Fridays 10:00am - 11:00am (EDT)
EPISODE SUMMARY:
- Learn how culturally appropriate services are transforming senior care
- Hear about the unique needs of South Asian elders in NYC
- Be inspired by Dr. K’s journey from medicine to movement-making
🌸 This Friday on Philanthropy in Phocus with Tommy DiMisa #InTheAttic 🌸
Join us for a powerful and heartfelt conversation with Dr. Vasundhara Kalasapudi, affectionately known as Dr. K, the Executive Director and founder of India Home. As a geriatric psychiatrist and visionary nonprofit leader, Dr. K has been at the forefront of creating culturally responsive services for South Asian seniors in New York City. 🧓🏽💜
This week, we explore “Care with Culture: Uplifting South Asian Seniors.” Born from her own search for care for her aging parents, India Home has grown under Dr. K’s leadership into a trailblazing organization offering senior centers, advocacy, and social engagement rooted in cultural connection.
🕙 Tune in Friday, June 27th at 10 AM EST to hear how Dr. K is building community, dignity, and care for a population often overlooked—and how culture can be a powerful tool in aging with grace. 🎧
Website: https://indiahome.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indiahomeusa
IG: https://www.instagram.com/indiahomeusa/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/india-home/
#IndiaHome #DrK #SeniorCare #CulturalInclusion #AgingWithDignity
Tune in for this sensible conversation at TalkRadio.nyc
In this heartfelt segment of Philanthropy in Phocus, Tommy D sits down with Dr. Vasundhara Kalasapudi, founder of India Home, to explore her inspiring journey from a small village in India to becoming a geriatric psychiatrist and nonprofit leader in New York. Dr. K shares the deeply personal story of diagnosing her own father with vascular dementia, highlighting the emotional and logistical challenges of being part of the “sandwich generation,” balancing care for aging parents while raising children. Their conversation underscores the vital importance of culturally sensitive senior care and the power of nonprofits like India Home to support immigrant families navigating aging with dignity and compassion.
In this segment, Dr. K shares how her personal experience caring for her father with dementia, combined with the struggles of her physician colleagues caring for their own aging parents, revealed a glaring gap in culturally appropriate senior services for South Asian communities. After hearing again and again from agencies that no such programs existed, she gathered over 200 community members over nearly a year to confirm the overwhelming need and build consensus. This grassroots effort led to the founding of India Home in 2007—a nonprofit created to offer culturally responsive support, food, and care for South Asian seniors who too often felt isolated in traditional facilities.
In this part of the conversation, Dr. K explains how India Home grew out of a clear need: despite large South Asian communities across Queens and Long Island, seniors were staying isolated at home rather than attending traditional centers that didn’t feel culturally welcoming. By visiting dozens of senior programs, she and her colleagues saw how essential community hubs are for preventing loneliness and supporting health—yet realized the lack of spaces serving South Asian languages, food, and traditions. This inspired India Home’s unique model of partnering with existing centers to create culturally responsive programs, which started in 2008 and continue to expand thanks to community support, volunteers, and donors who believe every elder deserves connection and dignity.
Dr. K shared how India Home has grown beyond senior centers to innovative programs like culturally tailored dementia day care, co-living homes, and a major affordable housing project, all designed to help South Asian elders age with dignity and connection. She emphasized the critical role of community support, philanthropy, and partnerships—highlighting past donors and inviting new collaborators to help sustain and expand these life-changing services. The conversation closed with Tommy D expressing deep admiration for India Home’s mission and a commitment to help amplify their work so other immigrant communities can be inspired by this model of compassionate, culturally responsive care.
00:00:46.990 --> 00:00:48.280 Tommy DiMisa: R.
00:00:48.370 --> 00:01:14.670 Tommy DiMisa: Back. I am back in the attic, man. If you are anywhere close to the northeast of the United States man, you know we had a heat wave this week. I couldn't even come up to the attic for a couple of days. Man, it was a hundred degrees. It was 97 degrees 96 degrees. I remember getting in my car a couple of days, and it said 102 degrees. Now I understand it was hotter in the car. But, man! Oh, man, it was hot, and today on a Friday morning, I got a hoodie. I got pants on
00:01:14.670 --> 00:01:27.900 Tommy DiMisa: back in the attic philanthropy in focus. I don't even know. Dr. K. Good morning. I don't even know if it's warm, like I like. If it's 70, is it 75 degrees today. I mean, it's so nice and cool here in New York compared to what it was right.
00:01:28.180 --> 00:01:29.979 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes, definitely.
00:01:29.980 --> 00:01:39.390 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I mean, man, it was hot. So I just Googled. It's 68 degrees. It's went down like 30, some odd degrees from the way. It was a couple of days ago, and now.
00:01:43.570 --> 00:01:51.570 Tommy DiMisa: sure, I screwed up the doctor part instead of the last votes.
00:01:59.390 --> 00:02:01.530 Tommy DiMisa: Dr. K. You there! Can you hear me? Okay?
00:02:01.530 --> 00:02:03.929 Tommy DiMisa: Yes, yeah. Now I can hear you.
00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:26.519 Tommy DiMisa: She is the founder of India Home, a center for senior care, which you know as an organization I met through the Queens Chamber of Commerce only recently. Within the last few months we were doing a webinar for my business vanguard benefits, and when we did a webinar. We've met part of the team from India home.
00:02:26.519 --> 00:02:39.369 Tommy DiMisa: So we're going to talk about the organization. We're going to talk about the great work. We're going to talk about Dr. K's story because really we were talking right before the show started. And her story is the story of the organization. So.
00:02:41.299 --> 00:02:57.469 Tommy DiMisa: Doctor, can you start us off? I mean, you started. We we do like a quick, you know, sound check at the beginning of the show before we get started, and you started to tell the story a little bit, going back to the eighties and and coming here from India. So as you and I talked about the other day. And again briefly, this morning.
00:02:57.619 --> 00:03:06.589 Tommy DiMisa: This show is all about your journey. It's all about what you do, what you've done in the world. Why this organization exists. And then ultimately, we always get into.
00:03:07.159 --> 00:03:29.669 Tommy DiMisa: How can we serve the population of your organization? How can people in in my network people. I'm connected to support the work you're doing. So without further ado. The organization is India home. The founder is here with me and Dr. Kalas Pootie. I'm going to call you Dr. K. Because you said, it's okay to do. But, doctor, take it away. Tell us the story, man. Take us from. Take us from India to queens.
00:03:30.687 --> 00:03:42.369 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Thank you. Thank you, Tommy, for having me on this show. I migrated from India, in 1988, with my husband and daughters.
00:03:42.630 --> 00:04:00.829 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and like any other immigrant, you know, we were trying to settle down in this new country, and we I started doing my research for some time because I wanted to spend more time with my children, and my son was born here in Bronx.
00:04:01.020 --> 00:04:19.259 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and then I cleared my exams to practice as a doctor here, and I got into training into Residency at Brookdale Hospital, and after that I did my fellowship in geriatric psychiatry at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
00:04:19.740 --> 00:04:27.150 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): But when I was doing my residency fellowship I never realized I had to diagnose my own father
00:04:27.250 --> 00:04:30.559 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): with dementia vascular dementia.
