Articles - Know More About Senior Living retirement communities

The retirement years can be exciting but the uncertainty that often comes along with it can be difficult to process. Whether you stay in the same place or move to a senior living community, whatever you do will be more successful if you take time to plan. As one of the best senior citizen homes in India, we share with you some useful tips to plan your retirement life: Decide where you want to live: Finding affordable, comfortable, and safe housing is an important part of the retirement planning. Whether you wish to live in your own home or move to a senior citizen home, make sure your basic housing needs are met. Senior citizen homes offer senior-friendly rooms, access to social activities and modern amenities. Many communities also offer on-site medical support and wellness programmes that are aimed at encouraging seniors to lead an active life. Your retirement plan should be affordable in the long run: One of the most important questions you should ask yourself is: What kind of housing can you afford post-retirement? Will your home loan be paid off before you retire? Not just that, there are many expenses associated with the upkeep of your property. Property tax, maintenance of lawn and utility bills are some of the many expenses that you will have to deal with even after retirement. It is good to start your retirement planning early and calculate how much you need to save now and how much you will need in the future so that you can enjoy the lifestyle you would like to lead. Have support groups around: Retirement planning is not just about comforts, but also about camaraderie. Many people after retirement lose touch with their colleagues and friends. Some friends move away while some may face health issues. It is important that you have a support base to fill the emotional gap. It is often seen that moving to a senior citizen home is more beneficial physically and socially when you are still active than when you are in your 70s. When you are active, you can enjoy the community, make new friends, and participate in social activities. Do not ignore safety and security: Safety and security are essential components of your retirement planning. Is the place you are planning to live after retirement safe? Is that place close to the medical facilities? Make use of your active years to plan and research the ideal retirement location.

An ideal retirement dream is all about having the freedom to live the life you wish. To ensure that you continue to lead an independent life as you age, you need to start planning early. As the largest senior living community operator, we share some helpful insights to help you stay independent as you age: Feed your soul: The way your body needs a well-balanced diet to survive, your soul too needs a spiritual diet to thrive. Start listening to your heart and do what it says. Slowing down a bit to enjoy everyday things can help you feel good. Next time you’re on a familiar walk, appreciate the scene you’re a part of. Play your favourite song. While preparing a meal, take extra time to watch the spices mix or the cheese melt. Savour life’s little moments rather than waiting for something big to happen. Enjoy the everyday sights, sounds and smells. Engage in these simple practices every day and make them a part of your daily routine for long-term happiness. Find movements you love: Exercising makes you feel energised, strong, and confident. Take a moment, ask yourself: What movements bring you joy? While all types of exercises make a difference, finding enjoyable movements will ensure that you stick to it. It could be walking in nature or taking a yoga class or doing aerobics or joining a dance class – do what you like the most. A sedentary lifestyle is your worst enemy as you age. Exercising or getting any kind of physical activity helps increase the levels of good cholesterol while reducing the bad cholesterol levels from the blood. Not just that, exercise gives muscles a good work out, reduces blood pressure, controls your weight and helps you deal with stress. Have a healthy attitude towards money: Financial security is an important aspect of your independence as you age. Your attitudes and beliefs about money are of critical importance in your quest for financial independence. There are times when people spend on things that don’t make them happy. Are you spending on things that truly bring you joy? One great guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule. Direct 50% of your earnings to essentials like housing, food, and medicines. Dedicate 30% of your earnings for recreational activities such as vacations, painting lessons and the rest 20% for saving.

Over the years, the retirement lifestyle has changed and there has been a shift towards positive ageing with a focus on health and social life. With a lot of free time in hand, you have ample opportunities to indulge in your passion for travel or become a volunteer or pursue a hobby. The good part is that all these activities will provide you with opportunities to make new friends while staying connected with your old ones. Here’s how to take advantage of your retirement years and grow your social circle: Participate in group activities: Retirement is the perfect time to take classes or learn new skills. Group classes may be an informal gathering or even a formal classroom kind of learning activity – but they give you the opportunity to meet like-minded people. Also, participating in group activities like yoga, photography, chess or music classes will help you structure your days. Columbia Pacific Communities, one of the best senior citizen homes in India, addresses the issue of loneliness by offering residents an active social calendar filled with interesting activities. Residents don’t have to look outside for recreational activities. Also, there is buggy transportation available in select communities for intra-community mobility. Reinventing workplace connections: Friendships forged at work can last a lifetime. But keeping in touch with colleagues becomes harder once your work life is behind you. Organise get-togethers with those you wish to stay in contact with. As you and your colleagues will no longer be occupied with work, you will have the opportunity to talk about interests and hobbies you might not have had a chance to talk about when you were working. Virtual ways of communication: Emails, texts, and social media help you maintain friendships. Lunches, movies, and exercise classes are a great way to spend time together with your friends. If you’ve moved to a senior living community, invite your friends from the workplace and introduce them to the friends you have made in your community. This way you can maintain your circle of friends and also expand it. At our senior living facilities, residents can host get-togethers, movie nights and parties for their friends and families.

