Elderly Care Home (Anbu Illam)

Amma wanted to provide a caring environment along with adequate food and shelter for the elderly and the uncared members of many families.

In the olden times, in the Indian setup, elderly parents and grandparents were higly revered and lovingly cared for by the children of the family. As the system has degenerated today with increasing materialism and decline of social values, the condition of these aged parents in some families is quiet bad. To offer relief and support to these people and others who need help, the 'Anbu Illam' for the aged and the weak, came into being.

The new twelve room facility has a combination meeting, prayer and entertainment hall, dining hall, kitchen, library room, office, store room and garden. A unique quality of this project is the opportunity for these residents to actively give of their rich and varied experience toward the betterment of the local community. This idea is particularly relevant in India where the elderly are respected and traditionally looked to for guidance. It is anticipated that this concept will be duplicated in other locations as well.

During the Amritavarsham event in 2004, two more such facilities were built for the elderly in Kerala and Bangalore, India.

As of September 2007, there are four such care homes established in southern India by the M.A.Math.

A garden and park is also under construction. Medical facilities also would be made available for both the residents and the local population. Similar homes for the aged and care homes for the invalid are envisaged in other places also.

M.A. Math is hoping to create more loving homes for the elderly like Anbu Illam -- not only in India but also in the West.