How to find a Hindu care home

There are currently nearly a million Hindus living in the UK, with Hinduism being the third largest group, after Christianity and Islam, and with times changing and some turning their back on the Asian tradition of caring for ageing parents at home, Hindu care homes are becoming increasingly popular.

Having care homes that cater for different lifestyles, religions, cultures and preferences is crucial to helping residents to maintain their identity and continue living life in the way they choose as much as is possible.

Being able to express their identify and continue their connection with their culture and beliefs also has a huge impact on a person’s mental and physical well-being, and a continuation of lived experiences can contribute positively to memory retention.

What does a Hindu care home offer?

Care homes dedicated to a specific group of people provide the same levels of care and support to residents as any other care home, but daily practices and routines will be designed around a collective lifestyle.

In Hindu care homes, there are a range of things that may be implemented or adapted to suit the needs and preferences of its residents.

This can include:

• The inclusion of daily worships
• Varied menus to suit different lifestyles – Hindus traditionally follow a vegan or vegetarian diet
• Celebrations of cultural holidays and events such as Diwali and Holi
• Using different languages to communicate with residents such as Gujarati, Punjabi and Hindi
• How the home is presented
• Care provision

Gujurati and Hindi-speaking

Karuna Manor, located in Harrow, London, is a TLC care home catering for Gujarati and Hindi speaking elderly residents. 

With a strong focus on spirituality and quality of life, the home offers residents all the things you would expect from a quality care home, en suite facilities, spacious living and dining areas and care provided by a team of experienced care professionals. The home also offers a temple, a pure vegetarian menu with a range of nutritional dishes from various cultures, and staff that work hard to communicate with residents in their chosen language wherever possible. 

Jarini Ranmal is 73 years old and a resident at Karuna Manor. She says she chose the home because she “needed a cultural home and Karuna meets all my requirements, not only dietary but socially and spiritually as well.” She says what she likes most about the home is how “the residents and team all work together to ensure the residents get the best from the home and the local community.” 

Payal Chhabra, manager of Karuna Manor, describes the home as “a home away from home for our residents and with a particular focus on spiritual well-being for the mind, body and soul.”

“We were blessed the TLC group had the vision to build a cultural care setting for residents of the Gujarati community and we were fortunate to have the opportunity to set the care standards within the home.”

Onsite temple

One defining feature of Karuna Manor is the onsite Temple. Ms Chhabra says: 

“Our home’s uniqueness can be seen through our resident temple which supports both residents and relatives to enjoy live prayers, which are conducted daily by our inhouse priests. The temple has become a community hub where festivals are celebrated. Residents take part in daily activities where they create traditional arts and crafts which are then used to decorate the temple on festivals.

“We are fortunate to have a priest living on site which further allows us to meet our residents’ cultural needs out of hours to conduct any rituals that may be required.

“The priest on request will also facilitate a family led ‘Havan’ that consists of personalised prayers and allows residents and their family members to participate.”

Daily prayers are an integral part of life for Hindu people, and the team at Karuna Manor ensure residents continue to be able to take part in this.

Ms Chhabra says: “The temple is the focal point of the home for our residents, and this is crucial in maintaining our residents wellbeing.

“With over 50 festivals throughout the year, these celebrations help to continue the culture and lifestyle our residents have been accustomed to for many years prior to moving into our home. Therefore, it is paramount we continue to meet all the cultural needs of our residents during their stay at Karuna.”

Hindu care homes meet cultural needs

Describing Karuna Manor as “like a family home”, she revealed: “The lifestyle and way of living is totally different to other care homes. All our residents expect to be washed every day before breakfast and then go to the temple to complete prayers and bhajans which is similar to what they would have done in their own homes. 

“As well as the obvious language and dietary requirements of our residents differing from other care homes what really sets us apart is the community and family feel to the home.”

How common are Hindu care homes?

At the moment, there isn’t a large number of care homes specifically catering to the Hindu community, but they are on the rise.

Karuna Manor care home manager, Payal Chhabra, believes demand will increase over coming years, specifically “as the next generation of the Asian population are more positive towards care homes and the specialist help that can be provided”. She also notes “more and more families have additional commitments and responsibilities [and so] the need for additional support and help will only increase over time.”

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In December 2022, TLC opened a second Hindu care home; Kailash Manor.

With its name meaning the ‘one who bestows peace’, the home is located in Pinner, Middlesex. 

Its manager, Rohan Mathew, explains that the home “focuses on spiritual well-being for the mind, body and soul.” 

Following in Karuna Manor’s footsteps, the home is also dedicated to delivering quality care in a setting that offers residents everything they need. 

Mr Mathew says, “We offer outstanding amenities, luxurious accommodations with a serene setting where residents can live a fulfilled life, surrounded by our team of experienced healthcare professionals.

“The home specialises in residential, nursing, dementia, and respite care and is part of the award-winning TLC Care Group offering 78 luxurious ensuite rooms. We have a hair salon, spa, gym, library, quiet room, temple and cinema on site for our residents.”

Kailash Manor officially opened in December 2022 and is welcoming new residents. 

Finding a Hindu care home

Although on the rise, there are currently only a small number of Hindu care homes across the UK. If there isn’t one in your area, and you or your loved one would prefer not to travel, bear in mind that all care homes are required to meet reasonable requirements relating to religious and cultural lifestyles. 

We have a guide here, which provides more information about what questions to ask when looking for a care home. 

On carehome.co.uk, you can also filter your searches to find a home to suit your requirements. 

You can choose a care home where staff speak your first or second language by clicking here.