Care Wing

We are happy to announce the formation of the “ASPEXS CARE WING” on the 8th of June, 2008, with the objective of taking CARE of our beloved teachers who have retired after having given their valuable service to our school. They gave us a foundation and shaped our lives. We are what we are…because of them!! It is now time to file our returns. Many of our teachers are currently staying alone in helpless situations requiring emotional, medical and financial support. Care Team members who have volunteered to act as Primary Care Givers, keep in touch with these teachers on a regular basis and report back their needs to the CARE Steering Committee. The medical requirements are taken care of by the Pointer Doctors of the “ASPEXS Medical Wing” while the “ASPEXS Care Fund” has been formed so that their financial crisis can be met to a certain extent.

ASPEXS CARE WING Co-ordinators [For the year 2009]

Co-ordinators: Dr. Sachindra Rao, Shri Tushar Chirimar and Smt. Sharmila Roy

Objectives of the ASPEXS CARE WING:

20 retired teachers have been identified for Primary CARE! Criteria for shortlisting teachers requiring immediate care was identified as those who stay completely alone or do not have any children.

Three types of needs/ supports that have emerged out of the personal visits to them by the Steering Committee members are:

a) Emotional

b) Medical and

c) Financial.Considering the sensitivity of the issue being handled, the basic approach to CARE has been outlined regarding the 3 above mentioned supports.

• a) Emotional Support : Do's : Development of personal bonding through phone calls and visits. Don'ts : No formal/informal commitments, just adhering to basic friendliness. No personal discussions in open forum
• b) Medical Support : Do's : Judging the needs and getting back to the Steering Committee. Don'ts : Influencing decisions regarding doctor/choice of hospitals in emergencies, always to co-ordinate with nearest of kin and the Medwing Convenor regarding such decisions.
• c) Financial Support : Do's : Judging the crisis and addressing it to the Steering Committee. Don'ts : No public appeal for fund collection. No influencing regarding investments/financial decisions

ASPEXS CARE WING Operating manual:for primary care givers (PCGs)

• 1. All PCGs and extended PCGs (backups) must make themselves aware of the teacher’s immediate relatives (children, spouse, brothers/sisters/parents etc.) home phone/cell phone numbers and address. They should submit those details to the Steering Committee for central coordination (database).
• 2. In case of any unusual and sudden illness that needs immediate medical attention (including transportation in an ambulance away from home), the PCG/any other ASPEXS Care Wing member must not attempt to take a lead role in such activities/decisions. He/ She should contact the relatives and provide assistance (not lead) as requested by the teacher’s relatives. In the worst case (an unconscious/critically ill teacher living alone in a house and having no relatives) he/ she should alert the neighbors and the local police first, and try to help (not lead) only in the presence of others.
• 3. No PCG/backup/ASPEXS CARE WING member should sign any medical paperwork or admission forms in a doctor’s office or a medical institution.
• 4. No PCG/backup/ASPEXS CARE WING member should buy non-prescription medicine for a teacher.
• 5. No PCG/backup/ASPEXS CARE WING member should intervene/participate in a teacher’s family discussions. In case a close family member objects/shows displeasure to the visits, he/she should restrict visits to the teacher.
• 6. No PCG/backup/ASPEXS CARE WING member should provide any financial/legal/medical advice to a teacher or agree to keep/maintain/carry any legal/bank documentations.
• 7. No PCG/backup/ASPEXS CARE WING member should provide financial help to a teacher without consultation and explicit approval from/with the Care Wing Steering Committee. Personal contributions, which are not marked as ASPEXS assistance, are perfectly fine, and do not need any approval from ASPEXS Care Wing.
• 8. Once the ASPEXS fund is set up and ready, all funds must strictly be routed through the ASPEXS CARE FUND account.
• 9. No PCG/backup/ASPEXS CARE WING member should make any promise of financial or other assistance to a teacher. This group is purely voluntary and there is no guarantee of long term viability. If a PCG feels that a teacher is showing unusual dependency/ expressing/ indicating an expectation of continued future support, he/ she should immediately consult the Steering Committee and have an unambiguous conversation with the teacher on this group’s intent, limitations and restrictions.
• 10. Last but not least, for visibly ill teachers (including those with movement challenges due to previous illnesses), do not buy food without first asking a family member of diet/medical restrictions…intolerance from any food items can trigger life threatening allergic reactions and can prove fatal.

