Tanvi Mallya's ElderCare Services

The Hindu recently interviewed our Founder Tanvi Mallya about the gendered gap in informal caregiving, and how mental health of women caregivers of older adults can be better supported.

Addressing the complex intersection of mental health, gender dynamics, and caregiving in India is crucial, particularly in the context of eldercare. At TMECS, we've witnessed firsthand the profound impact caregiving has on mental well-being, especially for women who often shoulder the responsibility disproportionately.

Promoting caregiver mental health in India, especially for women, is essential as they often bear the brunt of eldercare responsibilities. Recognizing their contributions and providing tailored mental health support can alleviate stress and enhance the quality of care for the elderly, particularly those with conditions like dementia. By integrating psychological assessments, collecting caregiving data, and offering comprehensive support services, we can create more inclusive and sustainable care systems for caregivers. Prioritizing caregiver well-being to foster resilience and improve eldercare outcomes is the need of the hour!

Read the entire article here:

The caregiving relationship | Women Uninterrupted podcast - Season 5, Episode 5 Relationships between informal caregivers who are women and the elderly

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It has always been our endeavour to go beyond the barriers of social media and language when it comes to disseminating information, and creating awareness. Therefore, when Mona Sheth from Chitralekha magazine reached out to Tanvi, we absolutely had to do our bit.

An article about dementia, the emotional and intellectual needs of older adults, and how this entire enterprise came into being.

Thank you, Mona, for thinking of us , and for choosing to do an article on this under-discussed but very important topic.

The pandemic has been a challenging time for seniors and their loved ones who chose to step in as caregivers/who have been caregivers. We're running 2 for individuals who are for their beloved .

Whether you've been a caregiver for a loved one for 5 months or 5 years, the groups will be a safe space for you to share , meet other people at different points in their caregiving journey and draw from their experiences. We're hoping to make Caregiving a less lonely experience and to help you navigate through the overwhelming emotions it can bring about and the unique challenges it can pose.

Registration Links:
Families of Seniors: https://forms.gle/QZYgN6JoMQEBTvMVA

Carers: https://forms.gle/uQx3SuHEZdpA4RJF7

Help us spread the word. You never know who in your circles may benefit from it🌼.

Join us at 5.45pm tomorrow as we discuss how the pandemic has impacted those over the age of 60 and strategies to ensure their emotional and cognitive health.

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The pandemic has been a challenging time across age groups, however not much gets spoken about how the elderly have experienced these unprecedented times. In this episode of Aikyam : an emotional Wellbeing series.

We speak to Tanvi Mallya, founder of "Tanvi Mallya's ElderCare Services " to find out how the pandemic has impacted the well-being of age group and how things evolved at her facility.

Join us this Thursday, 4th March, at 5.45 p.m. in conversation with Tanvi Mallya at “Aikyam: An Emotional Well-being Series” as we explore the impact of the global pandemic on the elderly.

Aikyam is an initiative by Project Mumbai and Fitket

Register now: https://lnkd.in/egtwS3f

Know any seniors in the pandemic whose routines and social lives have been severely impacted? Or any that simply would love to meet other like-minded seniors online and engage routinely in curated and moderated conversations and activities?

We bring you Chai Club - a safe space that is much more than a support group!

Registration: https://forms.gle/ZLPMRtaxWXLKCjiA6

TMECS is offering a 6-day online course that aims to raise awareness about key issues, challenges(neuro-psycho-socio), common disorders impacting the mental health of older people and, in so doing, sensitize the participants to their needs. Issues such as the impact of physical and cognitive functioning on mental health; ageism, therapeutic bias, stigma, and other barriers practice with this population; and practices to promote healthy ageing will be studied.

The course is designed for students and professionals (MHPs + from all fields). Families/Caregivers of older adults will also be considered.

Six sessions will be conducted from 17th November to 23rd November (1:30pm - 4pm).

Scholarship opportunities will be available for students from marginalised communities. Group discounts available.

Link to Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc-2d9TGFdY3h0E5r0gxjek84gbrfEU1LSFWlrDtGZczUFRXQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Further details about the course modules, and course brochure will be emailed to selected applicants .

