Shravan Line: Helpline that listens to elderly people with compassion

The power to be heard with compassion is a way to enrich lives of the elderly, said Professor Alok Kumar Chakrawal on the sideline of a conference here on Tuesday.

“Moving beyond medical care for elderly, a volunteer-based approach has been introduced in a project dubbed ‘Shravan Line’. The aim is to empower elderly to take charge and improve the quality of their lives,” said Chakrawal, who is the vice-chancellor of Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya (GGU), a central university. The elderly helpline is overseen by the university’s department of social work and in association with other NGOs and agencies.

The 650-acre campus for now, services calls from those living within 5-km of the Bilaspur campus. Three days after the project’s launch, 60-elderly were on the registry. There is incentive for the social work students too. Included in the curriculum, getting trained to provide an ear to elderly, gains two credits for the student. Another avenue of human resources are volunteers.

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