00:04:31.240 --> 00:04:37.250 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): It was, you know, it was painful moments for me, and.
00:04:37.580 --> 00:04:48.010 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): like many other doctors, immigrant doctors, I started working in various hospital settings and providing the psychiatric services, and
00:04:48.600 --> 00:05:01.740 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): about almost 20 years ago, when I received a phone call from my mother about my dad doing some various odd things like picking up the papers from the street, and
00:05:01.840 --> 00:05:16.830 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): I was kind of surprised and shocked to hear that, because my father is a Sanskrit scholar, he had gold medal in Sanskrit, which is one of the oldest Oriental languages. He retired, as a
00:05:16.910 --> 00:05:34.879 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): you know, as a head of the department for Oriental Languages in India, and he wrote several books, and I could never imagine my daughter, my father, doing all those things. When my mother told me, I said, This is not my father whom I knew for all my life.
00:05:35.190 --> 00:05:45.870 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and I immediately booked the ticket to go back to India, just to make sure, like what's going on, and to get all the medical care, whatever is required.
00:05:46.070 --> 00:05:56.459 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So I got all the testing done for him, and then finally, it was. You know, I had to diagnose him with having vascular dementia.
00:05:56.720 --> 00:06:06.799 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): What happens is when people have high blood pressure, and some of them they take medications regularly, but my father is one.
00:06:07.060 --> 00:06:17.300 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): He's not very regular in taking his medications. So as a result of that, the small blood vessels in his brain got ruptured.
00:06:17.440 --> 00:06:24.359 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and some of the critical areas of his brain was damaged because of the
00:06:24.540 --> 00:06:27.869 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): rupture in the brain, the small blood vessels.
00:06:27.980 --> 00:06:32.219 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and that was causing all these behavioral problems.
00:06:32.810 --> 00:06:39.550 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): It was really painful, painful stage of my life. More than about 20 years ago.
00:06:39.830 --> 00:06:55.329 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and I could not leave this country because my daughter just joined the Medical School in Brown University, which is Ivy League University, and my son is in high school, you know. We are like sandwich generation here.
00:06:55.330 --> 00:06:55.920 Tommy DiMisa: Sure. Yeah.
00:06:55.920 --> 00:07:03.709 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And it was difficult for me to say that. Okay, I'm going to wrap up everything and go back to India.
00:07:04.750 --> 00:07:21.629 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And there were days where literally I used to cry, traveling on the going to the hospital, traveling on these highways northern Northern State Parkway, and I said I couldn't. I could not decide what to do.
00:07:21.960 --> 00:07:36.509 Tommy DiMisa: You wanted to be. You wanted to be with your dad to take care of him and your mom, and what they were going through, and you're raising children in this country. The Sandwich generation is such a true thing. I'm living in it. I'm in it, and it's and it's interesting, because.
00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:58.539 Tommy DiMisa: you know, I'm 47, and I've been talking about being part of the Sandwich generation for at least the last 7 or 8 years, and I have friends who are 67, and 70 that are in this sandwich generation. So it doesn't stop. Some folks are going. What is he talking about? Are you talking about lunch? No, we're not talking about lunch. We're not talking about that kind of sandwich.
00:07:59.140 --> 00:08:16.519 Tommy DiMisa: but I'll say my version. And then, Dr. K. You can kind of highlight a little bit, too, about the sandwich generation through your lens. But really it's we're raising children, and we're now caring for our senior aging, and sometimes sick and ill. Parents. Right, doctor, what do you? What do you think? A little more of that.
00:08:16.860 --> 00:08:31.030 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): That's that's precisely what it is, because you feel you have a responsibility towards the towards your parents who raised you, and you know you have a responsibility towards your next generation, your children also.
00:08:31.140 --> 00:08:40.569 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and especially for immigrants. It's a hard time, because, honestly, I come from a very small village in South India.
00:08:40.789 --> 00:08:46.400 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and when I was growing up in my village, if a girl is educated enough.
00:08:46.610 --> 00:09:00.229 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): you know, to write basic language skills, that's it. Nothing more than that, that means not even high school. They will expect the girl to get married and go to the in-laws place.
00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:29.020 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and whereas my dad encouraged all of us. Whether you're a girl or boy. It doesn't matter if you get into professional school, whether it is, you know, as a physician or a engineer or a lawyer you have to study, and I knew for sure, without my dad's encouragement I wouldn't be in medical school at all, and so I have a much more responsibility. I knew it was his dream that I became a doctor.
00:09:29.630 --> 00:09:41.720 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): But fortunately, at that time my sister and my brother-in-law took voluntary retirement from Central Government of India, and they said, Don't worry about it, and we will take care of them.
00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:47.600 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So my parents moved into in the same nearby town, into my sister's place.
00:09:48.100 --> 00:09:52.680 Tommy DiMisa: Still, I used to go to India once in every 3 months.
00:09:52.680 --> 00:09:57.740 Tommy DiMisa: That often. Wow! How long is the flight to get from New York to India.
00:09:57.810 --> 00:10:05.199 Tommy DiMisa: Yes, about 20 years back. It's almost like 18 to 20 h, and you that every every 3 months.
00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:06.310 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Every 3 months.
00:10:06.310 --> 00:10:07.640 Tommy DiMisa: And how long would you stay?
00:10:07.780 --> 00:10:11.139 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): I would stay for 10 days, 2 weeks, and come back again.
00:10:11.140 --> 00:10:16.418 Tommy DiMisa: And come back. Wow! That's a lot. Yeah, it is. It is
00:10:17.130 --> 00:10:35.480 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Fortunately I worked in a hospital where the department chairman being a psychiatrist, he understood the struggle. What I'm going through. And he said, okay, as long as we will arrange the coverage for you. If you have to go leave. It's a loss of pay. I used to go, and
00:10:35.750 --> 00:10:42.730 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): I used to call home every day almost in the morning, 1st thing in the morning I would call them and talk to them.
00:10:43.110 --> 00:10:54.999 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): because I cannot imagine my memory will be erased from my dad's brain. So I want to make sure, like I would say hello to him and find out how he's doing.
00:10:55.250 --> 00:11:17.979 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And as a only physician in the family. I have to educate my sister, brother-in-law, and my mother about the outcome of this disease. You know how long he is going to hang on, and how to take care of his needs and his medication management, and coordinating with the doctors local doctors about his care.
00:11:18.450 --> 00:11:25.910 Tommy DiMisa: Is there? I might. This is just curious for me, so I'm wondering is the so this is some 20 years ago.
00:11:26.823 --> 00:11:28.349 Tommy DiMisa: Did the
00:11:28.530 --> 00:11:38.449 Tommy DiMisa: was the level of care in India similar, less, more like compared to what you saw here in the States at the time.
00:11:38.870 --> 00:11:47.760 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yeah, it has changed. Because when we were when my father was diagnosed, not many facilities were available.
