We founded Arama because we felt seniors deserve to have a wide variety of options for their entertainment and recreation and also a place to feel free, comfortable, safe, content and happy – where the challenges of day-to-day life are taken care of!
Nairobi is abuzz with new restaurants, events and things to do, and ever growing creative ways to entertain almost everyone. However we see a wide gap in the offerings of services and entertainment for seniors. They are scarce. Most of the older members of our society depend on their families and community centres for support and entertainment. With the Covid-19 pandemic, these already limited options have become even more restricted and often unavailable. This means for many ageing is a hapless, lonely journey. We, at Arama, are here to change that.
We understand the challenges of ageing – not only for the ageing members of our community, but also for their families.. On meeting a number of seniors whose families weren’t in a position to spend sufficient time with them because of their busy work schedules and commitments, we recognised that they are battling the hassles of living in Kenya – power and electricity shortages, managing staff, navigating through traffic to go shopping, insecurity and completing daily chores. Loneliness is widespread. Delving deeper, we realise that loneliness and boredom has serious effects – including depression, dementia and fluctuations in blood pressure. We are passionate about alleviating these effects (and their causes) and believe it is possible to improve the status quo for our senior citizens.
It has become clear to us that ageing in Kenya has mainly been associated with medical issues pertaining to the body. And whilst many seniors have access to the best medical services, they’ve been facing a lack in social interactions, physical and mental engagement and a sense of purpose.
We are working towards changing this. Having spent time in the UK, Australia and India, we KNOW there is more to senior care than just medical care. For instance in the UK and Australia there is an emphasis on independence for seniors and enabling them to spend time on personal development and social engagement. In India, retirees are revered and looked to for guidance.
At Arama, we have taken a step towards bringing and normalising these options and attitudes to seniors in Kenya. It is time to acknowledge that we’re living much longer and that demographics and social norms are changing. There’s nothing wrong with that. Managing these changes to facilitate ageing gracefully is where we come in. We’re providing a beautiful, home atmosphere which is not only convenient, but serene and cosy. To top it off, we provide flexible services catered completely to each individual.
The pandemic has also meant that travel across the globe is not as easy as it once was. A number of older adults who were used to visiting family abroad (or whose family abroad would visit them frequently) have been unable to do so. It has been stressful and worrisome for their family to manage care from a distance. We can help you take away that stress as we offer an environment where meals and hospitality are catered for, 24-hour care is on-hand (at the level needed) and action taken in the event of an emergency. In the past we have provided short-term post-operative respite care, end-of-life and palliative care, post-stroke rehabilitation care and care for different forms of dementia (including Alzheimer’s).
We communicate regularly with family keeping them up-to-date on how their loved ones are doing and alerting them in case of any concerns. We send photos and videos regularly and arrange calls with loved ones to stay in touch.
Our day activities are catered to an individual’s preferences and abilities and give older adults a chance to be in a refreshing environment.