Raring2go! Bedford, Sandy & Biggleswade

raring2go .co.uk 17 Raring2go! MAYA CARE The next best thing to family! Maya CARE – The next best thing to family (A charitable organization offering free visits to the elderly and powered by persons with disability) On a chilly February afternoon in 2021, 87-year- old Jennifer was bundled up in her warm jacket, poised to open the front door of her cosy home. An hour earlier, she had received a call from Sarah saying, “Jennifer, due to the pandemic regulations Maya will not be allowed to enter your home. So, when you step outside to see her, make sure you are warm.” And there they were outside her door, seven of them in masks singing “Happy birthday!” Rubbing her sanitized palms, a lady held out Jennifer’s favourite blueberry muffins and another produced a bunch of roses. Still clutching on to her Mum’s palm, a shy 7-year-old presented her a handmade birthday card. They sang, they chatted, they left, urging the beaming Jennifer to go back into the house. Overwhelmed, Jennifer waved and waved, till the last person was out of sight. She did not remember any of their names. Jennifer was not completely sure if it was her birthday. But she had mentioned it to Sarah. She had never met Sarah, but she had a lovely voice and she enjoyed their chats. Sarah is visually impaired and calls Jennifer every week. “Maya” is not called Maya but a volunteer who visits her and had handed her a mask - which had “Maya CARE printed on it”. With its tagline “Next best thing to family”, Maya CARE offers free visits to fulfil the need for the mental and physical well-being of the elderly living by themselves in their own homes/ care homes across the UK. During the visit, a volunteer could assist with paperwork, shopping, using gadgets, reading to someone with failing eyesight, accompanying them to doctor visits, sitting with them in hospital and more. Maya CARE does not take on cooking/cleaning/ gardening/trained nursing or emergency work as these are paid services from providers. However, just as a family member would, Maya CARE coordinators would arrange for these services on request and the elderly, or their families can pay the service provider directly. Maya CARE services are always free. Maya CARE volunteers who visit the elderly range from 18-year-old students to 80-year-old retired individuals who are active and eager to help. Or they could be homemakers/working professionals with the desire to offer their support when they can. Maya CARE was established by Abhay Joshi and his wife Manjiri Gokhale Joshi, both professionals based in Milton Keynes. Their vision is to offer free services to the elderly in every city of the world with a helpline in every spoken language powered by a leadership team and support staff comprising PwDs (Persons with disabilities). Over the last 12 years, Maya CARE has offered 10400 free visits to elderly, with a presence in 29 Indian cities, 4 cities in the United Kingdom and supporters’ groups across the world. To volunteer, donate, recommend an elderly we could visit/a person with disability looking for paid work, do write to service@mayacare. org or call 07768941251/07835347697 Maya CARE UK helpline 07404552689