00:11:47.900 --> 00:12:08.949 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And recently, actually, one of my friends. Mother has Parkinson's, and they were looking for a place in the same. We all come from the same neighborhood so I could find a place for them. I told them they are going to start this special center, and so that your mom can be taken care over there.
00:12:09.030 --> 00:12:26.000 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): It has changed quite a bit. And so I'm happy for that, because there is a need. You know, India is more than 1.3 billion population and the aging population people are living longer now with the advanced medical care in India.
00:12:26.120 --> 00:12:32.590 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and naturally you expect all the all sorts of problems related to increased longevity.
00:12:33.060 --> 00:12:43.239 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah. Without a doubt, I pulled something up that I want to ask you about. And this is somebody that I met and I had heard about this doctor.
00:12:43.450 --> 00:12:48.983 Tommy DiMisa: and last year, about a year and a half ago, I was able to introduce him at an event for
00:12:49.390 --> 00:12:58.369 Tommy DiMisa: the Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center Conference. I'm involved. My friend runs this organization, Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center out here on Long Island.
00:12:59.150 --> 00:13:12.549 Tommy DiMisa: and I'm getting the impression that that this is a name that might be somebody you've bumped into over the years. The book was called My Father's Brain by Dr. Sandeep Jahar, did you know, did you? Or do you know, Dr. Jahar.
00:13:13.190 --> 00:13:28.910 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): I don't know him personally, but I read the book, and it was. It was I mean. I could relate to each and every page of that book because his father was intellectual. He worked in this country, and he had the problem here. So
00:13:29.584 --> 00:13:30.960 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): I I can understand.
00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:51.999 Tommy DiMisa: Feeling that. Yeah, I was feeling that connection, you know, between. So I met him. I have a couple copies of the book, you know I can. Maybe I can make a connection for you, wonderful man and and very again, nothing's the same but similar story to to some of what you've shared with me. So and if I'm not mistaken, I mean he's
00:13:52.000 --> 00:14:18.169 Tommy DiMisa: a product of Northwell, you know. I don't know if he's still with the Northwell system. But you know. But you probably have connected through other people. You probably have some connections and things like that. But that book again, it's my father's brain. By Sandeep, Jahar, and that's so. I have 2 copies downstairs. I'll have to get you one of those copies. Dr. KI mean, listen. I've taken so many notes here, and and this is what the show is all about, because it's all about the journey
00:14:18.170 --> 00:14:41.929 Tommy DiMisa: and the organization. Everybody. The name of the organization is India home. And if you want to check out the website, it's indiahome.org. We're going to get into more of the story about you and your family and your dad, and then also, obviously as a geriatric psychiatrist, why you end up founding this organization here in the States for the community. So we'll get into all that. We'll take a quick break.
00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:44.270 Tommy DiMisa: We'll continue with the story about
00:14:44.670 --> 00:14:59.009 Tommy DiMisa: how you were doing this sandwich generation thing, caring for your dad and your mom and back and forth and stuff, and we'll get that story to India home shortly. So, Dr. KI appreciate you being here we will be right back to show is called philanthropy in focus.
00:16:41.250 --> 00:17:07.859 Tommy DiMisa: Back your boy in the attic, Tommy D, the nonprofit sector connector. I'll tell you the truth, Dr. K. We stayed out. Tommy D. Stayed out a little bit too late last night we had the fire pit in the backyard, and I'm a little less energetic than I usually am. I'm usually like this, and I think I just haven't had enough coffee and caffeine in his body. But we're going to talk about to continue your journey, and then we get to the creation of this important organization, which is
00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:12.489 Tommy DiMisa: for there is one important question. I don't know if this matters to you or not. But let me ask you.
00:17:13.450 --> 00:17:15.380 Tommy DiMisa: you're in queens right.
00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:33.210 Tommy DiMisa: When you 1st came to the States. It sounds like you were in the Bronx. Your son was born in the Bronx. I don't know if this matters to you at all. But are your family mets, fans or Yankee fans? We ask people when it relates to the boroughs and stuff like that? Do you care, or is it cricket, or is it? Is there a baseball connection here? What is it.
00:17:33.552 --> 00:17:37.319 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): You know, in my family we are allowed to read books.
00:17:37.320 --> 00:17:37.920 Tommy DiMisa: Okay.
00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:40.080 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And socialize a lot.
00:17:40.080 --> 00:17:40.460 Tommy DiMisa: All right.
00:17:40.460 --> 00:17:50.830 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): But not really much into games. But my son-in-law he's a big fan of cricket. Their family is into all games at all.
00:17:50.830 --> 00:18:02.079 Tommy DiMisa: Got, you know, cricket. They had a a big thing, obviously here on Long Island, which I'm sure you're aware last summer at Eisenhower Park. It was like I don't know what they called it. If it was a world cup, or something like that.
00:18:02.080 --> 00:18:03.390 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Right, right.
00:18:03.390 --> 00:18:04.120 Tommy DiMisa: Position, yeah.
00:18:04.120 --> 00:18:07.876 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yeah, it was a big competition, and with lot of expensive tickets.
00:18:08.190 --> 00:18:17.109 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, it was a big deal. It was expensive, and I don't know the game, and it's interesting. So my my sons and my daughters are athletes, but
00:18:17.290 --> 00:18:42.800 Tommy DiMisa: you know I saw these, so they have a batting cage like at the baseball field, and these 2 young men were there practicing their cricket in the in the batting cage recently, and I talked to them for a couple moments because I would love to learn that game all right. So we got the the verdict is in not baseball fans doesn't matter. Bronx or or Queens. It's all good. But so I love the fact that you say your family loves to read, and your readers and things like that, because
00:18:43.410 --> 00:19:02.360 Tommy DiMisa: how else can we get this knowledge if we don't consume it right. It's not just not osmosis. That's not how we get knowledge. So let's go back to you. Know your parents. You're back and forth, and and you're checking in on the family, and you have to be the one to tell the stories and explain things. And you're running a practice here, and the family back in the States at the same time.
00:19:02.530 --> 00:19:18.809 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): That's right. I was actually working in the hospital. I was about to start my full time private practice as a geriatric psychiatrist. I haven't really made all the plans except I purchased a place where I was about to do my practice.
00:19:19.250 --> 00:19:32.189 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and at the same time I was when I was working in a hospital, Dr. Kiran Davi. We were colleagues together. She used to work in the emergency room, and I used to do psychiatric consultations in the emergency room.
00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:37.010 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): She took care of her mother for Alzheimer's dementia.
00:19:37.320 --> 00:20:05.879 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and Dr. Dave's son and my son were attending the same school in Long Island. So we were, you know she I was talking to her about my dad's vascular dementia, and she was talking about her mother's Alzheimer's dementia. How difficult it is for her to manage her at home, because whenever my friend had to go for a medical conference, she would keep her mother in a nursing home for about 3, 4 days as a respite care.
