Contrary to what everyone might think, it’s not easy living abroad as a Non-Resident Indian (NRI). Migrating abroad by leaving your parents alone back home at the mercy of destiny is not an easy decision to make. This complexity of eldercare services further rises with the time zone differences, inability to communicate with your parents, when they need you and the loneliness in which your parents are living. 

Santokh Home Care brings a holistic solution to give your parents the best care they need at affordable prices and give you a peace of mind. We are dedicated to facilitating the best eldercare services your parents need while you are building a life abroad to build a secure future for your family. At Santokh Care understand that’s why we have the right solution for you. 

We Know the Challenges You Face

As an NRI child, caring for your parents back home can easily become a source of stress. The distance creates several challenges, especially at a time when your parents need your help for medical emergencies and you cannot be there for them. 

If you are someone planning to go abroad, here are the potential challenges you may face;

1. Distance and Time Zone Difference

The long-distance creates a big communication gap between you and your parents. The resultant time differences makes communicating “anytime you want” a big challenge. 

An early morning appointment in your parent’s city might clash with your workday, which means connecting over a call and consulting with the doctor is seldom possible. Moreover, scheduling appointments due to the time difference is a big hassle. 

While your parents may be more comfortable talking with you about their issues, they may not have the same comfort and be able to speak in their native tongue with the doctors. 

Last but not least, scheduling appointments with specialists in the Tricity can also pose a challenge, especially when the health care experts’s appointments get booked weeks before. 

Cultural Considerations and Challenges

As Indians, we are hardwired to respect a doctor’s authority, no matter the cost. While your parents may have this sort of trust towards the doctors, you might have concerns, but not being there at the time of the appointment complicates the entire situation. 

Not all parents are comfortable with the allopathic treatment and trust traditional ayurvedic or homoeopathic remedies more. Hence, it’s difficult to reignite their trust without your presence. 

Understanding the Indian Healthcare System

The Indian healthcare system is complex and with a lack of dedicated elderly care services, it’s even more difficult to make them understand things like insurance coverage, role specialists, power of quandary, etc. 

While the system is still better with private hospitals, the situation is even more dire with government hospitals. Making them understand everything over the phone is going to be a monumental challenge. 

These are some practical challenges NRIs face and that you may face after going abroad. However, there are solutions to solve these problems and ensure that your parents get the best old care facilities the healthcare system in India has to offer. 

Santokh Care Elderly Care Services for NRI Families

Santokh Care has a team tasked with taking care of parents of NRIs and we provide the required eldercare services in three forms;

1. Companion Care: Santokh Care companions provide personalised eldercare home services to help your elders with their day-to-day activities. They assist the following;
   1. Grooming
   2. Feeding
   3. Medication 
   4. Bathing
   5. Cooking

Other services can be added according to the elderly person’s requirements. We offer compassionate care that enhances your senior’s sense of security while maintaining their comfort level with effective home health care. 

2. Basic Medical Care: We take control of the basic medical needs your elders need and bring them to the Santokh Hospital or take hospital-like care to your parents. Under the basic medical care we provide;
   1. Health checkups
   2. Vaccinations
   3. Wound care
   4. Physiotherapy
   5. Lab tests assistance
   6. Access to good healthcare
   7. Nursing care at home
   8. An emergency care plan

In addition to these, we are ready to alleviate your concerns by being there for your parent’s healthcare needs at any time they require. 

3. Advanced Care: Our advanced care plan is a specialised service to manage chronic health conditions post-operative, and palliative care management. We can set up a critical care ICU setup at your home and facilitate the best medical care delivered through Tricity’s best doctors and specialists. 

Santokh Care nurses deliver personalised care and special medical attention to every patient’s requirements. Our mobile health checkup units regularly monitor vital signs, blood pressure, sugar levels, etc., while carefully watching the health trends. 

Our proactive eldercare approach ensures that your parents are always taken care of in your absence. Through regular monitoring, we can notice the signs and symptoms leading to a chronic disease and provide effective care on time. 

How to Have the Adequate Medical Setup at Home?

Caring for your parents, who have done all they can to send you abroad, should be your priority. While we understand your reservations about coming back home while living abroad, here are a few things to do for effective eldercare management services;

• Must-Have Medical Equipment: Invest in the essential medical equipment, including a blood pressure monitor, glucose meter, thermometer, etc.  

• Medical History File: Make sure your parents have a comprehensive file containing their medical history, including medications, diagnoses, and allergies. This will make it easier for the doctors and nurses to take an overview of your parent’s overall health. 

