NEWS of Columbia Pacific Communities

Mumbai August 20th: On the occasion of World Senior Citizens Day, Columbia Pacific Communities, India’s largest senior living community operator, celebrates the spirit of un-retirement through a series of social media posts and a special message from actor AnupamKher. In an inspiring campaign centred around the core message of UNRETIRE, they encouragebaby boomers to retire the word “retire”, try something new and pursue dreams they were unable to explore during their pre-retirement years. The campaign UNRETIRE, featuring a video message by Anupam Kher, tackles the underlying ageism prevalent in our society. It emphasizes the fact that age is merely a number and the golden years is in fact the best time to learn new skills, pick up new hobbies and discover unexplored talents. Retirement is usually seen as the end of the road, but the country’s largest senior care brand believes that it’s a new beginning – one with countless new adventures and exciting new challenges. It aligns with the brand’s purpose of nurturing a positive mindset and optimistic attitude; trying to stay healthy and happy by engaging with life and friends meaningfully. Columbia Pacific Communities’ recently launched signature project The Virtuoso Club and Serviced Residences is designed to help senior residents pursue their hobbies and passion throughout the year by taking the burden of daily chores and other responsibilities off them. The month-long virtual talent hunt PLATFORM 2020 launched by Columbia Pacific Communities also culminates into the grand finale on World Senior Citizens Day. Winners from categories such as photography, music,rangoli, handicrafts, paintings and dance will be declared on this day. While the virtual event was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr Kiran Bedi, several brands have joined hands with CPC to support the novel initiative. Sa Re Ga Ma Carvaan has partnered with Columbia Pacific Communities as the Official Gifting Partners for the Music categories and India’s leading photo service Zoomin is the Associate Gifting Sponsor for the event. In all, it will be a day filled with celebration and inspiration. Speaking about the campaign, Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, says, “”UNRETIRE” is a state of mind, and one that we want senior citizens to actively embrace. Life takes a thrilling new turn at 60, in one’s golden years that one can reconnect with old hobbies, reinvent oneself and give back to society in a meaningful way. That’s what our campaign UNRETIRE tries to convey. We couldn’t have had a better person than MrAnupamKher to share this message of positivity on a very special day such as World Senior Citizens Day. MrKher, after over 500 films and Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan under his belt, believes that his best is yet to come. And that’s exactly the message we have for senior citizens.”

On the occasion of World Senior Citizens Day on August 21, Columbia Pacific Communities is celebrating the spirit of ‘un-retirement’ through a series of social media posts and a special message from actor Anupam Kher. Speaking about the campaign, Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, said: “’Unretire’ is a state of mind, and one that we want senior citizens to actively embrace. Life takes a thrilling new turn at 60, in one’s golden years that one can reconnect with old hobbies, reinvent oneself and give back to society in a meaningful way. That’s what our campaign Unretire tries to convey. We couldn’t have had a better person than Mr Anupam Kher to share this message of positivity on a very special day such as World Senior Citizens Day. Mr Kher, after over 500 films and Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan under his belt, believes that his best is yet to come. And that’s exactly the message we have for senior citizens.”

On the occasion of World Senior Citizens Day on August 21, Columbia Pacific Communities is celebrating the spirit of ‘un-retirement’ through a series of social media posts and a special message from actor Anupam Kher. Speaking about the campaign, Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, said: “’Unretire’ is a state of mind, and one that we want senior citizens to actively embrace. Life takes a thrilling new turn at 60, in one’s golden years that one can reconnect with old hobbies, reinvent oneself and give back to society in a meaningful way. That’s what our campaign Unretire tries to convey. We couldn’t have had a better person than Mr Anupam Kher to share this message of positivity on a very special day such as World Senior Citizens Day. Mr Kher, after over 500 films and Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan under his belt, believes that his best is yet to come. And that’s exactly the message we have for senior citizens.”

