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**Part I : Mother’s perspective**

This is a true story experience about my daughter which I would like to share. 

I served in the Army as a Short Service Commission Officer. The experience of Indian Army made me strong enough to make my own decisions without anyone’s involvement. But, still initially, I was not confident of choosing an elder care assisted living facility as a career option. In 2015, I joined Epoch Elder Care as the Facility Manager of one of the elder care homes in Gurgaon.  As part of my role, I was to reside inside the elder care assisted living facility, and I moved in there along with my daughter, who was just 2.5 or 3 years old at that time.

Since my little daughter was in her tender growing-up age, I was always concerned about her mental growth and development. I was residing inside the facility with all the elderly residents who had dementia or other mental or physical illnesses. My daughter spent most of her time with these elderly residents, since there were no kids of her age in the area. I was concerned that this ‘not normal’ environment may take away her childhood! 

What I saw was that with her childhood innocence, my daughter enjoyed going to the rooms of the elderly residents and talking to them. I used to observe, and realized that many times, it was a ‘two-way silent communication’ between my 3 year-old daughter and the 80+ year old residents. She would just go and sit in someone's room and watch a movie with them. The elderly residents would just hold her hand, or pat her and they would sit together for sometime, at times, eat together. I would ask her about what she did and she would say “Mamma I did coloring with nani or I played puzzle with uncle”

Gradually her friends were these residents who were nearly 20 times her age! This was a time when I felt that maybe, she was over-mature for her age. She refused to play with kids of her own age. During those 4 years, as a mother of this young and growing child, I was confused whether this was ok, or do I need to re-evaluate my job, the work I was doing? This was tough for me, and it was also a path that most people I knew had not taken, and hence, I could not get any relevant advice, based on anyone’s experience.

After residing in the facility for 4 years, we then moved out to our own apartment. Now, looking back, 6 years later, I feel that this life that my daughter experienced, has its own pros and cons. She knows elderlies well, she cares for them and respects them. I am so grateful and happy to see this, since this is something which is vanishing from our culture and society. She has seen me handling emergency situations with the elders, even at odd hours, and sometimes I had to leave her alone for quite a long time. On the other hand she now knows the importance and value of one’s life! We read how intergenerational interactions between children and the elders are emotionally beneficial to both the generations, but I have personally seen and experienced it- as a mother and as an elder care facility manager!

Now when she is 8 ½ years old, I have no regrets that she was brought up inside an assisted living facility. There are no issues like depression or social isolation or not interacting with children of her age. She is a happy-going child who excels in her academics, she is a vlogger, an artist and a dancer! Her future goal (as of now) is to become a doctor, a photographer and to serve at Epoch and care for the elderly. 

When we were residing in the facility, she always celebrated her birthday with the elderly residents. and now when I have moved out of the facility, she still loves to celebrate her birthdays with the residents, and she comes specially to the Epoch home to celebrate her birthday with her special 80+ year old friends of her childhood! I feel very proud when she tells her classmates that “ my mother saves the lives of the elderly and she is a dementia specialist”- which is still difficult for her to pronounce ☺!

**Part II : Daughter’s perspective**

Hello everyone I am Manya. Today I am going to share how it feels to live in a eldercare home.

I love how all people are kind to everyone. Didi and bhaiya _(team at Epoch)_ loved me and cared about me when I was alone in the room. 

I think I was two or three years old at that time. On my birthday, I shared my cake with uncle, and it was really fun. I loved to do activities with all the aunties and uncles and Didi and Bhaiya- it was really fun! Rama aunty was my best friend. I loved to draw with all of them. I enjoyed the activities specially carrom. I loved the food of Deepak bhaiya and Teju bhaiya specially the chicken curry. I have given food to Kamla dadi when she didn’t eat. The most great thing is that I loved to play Holi with all of them! I think I had the best time in Vermeer and Frida (Epoch Elder Care homes). 

When I shifted to my new home with my mom and amma, I was really really sad about it. I was bored and I felt alone, I was really missing that time when I was in the facility.

I will work in Epoch Frida when I grow up one day!

_(This blog is written by Manya herself, only a few spellings have been corrected.)_


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Growing up around elders

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There’s the music of sarod playing in the background while I write this, helps me write my memoirs!

When I was a child, I used to write diaries. What’s enticing to me at that point in time was the smell of new vintage-looking pages, and a unique feeling to ink it down. It all started then. Who knew the passion for writing would grow so strongly on me!

Hi, I’m Sneha, Business Assistant & Content Writer at Epoch. Yes, I own these words and wear them with pride. The journey to earn this was pretty savage, and I’ll like you to be a part of this! Hence, sharing a page from my memoir.

It was the dawn of the year 2020 when I promised myself to come out of the University with a Mass Communication and Journalism degree in one hand and a placement in other. Things started turning upside down when the covid wave came along and washed away all the aspirations I had of starting my career in a corporate world. Later that year, after graduating, I started freelancing.

Little did I know that the universe had something else up in its sleeves.  On 1st Feb, I started my journey at Epoch, and it’s already a year now! I’ll need pinches from myself to believe so. When I stepped out of my comfort zone, came to a new city, I met amazing people, especially women, who inspired me in the most unusual ways. It is my sheer luck and fortune that I landed in Epoch right after college. The journey of amazement and learning didn’t stop for me, I would say.

How often does it happen that a CEO of an organization holds your hand, mentors you, and walks you through your journey? Well, happened to me and to all those who started anew! Here, at Epoch, I saw myself under the guidance of domain experts. From each one of them, I learnt something, both applicable in personal and professional lives. My team pushed me one notch beyond my threshold, surprisingly that brought different colours to my work. To date, I am told to be the owner of not only my projects, but also my decisions, successes, and failures. I am learning.

