This old aged home came into existence in 1965. The Salesian sisters ably managed this Home in the beginning and later the Missionaries of charity of Mother Theresa looked after from 1967… After them the Sisters of St.Louis Gonzaga volunteered to look after the Centre's kitchen and St. Thomas Home from 1978 to 1984.

The Sisters of the Destitutes – a Congregation founded in Kerala, began their services at St. Thomas Home for the Aged and St.Camillus dispensary in 1984. They left in 2001; since then the Sisters of Maria Auxiliatrix are continuing this much needed service to our abandoned Aged brethren.

At present, 5 Sisters of Maria Auxiliatrix, 9 helpers and 2 nurses are taking care of the residents of St Thomas

78 residents live in St Thomas Home; 32 men and 46 women, aged from 60 to 100 years old. Majority of them are abandoned-elderly people above 65 of age regardless of caste, religion or beliefs. They have neither children nor relatives. Such elders are always on the increase and they consider a big blessing and fortune to have a place in this Home where they receive the best of attention to grow gracefully and to merit the blessing of a peaceful death and a decent burial.

“When I am walking in a the street and I pass by an old people laying down, begging for money or in a bad shape, I offer him or her to come and join us. Some of them will come and stay with us; some will not; some will come, get cleaned up and leave : we are here to give love and to make them happy as we can.”

The aim of the Sisters is to take a good care of destitute aged people, of the ones whom have no relatives, no friends, who are alone : they decided to be with the ones who have who have nobody. In this aged home, the residents don’t pay anything, the Sisters provide everything: food, medicines, clothes...

Saint Thomas Home for the Destitute Aged is a large house that has a nice terrace where the residents can enjoy the shadow of the palm trees, the birds’ songs and the laughs of the children who are playing outside.  Familiar dogs and cats are walking around. This aged home is like a little oasis in the middle of Vyasarpadi, a slum of northern Chennai. Now and then they receive visit of benefactors, associations, political leaders, students… Only 13 of them have relatives who come and visit them on the Second Sunday of the month.

During the day, the residents of this aged home pray, have breakfast, drink coffee, have lunch, dinner, rest, watch TV, drink, and some of them get to cook, to do arts and craft, to stitch… Every Sunday, mass is celebrated in their home with the children of the boarding schools.

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Every year, 3 big events are organized for the aged people of Saint Thomas Home : the VED, Saint Thomas’ Day and a One Day Excursion :

One day per year, the aged people are going away, they go to another city, get a little pocket money, eat in a restaurant. This day is a bowl of fresh air; it is the occasion for them to discover some other places.(Chennai, Pondicherry, Mahamalippuram,…).

Several times during the year, they all go to Pope John’s garden to enjoy a cultural programme.

Mother Amala, who is in charge of Saint Thomas Home :

“Here is life, satisfying work, real meaning is here. In order to work here, we need a lot of patience and a lot of love. In fact, the people here don’t need special food or anything: they just need love. People prefer to work with children because it brings happiness: here you may cry with them but you fulfil another kind of need, you live another kind of love It is not easy but it is so important and so well received. The last moment of their life, when they are dying in our hands is a very special moment for us because we have been helping them to live, and we are helping them to have a happy death: it is the most important. I consider these aged people as my parents. I am seeing that Jesus is standing there, we receive a lot of help from him: this is God’s house.

This is a very satisfying work. If anybody needs a satisfying work, please come and work here!”