For generations, the concept of ageing in India has been tied to the household residence, with grownup youngsters anticipated to care for his or her mother and father in their later years. The thought of senior residents living in devoted retirement communities has typically been seen as a departure from familial accountability and is nonetheless met with hesitation. But with life-style and notion modifications about outdated age, child-rearing and autonomy, society has made area for these communities to co-exist and thrive.
V Jayanth, a 70-year-old retired journalist, moved into Ziva Retirement Homes in Mamallapuram 10 months in the past, after living in Chennai all his life. “Both my children are married, and it took me almost a year to convince them to let me move here,” he says, including that the property is set alongside the scenic East Coast Road. “I go for daily walks, exercise in the outdoor gym, get my newspapers and brew my own coffee,” he provides.
Chennai Homes, Illam
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Special Arrangement
A current report by JLL (a world actual property and funding administration firm Jones Lang LaSalle) and the Association of Senior Living India (ASLI) states that India’s senior living housing sector is projected to skyrocket over 300% by 2030, hitting the $7.7 billion (₹64,500 crore) mark. This upward pattern is anticipated attributable to a demographic shift in the inhabitants.
The senior citizen inhabitants is predicted to virtually double by 2050, and it will make India residence to the world’s second-largest aged inhabitants after China. The most urgent subject is to enhance the high quality of life and well-being for this rising section of society, and South Indian cities akin to Chennai, Coimbatore, and Bengaluru have emerged as the epicentre of the nation’s senior living increase, commanding virtually 60% of the market share.
Far from being the final resort, these areas supply structured assist, and a approach for elders to guide fulfilling lives on their very own phrases. Along with offering around-the-clock upkeep care and emergency medical providers, these communities host actions starting from dance lessons, sport nights, film nights, and the celebration of festivals, birthdays, and anniversaries.
“We have a poetry club, which was formed by those of us who have either taught English or has studied English literature, and we are 12-15 of us in this. Apart from this there are satsang and bhajan meetups, there’s a bridge club, and so much more happening in the community. You just have to make contact with what interests you,” says Jayanth.
Dance programme at Nana Nani
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Special Arrangement
Communities host actions starting from film and sport nights, to journeys to close by vacationer locations, to even exhibitions and pop-ups arrange inside the premises. While residents are inspired to participate in actives and hold busy, they’re free to do as they please. “There is a carrom club, some regularly play cards, others go to the library or gym by themselves. This is their home, and they can do what they want to do,” says says Sabitha Muralikrishnan of The Chennai Homes, including that each one residents are required to tell the caretakers if they’re stepping out or going out of station, simply so everybody is conscious of their whereabouts, however there is no restriction of motion.
“In the early stages, it was difficult for us to make people understand that this is not an old age home in the traditional sense. The mindset has changed because these communities cater to more than just security and medical services. They are more like resorts with a social life built into them,” says Umamaheshwari Yuvaraj, joint managing director, Ananya Group, which operates the Nana Nani senior living communities in Coimbatore.
Women celebrating Onam
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Special Arrangement
The demographic that appears most comfortable with this living association is ladies since they’re free of obligations like cooking and care taking. “I have observed that women are the most social group on most of our properties, and they are able to be free and social because they are free of responsibilities. Many women have told me that it is freeing to not have to worry if the maid will show up on time,” she laughs. With well-equipped care services, curated social actions, and a community of friends, communities like these create an setting the place elders can interact meaningfully with their environment.
These areas present extra than simply care — they foster independence whereas making certain assist is at all times inside attain. Rama Swaminathan (84), who has been staying at Puducherry’s Serene Pelican, says that since she moved into the group virtually two years in the past, she has been capable of indulge in her curiosity in cooking. “I did a diploma in cooking and I enjoy it a lot, but I was a school principal and did not have the time to do it much. Now I cook at leisure, talk to my plants, read books and relax,” she says.
In the Indian landscape, one of the main issues that arises in assisted living communities is the meals. Dietary preferences are nuanced and impacted by beliefs and faith. “We understand that elders have some very specific food preferences. Some don’t consume onions and garlic, and even from the health perspective, a lot of them have needs. We provide customisation of diets and even have doctors who monitor their daily food intake,” says Sabitha Muralikrishnan.
“Every morning after we clock-in, we visit each resident and go through a check-list. Have they had enough sleep, did they face any difficulties during the night, have they taken all their medication on time, did they speak with their family members, these questions are essential because they help us gauge an oncoming emergency,” says Devi, 35, a nurse who has been in the healthcare business for the final 18 years, and now works with Coimbatore-based CovaiCare.
Beyond each day care, these communities additionally step in to assist with end-of-life care and final rites in accordance with the residents’ customs. “We take care of all the logistics so that the family doesn’t have to worry about them during the grieving period. We have tie-ups with hospitals and mortuaries which will hold the mortal remains until the families arrive in case they are abroad,” says Sabitha.
Inside the gated group of Coimbatore-based Nana Nani
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Special Arrangement
While these communities prioritise offering a protected and scenic setting for the retired demographic to take a again seat, Colonel Achal Sridharan, 76, founder of retirement CovaiCare, is of the sturdy perception that the golden technology belongs proper in the cities with all the children as a substitute of on the outskirts. “Retirement communities are the need of the hour because of the longevity of life and the unavailability of facilities for the elderly. These communities provide not just safety, but things like food, housekeeping and more.”
To rebuild a life at a a lot later stage is positively a problem for individuals who resolve to maneuver into these communities, regardless of the many benefits it supplies. “This becomes a large investment at the age of 70. I have to uproot my life and come to some other place and find new surroundings and new people, all for basic facilities. Only 2% of urban senior citizens live in organised senior living communities. So this sector needs to be much more developed and accessible,” he says.
Despite the challenges these communities supply one thing way more significant — a way of belonging amongst friends. For 93-year-old G N Rajagopal, discovering a fellow retro Hollywood movie fanatic was a delight. “I met Mr K S Nair at the park in our community four and a half years ago, and he was looking at the sky with his big camera. I am also very interested in the sky and planets, so I asked him what he was doing. He showed me the planet Saturn and that’s how we became friends. We later found out that we both love and enjoy ‘50s and ‘60s Hollywood films. He is full of facts and details about all these films,” he says.
In these areas, companionship replaces isolation, and shared experiences foster newer bonds. Combating loneliness in a group has therefore been a central half of the senior living expertise. Whether it is a bunch of retirees debating politics over morning espresso, a e book membership full of animated discussions, or an impromptu gathering for competition celebrations, life right here is formed by the individuals who inhabit it.
Published – March 26, 2025 03:50 pm IST
