Home Care
Support at home so seniors can keep their independent living arrangements for as long as possible.
An initiative of Alpha Charitable Trust · Supported by the Government of Keralam
AshisA Home for the Frail
Love, affection, respect, medical support and dedicated care for those who can no longer manage on their own, offered completely free of charge.
20.7%of Kerala's population is over 60
152Block Panchayats, one Ashis planned in each
14districts across Kerala
₹0fees for stay, meals and health check-ups
The concept
Care for the frail, and for those who care for them
Geriatric care is broadly a part of palliative care, because caring for frail people is an essential part of the palliative approach. Ashis brings both together.
Most senior citizens in Kerala live with their spouses in their own homes for as long as they stay physically, intellectually and emotionally fit. As age advances, many need home care to keep living independently. When loneliness sets in and the need for care grows, they can choose to move to Ashis.
Kerala is also home to many frail people living with polio, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, severe accidents or age-related disability. Their family carers often need a break. They can drop their loved ones at Ashis for the day and pick them up before sunset. When carers themselves grow too frail, both the patient and the carer can move into Ashis together and live there comfortably for the rest of their lives.
What we offer
Services
Respite Care
Day care that gives family carers a break. Drop off in the morning, pick up before sunset.
Palliative Physiotherapy (Aratrika)
An on-site physiotherapy centre with daily sessions to help residents keep their physical function.
Medical Care
Regular health check-ups, continuous monitoring of vital functions, diagnostics and medication management.
Dementia Care
Careful monitoring of memory loss and cognitive decline. Residents whose dementia progresses beyond Ashis's scope may move to a specialised facility.
Training & Education
Short courses for family carers and Bedside Carer Courses run by the Alpha Academy of Palliative Sciences.
Caring for the carers
Preventing burnout and building skills
Caring for carers is a core priority. To prevent caregiver burnout and build a supportive community, Ashis offers tailor-made, short-term training programmes.
Ashis also runs Bedside Carer Courses to build a skilled local workforce. Most graduates are offered jobs through Alpha Charitable Trust. All education and training is run by the Alpha Academy of Palliative Sciences.
Life at Ashis
One family, under one roof
Accommodation
Every resident has a private single room. Each residential flat has three rooms and one shared bathroom. Windows have mosquito nets, and high standards of hygiene are kept across bedrooms, bathrooms and shared spaces.
Common facilities
A community lounge with a large television, a common dining hall, recreation and indoor games, and the Aratrika physiotherapy centre.
Food
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are freshly cooked in-house and served in the central dining hall, to encourage conversation and community. Dietary preferences are respected, and tea, coffee and light snacks are served through the day.
Medical check-ups
Routine examinations by a physician at least once a week, with prescribed tests and medication management. Emergency services, including doctor availability and ambulance transport, are planned to run 24×7.
Who we serve
Eligibility for admission
Admission is decided mainly by how frail an applicant is. Able-bodied people are encouraged to stay at home. Residential care is reserved for those who have no family support and cannot manage daily living on their own.
Men and women live together as one family, whatever their religion, politics or social and economic background.
A secular, apolitical home
Caring for those who need help is a duty of society, to be done without discrimination. Reflecting Kerala's diverse, multi-religious society, Ashis is strictly secular: residents are free to practise their faith without infringing on the rights of others. The atmosphere within Ashis stays entirely apolitical.
Statewide vision
An Ashis in every Block Panchayat
Care homes should be easy to reach and close to the communities they serve. To cover all 14 districts, one Ashis is planned for each of Kerala's 152 Block Panchayats.
Land
Local community members are invited to donate about 50 cents of land on or near a main road. The Ashis can be named after a relative of the donor's choice.
Building
Every Ashis follows the same design, built with support from the local community and CSR donors, at about ₹1 crore including civil, electrical, plumbing, fire-safety, ELV and essential furniture. Medical equipment is extra.
Home care hub
Where there is no Alpha Link Centre, the local Ashis also serves as a hub for palliative home care services.
Ownership & operations
Community-owned, transparently run
Alpha Charitable Trust
Alpha Charitable Trust is the overall owner and operator, running Ashis as a community-owned initiative. The Trust's core ideology and operating principles guide all decisions.
Ashis Management Council
Each facility is governed by an Ashis Management Council (AMC) of representatives elected by the local community of volunteers. An Executive Council of President, Secretary and Treasurer handles administration.
Staff
A team of trained carers works under a supervisor. An administrator approved by Alpha Charitable Trust oversees daily operations, manages non-medical services, logistics and supplies, and reports to the AMC.