00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:28.470 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and her mother, with severe Alzheimer's dementia, would come back home and complain like, why did you leave me there? They are different people. It's different food. I didn't like it even for 3, 4 days she could not stay there leaving her family, and she, her mother, was a retired botany professor.
00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:45.950 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and it was, I mean in those days, you know, as a retired botany professor in India is not a joke really. I mean. She was highly educated, accomplished, just like my dad, and it was painful for them to see what her mother was going through.
00:20:46.310 --> 00:20:50.329 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Another friend of mine, Dr. Deepika. Sooth.
00:20:50.510 --> 00:21:02.569 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): we did fellowship together geriatric psychiatry, and she had to quit her job as a geriatric psychiatrist for 2 years to care for her father with Parkinson's disease.
00:21:03.140 --> 00:21:10.769 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): so she hired 2 home health aides on the top of it. She has to supervise his care staying at home.
00:21:10.990 --> 00:21:16.449 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So we all went through quite a bit personally. Suddenly we realized
00:21:16.610 --> 00:21:35.490 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): being physicians. Knowing the language, knowing the medical care system, we struggle so much to find care for our own parents. How about the common people not knowing the language, not knowing the medical system, how to navigate this complicated healthcare system, where do they go for help?
00:21:35.810 --> 00:21:51.400 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So I started calling Department of Health Department of Hazing in New York City, State, Washington, everywhere. Everybody told me one thing, Dr. K. We understand what you are asking us, but we don't have any curry serving facilities
00:21:51.600 --> 00:21:54.479 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): for your seniors, which is a culture.
00:21:54.480 --> 00:22:03.990 Tommy DiMisa: Was that? Just let me make sure everybody understood you said they said. We don't have any curry serving facility
00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:13.040 Tommy DiMisa: is that? That sounds like a rude thing to say so. I'm not. I'm not sure if I'm receiving the information wrong, or or if if I'm not understanding what you're saying.
00:22:13.040 --> 00:22:20.870 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): I won't say rudely. They didn't tell. I mean they didn't sound rude. It's the only thing is, they said, as a matter of
00:22:21.020 --> 00:22:49.800 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): fact and a reality which is true, they said, like there are not special facilities where your culture listens to food is available. Right? So that is, they didn't. Honestly. They they listened to my entire proposal. I mean entire problem. And they understood. They said, Yes, we do understand. But we don't have. What you are asking is, are there any facilities with serving this South Asian seniors.
00:22:49.800 --> 00:23:08.590 Tommy DiMisa: So that's what you were that they were answering the question you were asking. You were saying, here's what we need. Here's here's what's missing in the marketplace, or as an opportunity for facilities. And where is that? And they said, Well, we're sorry, we understand, but that doesn't exist. That was more of what? Okay? Okay.
00:23:08.590 --> 00:23:15.580 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Exactly. Yeah, yeah, not really. They didn't. So I didn't find them to be rude or anything. But they told the facts.
00:23:15.770 --> 00:23:34.559 Tommy DiMisa: Got it. I just didn't know. That sounded like a flippant answer, and I didn't. I wanted to understand. If that was so, it was more like it was just a matter of fact, we don't have what you're looking for. So I think this brings us to a point where any entrepreneur, doctor or other sees a problem and says, Well, the thing doesn't exist. So what do we do?
00:23:34.910 --> 00:23:37.080 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes, that's where we were.
00:23:37.080 --> 00:23:37.870 Tommy DiMisa: That's cool.
00:23:37.870 --> 00:23:54.610 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Then I realized, Okay, I know if I start my private practice, maybe I would make a couple of 100,000 more than what I was making in the hospital. But that's not what I wanted to do. That's when we all all of our friends got together.
00:23:54.720 --> 00:24:00.620 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): We said, Okay, let's have a discussion about this, so we had several
00:24:00.730 --> 00:24:16.280 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): several informal community meetings at my home. I I would call my friends over the weekend for lunch or dinner, you know, about 2025 friends from the community leaders and from the professional connections.
00:24:16.450 --> 00:24:34.619 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and we will have dinner or lunch together, and then I would make a little presentation about the problem. You know about 10 slides showing them what the problem is, and then I would ask them their opinion, what do we need, and what do the community feel about it?
00:24:34.860 --> 00:24:43.770 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So, over a period of 8 to 10 months there were 200 people attended these community lunches and dinners.
00:24:44.010 --> 00:24:54.050 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and then everybody said, Yes, it is needed. We have to realize there is a huge demand for it, and we have to do something about it.
00:24:54.610 --> 00:24:57.549 Tommy DiMisa: Let me ask you before before you go on, I want to ask you another question.
00:24:57.550 --> 00:24:57.960 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Sure.
00:24:57.960 --> 00:25:09.079 Tommy DiMisa: Where, geographically were you having these meetings was? I know a lot of your space now is in my favorite borough queens is that was this in queens at the time.
00:25:09.657 --> 00:25:29.109 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): No. I was living in Long Island at that time. So in Rosalind Heights. You know, we were inviting our friends at home because we didn't meet anywhere outside, in a restaurant or anywhere. I just would invite them home. We would arrange the food, either lunch or dinner, depending on the meeting.
00:25:29.270 --> 00:25:49.760 Tommy DiMisa: So where were they from? Were they from Queen? I'm trying to grasp like because of, because you're under. You're asking folks to to like you're assessing? Is this a problem? I see it as a problem. Is this an issue? Does it make sense for us to address this and do something. So were those people and their families. Because if you're meeting with at this time, how many years ago is this? Is this.
00:25:49.760 --> 00:25:55.270 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): It was almost like about 20 before India home started in 2,007, and.
00:25:55.270 --> 00:26:19.629 Tommy DiMisa: So we're going 18 years ago, or something like that. So at the time you were meeting with your contemporaries, who have parents who are already experiencing this right, you know, or even the younger people, maybe, who are seeing their grandparents in this so mainly those folks like the the total or the geographic need was more so in Queens, in in Nassau County as well. What were you finding.
00:26:19.980 --> 00:26:33.069 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yeah, it was. Mostly. Some of them are from from queens. Some of them are for Nassau County, and a few of them from Suffolk County also, and a couple of people attended from New Jersey, also.
00:26:33.070 --> 00:26:33.500 Tommy DiMisa: Okay.
00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:38.100 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): But most of them were based around Queens and Nassau County.
00:26:38.100 --> 00:26:47.569 Tommy DiMisa: Got it. So what were the findings when you have 8 to 10 months of these sessions? 200 people? Was it a maybe we could need this? Or was it something different?
00:26:47.930 --> 00:27:03.699 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Most of them, I would say 80% of them. Yes, it is needed. But we really didn't have an idea like how we are going to do about it. Then one gentleman, Mr. Dharma Venkaya, he registered
00:27:03.890 --> 00:27:18.090 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): 8 non non profit organizations in this country, and he used to do our personal taxes. So he said, you have to start a nonprofit organization and then start the services.
00:27:18.250 --> 00:27:29.609 Tommy DiMisa: So. But we have. We were all, most of us. We were physicians. We had no clue about nonprofits. Right? So we said, Okay, we'll take your help. And he helped us to.