Bangalore, August: On the occasion of World Senior Citizens Day, Columbia Pacific Communities, India’s largest senior living community operator, celebrates the spirit of un-retirement through a series of social media posts and a special message from actor Anupam Kher. In an inspiring campaign centred around the core message of UNRETIRE, they encourage baby boomers to retire the word “retire”, try something new and pursue dreams they were unable to explore during their pre-retirement years. The campaign UNRETIRE, featuring a video message by Anupam Kher, tackles the underlying ageism prevalent in our society. It emphasizes the fact that age is merely a number and the golden years is in fact the best time to learn new skills, pick up new hobbies and discover unexplored talents. Retirement is usually seen as the end of the road, but the country’s largest senior care brand believes that it’s a new beginning – one with countless new adventures and exciting new challenges. It aligns with the brand’s purpose of nurturing a positive mindset and optimistic attitude; trying to stay healthy and happy by engaging with life and friends meaningfully. Columbia Pacific Communities’ recently launched signature project The Virtuoso Club and Serviced Residences is designed to help senior residents pursue their hobbies and passion throughout the year by taking the burden of daily chores and other responsibilities off them. The month-long virtual talent hunt PLATFORM 2020 launched by Columbia Pacific Communities also culminates into the grand finale on World Senior Citizens Day. Winners from categories such as photography, music,rangoli, handicrafts, paintings and dance will be declared on this day. While the virtual event was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr Kiran Bedi, several brands have joined hands with CPC to support the novel initiative. Sa Re Ga Ma Carvaan has partnered with Columbia Pacific Communities as the Official Gifting Partners for the Music categories and India’s leading photo service Zoomin is the Associate Gifting Sponsor for the event. In all, it will be a day filled with celebration and inspiration. Speaking about the campaign, Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, says, “”UNRETIRE” is a state of mind, and one that we want senior citizens to actively embrace. Life takes a thrilling new turn at 60, in one’s golden years that one can reconnect with old hobbies, reinvent oneself and give back to society in a meaningful way. That’s what our campaign UNRETIRE tries to convey. We couldn’t have had a better person than Mr Anupam Kher to share this message of positivity on a very special day such as World Senior Citizens Day. Mr Kher, after over 500 films and Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan under his belt, believes that his best is yet to come. And that’s exactly the message we have for senior citizens.”

Bangalore, August: On the occasion of World Senior Citizens Day, Columbia Pacific Communities, India’s largest senior living community operator, celebrates the spirit of un-retirement through a series of social media posts and a special message from actor Anupam Kher. In an inspiring campaign centred around the core message of UNRETIRE, they encourage baby boomers to retire the word “retire”, try something new and pursue dreams they were unable to explore during their pre-retirement years. The campaign UNRETIRE, featuring a video message by Anupam Kher, tackles the underlying ageism prevalent in our society. It emphasizes the fact that age is merely a number and the golden years is in fact the best time to learn new skills, pick up new hobbies and discover unexplored talents. Retirement is usually seen as the end of the road, but the country’s largest senior care brand believes that it’s a new beginning – one with countless new adventures and exciting new challenges. It aligns with the brand’s purpose of nurturing a positive mindset and optimistic attitude; trying to stay healthy and happy by engaging with life and friends meaningfully. Columbia Pacific Communities’ recently launched signature project The Virtuoso Club and Serviced Residences is designed to help senior residents pursue their hobbies and passion throughout the year by taking the burden of daily chores and other responsibilities off them. The month-long virtual talent hunt PLATFORM 2020 launched by Columbia Pacific Communities also culminates into the grand finale on World Senior Citizens Day. Winners from categories such as photography, music,rangoli, handicrafts, paintings and dance will be declared on this day. While the virtual event was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr Kiran Bedi, several brands have joined hands with CPC to support the novel initiative. Sa Re Ga Ma Carvaan has partnered with Columbia Pacific Communities as the Official Gifting Partners for the Music categories and India’s leading photo service Zoomin is the Associate Gifting Sponsor for the event. In all, it will be a day filled with celebration and inspiration. Speaking about the campaign, Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, says, “”UNRETIRE” is a state of mind, and one that we want senior citizens to actively embrace. Life takes a thrilling new turn at 60, in one’s golden years that one can reconnect with old hobbies, reinvent oneself and give back to society in a meaningful way. That’s what our campaign UNRETIRE tries to convey. We couldn’t have had a better person than Mr Anupam Kher to share this message of positivity on a very special day such as World Senior Citizens Day. Mr Kher, after over 500 films and Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan under his belt, believes that his best is yet to come. And that’s exactly the message we have for senior citizens.”

