Visits to the Yanam old age home, 2021 to 2023, in photographs

The trust’s photo records hold a folder for the old age home at Yanam. It contains 33 photographs from five different days, the first in June 2021 and the last in March 2023.

Dates in this post are the dates in the file names of the photographs on the volunteers’ phones.

What was given

In the pictures a volunteer in the HNP t-shirt hands a wrapped gift to an elderly woman in a saree. In another, volunteers give gifts to a row of elderly men seated at a long table. A plate of rice and curries shows a meal of the day. The gifts are given by hand, one resident at a time, and the volunteers stay seated beside the residents for a while.

Why a gift is handed, not left

A parcel left on a table says that someone remembered the home. A parcel handed to a person says that someone remembered that person. Old age homes have staff and meals, but few visitors. The photographs show volunteers sitting down at the same level as the residents, which is the part of a visit that cannot be bought.

What the records do not show

The folder has no list of residents, no count of gifts and no cost. The trust does not print numbers it cannot back with a list. If you have visited the home with the trust and would like your visit recorded, or if the home would like a visit, write to the trust.

If you would like to visit an elder

• Call the home first and ask the manager what is welcome.
• Bring something that can be shared among all residents.
• Plan to stay for at least an hour and spend the time talking.
• Ask before taking a photograph; do not post pictures of residents without permission.

The elders and old age homes page describes the work in more detail. The trust number is 97036 30893 (call and PhonePe).