Medical facilities at Nana Nani

 Many of my friends who are contemplating moving to a senior citizen home want to know about the medical facilities available in Nana Nani. In case of a health emergency what kind of help a resident gets from the management of Nana Nani. Here is a brief report on the available facilities based on my experience and information I have gathered from other long-term residents in Phase 4 where I am staying. Before I could move into the facility as a tenant, I had to undergo a medical check-up at the Clinic on campus. The purpose was to find out if I had health issues that would need assisted living. I was cleared by the resident doctor to move into the facility as my health parameters were normal & I was capable of looking after myself.

 Once you move in, a nurse visits your apartment to record your health status in a diary, noting down information about any major health issues you had in the past and what medicines you are currently taking. She also notes the contact details of your family members who can be contacted in case of an emergency and what is your choice of hospital in Coimbatore where, if the need arose, you would like to be admitted. A team of two nurses visits you weekly to note your BP and oxygen level on the day in a diary ( kept in your room).

 Single residents are advised not to lock their doors from inside at any time. They are also called on the intercom every morning to find out if they are okay. The resident is also given the contact numbers of the resident nurses who live in the campus and can be contacted in case of an emergency any time of the day. There is also a resident junior doctor attached to the clinic who lives in the campus and another senior doctor who visits the clinic at fixed times five days a week. There are retired doctors who live in the community who also offer their services free to those who approach them for advice. There is also an ambulance permanently stationed on the campus to take patients to the hospital in case of an emergency. A pharmacy is attached to the clinic inside the campus. Orders placed in person or through WhatsApp are delivered within 24hours.

 There are special emergency switches marked red in the bedrooms and the bathrooms, which, if pressed bring the security followed by the nurses to your doorstep. Recenty, the management has introduced a special App ( Ananya App) to not only provide resident information about all the facilities but also an `Alert` button, which if pressed brings the security & nurses to your door. You are advised to download the app on your mobile and use it to access any facility on campus. The App also has a facility to make online payments to settle bills of Nana Nani.

 In the case of residents whose mobility is restricted and those who need assistance to get jobs done outside the campus or who are feeling lonely and don't have any near and dear ones in Coimbatore to help them, there is a `we care` group of volunteers. It consists of able-bodied residents, who offer their services to those who are in need. A kind of informal support system which has been operating for some time. Unfortunately, there is little awareness about this facility. I came to know about it only recently, five months after I moved into Nana Nani. Of course, if you are active in the community and become close to some residents, they could become your support system in case of an emergency, until some family member comes to take charge.

 For those who need assisted living, part time or full time , the admin can help get trained caregivers from such service providers available in Coimbatore. Residents also get such services from outside.

 While this post gives you an idea of the general medical facilities available in N & N I will deal with information about what happens in case of an emergency, with some real case studies, in the next post.