Members of the Open Doors Senior Citizens Day Care Centre. (Photo Courtesy: Open Doors Senior Citizens Day Care Centre)
August 21 is World Senior Citizen’s Day
Rebecca Kits Jakhalu
Kohima | August 20
When F Mao walked into the room on his 80th birthday, he was greeted by happy, familiar faces, and a table full of peers ready to cut the cake. While evenings and weekends belong to family, weekdays bring together a group of older adults like F Mao at the Open Doors Senior Citizens Day Care Centre, where they find a sense of purpose, friendship and celebrate life’s later milestones together.
Located in Diphupar, the Open Doors Senior Citizens Day Care Centre was opened in 2017 by Sotisola Imkong (Asola), with a view to offer a supportive space for older adults, and to promote active, dignified aging.
“I always wanted to work in the healthcare sector, and to do something for the community, and Open Doors is the realization of a purpose I had carried,” Asola shared in an exclusive interview with The Morung Express.
While the vision was rooted in a longstanding desire to serve the community, the true spark came from closer to home. Following her grandfather’s stroke in 2014, Asola noticed a subtle yet profound shift. “My grandparents were social butterflies. Their house was never empty, Grandma was always cooking up a storm, and they always had people over. Either that, or they were out visiting friends and relatives,” Asola shared. “However, when I went to visit them after Grandpa’s hospitalization, I realized how much their lives had changed. Despite having every material comfort at home, they were missing the social interaction that used to fill their days,” she added.
Realising that daily social connection is just as important as physical recovery, she came up with the idea to start a club for them.
Open Doors- The journey
Naming the centre came naturally, as it mirrored her purpose and intention. ‘Open Doors’, is a literal and metaphorical assurance that its doors would always be open to elderly members in need of a safe space and community, according to Asola.
However, the journey to opening those doors came with its share of struggles. Many were skeptical, and even termed it a ‘foreign idea’. “Far from being a foreign concept, a dedicated space for our elders is a silent need that has always been there,” Asola opined.
On being asked why she chose the day care model over a traditional old age home, Asola said that it was a deliberate move. “I am aware of the misconception that putting our elders into such institutions is a form of abandonment or of failing to take care of them. In fact, this is one of the best ways to be able to cater to their age-specific needs. I knew I had to gently introduce the concept to the community,” she explained.
Terming the COVID-19 pandemic as a blessing in disguise, Asola shared that, as families stayed home, many gained a practical understanding of the daily requirements of caregiving, and the necessity of elder welfare spaces.
Asola shared that she built the centre from the ground up, backed by an unwavering support system of family, friends, and crucially, the senior members.
At present, the centre operates with five full-time staff and two volunteers, and in October this year, it will celebrate its ninth anniversary.
Life at Open Doors
A typical day at Open Doors starts with a group prayer, and throughout the day, members are engaged in exercises, games, and activities aimed at supporting cognitive stimulation, physical movement, creativity, and connection.
“One game that is an all-time favourite at the centre is carrom,” Asola shared. Noting that it brings out fierce competitive streaks in the members, “Friendships have been made and broken over a game, which has even prompted drafting of self-made rules to keep the peace,” she added on a lighter note.
These activities and games are not just for them to pass time, but to help them stay active mentally, physically, and socially, she explained.
Another special day in the members’ weekly calendar is ‘Prayer Friday’, which has been introduced to provide spiritual support to the members.
Members are also given regular grooming sessions alongside routine health monitoring like blood sugar and blood pressure checks.
Patience, empathy, and support
Running the centre for nearly nine years has given Asola a profound understanding of the needs of older adults. Noting that it is all too common for society to dismiss older adults or become easily frustrated by their “elderly quirks,” she emphasised, “We should approach senior citizens with the same boundless love and patience we would naturally offer a child.”
As World Senior Citizen’s Day is being observed globally on August 21, Open Doors and other such spaces strive to prove that aging does not have to mean simply growing old, or to stop living.