Tanvi Mallya will be speaking at United Way Mumbai 's webinar in association with ZEE5 and Mind & Me

Join us for a webinar session specially curated to help understand daily practices and lifestyle choices important for robust mental health and well-being amongst our seniors. This series of the webinar on is an initiative of Pavitra Rishta Fund, supported by ZEE5 and being facilitated by our knowledge partner Mind & Me. The session will be conducted by Neuropsychologist Tanvi Mallya and she will briefly touch upon these - early identification, interventions, and prevention. The talk will also draw upon life changes that add to these disorders and conclude with daily practices and lifestyle choices important for robust mental health and well-being amongst our seniors.

Date & Time: 29th October 2020 5 PM - 6 PM

Link to join us on the session: https://www.youtube.com/c/uwmumbai

(Tip: Subscribe to the channel by pressing the bell icon and select all to get notified when the webinar starts)

The pandemic has posed a unique set of challenges for families and caregivers of people with Alzheimer's and/or other forms of Dementia. We spoke to Silvertalkies to list out some of these challenges and put together some strategies to navigate them.

How The Pandemic Has Affected Caregivers Of A Loved One With Alzheimer’s - Silver Talkies Know how the pandemic has impacted the lives of Alzheimer's caregivers.

On the occasion of World Alzheimer's Day, we spoke to Silvertalkies to put together a handy guide for caregivers. Here are some excerpts from the article and a link to it.

Tanvi Mallya, a Neuropsychologist, and the founder of Tanvi Mallya’s ElderCare Services, Mumbai seconds with Bose and says: “The suddenness of becoming a caregiver is hard enough, add to it being plunged into a confusing world of poorly coordinated care, confusing systems, and an expectation that the caregiver could take on full-time responsibilities.”

“Caregiving is a lonely experience, one which can be taxing on even the ablest and energetic person. Caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s need to be extremely empathetic, consistent, patient, and creative – all these requirements become difficult in face of the challenges listed above. Thus, it is essential for caregivers to reach out for help and not take up everything on their own,” says Mallya.

Traditionally, most people only reach for paid caregiving help when Alzheimer’s reaches more advanced stages, or when the elderly need physical support. However, quality of life (for both the patient and the caregiver) can be better if paid caregiving help can be sought at the very beginning, says Mallya. Doing this helps prepare the patient for the idea of being supported by an ‘outsider’. This can help ease them gradually to be more comfortable when they eventually also need help with bathing and other activities of daily living – which can otherwise be situations where they feel robbed of their dignity.

“Paid caregiving also helps set forth a consistent schedule, which is extremely important for someone with Alzheimer’s. Moreover, it takes a load off the primary caregivers’ plate, allowing them more bandwidth for tasks that cannot (yet) be outsourced and to strike a balance between leading their own individual lives and caregiving,” says Mallya.

“Visiting nurses and therapists, house managers, outsourced help, support groups go a long way in helping manage caregiver burnout. It is important for the caregiver to regularly take time out for themselves, for ensuring they get regular exercise, and indulge in activities they love (maybe gardening, reading a book or simply talking to a friend!),” adds Mallya.

https://silvertalkies.com/things-you-must-be-prepared-for-before-becoming-an-alzheimers-caregiver/

Things You Must Be Prepared For Before Becoming An Alzheimer’s Caregiver - Silver Talkies Caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer's is not easy. Here are certain things that one must be mindful of before becoming a caregiver.

The Hindu put together an article featuring a few mental health professionals who are helping individuals and communities navigate through challenging aspects of the lockdown , and the pandemic. We were featured!

'The lockdown is hard not only on young adults but also on the senior citizens. Tanvi Mallya, neuropsychologist and founder of Tanvi Mallya’s ElderCare Services in Mumbai, has been spending days trying to work out a strategy to help them. “Most of them have a fixed routine, with morning walks or a stroll with their friends in the park that they look forward to. Keeping them at home becomes difficult for the family. Most of the family is also anxious, as elderly people are a risk group when it comes to COVID-19,” she says. So her team regularly hosts question-and-answer sessions, or goes live about the ways in which elderly people can be taken care of.'

You can read the full article below:

COVID19 and its mind games with the young and old Instagram live, sessions over video calls and awareness posts: here’s how mental health experts are helping people deal with the psychological effects of the lockdown

If you have/live with a grandparent/parent over the age of 60, you may find this useful.

We spoke to White Swan Foundation for Mental Health and answered a few Frequently Asked Questions on how you can best help care for your loved one in light of

Elderly mental health and COVID-19 | White Swan Foundation While the coronavirus pandemic has been widespread, older people, and those with underlying medical conditions like high blood pressure, asthma, heart problems or diabetes, are more vulnerable to becoming severely ill. The fact that the virus poses a heightened risk in the case of elderly persons ca...