00:27:29.800 --> 00:27:30.560 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Oh.
00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:42.789 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): organize this nonprofit and register this nonprofit. Unfortunately, he's no more. But he helped us a lot because he understood he gave us a lot of guidance. Also.
00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:50.080 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): he compared this organization interestingly with a concept called Hindu Temples.
00:27:50.080 --> 00:27:50.530 Tommy DiMisa: Okay.
00:27:50.530 --> 00:27:56.880 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): You know there are. There is a huge Ganesh Temple Hindu center, and there are many temples in queens right.
00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:57.270 Tommy DiMisa: Yes.
00:27:57.270 --> 00:28:21.999 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And he said, What you are trying to do is you're trying to build a temple, a place for all these seniors to come together. So you need to connect with the community and get the community support into this establishing this organization. So we did register this organization as a nonprofit in 2,007 march.
00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:22.650 Tommy DiMisa: Okay.
00:28:25.120 --> 00:28:29.390 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And after the after resisting the organization.
00:28:29.750 --> 00:28:33.580 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Then, of course, we need to figure out how we get the
00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:41.560 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): money for this organization. Who is going to support this organization, what we are going to do with this organization.
00:28:41.800 --> 00:28:55.100 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So for one more, almost one more year till 2,008, we were doing some more research of visiting the senior centers in New York City, where there are more than 300 senior centers.
00:28:55.100 --> 00:28:56.520 Tommy DiMisa: Wow! Is that right?
00:28:56.520 --> 00:28:57.130 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yep.
00:28:57.380 --> 00:29:00.379 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): We visited at least 30 of them.
00:29:00.730 --> 00:29:10.020 Tommy DiMisa: So what? So you know what? Before we do this, let's take a break because we're gonna have to take a break. So I want to. You went out. I see you. You're going out. You're visiting 30 of the senior centers
00:29:10.380 --> 00:29:24.220 Tommy DiMisa: when we come back. I wanna I want to know what you were looking for, because you're you're looking for. I assume a roadmap. You're looking for some architecture some ways to do things because you're building something, and I guess you want to find out. Well, 1st of all, what do we need?
00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:27.899 Tommy DiMisa: Right? What are the services we're going to provide? And then
00:29:28.370 --> 00:29:35.530 Tommy DiMisa: how can we do it better in certain ways? And specifically, how can we serve the community and population we're serving? I guess it was a lot of that.
00:29:35.780 --> 00:29:37.740 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes, that's right. Yeah, yeah.
00:29:37.740 --> 00:30:07.159 Tommy DiMisa: Perfect. So you're so, folks, we're going to take a quick break. We come back. Dr. K. Is going to share what the findings were by going out and and learning about 30 different senior centers in the city of New York, and through that analysis, what is now India home, and I'm going to share the website when we go to break. However, if you're only listening, you can go check out indiahome.org Indiahome dot org to learn more about the organization and then we'll share some contact information later in the show. All right. So Dr. K. We'll take a quick break. We come right back.
00:30:08.010 --> 00:30:08.860 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yep, thank you.
00:30:08.860 --> 00:30:24.740 Tommy DiMisa: We are now in my mind. I'm waiting for you to tell us the story about the visits you made. So that's where we're going to leave them on a cliffhanger. It's like it's like the end of a season, and we'll come back next season, which is really in 30, 30, 45 seconds. So all right, philanthropy and focus Tommy. Give it a break. Let's go right back.
00:31:56.560 --> 00:31:57.170 Tommy DiMisa: In
00:31:57.170 --> 00:32:07.340 Tommy DiMisa: New York City or in New York, or whatever like in this kind of in our catchment area. Let's just figure out how many folks. Is it?
00:32:09.160 --> 00:32:20.809 Tommy DiMisa: So? It's South Asian, is it not? Strictly folks from India that you serve, but, like, what is the population in New York? Let's just say that that are potential people you can serve through your organization.
00:32:21.560 --> 00:32:51.129 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yeah, there are a lot of South Asians in Queens. It's not just about Indians, but people from Bangladesh, people from Pakistan and Nepal Sri Lanka, even Indo-caribbean guidese population. So these are all they wanted, specifically cultural distance to services, and in queens is like a hub for South Asians. Next to the Queens, of course, NASA County again.
00:32:51.130 --> 00:33:11.500 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Nassau County. Also there's a huge South Asian population. So we started, I mean in in Bronx and Brooklyn. Also, we have South Asian population living there, and and Manhattan and Staten Island, but when compared to queens they are less in numbers, very focused in certain areas.
00:33:11.500 --> 00:33:11.960 Tommy DiMisa: Yes.
00:33:11.960 --> 00:33:15.760 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So we thought, okay, let's start in queens first.st
00:33:15.910 --> 00:33:45.220 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And but to understand the need of the what are different kinds of services available in the healthcare. We know hospitals and nursing homes and assisted living facilities, but in the community what is available? So we started visiting these 300 serious centers. Out of that we selected a few. Most of them are in queens, and some in even in Bronx and Brooklyn we visited
00:33:45.470 --> 00:34:08.440 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): what we I mean. We spoke with the executive directors and staff, and we understood having these seniors coming to these centers. It is increasing the socialization for them, making new friendships. And you know, sitting and eating with lunch with other people. So that was actually sort of preventive health.
00:34:08.650 --> 00:34:26.459 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): People don't realize the importance of senior centers. In fact, I was ashamed. I said, I got trained in geriatric psychiatry for one year, which is a specialized mental health problems in older age population. I didn't know about these senior centers.
00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:27.030 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.
00:34:27.030 --> 00:34:33.729 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And we were never taught. There is a huge disconnect between the community centers and hospitals.
00:34:33.739 --> 00:34:41.779 Tommy DiMisa: I have to ask you a question, and I don't want to take us too far off a track. But it's been. It's been something I've been thinking about asking for the last half hour.
00:34:42.439 --> 00:34:50.119 Tommy DiMisa: What was it that made you get this specialization in geriatric psychiatry? What was the the catalyst there.
00:34:50.439 --> 00:34:58.739 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yeah, interesting question. Honestly, I was finishing my psychiatry Residency, which was like 4 years training.
00:34:58.740 --> 00:34:59.080 Tommy DiMisa: Okay.
00:34:59.330 --> 00:35:23.539 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And in the last one year I was the Chief Resident, like taking the responsibility of the residents, and as a chief resident I did a lot of things in the hospital in Brookdale Hospital, where I got trained, and it was quite hectic that particular year for me, being in the leadership role and accomplishing a lot more things in the hospital setting
00:35:23.790 --> 00:35:33.060 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): that I got really tired. And I said, Okay, instead of going straight to the job, why not? I do a fellowship?
00:35:33.160 --> 00:35:59.740 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And I attended, you know I did some interviews, and one was very close to my home. Long Island Jewish Medical Center. That's where we were living at that time in Queens. I said, Okay, it's not far off. I can just walk to the hospital and learn a little bit about, you know, and geriatric psychiatry at the same time. In my hospital in Brookdale they asked me to do child psychiatry, fellowship.