The campaign UNRETIRE emphasizes the fact that age is merely a number and the golden years is, in fact, the best time to learn new skills, pick up new hobbies and discover unexplored talents. On the occasion of World Senior Citizens Day, Columbia Pacific Communities, India’s largest senior living community operator, celebrates the spirit of un-retirement through a series of social media posts and a special message from actor Anupam Kher. In an inspiring campaign centred around the core message of UNRETIRE, they encourage baby boomers to retire the word “retire”, try something new and pursue dreams they were unable to explore during their pre-retirement years. The campaign UNRETIRE, featuring a video message by Anupam Kher, tackles the underlying ageism prevalent in our society. It emphasizes the fact that age is merely a number and the golden years is, in fact, the best time to learn new skills, pick up new hobbies and discover unexplored talents. Retirement is usually seen as the end of the road, but the country’s largest senior care brand believes that it’s a new beginning – one with countless new adventures and exciting new challenges. It aligns with the brand’s purpose of nurturing a positive mindset and an optimistic attitude; trying to stay healthy and happy by engaging with life and friends meaningfully. Columbia Pacific Communities’ recently launched signature project The Virtuoso Club and Serviced Residences is designed to help senior residents pursue their hobbies and passion throughout the year by taking the burden of daily chores and other responsibilities off them. The month-long virtual talent hunt PLATFORM 2020 launched by Columbia Pacific Communities also culminates into the grand finale on World Senior Citizens Day. Winners from categories such as photography, music, rangoli, handicrafts, paintings and dance will be declared on this day. While the virtual event was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr Kiran Bedi, several brands have joined hands with CPC to support the novel initiative. Sa Re Ga Ma Carvaan has partnered with Columbia Pacific Communities as the Official Gifting Partners for the Music categories and India’s leading photo service Zoomin is the Associate Gifting Sponsor for the event. In all, it will be a day filled with celebration and inspiration. Speaking about the campaign, Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, says, “” UNRETIRE” is a state of mind and one that we want senior citizens to actively embrace. Life takes a thrilling new turn at 60, in one’s golden years that one can reconnect with old hobbies, reinvent oneself and give back to society in a meaningful way. That’s what our campaign UNRETIRE tries to convey. We couldn’t have had a better person than Mr Anupam Kher to share this message of positivity on a very special day such as World Senior Citizens Day. Mr Kher, after over 500 films and Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan under his belt, believes that his best is yet to come. And that’s exactly the message we have for senior citizens.”