Banking & audits
Each facility's bank account is opened by the Trust and operated by the local AMC for working capital. Accounts are audited by the Trust's auditors, and Ashis undergoes community social audits and impact audits. Annual financial audit reports will be published.
Proposed patronage
The Chief Minister of Kerala is proposed as Chief Patron of all Ashis Care Homes, with the Minister of Social Justice and the Minister of Health as Co-Chief Patrons. District Collectors, MLAs, MPs and District Panchayat Presidents will be on the Board of Patrons of each Ashis in their jurisdiction, along with Block and Gram Panchayat Presidents and members of the Executive Council.
Financial model
How each Ashis is funded
₹1.74 CrNet capital outlay per facility
₹80.4 LAnnual operating budget
₹6.82 LMonthly operating budget
30Staff per facility
The Care Bank
A Care Bank with branches at Block Panchayat level. Membership funds are deposited or invested, and the income covers running costs. Every member's family care needs are assured by Ashis (family means self, spouse, parents of self and spouse, and dependent children).
₹1 lakh each
₹10 lakh each · Board of Patrons membership
₹1 crore · Board of Directors membership
Projected operating funding plan
| Funding channel | Implementation strategy | Monthly income |
|---|---|---|
| Care Bank | Interest on member investments (₹1 L, ₹10 L, ₹1 Cr) | ₹2,00,000 |
| Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) | Institutional corporate tie-ups for core operating salaries | ₹1,80,000 |
| Day-meal & community endowments | Annadanam, memorial day sponsorships and donations | ₹1,02,000 |
| Healthcare & palliative care grants | Medical equipment and consumables | ₹2,00,000 |
| Total operating inflows target | ₹6,82,000 | |
Operating expenses (OPEX) budget
| Cost category | Basis of estimate | Monthly | Annual | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff salaries | 30 personnel | ₹5,45,000 | ₹65,40,000 | 81.3% |
| Food, nutrition & kitchen | Groceries, 18 residents, day respite, staff meals | ₹45,000 | ₹5,40,000 | 6.7% |
| Medical consumables & emergency medicines | Dressings, catheters, diapers, PPE, pain relief, buffer drugs | ₹20,000 | ₹2,40,000 | 3.0% |
| Overheads & facility running costs | Fuel, rent, utilities, communications, maintenance, travel | ₹50,000 | ₹6,00,000 | 7.5% |
| Training & education | Carer training and orientation | ₹10,000 | ₹1,20,000 | 1.5% |
| Unforeseen expenses | Emergency fund | ₹12,000 | ₹1,44,000 | 1.8% |
| Total annual operating budget | ₹6,82,000 | ₹80,40,000 | 100% | |
Capital expenditure (CAPEX) per facility
| Asset | Scope | Funding source | Outlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land | Land sponsorship, 50 cents | Donated / free lease | ₹50,00,000 |
| Building & civil works | 6 resident rooms, admin room, 2 staff rooms, physio hall, kitchen, laundry, plumbing, electrical, ELV, essential furniture | Sponsorship / CSR | ₹1,00,00,000 |
| Patient care vehicles (3) | Modified basic life support vehicles for transfers and home visits | Sponsorship / donor | ₹18,00,000 |
| Furnishing, Aratrika setup & emergency equipment | Ramps, grab rails, mosquito netting, 3-function orthopaedic beds, mattresses, lockers, medical equipment | To be funded | ₹6,00,000 |
| Total capital outlay | ₹1,74,00,000 | ||
Staffing per facility
- 1 Doctor
- 1 Administrator
- 1 Supervisor
- 1 Physiotherapist (Aratrika)
- 3 Drivers
- 8 Home care carers
- 5 Residential carers
- 4 Housekeeping staff
- 4 Cooks & kitchen staff
- 2 Security staff
Membership income
Care Bank funds deposited in a bank or invested in mutual funds; the income pays for operations. The corpus is managed by Alpha Charitable Trust head office.
Government support
The Ministry of Social Justice will be approached for grants, and the Ministry of Health for essential medicines and consumables.
Community & CSR
Donations cover any shortfall. MLA and MP development funds and corporate sponsorships are used for patient-care vehicles, ambulances and expansion.
Support Ashis
Be part of the community that cares
Following the proven model of Alpha Palliative Care, all contributions go through official banking channels only. Bucket collections and cash donations are not accepted.
Donations to Ashis are intended to qualify for income tax deduction under Section 80G.
- Donate land for an Ashis near you, and name it after a loved one
- Sponsor a building as an individual or through CSR
- Join the Care Bank as a General, Executive or Patron member
- Sponsor a day's meals (Annadanam) or a memorial day
- Volunteer and help elect your local Management Council