KFINS Home for the Elders

Caring for the needy for 175 years

By Ganga Ratnayake

A few kilometres from the heart of Kandy town rests a special home boasting a long history. It is a home for the elders who have become homeless or lost bonds of family due to unfortunate circumstances. It is a home where they find love and care and support in every way to spend the rest of their lives. It is the Home for the Elders of Kandy Friend in Need Society –a home where the elders in need begin life anew.

The tale of the society dates back to colonial times, when the Governor of Kandy used to offer a dole to the low waged Indian labourers and beggars every month. To continue this practice he initiated a society called Kandy Friend in Need Society (KFINS) in 1837. The society was registered as an approved charity in 1973 and today it has become one of the leading societies in Central Province devotedly caring for the elders in need.

In 1926, a planter called W.H Pate donated his Randell Hill Tea Factory at Mulgampola to the founder of Home for the Elders and the President of KFINS Dr. Prem Weerakoon. Thereafter the rundown place was transformed into a fine single storey residence, which became a shelter for the destitute elders. The shelter was later refurbished and reconstructed into three floors. Surrounded by a lush lawn and a charming garden, the KFINS Home for the Elders rests overlooking the bustling Peradeniya Road, not too far from the heart of Kandy town.

Apart from the elders’ home which caters to homeless elders with no support, KFINS also built a shelter for the pensioners called Visrama Niwasa (Home for the Retired). With more and more elders seeking support, the institute also built a Day Care Centre and Home for the Elders at Ampitiya which caters to male pensioners and homeless elders. The premises at Ampitiya presently houses two twin-cottages (two-floored) where pensioners can enjoy cooking their own meals. Moreover, construction work of the third twin-cottage is under way in order to meet the growing demands.

Facilities

Presently KFINS cares for around 120 inmates at Mulgampola as well as Ampitiya. To fulfil their needs the society has assigned a devoted and well trained staff comprising matrons, assistant matrons, attendants, cooks and gardeners diligently handling their respective roles. Functions of these facilities are implemented by 16 committees assigned under KFINS while the overall management is carried out by the 13 committee members of the Home Management and Welfare committee. Over the years the society has grown with over 300 members whose generosity and kind hearts have kindled the spirit of charity for 175 years.

At the institute, giving a touch of homely ambiance is just as imperative as providing their basic needs and comforts. Thus the institute offers an array of indoor games apart from facilitating television and radio to keep up with their favourite programs. Religious activities are given a top priority as the elders get to partake in daily Buddha puja (offerings to the Buddha) three times a day, at the elegant shrine room. Dhamma sermons are held on Poya days and on days when donors offer alms-giving to invoke blessings for the deceased relatives. The inmates also observe Ata Sil (eight precepts) on Poya days and engage in Dhamma discussions, meditation and other religious programmes.

On special occasions with their request the elders also get to relish outings such as to go on pilgrimages or watch film shows. And they don’t forget to celebrate main festivals and occasions with a lot of zest. For the traditional New Year they play raban and take part in interesting traditional games to their hearts content. For the Vesak festival they eagerly make their own Vesak lanterns from scratch and decorate the premises beautifully while illuminating the lanterns. In addition, for Elders’ Week which falls from 1st to 7th of October, their talents come to light as elders cheerfully partake in dramas, singing and scores of entertainment events.

Going beyond an ordinary elders’ home, KFINS Home for the Elders also serve as a resource centre for schoolchildren. As per the requirements of secondary school curriculum, students are supposed to complete a project where ‘caring for the elders’ is one of the key topics. The students usually visit the institute for six to seven days, mostly during holidays, and engage in various activities to assist the elders under the guidance of the matron. This includes helping the elders to take a bath, wash face, comb hair, trim nails, change bed linen, wash cloths and clean the rooms among others. Once they complete their assigned tasks, the students receive a letter from the institute attesting their deeds and the project comes to an end after the students submit a report based on their experience.

KFINS Home for the Elders has won numerous awards and accolades in return for their notable service. In 2003, 2005 and 2011 the institute topped the rank among hundreds of elders’ homes by winning the award of Best Elders’ Home in Central Province. In 2006 they became the runner-up in Central Province. This was a competitive assessment annually carried out by the Department of Social Welfare and Central Provincial Council where aspects like efficiency in caring for the elders, maintenance of facilities and overall management are assessed.

Once when I visited this institute exactly one year back, I met an old gentleman who was very tall and smart who greeted us with a big smile. He gave us a guided tour around their Visrama Niwasa and shared a few tales, both joyful and disheartening.

He said that everyone lives here quite happily but it’s still hard to let go of the longing to live together with their own families. He said that it gives them greatest pleasure whenever someone visits them, even if they are not related at all. He said there was one grandma patiently waiting for 17 years to see the faces of her beloved children who were living abroad, but none have visited her thus far. He finally parted from us saying, do treasure your parents and be there for them when they need you the most.