In times of worry and uncertainty, such as lockdown, it can be difficult to cope with negative emotions. At times, people reach out for unhealthy comforts – overeating and drinking alcohol. But there are several healthy ways of tackling stress and finding positivity. As one of the leading senior citizen homes, we discuss some useful insights that will help you discover positive ways to cultivate inner happiness: Get moving: Walking, running, jogging, and swimming are some of the many forms of exercises that have a positive impact on your mood. Participating in any form of physical exercise helps in releasing dopamine, hormones responsible for regulating the mood. A walk in the park is a great way to get some exercise and fresh air. We have senior-friendly walking paths, swimming pools and landscaped green spaces at our senior citizen homes so that our residents can stay active mobile and feel great. Get some me-time: If you wish to feel better, start spending time with the most important person in your life and that is – yourself. Just like your body, your brain needs time to rest and recharge. If you are constantly on the go, you will feel exhausted mentally. Taking out 10 minutes for yourself every day is a great way to replenish yourself. Use this time to either meditate or write a journal or better do nothing. Finding this space will be different for everyone – choose what you love the most. We take care of all daily requirements of our residents including housekeeping services at our senior citizen homes that let our residents spend time on things that they enjoy doing the most. Avoid falling to victimhood: Blaming others may provide relief for some time but in the long run, it can lead to feelings of hopelessness. Each human being has choices that they make to take their life forward. Taking responsibility for your own happiness is the first and most important step towards focussing on your well-being. We help our senior residents find peace and inner happiness by offering them a variety of things to do without having to step outside the community. Our senior citizen homes have a holistic approach towards wellness – from yoga classes and meditation exercises to hosting inspiring seminars and art workshops, we ensure that our residents find plenty of opportunities to stay mentally stimulated.

There is no doubt that there are immense health benefits of exercising regularly. It helps in managing weight, lowers cholesterol levels, and reduces the risk of one developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. It also lowers one’s risk of developing osteoporosis. To reap the health benefits of exercising, it is important that seniors do at least 3 hours of moderate to high-intensity exercise per week. However, to make the exercise routine a success, it’s important to set the right fitness goals.If you are a senior citizen and are looking for tips to set fitness goals, here are a few thoughts: Set straightforward goals: Wanting to stay healthy is a great place to start with. But not having a measurable goal can make it difficult to track progress. Have a more specific goal, for instance, losing 5 kgs within a specific time or want to be able to do 30 push-ups in a day. Aim for attainable goals: Setting goals that are unrealistic can discourage you, forcing you to leave your fitness journey midway. The aim of goal setting is to push to do you better. For instance, instead of saying that you would quit eating sweets altogether, you should fix the goal of eating sweets only once in a week. Set a timeline: To track your progress, you should be realistic with the time frame. Remember, lasting changes take time. Put an endpoint on your goal. Whether it’s a month or a quarter or a year, you should set a time. Review your progress: Staying physically active is not a one-time thing, rather it is a life-long commitment. Assess your goals and ensure that they are relevant. Alter your goals as you progress with your fitness journey. Exercise in groups: A strong social support network can really help you stick to your fitness journey. Exercising in groups can help you stick to your commitment. As the largest senior living community operator, we help our residents stay physically active by hosting yoga and aerobics classes. In our select facilities, there are swimming pools to help our residents stay in shape and make friends.

