Chandrakanta and Ramesh Sahni live alone in a flat in Gurugram,
a satellite city of Delhi.
Both their sons live abroad with their families.
We do feel lonely.
Our children want us to move abroad and live with them, but it's
difficult getting visas.
And honestly, we belong to a generation that loves
our own Indian culture.
No matter how many facilities are available in other countries, it
cannot replace the comfort we feel here.
Their children recommended the app-based service Emoha.
The app helps the elderly access medical services, home healthcare,
home maintenance services and even a community to engage with
over entertainment sessions.
A caregiver called ‘Emoha Daughter’ looks after the couple’s needs and
gives them company.
For the Sahnis, their caregiver is 25 year-old Mahima Sharma.
The Emoha "daughter" spends time with her assigned senior citizens
and helps them sort out their medical documents by using
the app.
It lets you add a person’s medical history, their doctors
and insurance details.
I look after a lot of people who are quite old and live alone as
their children live in a different country.
So I take care of a lot of things- their medication,
booking medical appointments.
And every day, we call them at a particular time to check on them,
to see if they need anything.
Currently I take care of 35 people.
Mahima treats us like a family member.
She asks about our daily routine too and immediately notices if I am
sounding low and asks if everything is okay.
But services like Emoha
come at a cost: The membership plans range from 50 cents to 170
Euros per month.
Emoha states that medical records and other information are
safe from misuse.
However, great care should be executed when handing over
information to a company.
They are a good option for those people who can afford it but
the bulk of them in old age find it unaffordable.
The Sahnis have found an affordable partner in Emoha that provides them
with necessary services, and it has also given them a dependable
companion like Mahima.