00:35:59.740 --> 00:36:04.149 Tommy DiMisa: Wow! They said. Why don't you do, child? Psychiatry here.
00:36:04.400 --> 00:36:15.580 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): I told them. It's very difficult for me, because sometimes when I see the children in the hospital, I feel it's not the problem, you know, trying to label a child.
00:36:15.710 --> 00:36:16.090 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.
00:36:16.090 --> 00:36:33.499 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Are the problems with their parents and society around them. So I said, No, I cannot do that. It breaks my heart. Sometimes I wonder what if if my children grew up in these neighborhoods in this kind of situations, what would they turn out to be.
00:36:33.500 --> 00:37:02.849 Tommy DiMisa: So. So let me ask you. So let's dig in there a minute to there then. So what I'm hearing you say is something I talk a lot about with some of my friends and colleagues is trauma, and I'm hearing you're saying like it. Some folks might be a certain way because of where they've grown up and the challenges and trauma they've dealt with right? And and this is a response. Behaviors or emotional challenges and things are all a response to what they've gone through. Yeah, right?
00:37:02.850 --> 00:37:05.379 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes, absolutely. Absolutely.
00:37:05.380 --> 00:37:21.740 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I'm glad we went down that road, but I'm going to take you back to where we were. You said you didn't even realize how important the socialization was. And I'm going to share with everybody and anybody who really either knows me through this podcast and this show here, or just knows me in the real world. I say this.
00:37:22.090 --> 00:37:30.370 Tommy DiMisa: a stranger is a friend I haven't met yet. That's what I consider a stranger. So so I think it's so cool to
00:37:30.390 --> 00:37:56.720 Tommy DiMisa: at any point in age in our life to make new friends, you know, and and these connections. And and I know this, and I think you know this, and many of the listeners know this already. But the connections and the interaction and the learning. I listen. I'm no clinician. I've never been to medical school. I've driven past a couple medical schools, but that's about as close as I've been to medical school. But what I'm saying is socialization connection. It is good for our brain. Right? Doc.
00:37:57.080 --> 00:38:09.739 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes, absolutely. And it is actually, you know, a preventive measure for depression and for dementia. And it's it's extremely important.
00:38:09.840 --> 00:38:15.469 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And most of the seniors, whether you believe it or not, when they're alone at home.
00:38:15.560 --> 00:38:26.309 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and they don't pay attention to what they are eating. Sometimes they don't even bother to eat properly so which would put them into, you know, medical complications
00:38:26.340 --> 00:38:45.739 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): by not eating well and staying at home alone, whereas here in the senior centers they come together, they sit with other people, they chit, chat, and they eat. The socialization itself makes them active and wanting to meet new friends and new relationships.
00:38:45.870 --> 00:38:55.689 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So that's that's where we when we visited this, that's what we realized. Yes, these are like, you know, hubs, seniors.
00:38:55.910 --> 00:39:12.749 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah. And I bet I bet people who might be, you know, a widow or a widower, maybe they meet a new partner out of these things and stuff like that, because, no matter how old we are, we want companionship, and we want connections, whether it be friendship, connections, or or more than friends connections, I guess, too. Right.
00:39:12.790 --> 00:39:29.929 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yeah. In fact, it happened with one of our seniors, you know. One lost their one gentleman lost his wife, and the other lady was also single. So they decided, after meeting at the senior center. After a couple of years they decided to get married and settled.
00:39:30.240 --> 00:39:43.959 Tommy DiMisa: Beautiful thing. We're going to live here, probably 80, 85, 90 years, maybe more. Right? You know, when life doesn't end at 60 or 65, or whatever man, there's so much more so what else did you pick up on the tour going out and visiting these facilities.
00:39:43.960 --> 00:39:53.439 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yeah. The other thing we realized is, for example, in some senior centers where South Asians are living in large numbers.
00:39:53.610 --> 00:40:00.259 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): the seniors are not. The South Asian seniors are not going into these centers in huge numbers.
00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:04.939 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Like, for example, in Floral Park and New Hyde Park.
00:40:04.940 --> 00:40:11.080 Tommy DiMisa: Very, very high population, specifically of Indians in in New Hyde Park, Floral Park. Queens area over there, too.
00:40:11.080 --> 00:40:20.979 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Right? Right? Yeah. And there are huge number of seniors are living, but they're not going to the local senior centers. And in the same day.
00:40:20.980 --> 00:40:25.360 Tommy DiMisa: Are they not going anywhere at that point in time? They were not. They were just staying home.
00:40:25.360 --> 00:40:55.050 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): They were staying home. At the most they would go to the local neighborhoods, temples, but not to the senior centers, like snap services. Now for adult persons, it is in existence for more than whatever 30, 40 years ago, and the seniors are not going there, and Sunnyside also is very well known, and where there is a huge Indian population in Elmhurst and South Asian population is bigger in, you know, Jackson Heights.
00:40:55.490 --> 00:40:59.439 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): But people are not going there to Sunnyside communities.
00:40:59.440 --> 00:41:09.680 Tommy DiMisa: So you're so you're saying you're you and your team are going. What's going on here? We were you. You kind of realize it validates what your thoughts were going. Yeah, that folks aren't even coming out here. So there's definitely a need.
00:41:10.070 --> 00:41:11.150 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Right? Right?
00:41:11.390 --> 00:41:37.179 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So that's when we had a proposal. Our 1st proposal, of course, we put with the Temple in Nassau County, which was very easy, because it says, and Temple executive, I mean Temple Temple founder is my friend Dr. Nori. He's our family friend, he said. Okay, immediately you can start a senior center weekly one day over there.
00:41:37.200 --> 00:41:51.130 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So we said, Okay, we'll start on in 2,008 April. We started then immediately in Queens. We started Sunnyside snap services. Now for adult persons. We reached out to the executive director.
00:41:51.140 --> 00:42:17.839 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): We met with them at least 3, 4 times, and we, they said, oh, our doors are open for everybody. They can come here. But I tried to explain to them. I gave a lecture about South Asian culture. You know what our culture is about our languages and our food habits. And then we took the executive director and the associate executive director to one of the restaurants. We told them, this is the kind of food they eat.
00:42:17.880 --> 00:42:30.159 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): not the pizza and pasta. Once in a while we eat, but not every day. So it took 6 months, but they they agreed. They said, Okay, you can bring your seniors one day over here.
00:42:30.240 --> 00:42:42.060 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and we will. We told them. We will arrange the transportation. We will arrange the food. We will arrange the programming by having our staff, who would speak the language with the seniors.
00:42:42.250 --> 00:42:48.380 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So the it took 6 months, but we established our 1st center in Queens in 2,008 April.
00:42:48.700 --> 00:43:11.899 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and after that the second center was very easy in Sunnyside, because already Sunnyside executive director, Judy Jangal heard about our center in snap. So she in one meeting and one email, we finalized all the details and we started our second Senior Center Weekly once in Sunnyside.
