TN Governor dedicates new facilities of an NGO to mark International Autism Awareness

On 6th April 2024 marking International Autism Awareness Month, the Honourable Governor to Tamil Nadu Shri RN Ravi visited the Aim for Seva – Swami Dayananda Krupa Home (Krupa) Campus in Sriperumbudur and inaugurated several new facilities including the residences, clinical station and training hall. He was accompanied in his tour of the facilities by Mrs. Sheela Balaji Managing Trustee, Swami Sakshatkrtananda Saraswathi and Shri. Ravee Malhotra (Trustees- Aim for Seva) and Dr. Ennapadam S Krishnamoorthy, founder- Buddhi Clinic and Trustee- Aim for Seva). The Honourable Governor in his inspirational address highlighted the need for long term care pointing out that the question that every parent of such a child carried in their minds was “what after me?”. In this context he described the facility as pioneering and landmark in concept and lauded Swami Dayananda Saraswathiji’s vision in establishing it many decades earlier. Many more such facilities will be required in Bharath was his prediction.

Spread over 10 acres the Krupa facility provides long term care for men with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities who cannot be managed at home for either medical or psycho-social reasons. The facility provides apart from food and shelter at subsidised costs, medical and psychological support and care, as well as a range of occupational and therapeutic opportunities.

Buddhi Clinic a Chennai based integrative neuropsychiatry facility with branches in Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore and Apollo Specialty Hospitals, OMR, has worked with the Krupa campus for several years now. Each year all residents have undergone detailed Master Health Evaluations with a neuropsychiatry focus, and on several occasions until 2023, they have received integrative therapy for neuroropsychiatric symptoms at their doorstep, physical, psychological and holistic (AYUSH) as per the Buddhi Clinic care protocols. These efforts have also resulted in the Buddhi Book on Intellectual Disability care.

In October 2023, Buddhi Clinic started functioning within the Krupa campus in a purpose built facility generously constructed for its integrative approach. The centre houses a range of New Neurotechnologies for neuropsychiatry – repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial alternate current stimulation (tACS) and random noise stimulation (RNS), transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (tA-VNS), qEEG lead neurofeedback and functional magnetic stimulation (FMS). These are supported by conventional rehabilitation (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, psychological and behaviour therapies and a full house of AYUSH & Naturopathy including hydrotherapy. The development has been supported by private philanthropy and the CSR of various eminent corporates.

While all residents of Krupa receive these interventions free in turns, based on their clinical complaints, Buddhi Clinic and Swami Dayananda Krupa Care are launching an unique “transformational care program” that invites adults with autism and other neuropsychiatric conditions to stay on campus for 3-6 weeks along with their parents/ family members, in oder to achieve clinical improvements in memory, mental health and mobility (Buddhi’s 3M focus), discover and start developing vocational and occupational skills, improve activities of daily living and quality of life and reduce caregiver distress.

This innovative program, a global first with no parallels is now available in the Krupa campus and is supported by both Aim for Seva- Swami Dayananda Krupa Home and Buddhi Seva.