Pushpa
Caregiver resources
Everything for looking after a parent, in one place
Guides, how-tos in Pushpa, and the organisations and helplines we'd point a friend to, for families in India and the ones caring from far away. None of it is medical advice
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84 resources, sorted by what you're dealing with
Showing all 84
Getting started
Setting Pushpa up for a parent, from wherever you are
4 how-tos
- Install the app and sign inDownload Pushpa Health from the App Store or Google PlayHow-to3 steps in Pushpa
- Add your parentTap Get started. Setup takes two to three minutesHow-to4 steps in Pushpa
- Choose how Pushpa looks after themPick their language: English, Hindi or HinglishHow-to5 steps in Pushpa
- Set up on WhatsApp insteadMessage Pushpa on WhatsApp. She asks your language and what to call youHow-to5 steps in Pushpa
Caring from afar
When you're the one who lives furthest away
4 guides1 how-to2 organisations
- Looking after a parent in India from another countryTime zones, guilt and the WhatsApp forward at midnight. A practical starter kit for the child who lives far awayGuide6 min read
- When your parent always says “I'm fine”Parents protect their children too. Why they play things down, and how to talk so they tell you what's really going onGuide4 min read
- Flying with an older parent in India: the help airlines must giveWheelchair help from the terminal to the seat, at no extra cost, if you tell the airline 48 hours ahead. What the aviation rules sayGuide4 min read
- Flying to visit you abroad: blood clots, medicines and insuranceFlights over 4 hours raise the risk of clots in the legs, especially after 60. Simple habits in the seat, and medicines in the right bagGuide4 min read
- Help your parent sign in to the appFrom their profile, send them a one-time sign-in linkHow-to3 steps in Pushpa
- HIHelpAge IndiaA national charity for older people in India: helplines, healthcare and elder rightsOrganisationhelpageindia.org
- NIANational Institute on AgingResearch-based guides on long-distance caregiving, from the US National Institutes of HealthOrganisationnia.nih.gov
Medicines
Lists, reminders, prescriptions and cheaper generics
1 guide2 how-tos2 organisations
- Too many tablets? How to make the medicine list that mattersHalf of older Indians take five or more medicines. One honest list makes every doctor's visit saferGuide5 min read
- Upload a report or prescriptionSend a photo or a PDF in the app, or on WhatsApp to PushpaHow-to4 steps in Pushpa
- Turn on medicine remindersMedicines read from a prescription arrive as pending. Check each one and confirm itHow-to4 steps in Pushpa
- JAJan Aushadhi (PMBJP)The Government of India's generic-medicine stores, and what they stockOrganisationjanaushadhi.gov.in
- M+MedlinePlusPlain-language health and medicine information from the US National Library of MedicineOrganisationmedlineplus.gov
Doctor visits
Getting the most out of fifteen minutes
4 guides2 how-tos
- Before the doctor's visit: what to bring and what to askFifteen minutes with the doctor goes by fast. A little preparation turns it into answersGuide4 min read
- Reading her lab report without panickingA number in bold isn't always a problem. What the common tests on an older parent's report mean, in plain wordsGuide6 min read
- Coming home from hospital: what to get before you leaveThe days after discharge are when medicines get mixed up and follow-ups get missed. A short checklist for the family at the hospital deskGuide4 min read
- Palliative care isn't giving up: it's comfort, from the startRelief from pain and symptoms, alongside treatment, for heart and lung disease as much as cancer. And the conversation about her wishes, before a crisisGuide5 min read
- Prepare for a doctor's visitOpen the Ask Doctor tab for suggested questions for each conditionHow-to3 steps in Pushpa
- Share one report with a doctorOpen the report, condition or trend and tap shareHow-to3 steps in Pushpa
BP, sugar and conditions
Readings, patterns and long-term care
18 guides1 how-to1 organisation
- Checking blood pressure at home, the right wayOne in five older Indians has high blood pressure nobody has diagnosed. A home monitor helps, if the reading is taken properlyGuide5 min read
- Blood sugar and HbA1c, in plain wordsOne in seven Indians over 60 has been diagnosed with diabetes. What the three-month number means, what a good target looks like at her age, and the lows to watch forGuide5 min read
- Cataract and glaucoma: the eye checks that matter after 60Two in three cases of blindness in older Indians are from cataract, which surgery can fix. Glaucoma gives no warning at allGuide5 min read
- “Kya? Phir se bolo”: noticing hearing loss earlyOne in four people over 60 has disabling hearing loss. Left alone it can mean withdrawing from conversations, and the WHO links it to faster cognitive declineGuide4 min read
- Vaccines after 60: four to ask her doctor aboutFlu every year, pneumococcal, shingles and a tetanus booster. What health agencies recommend for older adults, and what to ask her doctorGuide4 min read
- Salt, sugar and her plate: small changes that help her BP and sugarThe limit is 5 g of salt a day, just under a teaspoon. Most of us eat double. What India's own dietary guidelines say for older adultsGuide5 min read