It is a fact that an individual’s physical prowess and capabilities change over time, especially as one moves from his 50s to 90s. Therefore, senior living communities, which majorly house senior citizens, should be designed meticulously, keeping in mind the increasing needs of the residents. While one can indeed stay fit through physical, mental, intellectual and social exercises, it is important that the physical surroundings that one resides in is designed to accommodate these changes. It is for this reason that communities, where the majority of residents are seniors should incorporate elements that allow for changes that are both natural and inevitable. While designing a senior living home, one needs to ensure that all the public spaces within the community are usable and accessible throughout the resident’s lifetime. Falls, because of the lack of stability and balance, is the single biggest danger for seniors as they age over time. The entire community should be free of steps and transitions. It is important that walking surfaces be slip-resistant. Matte rather than glossy finishes on the floor provide better balance. Rounded edges for wall corners help in reducing the seriousness of injuries from falls. Wall-mounted rails for the support of residents can also play an important role in reducing falls. Equally, the lighting consultant should ensure that his/her design complements the architect’s efforts in providing residents with a consistent level of light and shadow-free public spaces. Over time it is normal for some residents to require mobility support – walking sticks, walkers and wheelchairs. Communities designed for seniors should ensure that the circulation spaces, i.e. the corridors on resident floors, public spaces and elevators, allow for easy movement. Hence, the corridors should be wider, the elevators should be more spacious, and the circulation space in public areas should be clearly defined. It is also for this reason that the elevator doors are set up to remain open for longer than their default setting. Public spaces are the hive of all activities in a community. With loneliness being the biggest accelerator of age-related ailments, the communities must offer large open spaces – both indoors and outdoors to provide the residents with an opportunity to meet and interact. Senior communities dedicate up to 6-8 times of habitable spaces to public areas as compared to mixed-family condominiums. These spaces should allow for physical activity, intellectually challenging games, and stimulating engagements. Equally, public spaces should be flexible to allow for small private gatherings and larger groups. Finally, it is important to ensure that the services and facilities should be managed 24×7 by services and healthcare expert. Such communities must combine the warmth and cosiness of residential space with the service efficiency of a hotel. The service personnel that support these communities should be able to access all parts of the community – both private homes and public spaces. However, keeping in mind the nature of their work, the personnel needs to move faster while carrying all sorts of equipment and movement trolleys. Hence, to ensure safety, the traffic zones for the service team must be kept separate from the circulation space of the senior residents.

The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown has provided an unexpected boost for realty companies in the senior living segment. This has emerged a growth segment in an otherwise depressed residential segment. India will be home to 17.3 crore senior citizens by 2026 and realty developers are looking at senior living with renewed interest. Shashank Paranjape, MD, Paranjape Schemes, the oldest player in this segment with 2,000 homes in nine completed projects across Pune, Vadodara and Bengaluru under the Athashri brand, said they have seen a 50% rise in demand and enquiries have increased. As of now senior citizens are still under lockdown and advised to stay at home but he expects a spike in bookings from September 2020 onwards. Even those who had booked and cancelled are re-booking and those who were indecisive are now sure about making this move, said Paranjape. Paranjape is building the largest senior citizen home along with a geriatric hospital in the country at Pune that will be home to 1,200 families with investment of around Rs 1,000 crore. The pandemic has made our senior citizens realise the true value of living here as everything was taken care of during the pandemic from grocery to bank ATMs to medical help made available at their doorstep and even a dedicated Covid Care Centre if anyone needed quarantine or isolation, said Paranjape. He has seen an unusual flurry of mails from NRI children relieved that their parents were living with us and being taken care during the pandemic. There has been a fourfold increase in lead generation and three times jump in enquiries in the last four to five months, said Mohit Nirula, CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities, which has nine projects in India with 1,600 residential units. Every month since June, July and August we have done double of the pre-Covid level business, said Nirula. They were seeing faster conversion than before and sales has doubled, added Nirula. Part of the Seattle-based Columbia Pacific Management, the company that has been building, managing and operating senior living communities in the US, China, Canada and India, is expanding at a rapid pace. Columbia Pacific has just got into a 50:50 JV with Pune-based real estate developer, Nyati Group, for their foray into the senior living asset class. Columbia Pacific said they will be pursuing similar JV models with other developers in the country. Senior living is an underexplored