When Manju Sodhani’s husband suffered a massive stroke, the staff at Ashiana Nirmay – a Senior Living facility in Bhiwadi stepped in and arranged for an ambulance to take them to the closest hospital. When they were told that he had to be moved to a bigger hospital in Gurgaon, the staff took care of all the arrangements. By the time her children living in different cities could reach, Sodhani had got the first line of treatment covered.

“We were fortunate that we were in a Senior living facility and everything was taken care of,” Sodhani, a 68-year-old resident of Ashiana says. The Sodhanis’ shifted from their house in Noida to Bhiwadi in June and they are grateful they took this decision. “If we were in Noida, I would have had no one to turn to in that hour of crisis. I am so glad we moved to a senior living community,” she adds.

Senior living communities are apartments, condos or units which are specifically designed keeping in mind what seniors need. “This may include provisions such as age friendly design, hassle-free lifestyle options, amenities such as dining, basic medical facilities, convenience, transport facilities, housekeeping, laundry, opportunities for recreation, socialisation, learning and hobby clubs,” explains Dr Murlidhara, DGM- Senior Living. Some of these communities may even have sports clubs, spa, movie halls and so on.

That it’s a mini world encapsulated inside a gated community makes it a secure and safe environment. “Precisely, why we shifted here,” says Uma Dorai, a 62-year-old former banker from Mumbai who has now made Primus Life in Bengaluru her home. “My husband has back issues and I am unable to take care of him alone. Here, we have everything taken care of. The lockdown didn’t affect us as life carried on as usual and our routine was not impacted. The concierge service, housekeeping and dining facilities are excellent. There’s hardly anything I miss from Mumbai except for the food perhaps,” says Dorai.

Senior living is not the old age home of yesteryears. Rather, these are gated communities, offering amenities a senior would need under one roof. “The most common misconception among many is that senior living homes are the same as old age homes. However, the truth is that they are not! An old age home is usually considered to be a place for the destitute. But retirement homes are safe spaces to develop new skills or even rediscover the old ones,” says Adarsh Narahari, Managing Director, Primus Lifespaces Pvt. Ltd.

Senior living homes cater to services like nutritious meals, concierge services and physiotherapy sessions that help seniors stay active and remain healthy. “Senior living homes have good medical facilities with 24/7 assistance; the place provides personal care and security. At a retirement community, like-minded individuals keep themselves engaged with interest-based activities like yoga, art sessions, gardening and much more,” he adds.

It was the attractive services that senior living facilities offer that made former Indigo employee Mukesh Agarwal leave the cosmopolitan city of Gurgaon for the quiet of Bhiwadi. “We have been here for two years and I have encouraged friends and family to consider moving here as well. We have made new friends and have a constructively active day. In fact, I am more fit now than I have been in the past,” he adds. The 69-year-old can’t stop raving about Ashiana Nirmay, Bhiwadi, where he believes he got great value for money.

Senior living in India is still at a nascent stage, but growing rapidly. It has seen a growing demand because of the convenience and hassle-free lifestyle. “From the time we launched in 2004-05, we have seen a 250% increase in sales numbers.The past few years have seen more developers venturing into senior living ,” says Dr Murlidhara. Ashiana has two projects in Bhiwadi and is also present in Jaipur, Lavasa, and Chennai.

When Usha Dorai opted for Primus Life in 2018, it was a decision she made keeping in mind the services on offer. “At this age, all you need is safety and security to be taken care of. Throw in the other services and it’s a winner,” says the 65-year-old from Bengaluru. Dorai enjoys multiple social activities in her retirement home. “It’s so much fun to have weekly movies, fortnightly Tambola games and so on. We have daily physio sessions, so one doesn’t have to travel anywhere for it,” she adds.

Opt for senior living if security, companionship, care, recreation and social engagements, is what you have in mind post-retirement.

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