also be held along with it.A special art committee and art competitions will be organized to promote film watching in theatres, artistic flavours, and art competitions. Venues for art performance- The OpenMyk system will initially be set up in 5 locations. In addition, handicrafts exhibitions and marketing fairs, elderly sports will be organized and steps will be taken to identify those who have literary tastes and nurture their writings. In collaboration with the Library Council, book reading facilities will be provided in the library and anganwadis and an opportunity will be provided to prepare and present an enjoyment note.

A souvenir exclusively for the elderly will be released. It will only include the works of older talents who are not fully known.

Community and Health Care

Kozhikode Corporation aligning all health care systems to meet the needs of older people and ensuring free access to basic and complex medical services for the elderly to create reliable and appropriate systems for providing long term care to the older adults.

Medical Camps and Free Medicines

Basic health services like blood pressure and glucose level screening, dental and eye checkup, detecting locomotor defects.Distributing assistive products such as Wheel Chairs, Walking aids, Communication and memory devices to the Senior Citizens.

Vayomithram

Vayomithram project mainly provides free medicines through mobile clinic, palliative care, help desk to the elderly. There are 65 camps are working in the Corporation limits. More than 6500 benefitting under this scheme so far.

Kozhikode Corporation under the guidance of Nutritionist providing protein and fiber rich 3 time food in a day to the Senior Citizens through ‘Pakalveedu’. The meals contain meet, vegetables, Micro greens and all other ingredients sufficient to provide the daily vital needs of older adults.

Nutritional Food

Counseling to the Senior Citizen and their family members

To understand the psycho – social and biological problems, the corporation providing free counselling to the older adults and their family members.

Mandahasam

To provide artificial dentures to senior citizens and quality treatment by setting standards and norms is successfully implementing in the corporation limit with the help of Social Justice Department.

Vayo Amrutham & Vayo Maduram

Ayurvedic treatment is being provided to the inmates of old age homes running in Kozhikode Corporation limits.Provision of Glucometer to senior citizens to monitor Blood sugar levels.

TRANSPORTATION

AGE FRIENDLY BUSES

The Municipal Corporation had requested to Government to provide low floor buses in the city which is more easy to use by older adults. The proposal is under the consideration of State Government

HOUSING

Kozhikode Corporation provides financial assistance to poor to construct durable houses since 2009 and also for repairing dilapidated houses. Some of the noteworthy shelter projects are EMS Housing Scheme, Rajiv Awas Yojana, National Slum Development Programme, Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojna (VAMBAY), Suvarna Jubilee, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) and LIFE

Social Participation

The Kozhikode Corporation hand in hand with Social Justice Department of Kerala successfully running four Day Care centers for older adults named ‘ Pakalveedu’ to provide the most required services and help on a barrier free platform to the old age people in their age of needed. In addition to this three Day Care centers are also working within the Corporation limits. These Day Care facilities offer an opportunity for the Senior Citizens to mingle with their own age group; it can also provide solace to older adults who suffer loneliness during day time. And also creating opportunity for social interaction among Senior Citizens, providing wide range of activities to keep the elderly occupied with activities designed to meet physical, emotional and social needs. The Corporation serving three times nutritional food at six days in a week to the inmates.

OUTDOOR SPACES AND BUILDING

Thanalidam

Age friendly Kozhikode Corporation created more than 75 shelters within the Corporation limit for older people which gives a sense of security and comfort that a home provides. It offers an opportunity for the Senior Citizens to mingle with their own age group.

Age Friendly Parks

The Municipal Corporation constructed several age friendly parks within the Corporation limits for recreation, walking, jogging, cultural activities such as art and community events and for simply socializing with friends.

Age Friendly Constructions

The age friendly Municipal Corporation ensures age friendly layout and design in its constructions such as Government offices, Public places, Schools, Anganwadies (Nursery), Parks, Pakalveeds, Hospitals, Footpaths etc by incorporating features that allow older people to enter and exit easily, It also ensure that non-slip floors, handrails, ramps, adequate light facility, etc are installed as appropriate.

Respect and Social inclusion

Social Security Pension ( Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension)

Kozhikode Corporation is entrusted with the task of receiving the application, processing, granting and distribution of the Pension to the eligible elders within the Corporation limit. Once approved, the Pensioner will be eligible to get the Pension from the first week of next month onwards on the basis of availability of funds.

At present Rs.1600/- is given as pension amount to the beneficiaries every month. This will help them to meet their basic needs with dignity and earn some sort of respect in the family as an earning member. More than 40,000 in the city are benefiting this scheme.

Cultural Activities

The Municipal Corporation organizes various cultural activities for Older Adults such as outdoor tours, Fashion shows, various cultural competitions, etc.

CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Skill Development Training

The Municipal Corporation gives various Skill Development Training to the older adults for making them engaged and for income generation.Active Participation of older adults in Skill Development Training.

Participation of Older Adults in Development Planning

The Kozhikode Corporation encourages Older Adults in Developmental Planning such as Ward Sabha, Working group, Vikasana Seminar etc. and incorporates their ideas and experiences in Developmental projects of Corporation..

Knowledge and Skill Bank

Kozhikode city is organizing a knowledge and Skill bank with the idea of empowering older adults to increase their participation in society and their by improving their confidence levels and training skills to people who require this. The corporation conducted a meeting with the stakeholders and created a list of resourceful persons including Teachers, Engineers, Scientists, Farmers, Workers, Doctors, etc.

COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

Free Legal Aid to Older Adult

Legal aid clinics for Senior Citizen play a crucial role in ensuring access to justice for the elderly population. The corporation is giving free legal aid to senior citizens through its clinics. These clinics provide legal assistance, guidance representation to seniors facing various legal challenges.

Equivalency Program

The scheme aims to provide basic education to non-literates in the age group o f15 years and above including Older Adults.

The scheme is mainly based on Volunteerism for teaching and learning. There are 11 Continuing Education Centers and 2 Equivalency centers are functioning under the Corporation limit.Presently the State sponsored lifelong learning program is concentrated on the Equivalency program at five levels; 4th, 7th, 10th, 11th and 12th standard equivalency