https://www.yodda.care/
Taking care of aging parents in India is not easy these days. Many of us live in different cities or even different countries. Some work long hours and can't be with our parents every day. This is when we need professional elder care services.
But choosing the right one? That's a big worry. India has 153 million people aged 60 and above today. By 2050, this number will jump to 347 million. With so many elder care companies out there, how do you pick the best one for your parents?
Let me help you with 13 important questions that will save you from making wrong choices.
1. What Services Do You Actually Provide?
Not all elder care companies offer the same things. Some just give basic help like cooking and cleaning. Others offer full medical care too.
Yodda Care, for example, offers 30+ different services including 24/7 emergency response, home doctor visits, medicine delivery, ambulance coordination, nursing and caregiving, bank liaison services, bill payments, grocery shopping, and home maintenance. This is a big difference from companies that only offer one or two services.
2. Are You Available 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week?
Medical emergencies don't happen only during office hours. Your parent might have a heart attack at 2 AM. Or they might fall in the bathroom on Sunday morning.
Ask: "If something happens at night, can I call you?"
Yodda has a 24/7 Emergency Command Centre that responds immediately when your parent presses the SOS button. Their team includes trained army veterans who stay calm in critical situations.
3. How Do You Handle Emergency Situations?
This is the most important question. According to data, falls impact 30% to 50% of adults over 60 in India. Stroke cases have increased by 51% over 30 years in our country.
Ask these questions: What's your emergency response time? Do you have ambulance services? Are your staff trained in CPR?
Yodda partners with Medulance to provide well-equipped ambulances for urgent medical support. Their emergency team is trained to handle choking, heart attacks, and falls calmly.
4. What Training Do Your Caregivers Have?
Not everyone can care for elderly people. Your parents need someone who knows how to give medicine correctly, what to do if blood sugar drops, how to help with bathing safely, and signs of stroke or heart attack.
Ask: "How many hours of training do your caregivers get before working?"
Yodda's team includes army veterans who are trained to handle critical situations with a calm head. They also have professional nurses and caregivers.
5. How Much Do Your Services Cost?
Elder care costs in India vary widely. Here's what families should expect for different types of services.
Basic home care costs between ₹8,000 and ₹20,000 per month. Mid-range assisted living costs between ₹20,000 and ₹50,000 per month. Premium assisted living costs between ₹40,000 and ₹80,000 per month. Specialist dementia care costs between ₹75,000 and ₹1,50,000 per month. Luxury senior living costs between ₹1,00,000 and ₹3,00,000 or more per month.
In Mumbai, costs range from ₹45,000 to ₹90,000 per month. In Delhi NCR, it's ₹40,000 to ₹80,000.
Ask: "Is there a minimum number of hours required? What's included in the price?"
6. Do You Create a Personal Care Plan for My Parent?
One size doesn't fit all. Your 70-year-old father who walks fine needs different care than your 82-year-old mother who uses a wheelchair.
Ask: "Do you meet with my parent first and create a custom plan?"
Yodda offers personalized plans. You can talk to their team and tell them exactly what your parents need. They create custom care plans based on each person's situation.
7. How Often Will You Check Caregiver Quality?
You need to know that your parent is safe. Ask if they do background checks on caregivers, how often they check if caregivers are doing well, and if you can see their certificates.
Yodda is ISO certified with 9001:2015 and 22320:2018 certifications. This means they follow standardized quality processes.
8. How Often Will You Talk to Me About My Parent's Care?
You're the child. You want to know how your parent is doing. If you live in another city or country, this is even more important.
Ask: "How will you update me? By phone? Text message? App?"
Yodda offers periodic wellbeing calls to check up on parents every day. They also digitalize health records so you can access medical history from anywhere.
9. What Happens If Your Regular Caregiver Can't Come?
Sometimes caregivers get sick. Sometimes they have family emergencies. What then?
Ask: "If my caregiver is unavailable, will you send someone else immediately?"
Good companies always have backup staff. Yodda has a large team of army veterans and caregivers across Pune, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, so they can always send someone.
10. Are You Licensed and Registered?
This is basic but very important. Some companies operate without proper registration.
Ask: Are you registered with the government? Do you have all required licenses? Can I see your registration papers?
Yodda is headquartered in Pune and operates legally in multiple cities with proper certifications.
11. What Cities Do You Serve?
Not all companies work everywhere. Some only work in big cities. Some work in smaller towns too.
Yodda provides services in Pune, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. They also offer SOS emergency support across India.
Ask: "Do you serve my parent's city?"
12. How Do You Help With Daily Tasks?
Elderly parents need help with many things like going to the doctor, paying bills, buying groceries, fixing broken appliances, and banking tasks.
Ask: "Do you help with daily life tasks, or just medical care?"
Yodda helps with 30+ services beyond medical care, including bank liaison services, bill payments, grocery shopping, appliance repair, home maintenance, and medicine delivery.
13. Can I See References from Other Families?
Before trusting anyone with your parents' care, talk to other families who use the service.
Ask: "Can you share contact numbers of 2-3 families who use your service?"
Lakshmi Thiyagarajan, whose parents are Yodda members, said: "Yodda's team responded immediately when my parents triggered an emergency request. Thanks to their prompt action and professionalism, my father received timely help and is now doing well."
Why Technology Matters in Elder Care?
The name Yodda comes from the Sanskrit word "Yoddha," which means "Warrior." Like warriors, Yodda's team protects and cares for elderly parents.
But Yodda is different because it's technology-driven. Their app and smartwatch let parents press a button for emergency help. When your parent is alone and falls, they don't need to search for a phone. They just press the SOS button.
This is what modern elder care should be.
Final Thoughts.
Choosing elder care is like choosing a school for your child. You don't just look at the price. You check quality, safety, training, and how they treat your loved one.
Ask these 13 questions. Take time to decide. Don't rush. Your parents deserve the best care.
When you're far away and worried about your parents, technology like Yodda gives you peace of mind. You can know they're safe, even when you can't be there.
FAQs.
Q1. How much does elder care service cost in India?
Basic home care costs ₹8,000 to ₹20,000 per month. Premium assisted living costs ₹40,000 to ₹80,000 per month. Costs vary by city. Mumbai is ₹45,000 to ₹90,000 and Delhi NCR is ₹40,000 to ₹80,000.
Q2. What cities does Yodda serve?
Yodda provides services in Pune, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. They also offer SOS emergency support across India.
Q3. How does Yodda's emergency response work?
Your parent presses the SOS button on the Yodda Care App or smartwatch. Yodda's 24/7 Emergency Command Centre responds immediately.
Q4. Are elder care services covered by insurance?
Most basic elder care services are not covered by insurance. However, some medical services like nursing may be covered. Check with your insurance company.
Q5. What's the difference between home care and old age homes?
Home care lets parents stay in their own house with visiting caregivers. Old age homes require parents to live in a facility. Home care costs ₹8,000 to ₹50,000 per month. Old age homes cost ₹8,000 to ₹1,50,000 per month depending on type.
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