Thiruvananthapuram,Sept 13
Long before Kerala’s ageing population became a policy concern, Rev. Dr Samuel T. Varghese recognised that senior citizens needed more than medical attention.
They required companionship, dignity and a place within the community. That conviction led him to establish ‘Pakalveedu’,also known as Caring India, in Thiruvananthapuram in 1996.
Described as Kerala’s first institution offering daytime care and social support for older people, Pakalveedu was created as a welcoming space where senior citizens could spend their days, remain active and overcome loneliness.
Its outreach centres, including one at Chennilodu Colony, have taken care closer to communities rather than separating elderly people from their families.
Three decades later, the initiative has acquired added relevance. Senior citizens now account for about one-fifth of Kerala’s population, giving the State an age profile comparable to many developed societies.
Varghese believes public policy must focus on adding life to years, instead of merely adding years to life.
A priest of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Varghese combines pastoral ministry with social development and advocacy.
He has campaigned for protection against neglect and abuse, better implementation of laws safeguarding parents and senior citizens, age-friendly buildings, mobility aids and safer public spaces.
He has also promoted preventive medicine, geriatric care, palliative support and pastoral guidance for families facing end-of-life decisions.
His efforts extend to building bridges between generations. Youth service programmes encourage younger people to engage with senior citizens, while the annual Senior Citizens’ Sunday recognises the continuing contribution of older people to society.
He also helped initiate a senior citizens’ division in the Church in 2023.
Varghese’s work has been strengthened by his wife, Dr Rachel Samuel, a specialist with more than four decades of experience in geriatric care and rehabilitation.
Together, they have developed programmes combining direct assistance with a vision for long-term social and economic policy.
Trained initially in physics, Varghese later pursued theology and social development, earning advanced degrees from institutions in India, South Korea and the United States.
He has represented concerns surrounding social justice and ageing at international Christian and academic forums.
Through Pakalveedu, Varghese has demonstrated that caring for the elderly is not charity alone, but a shared social responsibility rooted in respect, inclusion and human dignity.