• Connection with Local Doctors: Establish a relationship with the local doctor, preferably nearby where your parents are living. This will help your elders get the medical assistance they need quickly. 

• Have an Open Communication Channel: Regularly have calls with your parents, preferably at the same time, to discuss their health concerns. At first notice of a problem, contact the doctors you have chosen to provide the requisite care. 

• Make them Tech-Savvy: Reaching out to your parents or taking proactive measures towards their elderly care services, you must tutor your parents to have the minimum level of technical understanding. Use medication reminders and health trackers to ensure that health services are able to reach them on time. 

• Prepare Well for Emergencies: Have an emergency plan set up, which works even when you are abroad and ensure that your parents receive the needed care quickly. This is where health trackers and technology will prove to be a worthy investment. 

Personalised Eldercare Services With Santokh Care

At Santokh Care, we have the requisite infrastructure to be there for your parents in their time of need. Serving the NRI families in the tricity region, we cater to every individual’s needs to ensure they receive the best healthcare required. 

With us, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Santokh Care team has some of the best doctors in the nurses who supervise your parent’s health and provide personalized recommendations. We create a care plan considering;

• Your parent’s individual needs, medical history, and current health status. 
• We integrate the doctor-recommended treatment plan, and the nurses get day-to-day granular instructions to ensure effective care for your parents. 
• We also set up calls with you to share updates and take your insights towards further improving and understanding the cultural concerns while curating a care plan for your parents. 

Some Common Medical Concerns Ailing your Parents and Our Approach

1. Diabetes Management: 
   1. Santokh Care nurses regularly check the blood sugar levels and administer medication with routine visits, as required. 
   2. We build a dietary support plan for your parents delivered by a nutritionist. A personalised meal plan helps manage blood sugar levels. 
   3. We instil healthy habits with careful interventions to help your parents adapt to exercises and stress management methods complemented with medical treatment. 

2. Heart Disease Management
   1. The regular monitoring of your elders heart condition and monitoring vital signs, we identify any potential issues to ensure they get timely care. 
   2. We ensure adherence to medicines to help them manage heart conditions effectively. 
   3. With our help, your parents will be able to adopt healthy habits and do regular exercise. 

3. Arthritis Management
   1. A specialist-approved pain management plan to control arthritis and physical therapy to fast-track the recovery process. 
   2. Our nurses and assistive staff can help your parents in completing their daily chores and activities. 

In addition to these most common issues, we have doctors on board to provide customised plans for other health conditions as well. Santokh Care and Santokh Hospital can also facilitate eldercare home services to provide 24/7 assistance to your parents, ensuring that someone is always there for them. 

Tips on Navigating the Indian Healthcare System

India has a complex and multi-faceted healthcare system, where both public and private facilities offer simple to highly advanced medical facilities. Some of the issues facing the healthcare system include;

• Inadequate infrastructure, especially catering to the requirements of NRI parents.
• Shortage of healthcare specialists and professionals to assist a large population size. 
• Several urban-rural disparities exist, causing a gap in elderly care services and solutions. 

Ways to Tackle the Complex Indian Healthcare System

1. Insurance Scrutiny: Get a detailed breakdown of the health insurance policy you have bought for your parents. Get clarifications on the coverage amount, what components it cover, medications, diagnostic tests, specific procedures, etc. Understand the claim process. An online process can be handled from where you are, as opposed to the offline process, which is time-consuming and confusing. 
2. Find Reputable Specialists: Begin your search by asking your family and friends for specialists in Tricity. You can also check out some credible online platforms that have authentic and user-generated reviews. Check for doctor accreditation and their professional associations before making a decision. 
3. Power of Attorney for NRIs: God forbid there may come a time when an elderly person may not be mentally fit to make their own decisions. With you staying abroad, there is a provision to give this authority to a trusted family member or friend who can make healthcare decisions for your parents on your behalf. 

To Sum it Up

According to Indian culture, taking good care of your parents is considered a divine duty. However, earning a good livelihood to provide for your family is also equally important. When earning a livelihood and the dream of building a better life take you out of the country, rest assured that Santokh Hospital and Santokh Care are here to deliver essential healthcare services, including emergency care, to your elders. 

Our prompt and personalised eldercare services are curated to bring the best healthcare possible maintaining the good health of your parents and bringing you peace of mind. Get in touch with Santokh Care today to learn more about our services and how we can make a positive impact in your elder’s lives.