Our founder, Tanvi Mallya spoke to Forbes India about the why conversations about Elderly Mental Health need to become more frequent, especially in light of the current pandemic.

“A lot of mental health disorders among the elderly are undiagnosed, and often masked under loneliness. And if an elderly person suffers from cognitive decline, something as simple as a disruption
mental health5
of their daily routine can trigger various symptoms,” says neuropsychologist Tanvi Mallya, who runs a venture that provides at-home mental health services to the elderly.

As she transitions her therapy sessions online, Mallya says families and caregivers must maintain normal routines for elders. “Many senior citizens derive their sense of time based on the activities they do throughout the day. Their orientation in terms of place comes from where they live,” she explains. “If their schedule is disrupted or if they are moved out of their homes to other places during the lockdown, their orientation might go for a toss. This might have mental implications that are difficult to recover from.” Mallya adds that families must also be careful to not be alarmist when they communicate with elders about the virus and safety precautions.

Juhi Dhawan’s 72-year-old mother lives by herself in South Mumbai and does not like stepping out of the house. Her memory has been deteriorating over the last 3-4 years. Dhawan (name changed) had populated her mother’s daily routine with visits from therapists, acupuncture specialists and domestic staff who would keep her engaged. “She is not comfortable staying with me and it makes me anxious that she is alone now,” says Dhawan. “I keep calling her at regular intervals, talking to her casually about hygiene and sanitation. We’re trying to shift her therapy sessions online so that there is no major change in her schedule. During therapy, she is also encouraged to call friends and family, so that she feels connected.”

Coronavirus Shows Why India Needs To Invest More In Mental Health Care | Forbes India Isolation and anxiety from Covid-19 is underscoring the fact that India is under-equipped to handle psychological care to the scale that it needs, pandemic or otherwise

This is a particularly difficult time for the elderly, and their mental health - which is easier to forget about.

We can help!

Please share!
You never know who in your circles might benefit ❤️

We spoke to TheNewsMinute about the Corona Virus ( ) and the toll it takes on elderly mental health. We also offered a few possible strategies.

Read. Share.

The more we know, the better we can handle this, together.❤️

Anxious due to coronavirus pandemic? Here’s how you can manage your mental health When Sumith* recently came to Dr U Vivek, a consulting psychiatrist at Renai Medicity in Kochi, he had an odd request. He wanted Dr Vivek to write him a prescription for hand sanitisers. “Sanitisers are in high demand due to coronavirus, and the pharmacist was only willing to sell him sanitisers i...

Older adults with anxiety disorders often go untreated for a number of reasons. Older adults often do not recognize or acknowledge their symptoms. When they do, they may be reluctant to discuss their feelings with their family or Doctors. Some older adults may not seek treatment because they have suffered symptoms of anxiety for most of their lives and believe the feelings are normal. Both patients and physicians may miss a diagnosis of anxiety because of other medical conditions and prescription drug use, or particular situations that the patient is coping with.

Untreated anxiety can lead to cognitive impairment, disability, poor physical health, and a poor quality of life. Fortunately, anxiety is treatable with prescription drugs and therapy.

We worked with on this article with White Swan Foundation India to put together some information on Anxiety amongst the Elderly.

Geriatric anxiety: symptoms, causes and treatment | White Swan Foundation Well researched information on mental health issues. Find information on psychiatric disorders, their symptoms, causes and treatment. Also read personal stories of persons with depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and addiction issues.

We are hiring in Mumbai! If you are a postgraduate in Neuro/Clinical/Counselling Psychology with a keen interest in Neurodegeneration and have a passion for working with the elderly, you'd fit in perfectly!

We currently have 1 position open. We are looking for someone who is willing to travel/stays along:

South Mumbai: 1 position

Kindly indicate in your email the choice of position.

Fluency in English and Hindi is a key requirement. Knowledge and fluency in other Indian languages is preferred.

Kindly Email us your resumes and queries on [email protected] at the earliest. Please do not call, our team will reach out to you after we have gone through applications.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do -www.tanvimallyaseldercare.in

Tanvi Mallya's ElderCare Services - Our ElderCare Professionals/CSTherapists visit the elderly on a regular basis trying to engage the elderly and provide cognitive stimulation. The sessions, in addition to medication, aim to stabilise the neurological decline.

