India is home to over 15 million senior citizens. And a considerable population of them live alone, owing to various reasons, like the death of a partner, relocation of other family members to different areas, etc.
Now, growing old is a natural phenomenon and the age bracket above 60 too, needs care and support from others. However, many are unable to find so due to various reasons. And the magnanimous business mogul Ratan Tata has taken a step to tackle this growing concern among the growing population of senior citizens in the country.
The veteran businessman has invested in a startup called ‘Goodfellows’. The startup aims to provide meaningful companionship services to senior citizens. It was founded by Shantanu Naidu, Ratan Tata’s 30-year-old assistant, and is much like an ode to the intergenerational connection shared by the two.
“The bonds between the two generations created by Goodfellows are very meaningful and are helping to address an important social issue In India. I hope the investment helps the young team at Goodfellows grow,” Ratan Tata said.
Goodfellows has raised an undisclosed amount in seed funding from Ratan Tata. Over the past 6 months, the platform completed a successful beta and will now expand to cities like Pune, Chennai, Bangalore with Mumbai as its base.
Why Goodfellows
Loneliness is a serious problem among senior citizens. The startup pairs the elderly crowd with young graduates in an attempt to tackle problems pertaining to it, with fresh and novel approaches.
The idea of companionship is subjective and every individual would want to tackle it differently. Some may enjoy a stroll, others a movie, others just a heart-to-heart talk. Just like a grandchild would provide companionship, the millennial crowd will work towards making senior citizens’ lives hopeful and one without fear and resentment.
Also Read: 4 Times Ratan Tata Proved That He Is A True Gem Of The Country
Offerings
The platform also plans to host events to ensure participation and make the lives of the elderly happy and meaningful. Plans are in the pipeline to pair travel companions with senior citizens, who haven’t had a chance to travel for whatever reason holding them back.
Goodfellows offers a freemium subscription model giving the first month as a free trial, followed by a small subscription fee on regular use. The platform also offers short-term internships to graduates who possess the required knowledge in dealing with human relationships.
Senior citizens can avail the services by signing-up on thegoodfellows.in or can give a missed call at +91 8779524307.
