Prevention is better than cure

Lest Porosh sounds cynical and desirous of cashing-in on the fear of others (and that too senior citizens), well then, it is a case of misplaced perception. In one of our earlier articles we had mentioned the role of organizations like us who are committed and dedicated to the well-being of elderly people in need of support has a duty to make them of aware of the happenings around so that they take preventive measures so that it is never too late.

As we are aware, the 3rd Wave has taken-off in India and who knows if it will not take the form of a tsunami soon! Hence, the need of the hour is to remain cautious and not let our guards off. While travelling on the streets of Kolkata one gets an impression that we have not learnt from our terrifying experience during the 2nd wave of Covid only a few months ago.

The basic practice of following social distancing, wearing mask and sanitizing of hands are being flouted. Such cavalier approach seems to suggest as though we have developed herd immunity against the deadly virus. Let us share an example to indicate how shallow is our understanding about the lethal virus. The other day while travelling in Metro we overheard a person observing, “Jaak duto dose vaccine neoa hoye gechhe, aar kono bhoy nei.” (Now that I have been vaccinated twice, I do not have anything to fear of.) So, what else can be a more fertile ground for the virus to spread its tentacles if not this?

Hence, we felt that we sound once again caution our readers, members and clients about the impending disaster. Although it cannot be averted yet the impact of it can be minimized by adhering to the Stand Operating Procedure (SOPs).

Benefits of tea drinking for senior citizens

As it turns out, not only is tea a delicious beverage and an excellent way to warm up on a cold winter day, there are also health benefits to drinking it. Teas are rich in antioxidants and have many other health benefits thanks to them.

Before you start brewing your next cup, keep in mind that the following health benefits are only found in real teas, including green, black, white, and oolong teas. Herbal teas are infusions of other plants, and while they may have their own benefits, that’s a topic for another time. With health benefits like these, it just might be enough to convert you from coffee!

#1 Tea Can Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack – People who drink at least two to three cups of black or green tea a day have a 70% lower risk of a heart attack than people who don’t drink any at all. Tea might also protect against degenerative cardiovascular diseases.

#2 Green Tea Can Improve Brain Function – One of the unique features of green tea is that it may actually make you smarter. The chemicals in green tea, including caffeine (a smaller amount than in coffee) and L-theanine are a potent combination for improving brain function, helping you think faster and problem solve.

#3 Tea Can Improve Your Endurance – Do you feel fatigued quickly when you’re exercising? Tea can improve your exercise endurance. The antioxidants in green tea called catechins increase your body’s ability to use up fat as fuel, giving you improved muscle endurance. That can help you keep up the pace for important muscle-strengthening exercises. Tea can play a vital role in improving your overall health.

#4 Antioxidants in Tea Might Protect Against Cancer – Current research has mixed opinions on this particular issue, but tea may have qualities that protect against lung, skin, colorectal, liver, breast, colon, and many other types of cancers.

#5 Green Tea Can Help with Diabetes – People with type 2 diabetes may find that green tea helps them process sugars, one of the key health issues associated with diabetes.

#6 Green Tea Improves Bone Density – Bone density and muscle strength can both improve thanks to drinking green tea.

We hope you have enjoyed reading this article and pass on the knowledge to your near and dear ones.

(Adapted from www.allseniorscare.com)

The journey so-far: What did we learn?

Porosh embarked on the journey of serving senior citizens of Kolkata a little more than two years ago. Since then our motto has been to bring about a difference to their lives as most of them feel vulnerable with children not being around. This realization dawned upon us after coming across several such instances first-hand.

However, the purpose of this article is to share with you our learnings in establishing and managing Porosh. This will also offer you a glimpse of Porosh’s work culture. So, here it goes:

a) Need assessment: The story of first six months was all about pure leg work. It included assessing the needs of the senior citizens and what Porosh could offer. Early on we realized that there was no point in trying to do everything. With experience we gradually increased the portfolio of services on offer.

b) Seed money: Contrary to popular perception that substantial seed money is required to start a venture is not always true. For Porosh it was certainly not so. The journey of Porosh did not call for financial assistance apart from the contributions made by the Co-Founders.

c) Ploughing back profit: From Day One the guiding principle of Porosh has been to grow the operations at own pace by ploughing back profit. In the recent past, we have been approached by a few financiers but have always declined such unsolicited help. After all, such financial assistance comes with a lot of conditions. Obviously, we do not want to lose the autonomy to take our own decisions and grow Porosh in line with the vision we have for it.

d) Under promise, over deliver: The core of Porosh’s work philosophy is centered around ‘under promise, over deliver’. When we receive calls from prospective members (or, their children) we lay thread-bare the services on offer. However, we continue innovating on ‘value added’ services. Thus, when new services are offered at no extra cost the members are pleasantly surprised.

e) Handling stressful situations: Porosh offers ‘24*7 Medical Emergency’. This is one of the key services which is instrumental in either making, or breaking the reputation of an organization like ours. The situation becomes particularly stressful when emergency situations are required to be tackled during odd hours (like 12 mid night, or 3 am) and that too during Covid times. By the grace of God we have never let our members down till date.

f) Patience: We realized quite early the virtue of patience for starting a venture. Impatience, after all, does not hasten the pace of achieving goals. The outcome in future is dependent on meticulous groundwork done in the present. Fruition of our efforts need not necessarily be in sync with the deadline we set for ourselves. There are unforeseen contingencies beyond our control. Under such circumstances instead giving-up in a huff we put concerted effort to understand what is going wrong and how can we plug-in the gap.

g) Learning from mistakes: Mistakes happen only when one works. While it is true, it is also advisable to own-up mistakes than justifying unless there are concrete evidences to the contrary. Porosh is no exception. We always discuss and try to understand the cause behind negative feedback/ review and attempt at rectifying those.

Hope you have enjoyed reading the article. We may not have shared anything unique but getting an opportunity to present our experiences with you will atleast help you develop a better understanding about Porosh and its commitment to assisting the senior citizens.