Epoch has played a vast role in shaping me into Sneha 2.0. If you know me and don’t believe, let’s go out for a cup of coffee! A confident and radiant Sneha, you’ll see.

Epoch homes abode elderly those who need dementia care and assisted daily living support. When I started, I was briefed about dementia but the understanding of the daily life of a senior 75+, came to me when I was in their presence. Recently through one of the Epoch webinars, I heard a doctor/geriatrician say, and I quote, “there’s a person still behind the dementia patient”, and this made me realize how naïve are we to not notice this in our elderly loved ones!

Amidst the pandemic, there were fewer interactions with our elderly residents, regarding their own safety. But whenever I got the chance, covered in PPE kit, I would jump to know each one of them. With some I sang era old songs, with some I recited poems of Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Dinkar, Nirala, with some I learnt the concept of perspective, with some I learnt fashion, some taught me to live life with a bang, and that’s what I am doing!

Epoch in a way turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I would like to stop the roller coaster of my emotions here by simply being grateful. One day, when I close my eyes, I would love the memories with Epoch to roll in the cassette of my life. 

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To Epoch, a cassette of my life

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I want to share my unique professional journey with you. Personally, I have been someone who is always up for trying new things.

In August 2014, after completing my training as a General Duty Assistant, I got placed at Epoch Elder Care as a care attendant.  Even though I had prior care training, being a care attendant in an assisted living home was new for me and there was much to learn, especially about dementia care. At Epoch, everyone is encouraged to ask questions whenever they do not understand, your colleagues and seniors will answer them patiently and help you understand your issues. I realised how tough life can be with dementia and at Epoch I was able to increase the quality of life of elders with dementia and this was very satisfactory for me. 

Given my inclination to try new roles, back in 2018, I was chosen for the role of Admin Assistant which was a huge change for me professionally as I was moving from  care to an administrative role. With much support of senior colleagues, I was able to manage this role with confidence. Here I learnt new skills like vendor management, maintenance planning, and working with multiple departments. Being an ex-care attendant, I was able to understand the importance of this role where I had to ensure the upkeep of Epoch homes and how crucial it was for our care attendants to take care of our residents. Iss dauran maine apni life ko bahut hadd tak personally, professionally and financially grow bhi kiya hai (During this time, I was able to grow personally, professionally and financially). 

Then in January 2020, I saw an opportunity to move to a new role within Epoch as a Human Resource (HR) assistant and I confidently took the leap. Given my prior experience as a care attendant, I was quickly able to connect to prospective candidates for Care Attendant role and understand who could be a good fit at Epoch, and I learnt the aspect of people management. Ab dedication and guidance of my manager and colleagues ke sath grow kar raha hun or hope aage bhi yun hi grow karta rahunga. (With the dedication and guidance of my manager and colleagues, I am learning & growing  ,and will continue doing so!)

Thanks to Epoch, I have been able to understand this industry well and grow myself professionally in many different perspectives by gaining many new skills.

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Trying new roles and gaining new skills at Epoch

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I want to share my journey so far with Epoch Elder Care. I started my journey as a care attendant with Epoch’s Monet house at Pune location on 15th May 2016 and sab kuch naya tha mere liye (everything was new to me). It was a great year well spent at Monet house; and bohot kuch sikhne ko mila (great learnings came along). Under the guidance of our Facility Managers and Facility Nurses and other care attendants, I was properly trained to look after our residents. Epoch work culture bohot welcoming and unique tha mere liye (Epoch culture was welcoming and unique for me) - where the team was great & they treated me like a family member. Not only this, the relationship and bond I developed with residents was an amazing feeling. The concept of dementia and its management was something jo mujhe dhire dhire samajh aya. (The concept of dementia and its management was something I learned over a period of time).

After the completion of one year, the management decided to transfer me to Epoch’s other home (Vermeer House) in Gurugram. I was happy with the decision for two reasons. Firstly, my learning was about to expand and secondly, my hometown was nearby. After working as a care attendant for a year and a half at the Vermeer House, the management decided to promote me to the role of Head Care Attendant. Finally, my dedication & honesty paid off. My responsibilities increased and I had to oversee all errands related to our residents, other care team members, and the house overall, which I enjoyed throughout.

Then again on 1st May 2019, I was offered a role change based on my skills and eagerness to work. This time the management decided to offer me the role of Admin Assistant, which I accepted confidently. It was challenging at first, but with the constant guidance of the then corporate team, I managed with quite ease.

Epoch has not only helped me professionally but also personally. It is here that I met Sarita (Care Attendant at Vermeer House), married her and started another chapter of my life. She is always there to support & motivate me. 

During the outbreak of COVID-19, around Feb 2020, I was handed over the role & responsibilities of an Office Assistant in the new Vermeer house at Gurgaon. Covid ke first wave me hume bohot kuch naya experience karne ko and samajhne ko mila. Ye time humare liye bohot difficult tha but hum sabne milkar Epoch and ek doosre ko sambhala. (New learnings came along whilst managing and experiencing the first wave of coronavirus. It was a difficult time, but we managed to pull through). I was presented with the COVID warrior award. Epoch ke saath ab itne memories jud gaye hain ki yahan har koi apna sa lagta hai. 

Epoch me hamesha kuch na kuch naya sikhne ko and samajhne ko milta hi hai and mere liye bohot unique experience banta raha hai.

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My journey of multiple roles at Epoch

This is a true story experience about my daughter which I would like to share.
I served in the Army as a Short Service Commission Officer. The experience of Indian Army made me strong enough to make my own decisions without anyone’s involvement. But, still...

Growing up around elders

Prasita Nair & Manya , Head of Clinical Operations

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