Any member deviating/ignoring the Rules and Regulations of the ASPEXS CARE WING will do so at their own personal liability. ASPEXS will not be held liable, in any way, for such conduct.

Achievements so far:

• An Ex-teachers Reunion was organized on the 22nd of June, 2008 where nearly 90 teachers attended and were deeply touched and overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of the Pointer students!!
• Medical Assistance was provided to teachers who asked for it by Pointer Doctors of the ASPEXS MedWing. This included house calls by GP's as well as Specialists!!
• Financial assistance was provided by some Pointers in the form of donations to the ASPEXS Care Fund as well as some sponsors who arranged for monthly pensions for some teachers!!
• At present all volunteers of the ASPEXS Care Team (nearly 25 of us) now bond as a family and together take responsibilities of accompanying teachers to Doctors Chambers or visiting ailing teachers in Nursing Homes or visiting their residence to help them get rid of their loneliness to the extent possible!!
• We also have NRI team members also who not only call up teachers, visit them when they are here but also contribute to the Care Fund for the Teachers!!

Appeal for contribution to “Care Fund for Teachers”

It’s time to file returns, time to show our beloved teachers that we have succeeded in their aspiration of shaping us into successful human beings, both professionally and emotionally. The “ASPEXS CARE WING”, comprising the alumni, aspires to support our retired teachers, to the extent it is physically and economically feasible and ensure that Teachers are taken care of. Under such circumstances, we reach out to all Pointers, with an appeal to contribute generously in raising funds for helping our teachers.

We request all Pointers to contribute generously in raising funds for the various welfare projects being undertaken by the Association, especially for the CARE project. Contributions can be made in any of the following manner:

1. By way of a cheque / pay order payable at Kolkata in favour of "ASPEXS". The cheque can be delivered by post / courier service to "South Point Ex-Students' Association, 16 Mandeville Gardens, Kolkata 700019 India" or handed over personally to Mr. Dean Surtee at this address during office hours. Cash is also accepted strictly against receipt.
2. NRI Pointers are requested to send Rupee cheques payable at Kolkata (through their NRE accounts or if desired through their relatives or friends). They may also pay through a SWIFT Transfer into our ICICI Bank account, details of which are given below:

   Swift Code of ICICI Bank Ltd. - ICICINBBXXX Name of account - South Point Ex-Students' Association 12-digit account number - 627801094312 Address of Bank - 2/3 Hindustan Road, Gariahat, Kolkata 700029

   It is very important to note that contribution in foreign exchange cannot be taken presently through Bank transfer due to RBI’s FEMA Regulations. Payment can be received by ASPEXS through cheque denominated in foreign currency, but please keep in mind that the same takes more than a month for clearance and at a substantial cost to ASPEXS. You are therefore requested to try and make the donations in INR only. For enquiries, please email to donations@aspexs.com.

Presently we are making a special effort to raise funds for financing the objectives being undertaken by the ASPEXS CARE Wing, so in case you want your contributions to be earmarked for this, kindly mention that the contributions should be credited to the CARE Fund of ASPEXS. We will forward our official receipt immediately on receiving the contribution. For any clarifications, please send an email to us or contact Mr. Dean Surtee at +919330966424. This is a unique opportunity for you to do something for your beloved teachers at a time when they need your support.It is time to show them that you CARE!

We look forward to working with you:

REQUESTING ALL POINTERS WHO ARE KEEN TO JOIN THE TEAM TO COME FORWARD AND BE A PART OF THE TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS AND CONTRIBUTE IN ANY WHICH WAY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO....TRUST ME... LIFE BECOMES MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL WHEN YOU START TO LIVE FOR OTHERS...PARTICULARLY WHEN IT IS FOR OUR DEAR TEACHERS WHO SHAPED OUR LIVES AND GAVE US THE STRONG FOUNDATION ON WHICH WE STAND PROUDLY TODAY!

***JOIN US IN THE FORUM “ASPEXS CARE WING -- For our teachers, with love”!!***