- Kidney disease is silent. Two simple tests catch it earlyDiabetes and high blood pressure are the commonest causes, and there are usually no symptoms until late. What eGFR and urine albumin tell youGuide5 min read
- Knee pain and arthritis: what actually helpsThe knee is the joint arthritis hits most. Exercise, weight and the right physio help more than people expect, and painkillers need careGuide4 min read
- Teeth, gums and dentures: the part of health everyone forgetsMost older Indians have lost some teeth, but very few wear dentures. Why it matters for eating, and how to care for dentures properlyGuide4 min read
- Bladder leaks are common, not inevitable. Here's what helpsMany parents stop going out rather than mention it. Pelvic floor exercises, bladder training and less tea help more than people expectGuide4 min read
- Always tired? Anaemia and low B12 are easy to miss in older parentsTiredness, breathlessness on the stairs, numb feet or a foggy memory can all come from low iron or B12. Both show up on a simple blood testGuide4 min read
- Diabetes and feet: the two-minute check that prevents the worstNerve damage means a small cut can go unfelt and unhealed. A daily look, shoes indoors and a yearly foot exam keep most problems smallGuide4 min read
- Parkinson's: the early signs families notice firstA tremor at rest, slower movements, stiffness. Sometimes a lost sense of smell years earlier. It isn't a normal part of ageing, and treatment helpsGuide4 min read
- Breathless and coughing for months? Ask about COPDIn India, cooking smoke matters as much as cigarettes. A simple breathing test, spirometry, confirms it, and treatment helps her breathe easierGuide4 min read
- It's never too late to quit tobacco, even at 70Quitting at 60 still adds about three years of life. India has a free quitline, 1800 11 2356, with counselling in regional languagesGuide4 min read
- Constipation after 60: common, often missed, usually fixableA third of older adults have symptoms. Fibre, water, a daily walk and a look at her medicines solve most of it. A few signs need a doctor quicklyGuide4 min read
- Tired, cold, gaining weight? Check her thyroidAn underactive thyroid is more common in women and after 60, and its symptoms look a lot like ageing. A simple TSH blood test tells youGuide4 min read
- An irregular heartbeat (AFib) raises stroke risk. It's often silentAtrial fibrillation gets more common with age, and some people feel nothing at all. Blood thinners cut the stroke risk, but only if it's foundGuide4 min read
- Log a readingAdd blood pressure, sugar, oxygen, pulse, temperature or weight in the appHow-to3 steps in Pushpa
- ARARDSIThe Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Society of India: dementia care and family supportOrganisationardsi.org
Falls and safety
Making home safer, and what to do after a fall
13 guides2 organisations
- Falls are the quiet emergency. Here's what prevents themOne in eight older Indians has had a fall. Most of the fixes are simple, and some are freeGuide5 min read
- Summer heat is harder on older bodies. Here's how to help from afarOlder people feel thirst less and cool down slower. The Health Ministry's heat advice, turned into a checklist for your parent's afternoonsGuide5 min read
- The emergency file: what to keep ready before you need itAt 2 am in a hospital corridor, nobody remembers the name of the blood thinner. One page, kept in three places, fixes thatGuide4 min read
- The KYC call, the “digital arrest”: keeping parents safe from scamsFraudsters pose as the bank, the police, even the CBI. What the official warnings say, and the one number to call if money is lost: 1930Guide5 min read
- Staying active after 60: walking, strength and balanceAlmost half of older Indians aren't active enough. The WHO's advice for older adults is simple, and a daily walk is most of itGuide4 min read
- Stroke: the six signs to know, and why minutes matterBalance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, Time. The best treatments work only if a stroke is recognised within hours. Teach everyone around herGuide4 min read
- A heart attack doesn't always feel like chest pain, especially in older womenBreathlessness, nausea, jaw or back pain, or tiredness for no reason can be the only signs. What to watch for, and when to call 112Guide4 min read
- Suddenly confused? Delirium is an emergency, not old ageYesterday she was chatting; today she's muddled about the day. Sudden confusion often has a treatable cause, like an infection. Get help the same dayGuide4 min read
- Osteoporosis is silent until a bone breaks. How to protect hersOne in three women over 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis. Calcium, vitamin D, the right exercise and a scan help catch it firstGuide4 min read
- Dizzy when she stands up? It's common, and it causes fallsBlood pressure that drops on standing affects one in five older people. Getting up slowly, drinking enough and a check of her BP medicines helpGuide4 min read
- Pneumonia in older people may not look like pneumoniaSudden confusion, weakness, maybe no fever at all. Older adults are at higher risk, and the signs are easy to miss on the phoneGuide4 min read