00:43:12.080 --> 00:43:15.100 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and the 3rd one in Queens Community House
00:43:15.320 --> 00:43:18.219 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): in the same. In 2,010 we started.
00:43:19.840 --> 00:43:34.350 Tommy DiMisa: So do you find that that's been the the way. And I'm sharing the website, everybody to show the different locations. Do you find? That's the that's the model is to partner up with another organization and build your centers in their spaces. Is that what you think.
00:43:34.490 --> 00:43:53.330 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes, that's how we thought it, because it was a learning process for us, right? When we exist with other senior centers. We know what are all the different regulations of Government department of aging we need to follow, and we have to learn how to operate a senior center. Also.
00:43:53.781 --> 00:44:04.389 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): That was a big journey for us, and it's it took us almost like 2, 3 years to learn. You know, what to do, how to do and where to get the money.
00:44:04.550 --> 00:44:19.639 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): especially the fiscal responsibility, was when we were starting more centers. It was increasing and we didn't have much government funding in the beginning, and we had to convince our own community members to come in as donors.
00:44:19.640 --> 00:44:33.860 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah. Well, it's funny you mentioned donors and things like that. Because I was looking on the website earlier this morning, and you have something coming up in October. You have a gala coming up October 5.th
00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:34.370 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes.
00:44:34.370 --> 00:44:42.189 Tommy DiMisa: More about it when you come when we come back from break. But the India home gala, let's see, is October 5.th
00:44:42.640 --> 00:44:47.130 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, it's actually at India home. Is that right? It's at the facility.
00:44:47.542 --> 00:44:51.177 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Not at the facility. It's in Long Island. We are doing this.
00:44:51.480 --> 00:44:52.869 Tommy DiMisa: Where is it going to be.
00:44:53.320 --> 00:44:56.550 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): It's in Pearl Restaurant, in Hicksville.
00:44:56.550 --> 00:45:07.910 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, in Hicksville. Okay, again, there's a community, a high South Asian community in the Hicksville area as well. Right? Yeah. So alright. So I want to be there with you. On October.
00:45:07.910 --> 00:45:08.649 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Thank you.
00:45:08.650 --> 00:45:10.420 Tommy DiMisa: And we will invite you.
00:45:10.420 --> 00:45:30.599 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, we'll work out the details. And you know, in any way I could support that event when we come back we're going to take a quick break when we come back. It's really it's about Dr. K. What? What do you need at this point? Because we've told a lot of the story and things like that. And if there's any more you want to tell about programs, we come back. We could talk about that. But I also want to get into
00:45:30.620 --> 00:45:46.101 Tommy DiMisa: what what do you need? Is there? You might say, Tommy, other than October 5.th We have this event. And we have this volunteer opportunities, or we're looking for some additional board members. Whatever the case may be, we're going to get into that. I know all of our nonprofit friends need additional funding. I know that never goes away.
00:45:46.670 --> 00:45:49.660 Tommy DiMisa: but we'll talk about some more of that when we come back. How's that sound? Dr. K.
00:45:49.660 --> 00:45:51.024 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes. Good. Yeah.
00:45:51.480 --> 00:45:55.690 Tommy DiMisa: All right. Dr. K. And Tommy D. We will be right back.
00:45:56.060 --> 00:45:56.960 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Thank you.
00:47:39.670 --> 00:47:41.539 Tommy DiMisa: Me in the attic. All right. So Dr. K.
00:47:43.750 --> 00:47:44.490 Tommy DiMisa: So
00:47:44.610 --> 00:48:00.169 Tommy DiMisa: a couple. I guess it was maybe a month and a half ago or so. My friend Tom Gretsch and my friend Brendan levy, CEO and Vice President of Business Development at the Queens Chamber of Commerce were on the cover of this is Queensboro, which is the magazine for the Queens Chamber of Commerce.
00:48:00.360 --> 00:48:09.130 Tommy DiMisa: and they had paint all over them and the holiday, and I don't know if I'm going to pronounce it. Is it Holly? Or is it holy? How do you pronounce this?
00:48:09.970 --> 00:48:25.109 Tommy DiMisa: Holy, holy? Okay. HOLI holy, yeah. Can you tell me a little bit? Because I googled it while we were, because they have these great pictures and a little bit, to be honest, I'm a little jealous that I wasn't invited to to celebrate, because it looks like so much fun.
00:48:25.250 --> 00:48:38.560 Tommy DiMisa: What it says. A vibrant celebration known for paint splashes signifies the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil, and the joy of new beginnings. So what can you tell me? A little bit like 30 seconds on that holiday? Because it looks just wonderful.
00:48:39.010 --> 00:48:45.529 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yeah, holiday lot of people celebrate. I mean, view this as most like a festival of colors.
00:48:45.530 --> 00:48:46.020 Tommy DiMisa: Okay.
00:48:46.020 --> 00:49:13.290 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Just like Diwali is festival of Lights. This is like festival of colors, and one of the important things is, you know, people celebrate this, not just as a passing of culture from one generation to the other generation, but reminding about the you know, the stories associated with this. And it's like, you know, families coming together, and especially children, would love this festival.
00:49:13.290 --> 00:49:13.650 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.
00:49:13.650 --> 00:49:16.790 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So definitely. We will make sure we will keep you invited.
00:49:16.790 --> 00:49:26.690 Tommy DiMisa: I want to come in. It looks like so much fun. I'm like, how do I miss out on a party like that? That just looks so fun. So I want to be part of that. So.
00:49:26.690 --> 00:49:28.999 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): At India phone. We have many parties.
00:49:29.000 --> 00:49:54.209 Tommy DiMisa: I want. Listen! I I would really like to become a friend of the organization I'd like to combine. Do a tour with you and and some of your team, and really find ways that I might be able to through. Like, I say, through my connections and relationships, support some of the efforts that you're you're doing here. So let's get into some of that. What kind of on the horizon are there things that when you're sitting with your board, or when you're sitting with your staff that are coming up. You know we really need this, or we need that. What's going on there.
00:49:54.210 --> 00:50:07.959 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Okay. Going fast forward. Of course, we started our senior centers in existing senior centers, but during covid time we have to close all our senior centers, not just India home, everybody across the board because of Covid.
00:50:08.160 --> 00:50:14.950 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And then but we did continue through zoom and home, delivered meals and home delivered groceries and all.
00:50:15.160 --> 00:50:32.789 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): After this, covid regulations are lifted off. Then we started actually collaborating with the temples faith-based organizations. So we have one senior center in a mosque which is 5 days center, serving Bangladeshi, Muslims.
00:50:32.930 --> 00:50:45.290 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and 4 senior centers in temples, one in Richmond Hill, one in Jackson Heights, one in Flushing, and one we are planning to start in Long Island, Nassau County.
00:50:45.660 --> 00:50:54.360 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and we also started dementia daycare about 2 years back, which is a, you know, the whole story of India home is because of dementia story.
00:50:54.360 --> 00:50:54.900 Tommy DiMisa: Right.