subvertical but in the last four to five months, people have realised the importance on external agency for day to day existence and how it is fraught with risks . Nyati has tied up with Columbia Pacific Communities for their first project in Pune at Nyati County, a gated community project. This 3.64-lakh-sq ft dedicated senior living has 200 units in one and two BHK formats from 736 to 1,331 sq ft and is priced between `50 lakh and `80 lakh and expected to be at the start of the next fiscal year, said Pranav Nyati, director, Nyati Group. The first project in Pune will see investments of around `150 crore and is awaiting approvals, Nyati said. He plans to make similar projects across Maharashtra. According to Anarock Property Consultants, the top 12 senior living players currently have just 55 ongoing or completed projects across the country. Anuj Puri, chairman, Anarock Property, said due to the rise of nuclear families, increased life expectancy and people living across geographies, ‘independent seniors’ are becoming a new demography. “Such seniors do not settle for traditional old-age homes as they prefer and can afford autonomy and the company of age peers in well-equipped retirement communities. A recurring theme of this pandemic has been seniors living alone, struggling for basics, managing without house help and anxious about existing and potential medical issues. The need for homes in a setting where these factors are taken care of is now undeniable,” said Puri. Covid-19 may reshape the future of the senior living segment in India, with demand for such homes set to zoom amid the present uncertainties, added Puri. The 55 projects are split between the top developers in this segment include Brigade Enterprises, Paranjape Schemes, Tata Housing, Ashiana Housing, Max India’s Antara Senior Living, Covai Care, Columbia Pacific Communities, Bahri Estates, Oasis Senior Living, Aamoksh Oneighty, Ananya Shelters and Primus. Senior living facilities are designed with senior-friendly amenities and medical support along with services for food, housekeeping and 24-hour assistance which makes them an attractive retirement home. To safeguard the rights of seniors, according to Anarock, the ministry of social justice and empowerment has defined models for operating and monitoring retirement homes. “With a regulatory body for managing and developing such assets already in place, increased developer activity, the institutionalisation of caregivers and specialised service providers are likely to be the next steps and institutional capital will follow, said the Anarock report.

The actions of a manager or a leader (and these are two different things) are the consequence of his/her life experience, training and acquired knowledge. The challenges that COVID-19 presented to us at Columbia Pacific Communities was unprecedented, and none of the stakeholders could claim to have had prior experience in handling the developing situation as we mounted our defence against this as yet unknown enemy. What we did have going for us was: The experience and guidance of our residents – seniors with a wealth of knowledge, experience and maturity. The collaboration and cooperation of the Resident Committees with whom we shared the vision of isolating the Community and residents from the external environment. The on-ground leadership of the Frontliners, the Resident Managers of the Community and their respective teams, whose commitment, passion and dedication to the Company Dharma of “Unconditional Love, Respect and Care” for the residents have made this fight possible. We had a support structure backed the Frontliners with all the resources, material and otherwise, that they needed in their endeavours. A nation-wide lockdown that gave us much needed time to get a better understanding of the virus, its behaviour and the steps that we needed to take to best prepare ourselves. And finally, the knowledge and experience of the various colleagues and members of the Association of Senior Living in India (ASLI) that was leveraged by creating a forum for everybody’s benefit. Guided by the first advice that came from the Prime Minister – “Precautions, not panic,” and with the advantage of the time that the lockdown provided, we proceeded to first educate ourselves and then the Frontliners, the residents and the Resident Committees on the steps that we would jointly take in order to ensure that we ring-fenced the Community and completely insulate and isolate both the residents and the service providers from the external environment. During the early days of the pandemic and lockdown, the quantum of information – good, bad and mad was rampant. Columbia Pacific Communities is fortunate to have Columbia Asia Hospitals as its Health Partner. We collaborated with them to produce content that was credible, accurate and in language that was simple but came with the proven expertise of medical professionals. This content was shared with residents and the Operations team through the respective Community WhatsApp groups providing them with actionable knowledge that gave them a sense of being in control and peace of mind – both of which have a direct impact on a person’s immunity levels. Many of the decisions by service providers were neither easy and nor were they always popular. However, the goodwill and credibility earned over the previous years and the trust that all measures proposed they were conceived and executed with the best interests of the residents and the Community at heart allowed us to gain the whole-hearted acceptance in implementation by our residents. The purity of intent and the honest execution on the ground has ensured that the Communities continue to benefit from the active and enthusiastic support of the residents for the