In the coronavirus crisis and the unintended changes that follow, along with other stressful life events, the elderly are more prone to injury, especially the elderly who live alone. The mental health of the elderly is no less important than their physical health. The cure in such situations is taking a new approach to life to avoid stress and minimize harm.
With the onset of the coronavirus epidemic, the fragility of the elderly’s health has been a particularly sensitive factor. This is important because the need to follow health procedures such as physical distancing and subsequent reduction in social interaction has caused this aging group to feel more isolated than in the past. In addition to physical health, this social distance also affects their mental health.
Undoubtedly, nursing homes play an important role in creating hope and increasing the vitality of the elderly. The Pouruchista Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center has been established in Yazd for nearly 15 years with the generous benevolence of Zoroastrian philanthropists. It welcomes Zoroastrian seniors under the management of Shahrokh Bastani. In the following lines, at the request of Amordad, Shahrokh Bastani, concessionaire of Pouruchista senior center, talks about the functions of this Center. Here below, you will see the daily activities of the seniors in the form of an illustrative report:
Summary of Pouruchista Nursing Home’s activities
In the repeated waves of the coronavirus, and sports, educational, medical, and entertainment activities have been offered in cyberspace with cooperation of the Center’s technical staff, in cooperation with the teaches of the Center. The center is open every day from 8 am to 1 pm, except on holidays.
- Morning exercises every day from 8:30 to 9 with sports equipment such as treadmills, stationary bikes, park equipment, etc., which are sent as videos on WhatsApp to the elderly during the covid-19 pandemic.
- Nursing care (control of blood pressure, weight, diet, diabetes) from 8:30 to 10 in the morning, if irregularities are observed, referral to the treating physician and home visit of the person who, due to coronavirus, could not be present in the center.
- Daily presence of a senior psychologist at the Center, to assess the mental conditions of the seniors at the Center and for those who cannot attend the center, counseling is done through cyberspace.
- Once a month presence of physicians specializing in orthopedics and medical physics and rehabilitation.
- Once a week presence of a general practitioner to visit the seniors and check for any disease and to control and care.
- Twice a week presence of an expert in occupational therapy and rehabilitation in the Center to prevent mobility disabilities and encourage the performance of daily tasks that have been done virtually during the coronavirus peak and the closure of the training center.
- Holding yoga classes for the elderly to raise the quality of life and strengthen the power of concentration, mind, and thinking, and peace and self-confidence.
- Performing prayer programs, every Sunday, and Avesta and Gathaha recitation by experienced instructors, together with translation and interpretation (through cyberspace during close down of the Center).
- Holding a workshop on drawing, painting, sketching, and painting on wood, stone, pottery, glass, and paper with the presence of an experienced and patient instructor on Mondays and Wednesdays every week, which is taught through cyberspace during pandemic close down.
- Every Tuesday, reading of Shahnameh in a pleasant singing tone, together with interpretation of the poems, performed by a person who has been doing this for the past several years.
- Every Thursday, designing and performing mind games and other challenging games for exercise of the brain, to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Playing videos of various ceremonies, in the Center, for refreshing memories and preventing Alzheimer’s
- Showing educational videos, by the technical staff of the Center
In conclusion, the Board of Directors and officials of Pouruchista Rehabilitation Center for the Elderly thank the General Department for Welfare of the Provincial and District Welfare Institutes for supporting this Center, its technical staff, all the other staff, the teachers and the well wishers who are cooperating in this respect, and wish them all health and success.
Photos by Sorour Dehmoubad
