[Monday Motivation] How a mother of intellectually disabled child takes care of other people with mental handicaps
Sulochana Beru and her husband Niraj Shankar Beru started Beru Matimand Pratishthan in 1989 to support and take care of intellectually disabled children and adults.
Back in the 80s, Sulochana Shankar Beru and her husband Niraj Shankar Beru were taken aback when they found out that their son was not like other children.
This was at a time when there was even more stigma and lack of awareness around people with intellectual disabilities.
“We had to do a lot of learning to give him the best possible life, and as parents, we faced many challenges. We soon realised that there were so many more families like ours that needed guidance and help. There were also those from low-income families who had no means to care for their loved ones who were bedridden or intellectually disabled,” Sulochana tells SocialStory.
This provoked the duo to do their bit for other children like their son. Soon, they started an assisted living residence called Beru Matimand Pratishthan in 1989 in Pune. In a few years, they moved to a bigger premise in Badlapur, Maharashtra to accommodate more people.
Neglected part of society
Sulochana explains people with intellectual disabilities are often discriminated against, abandoned, and even abused. In most cases, they do not receive the support they need to survive.
She adds that since being mentally challenged is a permanent handicap, with little or no chances of recovery, the life of any family is turned upside down when the child turns out to have intellectual disabilities.
She and her husband are well aware of how people need permanent assistance and help as long as they live as they are permanently dependent in their lifetime.
While Beru Matimand Pratishthan was started with the aim of helping people with intellectual disabilities, they soon decided to take in more people.
“Having started an institution for the mentally challenged persons, we started thinking about the problems of the families with ageing grandparents, physically handicapped persons, and those with incurable diseases,” Sulochana says.
Maintaining the trust
Sulochana has spent decades looking after those with intellectual disabilities.
“Children with mental disabilities need help throughout their life because they cannot independently go out to buy anything or say something to someone. This is why they need a lifetime of care,” says Sulochana.
Today, the trust takes in people with intellectual disabilities, senior citizens, and those with incurable diseases. They currently have 100+ residents who are looked after with love and care for free at their shelter in Badlapur.
“These people are completely neglected by society. They have no access to the most basic necessities and are even abandoned by their families. Here, at Beru Matimand Pratishthan, we take in everyone regardless of age, sex, caste, creed, or religion. We make every effort to give them the most comfortable life, with the latest amenities and medical care. Most of all, we give them a loving home and a family to call their own,” she adds
Currently, the premises spread across two acres has a hostel and hospital for physically and intellectually disabled people, hosts workshops and activities, and also provides a well-equipped physiotherapy room, psychiatrists, and much more.
Since its establishment, Beru Matimand Pratishthan has been focusing on customer happiness, quality, empathy, helpful support, and patience, allowing the centre to serve as a single point of contact for people with mental and intellectual disabilities.
Sulochana adds that because giving medicine and food on time is crucial for the overall well-being of residents, in addition to the 20 caregivers, the centre also has on-call doctors.
Sulochana’s organisation mainly operates on funds or essentials donated through crowdfunding platforms like DonateKart.
Edited by Kanishk Singh