Olepaipai Homecare: A place of comfort for the elderly

A palatial home for the elderly is tucked in the leafy suburbs of Elgon View, Eldoret. The house, with its manicured lawns and ample parking, offers a serene environment for its ageing occupants.

At the back of the property, rabbits hop and scurry to their burrows while free-range chickens roam the lush lawns. Despite the peaceful atmosphere, a team of uniformed nurses moves in and out of the rooms, providing care to the residents.

You might think you’ve stepped into a medical facility, but you'd be mistaken. This is Olepaipai Homecare — a "place of happiness" — a unique homecare facility that has found its place in a region where sending the elderly to nursing homes is traditionally seen as a cultural oddity and a sign of failure on the part of children to care for their ageing parents.

Olepaipai Homecare and Memory Care, which opened its doors three months ago, is located less than a kilometre from Eldoret's major hospitals, including Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), St Luke’s Orthopedic Hospital, and Oak Tree Hospital. The facility has quickly gained attention, with many residents sending their elderly parents for care, especially those who have relocated abroad to countries like the United States, Australia, the UK, and various Asian nations.

Among the residents of Olepaipai is Janet Chepchumba Rono, a 43-year-old mother of three. Once a customer care graduate and aspiring model, Janet’s life took a tragic turn a decade ago when a road accident in Nairobi left her paralyzed and with memory loss. The accident crushed her dreams, but she was brought to Olepaipai Homecare when it first opened.

"I lived in Nairobi, and life was good," Janet recalls with a smile, though she hides her teeth, partially damaged in the accident. "I remember going to Gikomba market for clothes and shopping for high-heeled shoes in town."

Although Janet doesn't fall into the typical category of elderly residents, she was brought to Olepaipai after reports emerged that she wasn't being admitted to hospitals due to her medical condition. Now, in the tranquil environment of Olepaipai, she is slowly regaining her memory with the support of dedicated nurses.

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The facility features a “memory room,” designed for therapy, where residents can engage in games like Scrabble and chess or play the piano to stimulate cognitive function. According to Damaris Too, the director of Olepaipai Homecare and Memory Care, the room was specifically created to aid in memory recovery.

"I got the idea for this facility during a visit to the US earlier this year," Ms Too explains. "While visiting my sister-in-law, I learned about the best ways to care for the elderly. I realized that many Kenyan parents, especially those whose children have moved abroad, are left to live lonely lives. I wanted to create a place where they could find comfort and care."

Ms. Too points out that many of their residents are elderly parents whose children are working or living abroad. She notes that Kenyans in the diaspora no longer view sending their parents to a homecare facility as abandoning them, as this is a common practice in the West.

In addition to long-term residents, some elderly individuals who require services like dialysis or checkups at nearby hospitals stay at Olepaipai for a night or two. "We ensure that when they come, they feel welcomed and comfortable," says Ms. Too. "They can interact with their peers, watch their favourite TV shows, and receive spiritual nourishment. Our nurses and doctors provide personalised care, and each resident's meals are tailored to their dietary preferences and nutritional needs."

Ms Too encourages working professionals to consider homecare options for their elderly parents, emphasizing that many elderly people suffer from loneliness and a sense of rejection when their children are far away. She also raises concern about the growing number of elderly individuals dealing with dementia and urges further research into its prevalence.

Irene Chepkoech, one of the caregivers at the facility, says that their first priority is to make new residents feel at ease. "We wash them, check their health, and make them feel like family," she explains. "We ensure that they get the best care possible."

Doreen Kariuki, a nurse's aide at Olepaipai, shares that her daily routine includes tasks such as changing diapers for elderly residents and making their beds. "We provide the necessary care and always try to make the residents comfortable," she says.