Dehydration among the elderly can be quite common. It can be because as people age, the sense of thirst decreases. It is recommended that an adult drinks six to eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. Beverages like juice, shakes, and smoothie all count towards the intake. Older adults must ensure that they stay adequately hydrated. However, they should not drink more than they feel comfortable with. They should avoid drinking a large amount of water before bedtime if they struggle with waking up to go to the washroom at night. As one of the leading senior citizen housing communities, we discuss some useful insights that will help prevent dehydration in seniors. If you are a senior citizen, you will find the following insights useful: Remember that there are many sources of fluids: There are many delicious and healthy beverages such as lemon water, coconut water, cucumber juice and aloe vera juice that you can drink to stay hydrated. Canned fruit juices may not be the best hydrating drinks, but you can have fruit-infused water. Stay away from caffeine, sugary drinks, and alcohol: A hot cup of coffee or tea indeed boosts your mood. Drinking moderate amounts of tea and coffee shouldn’t dehydrate you. However, drinking copious amounts of coffee, tea, sugary drinks, and alcohol can speed up the dehydration process. Wear breathable material: When you sweat excessively, especially when you exercise, you may face the risk of dehydration. Wear materials such as cotton and linen that allow the body to sweat and breathe naturally. Avoid wearing polyester, rayon, denim, fleece, nylon and leather. Take frequent breaks: When working out during the summer months or outdoors, make sure that you take breaks. The heat can quickly decrease the energy levels of elderly individuals. Keep a water bottle around and take small sips of water. Eat fibre-rich foods: Many fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, tomatoes, spinach, oranges, apples, and cucumbers are rich in water and fibre. Include them in your diet. Signs of dehydration If dehydration is not addressed properly, it can get worse and become a serious problem. Here are some signs of dehydration: Cramping in limbs Headache Fatigue Irritability Low urine output Dry skin Constipation We hope you find this write-up useful! For more such articles, watch this space.

One may not realise but blue light is everywhere. Did you know that sunlight is the main source of blue light? Besides sunlight, there are many other sources of blue light such as fluorescent lamps, LED lighting and devices like computers, phones and television screens. The natural blue light has a shorter wavelength and is thus not harmful to the eyes. But the amount of time people spend using electronic devices is a cause of concern, particularly amongst seniors. From affecting their sleeping patterns to increasing their risks of developing cataracts and macular degeneration, artificial blue light can affect the health of seniors in a number of ways. As one of the leading senior citizen homes in Bangalore, here are some practical ways to help seniors reduce their exposure to blue light: Be screen smart: When seniors spend a lot of time in front of the screen, they are making themselves vulnerable to dry eye syndrome and other eye conditions. The eyes become dry because the blink rate drops to half. Also, strained eyes can cause headaches and fatigue. To reduce eye strain, seniors should keep devices at an arm’s length. The brightness should be adjusted to reduce the contrast and glare. Seniors should increase the text size if they are experiencing difficulty in reading. Seniors should also take frequent breaks from all kinds of screens. Use night mode settings: Almost everyone at some point is guilty of checking their smartphones in bed. The blue light exposure at night can affect sleep pattern and the body’s biological clock by suppressing the secretion of melatonin, a hormone responsible for circadian rhythms. The best way to address this problem is to keep all the electronic devices out of the bedroom. If that is not possible, then seniors should invest in blue-light protecting glasses or use their devices on night mode settings. Protect skin from free-radical damage: The blue light emitted from digital devices not only disturb sleeping patterns, but it can also affect the skin. Too much exposure to screens can cause the blue light to penetrate the skin far deeper than the UV light. Blue light exposure can also stimulate photo-ageing – seniors who check their smartphones frequently are at a higher risk of skin discolouration, inflammation and a weakened skin surface. Besides reducing the screen time, seniors should use sunscreen cream or lotion that protect the skin from UVA and UVB and prevent free-radical damage. We hope you found our blue light action plan useful. Being one of the best senior living communities, we are concerned about the overall health of our residents. It is for this reason we ensure that there’s a wide variety of activities such as yoga classes and music lessons that keep them engaged in a healthy way.