protocols that have been put out and implemented over the past months. With nine communities in five different cities, the protocol in place at each Community has differed based on the circumstances prevailing in their specific locations. The clarity of understanding of the virus and its behaviour has allowed us to put in place protocols that have even been more stringent than those mandated by the local State governments. It is not as if we have not been confronted with setbacks and unanticipated developments in this ongoing battle. However, credit must be given to the Support Structure that backed the Frontliners. Potential and possible scenarios were “gamed” and steps were taken – both proactively and in preparing contingency plans that allowed us to be prudent. The Operations leadership and their steady hand on the rudder have ensured that no matter how strong the headwinds or heavy the squalls – our ship has held steady and on course to the calmer waters that is our destination. As you would imagine, our residents have a higher than average need to consult with their doctors – who by nature of their profession are more exposed to the virus. In order to minimise the exposure to doctors and hospitals, we arranged for teleconsultation sessions whereby residents could get the medical advice they need without stepping out of the Community. Arrangements were made to ensure that the supplies which required contact with the outside world were arranged by team members of Columbia Pacific Communities. Everyday essentials such as newspapers, vegetables, fruits, grocery, dairy, medicines were received, sanitised as applicable and then delivered to the residents by the respective resident teams at the communities. Many residents use their smartphones to stay in touch with their friends and family through FaceTime or WhatsApp. For the less tech-savvy residents, we had our Wellness team members arrange video interactions with their loved ones. The impact of this gesture on our residents’ mood and morale was heartwarming. Never have our residents welcomed our nurses and their daily check-up sessions more! Finally, as a matter of abundant precaution, we designated Isolation Rooms within the Community. These rooms were equipped with necessary services and amenities so that any resident feeling unwell could be isolated and treated within the Community, thereby reducing their exposure risk. Many of our residents have recovered from minor ailments in these rooms where doctors visited them and prescribed medicines. They were nursed back to health by our Wellness team, thereby minimising the risk factor for their partners and the rest of the Community. As we know, defeating this enemy is not going to be possible until there is a cure for the illness it causes, or there is a vaccine that prevents one from getting ill. It is for this reason that the fight is going to be a long one. Much like the signs, one sees on the hairpin bends when driving in the mountains and the Prime Minister’s advice as the nation has started to unlock, we must remember that “Saavdhani hati, durghatna ghati”. The aim of the message is not to scare people, but to convey that until the time a cure or a vaccine becomes available to us, we must mount an insurmountable defence. Hence, it becomes increasingly important that we do not just leave the fight to the Frontliners. Each of us should be a warrior. Every one of us should be an active combatant. Life, as we know it, has been threatened by this enemy. Hence, we cannot be mere spectators. All of us must practice the three-step mantra that will ensure our defences stay up: Wear a mask in public Maintain physical distance Constantly and properly ensure hand hygiene We are confident that together, we will overcome the pandemic.

Celebrating International Friendship Day beyond, Columbia Pacific Communities, India’s largest senior living community operators, shared a joyous, hopeful message of friendship and togetherness amidst these anxious times. The core idea of the digital film is to spread a positive message of friendship and community living at a time when people are isolated from their loved ones. Asking senior residents from across their nine communities to describe their friends and friendships built at the communities in one word, the film shows you that staying together with like-minded people can be a wonderful experience. This also reinforces the fact that seniors are not, and do not need to be lonely as they age. Senior living communities are a great place to build and nurture friendships. Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, said, “It is said that as you get older, it gets more and more difficult to build lasting, meaningful friendships. That’s however not the case at our communities. “Our senior residents make friends for life when they move into our communities. Friends that share their happiness but also stand by them during challenging times”. “This has been particularly evident during these challenging times. This video is a humble ode to friendships that are built at a later stage in one’s lives and within thriving, bustling communities. The video tells you that you are never too old to make great friends,” Dasgupta said. Produced in-house with social distancing norms intact, the film adds a touch of raw emotions by bringing together real-life friends from all nine senior living communities of Columbia Pacific Communities. Highlighting the importance of togetherness and meaningful friendships in these adverse times, senior citizens from Columbia Pacific Communities have stepped forward to spread a friendly cheer on social media platforms and to remind everyone that every friendship is different yet beautiful. The video showcases the brand ethos of positive aging.