Mangaluru: The first six-day in-person cohort of SaathiShift, a startup focused on providing personalised companionship services to senior citizens, was held recently, with a strong emphasis on learning how to care for someone else’s parent with empathy and responsibility.The Companion Training Programme, conducted in partnership with Luminara Group for mental health, brought together a diverse group of participants committed to elder care. Founder of SaathiShift, Lauren Jayapreeth, said the programme included six expert-led sessions, a field visit and participants selected through a rigorous application and interview process.Each participant was chosen based on their background, availability and genuine motivation to work with the elderly. The cohort reflected a wide range of experiences, from healthcare professionals, teachers and caregivers to students, counsellors and community workers. Despite their varied journeys, all shared a common commitment to supporting and connecting with senior citizens, particularly addressing loneliness and emotional well-being.The session opened with Dr. Lavina M Noronha, director, Ave Maria Palliative Care and representative of training partner Luminara. Dr Shyam Krishnan, physiotherapist, researcher and assistant professor at Kasturba Medical College, delivered a practical session on safe mobility and fall prevention, prompting participants to reflect on elder safety within their own homes. Kripanjali Tellis Nayak, nurse and senior living consultant, emphasised the importance of active listening in caregiving. Sudheer Pai, a Navy veteran who served in the anti-submarine warfare branch during the Kargil War, offered insights into the emotional realities of ageing ex-servicemen, highlighting the need for dignity and respect in care.Advocate Kavitha Murugesh, vice-president of the Human Rights Federation of India and assistant professor at SDM College of Business Management, along with Santhosh Peter D’Souza, advocate and disaster management trainer, provided legal and emergency response perspectives. The programme also included a field visit to Ave Maria Palliative Care in Vamanjoor, where Dr Lavina led a concluding session on dementia and practical patient care.Lauren Jayapreeth said that the initiative comes amid a growing population of senior citizens in Mangaluru, where an increasing number of seniors are living alone while families are dispersed across cities and countries, stressing the urgent need for trained and dependable companionship services.SaathiShift was founded on the belief that ageing with dignity should not be left to chance. A well-trained, thoughtfully matched companion can make a meaningful difference in a senior’s daily life, not by replacing family, but by offering a consistent, compassionate and prepared presence when family cannot always be there.