It's World Alzheimer's Day!
. and we want to highlight something not so great. Many healthcare practitioners , including but not limited to doctors/psychologists/physiotherapists, will tell you things like 'alzheimers (or dementia) is the brain getting old'. It is really not! It's a neurodegenerative disorder, the age of onset for which is getting rapidly younger.

While it is great that more people are talking about these disorders than ever before, this also leads to a lot of information floating out there, not all of which may be reliable. It is important that we do not contribute to the myths. It is important that you learn to tell the myths from the facts. It is important because that is how you will choose the best medical practitioners for your afflicted family member!

Stay aware, Choose wisely!

September is World Alzheimer's Month, and what better way to celebrate it than to create awareness about why early detection and interventions are important!

We did an article for siliconindia 's latest special issue for ElderCare. Tell us your thoughts!

Here's how our team member, Prachi Mehta, ushered in Ganesh Chaturthi with an elderly client living with a form of dementia.

Using clay to sculpt these idols is fun way of maintaining orientation.

For older people and those living with dementia, clay therapy provides creative stimulation, social interaction and develops fine motor skills with a variety of positive outcomes, including increased confidence, concentration and motivation.
Clay therapy can replace the verbal language that has been lost in some individuals.
Arts and crafts can create a bridge between elderly and their loved ones and offers pathways into communication and reminiscence.

The possibility of transforming a lump of clay into a form provides self-control and builds up confidence. Clay as a material has many qualities. Its softness and smoothness has a calming effect on people with dementia, and the process of using clay to make a sculpture offers individuals a wide variety of sensory experience.

We are hiring in Mumbai! If you are a postgraduate in Neuro/Clinical/Counselling Psychology with a keen interest in Neurodegeneration and have a passion for working with the elderly, you'd fit in perfectly!

We currently have 1 position open. We are looking for someone who is willing to travel/stays along:

Western Line: 1 position

Kindly indicate in your email the choice of position.

Fluency in English, Marathi, and Hindi is a key requirement. Knowledge and fluency in other Indian languages is preferred.

Kindly Email us your resumes and queries on [email protected] at the earliest. Please do not call, our team will reach out to you after we have gone through applications.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do -www.tanvimallyaseldercare.in

Tanvi Mallya's ElderCare Services - Our ElderCare Professionals/CSTherapists visit the elderly on a regular basis trying to engage the elderly and provide cognitive stimulation. The sessions, in addition to medication, aim to stabilise the neurological decline.

So humbled to have been mentioned in this article by MumbaiMirror.com !

'Mallya and her team of clinical and counselling psychologists run an at-home mental health care service for the elderly who’d like to pursue hobbies, engage in deep meaningful conversations, and learn about technology in the comfort of their home. Mallya explains that such visits are “aimed at boosting cognitive stimulation, keeping them mentally healthy and active, reinforcing a sense of purpose, and helping them boost confidence. Our programmes are customised and aimed at slowing cognitive decline, and helping elders deal with emotional symptoms.”

Given the demand for such services, elder care providers such as Care24, Nightingales and Portea that offer nursing and medical services have sprung up in recent years. But Mallya’s team caters specifically to the intellectual and emotional needs of the elderly. “Given a choice between moving an elderly to a care home versus keeping them at home, most families prefer the latter, as long as they have the resources to cater to all their needs. While families would like to intellectually engage with their elderly relatives themselves, they are often hard pressed for time. This is the gap we identified and started our subscription-based service,” says Mallya, whose firm charges services priced at least Rs 1,300 per session'

https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/health-lifestyle/help-is-on-the-way/articleshow/70195972.cms

Help is on the way Intellectual companionship, assisted day cares and WhatsApp support groups are aiding Mumbai’s elders maintain their physical and mental wellness

We were recently quoted in an article!

If you look after an elderly parent/s or family member, make sure to give this article a read! Caregiving is a tight-rope walk, and we finally have an article that beautifully highlights the challenges of being a primary caregiver. One of the most well-researched , well-rounded articles on the issue we've ever found, and had the pleasure of being associated with.

The burden of caregiving: Indian caregivers on the battles they fight every day “I can’t tell you how many times I have wished my mother was no more,” says Garima*. “Don’t get me wrong – I do enjoy her company too. But all these years have taken a toll…”