- Elder abuse is more common than families think, and often quietOne in six older people worldwide experienced abuse in the past year, most often harsh words, threats or money taken. What it looks like, and who to callGuide4 min read
- Losing muscle with age: why protein and strength work matterMuscle loss (sarcopenia) makes stairs, chairs and balance harder. Resistance exercise and enough protein at every meal help slow itGuide4 min read
- WHOWHO: FallsThe World Health Organization's facts on falls, and what prevents themOrganisationwho.int
- CDCCDC STEADIFall-prevention material for older adults and the people who help themOrganisationcdc.gov
Family and sharing
One version of the story for everyone
1 guide1 how-to2 organisations
- Looking after a parent, and yourself: the signs of carer burnoutTired all the time, short-tempered, guilty whatever you do. Caring wears people down. How to notice it in yourself, and what actually helpsGuide4 min read
- Bring in a brother, sister or spouseOpen your parent's profile and add the family memberHow-to3 steps in Pushpa
- AARPAARP CaregivingPractical family-caregiving guides and planning toolsOrganisationaarp.org
- FCAFamily Caregiver AllianceCaregiver education, fact sheets and support for the people doing the caringOrganisationcaregiver.org
Daily check-ins
How Pushpa's daily call works, and changing it
3 how-tos
- How daily check-ins workPushpa calls, or messages on WhatsApp, once a day in the window you choseHow-to4 steps in Pushpa
- Change the time or the channelChoose a different window in the app's care preferencesHow-to3 steps in Pushpa
- If a check-in call is missedPushpa doesn't keep ringing. She sends a short WhatsApp note insteadHow-to2 steps in Pushpa
Mood and loneliness
For her, and for you
7 guides1 organisation1 helpline
- Tele-MANAS · 14416India's free, 24-hour mental health helpline, from the Ministry of HealthHelplineCall 14416
- Loneliness is a health problem, not just a sad oneThe WHO links it to stroke, heart disease and dementia. One in seven older Indians often feels lonelyGuide4 min read
- Forgetting, or something more? Memory changes worth noticingLosing a name and finding it later is normal. Getting lost on a familiar road isn't. How to tell the difference, and what to do nextGuide5 min read
- She sleeps less, and lighter. When is it more than age?Waking at 4 am is common after 60. Waking tired every day, snoring that stops and starts, or sleep lost to pain is worth a doctor's lookGuide5 min read
- When a parent goes quiet: noticing low mood and depressionDepression isn't a normal part of ageing, and it's treatable. In India, 8.3% of people over 60 have it, but only 0.8% have ever been diagnosedGuide5 min read
- Caring for a parent with dementia at home: routine, kindness, safetyA steady daily routine, short clear sentences and a few changes around the house make each day easier, for her and for whoever cares for herGuide5 min read
- When a parent loses their partner: grief, and how to stay closeMore than half of older Indian women are widowed. Grief takes its own time, but some signs mean she needs more help than a phone callGuide5 min read
- Keeping the mind sharp: what actually lowers dementia riskUp to 45% of dementia risk is linked to things that can change. The WHO's 2026 guidelines say what helps most: moving, not smoking, hearing aids, and staying socialGuide5 min read
- DFDignity FoundationCompanionship, helplines and activities for older people in IndiaOrganisationdignityfoundation.com
Costs and schemes
Government cover and cheaper medicines
6 guides1 organisation
- Every Indian over 70 now gets ₹5 lakh of hospital cover. Here's how to claim itThe Ayushman Vay Vandana card covers people aged 70 and above, whatever their income, from the first day. How it works, and how to enrol your parentGuide4 min read
- The same medicines for less: a guide to Jan Aushadhi genericsGovernment Jan Aushadhi Kendras sell quality-tested generic medicines at 50–80% less than branded ones. How to find one and switch safelyGuide4 min read
- Elderline 14567, and the law that protects older parentsIndia has a free national helpline for senior citizens, and a law that lets parents claim maintenance from their children. Few families know eitherGuide5 min read
- The yearly life certificate: keeping a parent's pension flowingPensioners must prove they're alive every November, and those over 80 can start from 1 October. Now it can be done with a face scan on a phoneGuide4 min read
- Income tax for parents over 60: the benefits many missHigher exemptions, a ₹50,000 deduction on interest, more on health insurance, no advance tax, and no return at all for some over 75Guide5 min read
- The Senior Citizens Savings Scheme: a steady income every quarterA government-backed post office scheme for people 60 and over: up to ₹30 lakh, interest paid every quarter, for five years at a timeGuide4 min read
- PMAyushman Bharat PM-JAYThe Government of India's health cover scheme, including cover for people over 70Organisationpmjay.gov.in
Emergencies
Numbers to call first, from any phone in India
2 helplines
Account and privacy
Notifications, and leaving if you want to
2 how-tos