Driving home help and health

CHENNAI : The pandemic was a not-so-gentle reminder to appreciate the work of those in the medical field. While many were quick to thank doctors, there are several others whose contributions to the healthcare system must not be undermined. Nurses and caretakers are among these. Whether it is everyday needs like food and bathing, or specialised needs for post-surgery treatment, one can rely on their expertise. On the patients’ end, professional aid allows them to live without dependence on their family and friends and access expert advice whenever needed. A win-win indeed. Here are six home care nursing services in Chennai that offer an array of specialisations at your doorstep for your varied needs.

SDS Nursing Care
When it comes to homecare services, it is not only the health needs of the patients that SDS Nursing Care takes care of, but also their financial restraints. The centre champions public service above all else. “I do as much as I can to ensure that I can provide service at a low budget for those in need. In the pandemic, we worked hard without putting the company’s revenue above the patient’s care,” informs Sekar, the founder. SDS’s trained nurses provide nursing services to bedridden patients, elderly people, and those who have just had surgery. Furthermore, they connect the patient to a nurse suited to their financial capability, without compromising on their earnings. They also have a rich repository of contacts for patients who require additional equipment.

Price
From D800

Service Scope: All over Chennai
Contact: 89399-71234; sdsnursing care.com

Ayusya Home Health  Care Pvt Ltd
Ayusya Home Health Care began its services in Madurai in 2015, and soon found a second home here in Chennai. From discharged patients and elderly people to post-surgery and baby care, the facility provides nursing to a gamut of patients in the city. Quality service at the required time is their motto, shares client support manager Kavitha Thilagaraj. 

“We recruit at nursing institutes and train the nurses further at the office. While most patients require general nursing, we train our nurses for special needs and for babycare,” she explains. After receiving a call, they visit a patient’s home for assessment of height, weight, medical condition, and family history to provide the right staff member for them. Apart from holistic services, they also provide equipment such as nebulisers and suction apparatus on rent and products like diapers and gloves on sale. 

Price
From D600

Service: All over Chennai
Contact: 9943161027  ayusya homecare@gmail.com 

Geri Care
Two Chennai-based doctors with experience in geriatric care — Dr Lakshmipathy Ramesh and Dr Srinivas — noticed that after over 15 years of service, many of their patients were too old to visit their clinics. Addressing this gap, they joined forces to create Geri Care in 2018, a homecare service for the elderly. The facility provides a holistic package for senior citizens from doctor visits (geriatricians and general physicians) to nurses and attendants. They also provide equipment such as cots, BiPap machines, oxygen, and airbeds. “Our specialty is transitional care. We take care of the patients from hospital to home. Older patients need time to recuperate and rehabilitate in their homes and that’s where we help,” says Dr K Vasanth, consultant geriatrician and medical director. Geri Care has also set up an assisted living facility and a hospital and thus can deal with emergency cases if needed. 

Nursing Price
From D800

Service: Nursing - all over the city.
Contact: 40614061 
(24x7 hotline)

SeniorKare
A pandemic-induced venture, SeniorKare was set up in August 2020 to offer a structured platform to help senior citizens — whose children are away — be more comfortable in their own homes, as retirement homes may not offer the warmth of the nest they have built over the years. 
“The purpose is to assist senior citizens whose children are living abroad or outside Chennai, and make it as personalised as possible. So, we stay in touch with the children and the clients who need our services. They sign up with us for one of our three subscription plans in the range of `1,000 (one service), `3,500 (two services) and `4,500 (10 services). One service can be availed (in 30 days including the date of subscription) several times plus actuals incurred in providing the services, which include home doctor visits by a geriatric GP, organising a caretaker or a nurse, and ambulance services and meal delivery,” shares Anasuya Murali, founder of SeniorKare. Besides, non-medical support like plumbing, carpentry and electrical repairs are also available.
Service: All over Chennai
For details, contact: www.seniorkare.org

Price
D1K, 3.5K & 4.5K3

Sakhi4Life
Started in 2019, Sakhi4Life works towards offering end to end services for senior citizens, whose children live away, in their homes. From grocery and vegetable shopping to putting medicines into boxes and replenishing the medicines weekly, taking them for their doctor’s visit or bringing doctors to their home, arranging for home lab tests, organising X-rays and other such requirements at home are few of the many services provided by founders Gayathri Suresh and Suchint Murali, and their team. 
“Senior citizens are quite dependent on other relatives or neighbours, so that’s where we step in. We directly liaise with children who are living abroad, especially in the last two years when the children could not come down. We had a crucial role to play in terms of admitting them into the hospital, taking care of their discharge formalities, and facilitating the service of electricians, plumbers, nurses, and attendants. All the workers are empanelled and reliables,” shares Gayathri.
Service: Across Chennai
Contact: Gayathri Suresh at 9841025567, Suchint Murali at 9841021958

Price
Depends on the service requested