Amrita Kripa Sagar – a Palliative Care Home

Community Care Centre for PLHAs Managed by Mata Amritanandamayi Math, under the aegis of NACO/KSACS. Written by BR.AMARNATH Amrita Kripa Sagar is yet another expression of Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi’s Infinite Compassion to extend help to the distressed and in this case for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs). Amrita Kripa Sagar was inaugurated in September, 2003, by Shri Murali Manohar Joshi, the then Honourable Minister for Human Resources. in the divine presence Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi also endearingly addressed as Amma. The Hospice has been functional since July 2004, and became fully operational in April 2006. The aim of the project is to provide free, quality and wholesome palliative care to the PLHAs in a patient-friendly environment irrespective of caste, creed, religion or economic background. This includes medical, psycho-social and spiritual support to both the patients and their family members providing them with the strength to cope with the reality and enormity of the pandemic. Placed in a pristine and serene rural setting at Vinobha, Nedumangad about 40 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, the Care Home which is managed by Mata Amritanandamayi Math, offers solace and succour to AIDS patients in a holistic ambience. Set on a 2.75 acre plot, the Centre has 9000 sq ft of built-up area and is equipped with modern facilities that include a Sterilization Unit, a heavy duty Laundry set-up, Mortuary, well furnished separate male, female and paediatric wards. A hygienic and safe waste disposal set-up is also in place to ensure that the surroundings are hazard and contamination-free. The Centre also runs a General OP Clinic for the locals where free medicines are dispensed to the poor. A team of dedicated staff that include a panel of experienced doctors covering all the important specialities, well trained nurses, qualified and expert counsellors, dietician, positive speakers, out-reach health workers, and self-less & compassionate managers make Amrita Kripa Sagar an oasis for the hopeless, weary and despondent PLHAs. Here the patients are provided care & support on three levels namely Physical, Mental and Spiritual. On the physical plane the hospice offers quality medical care, personalized nursing care, nutritious and hygienic food, and a clean and conducive environment for effective recuperation. On the mental level – they are provided with adequate educational, social and psychiatric counselling and on the spiritual front they not only participate in regular meditation, prayer and scriptural reading sessions, but are also provided with the much required spiritual knowledge that helps them find strength and peace even in the midst of extreme adversity and pain. These together provide them with the required fortitude, solace and contentment which they are badly in need of. Occupational therapy which aims at keeping the spirits of the PLHAs high is practiced as a routine. This includes group discussions, dramatics, environment protection, gardening etc. The PLHAs also abundantly partake in recreation activities which include daily exercise, playing in-door and out-door games, singing, reading, watching TV / movies and so forth. Vocational training is also on the anvil and part of the necessary infrastructure is in place. This includes computer education, tailoring, coir manufacture, handicraft training etc. The purpose of imparting vocational training is not only to develop in them economical self-reliance, which of course is of prime importance, but also aims at building-up the feeling of being useful to society which most of them lack due to the stigma and discrimination attached to the disease. Future objectives include home based care, rehabilitation and special programmes for children and women amongst the PLHAs. With the grace, inspiration and guidance of our most beloved Amma, Amrita Kripa Sagar is not only providing the PLHAs quality medical care and psychosocial support but also a new hope, peace and confidence that is helping them light-up their dreary lives with Love and Faith.