Shield Foundation

Shield Foundation was created in 2009 by Swati Ingole. A registered social worker, she decided to start the organization after she encountered high rates of neglected and abused elderly living without moral or financial support in her years of social work.

Their programmes include:

• Resource Centre for Senior Citizens: The Centre provides free services for underprivileged senior citizens in Dharavi including memory clinics, legal counselling, personal and social counselling and cataract screenings and surgery services.
• Respite Care Givers Training Course and Employment Programme: Shield Foundation conducts a 3 month training program to address the growing need for home-bound elderly care. This program trains young women to provide holistic home-based care. Doctors from a partner hospital support with hands-on training activities. As an added benefit, these women, who are often school dropouts and struggling to care for their families, gain steady incomes. They also acquire valuable transferable skills in basic health, mental health, communication, and supportive therapy.
• Networking with service providers for Senior Citizens: Shield Foundation continually enhances its offerings of services to senior citizens by networking with local healthcare and social service institutions and individuals who seek to make a contribution to the community.
• Intergenerational Sensitization: To improve the awareness of public healthcare workers and young people on the challenges faced by underprivileged senior citizens in society, Shield Foundation undertakes workshops to sensitize these groups about the needs of the elderly and the difference they can make. Workshops have taken place for Health Post Workers at public health facilities in Dharavi, for workers of the ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme), as well as at nursing colleges throughout Mumbai.