INDEPENDENCE IN OLD AGE

BETTER LIVING

Tranquil and unhurried,that is the way most of us would like to spend the autumn of our lives. Life post-retirement,or when you have realised all your responsibilities,needs to be blueprinted. With younger generations preferring to live independently,older family members need to find accommodations that are comfortable,and more importantly,salubrious. Due to the demand for housing for senior citizens,developers have over the years begun catering to their specific needs.

Retirement homes no longer throw up a picture of dispirited seniors deserted by their families. Modelled after a popular concept in the West,retirement homes in the country today provide the elderly with independent lifestyles and individual lifestyles while catering to their wellness and wellbeing.

These homes have become popular in and around cities like Bangalore,Kochi,Pune,Chennai,Mumbai and Delhi. Away from the frustrations of everyday city life,these gated communities,or villages,come up in areas that are serene,where the climate is not severe,besides being close to bigger cities. Besides having advanced medical facilities and doctors on call all the time,retirement homes also provide multi-level security systems,communal kitchens,age and lifestyle-appropriate recreational activities as well as daily housekeeping.

Some of the chores for the elderly are those that wouldnt have been a problem for them earlier,like cooking,cleaning and maintaining the house. As these become more difficult as they get older,this is where we step in. Our management handles all their needs and requirements. We have maids and cooks as well as caretakers and trained medical staff for those with special needs, says Rajesh Shankar,director sales at Clasic Kudumbam,a retirement village located in the suburbs of south Chennai at Sholinganallur.

GROWING DEMAND

As a segment,senior living is one which is growing fast. With an increasing number of older adults living independently,this trend is likely to continue in cities that are nearer to metros and where the climate and essence of nature is still maintained.

The idea of coming up with retirement resorts has been taken from the countries like Australia and America where such services are quite common and easily available. Now this trend has geared up in India as well,as comfort buying is a new phenomenon which has grabbed the Indian Society now. The desire to live a comfortable retired life,which till recently was suppressed due to affordability factor,is no more a concern to senior citizens, says Vishal Gupta,managing director at Ashiana Housing.

Ashiana,which specialises in this segment,feels demand is rising. The group is constructing a Rs 200-crore project,Utsav,in Lavasa near Pune,which will have about 500 retirement homes. Ashiana hopes to complete construction and hand over homes by next year. The company has similar units in Bhiwadi and Jaipur.

The necessity of providing long-term luxurious living was felt and taking cues from abroad,we ventured out on this path. In India,more than 60 per cent of households are nuclear and 8.94 per cent population is aged 60 plus,indicating that the aged are in greater need of support ever than. According to market estimates,the housing need has increased four to five-fold in two years. The estimated units in this segment are 4,000 as of now but the way this segment is growing it can jump to 20,000 units in next three years, says Gupta.

Melur Meadows chief executive officer P Sathyanarayan says,There is a growing need for such villages. We cater too senior citizens from all walks of life,there are NRIs,retired defence officers as well as ordinary citizens looking for comfort in their twilight years. Most of our residents stay here on permanent basis as its a full-fledged housing complex catering to the needs of senior citizens. However,residents can also sublet or lease out their cottages to another person as long as they are willing to abide by the village rules. This retirement village is located In Coimbatore on the foothills of the Nilgiris.

At present,big developers like DLF,Omaxe and Emaar have not announced plans in this segment. This could be because retirement resorts require builders to manage the daily functioning of the projects,and more importantly,cater to the specific special needs medical and otherwise of residents. Those who have already entered this segment are content with single projects as they require a lot of attention. But with expected growth,bigger players are waiting in the wings.

NO FALL IN AUTUMN YEARS

I find this place wonderful for us retirees. It has beautiful environment,people of the same age group,AN activity centre to pass our time in a more useful manner,on site medical facilities to name a few. It has everything which is required at our age. Life here is very comfortable,healthy,pollution free and safe and is much better than Delhi, says 67-year-old Lt Col Vibhakar Chaturvedi,a long-term resident at Ashiana Utsav at Bhiwadi.

Besides Ashiana,there are projects such as Dignity Lifestyle Township at Neral near Mumbai,Athashri and Golden Nest Senior Commune in Pune,besides high-end projects such as Impact Senior Living at Amritsar. The price at Ashiana varies from location to location. While in Jaipur,it starts at Rs 11.8 lakh,properties in Bhiwadi are priced from Rs 17.4 lakh onwards. Cottages at Melur Meadows start from Rs 8.5 lakh,and apartments at Kudumbam can be had for a refundable deposit of Rs 12.5 lakh,besides a monthly payment of around Rs 10,000.

Besides,nearly an acre of park area,Melur Meadows also has already more than 80 trees and a further 400 trees have been planted,to ensure pure,pristine air abounds the village, says Sathyanarayan.

The concept of retirement homes is undergoing a change from its earlier image of being charitable institutions with minimum facilities to self-sufficient special communities without the stigma. Virender Sharma,another resident of Ashiana Utsav,Bhiwadi,says,We are lucky to be able to spend the rest of our golden period of life in tranquility and repose.

sanjeev.menonexpressindia.com