00:50:54.900 --> 00:51:13.690 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So we started the dementia day program. We also started doing something called co-living Homes for seniors. Co-living is a very popular concept in millennial generation. So we started our 1st co-living home in Floral Park by purchasing a single family home
00:51:13.850 --> 00:51:24.960 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and modifying that home, having bathrooms attached to each bedroom. So right now there are 4 seniors living in Floral Park, senior co-living home.
00:51:25.080 --> 00:51:45.069 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): They have their own bathrooms and bedrooms as a special, just for that individual. But other areas are common areas where you know the kitchen and living room basement and backyard. These are all common areas. So all of them will have socialization, you know, eating together and spending time together.
00:51:45.070 --> 00:51:56.309 Tommy DiMisa: Love that model. I love that model because, like, you know, folks at that point in their life, maybe their families moved on. Maybe they don't have children or grandchildren, and then they build their own chosen families to some extent. There. Yeah.
00:51:56.310 --> 00:52:05.750 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): That's right. Yeah, yeah, in some of them. Even if the children are here in New York City, they would prefer staying here because they have the company here, and.
00:52:05.750 --> 00:52:06.720 Tommy DiMisa: I love that.
00:52:06.720 --> 00:52:25.300 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yeah, that's the second one we are doing in Jamaica for the last one and a half years. That's about 6 Bangladeshi seniors. And we specifically culturally develop them. The Floral Park. One is a vegetarian, co-living home and Jamaica. One is halal food. They.
00:52:25.300 --> 00:52:28.150 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, wow! That's great. Yeah.
00:52:28.320 --> 00:52:30.480 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): They're all Bangladeshni. Yes.
00:52:30.480 --> 00:52:32.780 Tommy DiMisa: Do they do their own cooking, or do? Is that.
00:52:32.780 --> 00:52:41.249 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): We do their own cooking, but our staff will coordinate if they need to go for groceries, or you know they need some help. Our staff would help.
00:52:41.250 --> 00:52:45.019 Tommy DiMisa: Who owns the home? Does India home purchase the home and the nonprofit, the home.
00:52:45.020 --> 00:52:54.559 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): India homeowns, those homes. And the next biggest project is, we are developing 94 units of affordable housing in Jamaica.
00:52:54.990 --> 00:53:08.019 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So that would be next 2, 3 years. That's our focus of having 94 units. Some are studios, some are one bedrooms, 100% affordable for seniors over there.
00:53:08.440 --> 00:53:12.629 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): So we got some government funding from city, State and all
00:53:13.710 --> 00:53:27.539 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): but we would need more philanthropists from community for this, because, to start with the India home success. In the beginning I would give the credit to Doshi family foundation.
00:53:27.540 --> 00:53:28.000 Tommy DiMisa: Okay.
00:53:28.000 --> 00:53:36.369 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And they donated a bus in the beginning to transport our seniors from their homes to the senior centers and drop them back.
00:53:36.620 --> 00:53:42.579 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): They also donated 125,000 a year over a period of 4 years.
00:53:42.650 --> 00:54:12.000 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): That helped us a lot. And then there was another foundation Kadia family foundation, Mr. Visil Kadia, and Shema Kedya. They supported India home quite a bit almost close to 200,000 they supported, and recently one foundation, called Guru Krupa Foundation. This supported 75,000 for one of our, you know, projects in developing a community center
00:54:12.380 --> 00:54:18.970 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and the city Government city council members and borough President Donovan, Richard, and
00:54:19.130 --> 00:54:39.239 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): our speakers, Adrian Adams and State Senators and Federal Government Senators to Congress, Chuck, Schumer, and Christian Gillibrand. They have been supporting India home quite a bit. But we need more of a community support into this and foundation support also.
00:54:40.190 --> 00:54:42.772 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): That's what that that's where you can help us.
00:54:43.060 --> 00:54:50.329 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah. So so as far as like the event on October 5.th And what other types of events can people get involved with, you know from
00:54:50.460 --> 00:54:53.960 Tommy DiMisa: for. And do you have a development department, I guess, is another question or.
00:54:53.960 --> 00:55:12.840 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes, yeah, we do. We do have a small development department which is led by our deputy director and we have, specifically you know, dedicated person. For the housing director, he's the one who is in charge of
00:55:13.260 --> 00:55:25.580 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): housing capital grants and housing grants. We have 2 more people in our development department helping writing the grants from foundations and all.
00:55:25.650 --> 00:55:36.209 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): But definitely, we wanted more community to be involved in this and more outreach, just like definitely your.
00:55:36.210 --> 00:55:58.129 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): we would invite you. Maybe you can come and you know, interview our seniors and see. What do they? I mean? What do they need? What else they're expecting from India home and our seniors are great advocates of India home you have seen. Sometimes they go to the city council, and they talk to the city Council members
00:55:58.130 --> 00:56:08.509 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): and on the City Hall. They actually, you know, put the flyers, and they would talk about their needs of the community.
00:56:08.700 --> 00:56:18.849 Tommy DiMisa: That's listen. Who better to tell folks what is needed than the people receiving the services? Right? That's a that's a wonderful way to do it. We're just about at time. So, doctor.
00:56:18.850 --> 00:56:40.299 Tommy DiMisa: I, Dr. Carlos Pudi, also known as Dr. KI mean, I have a whole last name. It's Demisa, but everybody calls me Tommy D. So Dr. K. And Tommy D. We could do some cool stuff together. I'm sure of it. I love your story. I'm appreciative of of just your candor in telling the story about your family and the and the challenges. And I think what I learned today, a lot of things. But specifically, one thing I'll key in on
00:56:40.390 --> 00:57:04.289 Tommy DiMisa: is, I learned that you know you all may have a direction that you think you're going, and then life may come in, something will come in and affect and sort of change the direction and trajectory of where you're going, and there's some faith to that. Dr. K. To just kind of lean in and and follow kind of what God or the universe, or whatever somebody's belief set is that pushes us in that direction, and it's a leap of faith. Wouldn't you say, Dr. K.
00:57:04.870 --> 00:57:16.359 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Yes, definitely. I agree with you, Tam Tam. This is a great opportunity for us, and we established this model so that other immigrant populations also can follow this model.
00:57:16.470 --> 00:57:19.379 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): And I really appreciate this.
00:57:19.570 --> 00:57:20.570 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): A capsule.
00:57:20.800 --> 00:57:21.790 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Thank you.
00:57:22.120 --> 00:57:45.360 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I'm glad you were here. Thank you so much. Shout out to your whole team. Who made this happen? I appreciate everybody at India home. I look forward to seeing you all. I want to come out, probably in July for a visit, and we'll make something happen, and I like your idea about having me interview some of the folks. So everybody thanks for checking out the show. The show is called Philanthropy and focus. I'm called Tommy D, the nonprofit sector connector. This is always has been another in focus production. Make it a great day. See? You all bye.
00:57:45.600 --> 00:57:47.679 Vasundhara Kalasapudi (India Home): Thank you, Tommy. Thank you very much.
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