As the world is still grappling with the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, fraudsters are taking advantage of the situation to con people. Scammers are preying on the fear that the pandemic has generated and are targeting seniors who are not in touch with friends, families and neighbours due to the pandemic. If you are a senior adultor have an elderly in the family, here are some Covid-19-related scams that you should be wary of: Vaccine-related scam: Con artists are targeting seniors for money and personal data on the pretext of registering them for COVID-19 vaccine. The callers will first talk about the risk that COVID-19 poses, then they would offer seniors the chance to protect themselves with a vaccine much before others can. They may even pretend to be a government official. They may steal the data or ask for money. According to a news report, a 92-year-old woman in the UK was approached by a man at her home. He injected her with a fake vaccine and made away with the money. In the US, where people are waiting for their turn to get vaccinated, many fraudsters are sending out emails, messages and links to offer early delivery of vaccines at lower prices. Remember, vaccines will be available through safe and regulated sources only. Do not entertain such unsolicited calls and do not share information like your Aadhaar card number or bank details. Decontamination of home: Many senior adults are being targeted by con artists who are claiming to be from cleaning companies offering to disinfect the home. They are charging exorbitant prices. While some fraudsters are calling people, others are going door-to-door to offer cleaning services. If you or your family member receives any such call, do not entertain them and end the conversation immediately. Free COVID-19 test kits: Fraudsters are calling or sending text messages to older adults offering free COVID-19 test kits in an attempt to get their credit card or banking details so that they can withdraw money using the information. Such fraudsters may pretend to be bank officials or government officials. They ask for bank details and ask seniors to provide their home addresses, stating that they want to drop off the test kit. If you wish to get tested for COVID-19, contact your doctor or visit a testing centre. As one of the best rated senior living communities in India, we urge you to be wary of such fraudsters. In our senior living facilities in India, we make sure that correct and accurate information is made available to our residents. Our wellness team ensures that all the doubts of our residents are addressed properly and everything they need is made available to them whilst they stay indoors.

Be it drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, or any other form of visual art – the process of creating something from scratch can be quite therapeutic for people of all ages, especially seniors. Expressing oneself through art is one of the proven methods of keeping stress at bay and keeping oneself engaged in a creative manner. With art therapy, one can let negative emotions take a backseat and make room for positive feelings. When practiced in groups, art is a great way to meet like-minded people and make new social connections. Art helps to alleviate loneliness and isolation – as one of the best rated senior living communities we organise art workshops to encourage our residents to discover their creative side.  We feature the artwork of our residents in our monthly journals. Here are some of the benefits of art therapy: Benefits of drawing: Drawing is a great way to challenge the mind creatively. The brain is actively engaged in imagining what to draw while at the same time exploring tools like pencils, markers and brushes. The targeted use of drawing helps to keep the mind sharp and promotes dexterity. It also offers a way to seniors to communicate and express themselves. Not only does drawing help in reducing stress and boosting self-esteem, but it can also help seniors refine their fine motor skills. Benefits of painting: Active participation in the arts like painting can have a positive impact on the health and well-being of seniors in many ways. Painting or even colouring sessions can be quite therapeutic for senior adults. Painting evokes feelings of peace and fun. It sharpens the mind through conceptual visualisation and implementation. People who frequently write, paint or draw have less chance of developing illnesses related to memory loss as they age. Those who find it difficult to open up about their feelings easily may find painting a great way to release their inner feelings. Benefits of writing: Unlike talking, when people write they use sophisticated words and expressions to convey what they have in mind. Writing is a thinking exercise, and just like physical exercise, it can help the brain stay in ‘shape’ especially as one ages. Writing about positive experiences is associated with an increased sense of well-being. Writing or journaling has also been linked to improved mood and reduced stress levels.

Spending time with your grandchildren is a great chance to go outside and have some fun. If you are looking for some exciting activities that you can enjoy with your grandkids in Pondicherry, check out these ideas Puducherry Museum: This little museum is a great place to take your grandkids to. There are many artefacts that date back to the reigns of the Pallava and Chola dynasties. The major attraction of the museum isthe huge transportation system from yesteryears. There is a coach, a palanquin and a pousse. You also get a chance to sneak a peek into French culture as there are many pieces of furniture from the colonial era. Eat out: Puducherry is a melting pot of cultures and that is reflected in the city’s cuisine. You will find a wide range of savoury delicacies – from authentic French and Italian cuisine to Tamil cuisine. Visit churches: Although a small town, Puducherry is known for its churches that are nothing less than architectural marvels. Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Conception Cathedral are must-visit churches. The best part is that these churches are nearby so you and your grandkids can walk around the French Quarter and enjoy. Relax at the beach: With its pristine shoreline and natural beauty, some of the best beaches of Puducherry attract people from all over the world. If you are looking for a lazy weekend with your grandchildren, head to the beach. Auroville Beach, Paradise Beach and Serenity Beach are some of the most famous beaches where you can enjoy scenic views while having a good time with your grandchildren. Paradise Beach and Karaikal Beach are ideal for water sports. Go boating: If your grandchildren are too young for watersports, head to the Chunnambar Boathouse. You can book a boat ride and enjoy the stunning views. If you are lucky, you will also get to see some exotic birds in the area.