NEWS of Columbia Pacific Communities

A quick disclaimer. I am not a medical professional, a psychiatrist or a psychologist. But as someone who has lived with clinical anxiety and depression for over 23 years, here are my thoughts on how brands can lead the conversation around mental health.   According to WHO (World Health Organisation), 7.5% of India’s population is mentally ill, and the number will reach 20% by the time the pandemic ends. It is being said that mental illness will be the next pandemic.   But, given its non-communicable nature and the fact that it’s an invisible disease, despite the swelling numbers, mental illness is still not perceived as a “real illness” by a vast number of people in our country. And that’s where the problem worsens.   Brands have an important role to play here and to dispel the notion that mental illness is in “someone’s head.” Many Indians have a tendency of living in denial as far as mental illness is concerned, mainly because it’s invisible and also because it’s mired in stigma.   Both healthcare brands and non- healthcare brands in the “wellness space” can drive this agenda steadfastly in order to change public perceptions on the illness.   The #HealthInsideOut campaign launched in January this year by Insurance giant Future Generali, which showcased the tell-tale signs of mental illnesses through a video series animating inanimate objects such as a vase, a pillow, depicted the various physical manifestations of this ‘invisible disease’.   Draw attention to the mental illness crisis in India It is no secret that India is in the midst of a mental illness crisis. Researchers from NIMHANS have shared that per lakh individuals, there are only 0.75 psychiatrists in India as of 2019. India needs 2700 new psychiatrists every year. In rural areas, there is virtually no mental health support, leaving lakhs of people undiagnosed.   Psychiatrists are overburdened by the number of patients they have to see every day, providing very little time and attention to each patient. The problem is looming large but we are not talking about this enough.   This is an opportunity for brands to shed light on the current situation and catalyse conversations and action by the Health Ministry to address the predicament.   Drive the narrative that overall wellbeing is unattainable without mental wellbeing The Government of India launched the Fit India initiative on August 29, 2019. And while that’s a great initiative, it lacks focus on mental health. The truth is, physical fitness is incomplete without mental wellbeing and the two are deeply connected. Unfortunately, our attention and efforts are always skewed heavily towards physical fitness, neglecting mental health almost entirely.   This is where brands and advertisers have a game-changing role to play. To establish and propel the narrative that mental wellbeing is as important as physical fitness and merits equal attention.   With cutting edge creativity and continuous, effective storytelling, this message can be driven to the furthest corners of the country by brands who would need to own this narrative.   Shatter the shame, stigma and misinformation on mental illness Advertising has often been a vehicle of change. It can play a crucial role in changing the conversation around mental health, encouraging more people to speak up about their mental health challenges, which in turn will give other “closeted mentally ill” people the courage to share their stories.   A few campaigns done on mental health in the recent years have ignited a meaningful dialogue on the same.   Ogilvy’s print ad for The Hindu, on World Mental Health Day (October 10) last year on “a smile” and what it actually means when someone with mental illness “smiles” was thought provoking.   Prega News’ 2018 campaign demonstrating the struggles of a new mother at the workplaceraised awareness on an oft-neglected kind of mental illness – post partum depression.   One can never forget the powerful “Dobara Poocho” campaign done by Deepika Padukone’s Live Love Laugh Foundation four years ago, which underlined the importance of that little extra effort that is needed to find out if someone is doing fine, mentally.   The Foundation followed it up with another compelling campaign called #NotAshamed featuring real life mental illness survivors who were bold enough to share their stories of struggle and pain.   The #NotAshamed campaign was not just digitally activated, but also taken to the masses through OOH in the form of large billboards in prominent parts of the city with faces of mental illness survivors saying they are not ashamed.   The campaign did a phenomenal job in normalising conversations around mental illness and reducing the shame and stigma that people suffering from these illnesses have to battle with every day, at home and outside it.   In May this year, Columbia Pacific Communities launched a campaign titled #ReachOut done in association with the Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences at Fortis Hospital, which reached over 6.5 lakh people. It urged senior citizens feeling overwhelmed, distressed, worried, listless and isolated during the second wave of the pandemic, to reach out for free mental health support without any hesitation or shame.   It is time for more and more brands to do their bit to freed mentally ill people from judgement, shame, apathy and stigma that is so unique to this illness.   Crafting conscientious communication While there have been some great work on the discourse of mental health by brands in the past few years, there have been a few misses as well. The recent Netmeds ad featuring actors Karisma and Kareena Kapoor being one. The film not only trivialised a serious, life altering disease such as anxiety but also used a judgemental, condescending tonality, drawing criticism from all corners.   Mental health and mental illnesses are already hugely misunderstood and misrepresented. Incorrect, misinformed narratives don’t help matters. Using terms such as “depressed” or “anxious” loosely and interchangeably has far reaching impactand dilutes the suffering of millions of people living with one or more forms of life alternating mental diseases.   Marketers need to engage in rigorous research and seek the help of specialists when crafting communication around mental health because an incorrect narrative can do more damage to the discourse and result in more confusion and lack of clarity among the masses.

India along with the low-and middle-income countries are now working to enhance the access to mental healthcare across the globe, especially in the low-and middle-income countries. The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a greater degree of mental health issues in India by exacerbating economic problems and creating uncertainty.   The big issue confronting India is that for a million population, there are only 3 psychiatrists, and even fewer psychologists. Added to this is a global pandemic and the impact that it has had on the mental health of individuals across all age groups and social strata. It is not hard to understand how we are facing a storm that seems almost too difficult to navigate, said Dr Sapna Bangar, psychiatrist and head, Mpower – The Centre, Mumbai.   Experts from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences concurred that people need to accept that anxiety and depression need medical attention. It could be seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that is related to changes in seasons and begins and ends at about the same time among other phases of melancholy.   On the occasion of the World Mental Health Day observed annually on October 10, this year’s theme ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’, calls out the unavailability of basic mental health services across the globe.   From India standpoint, efforts are on to set up mental health services where patients can connect offline or even virtual. “We need to counteract this situation. The public and private sectors providing mental healthcare need to team up to provide the right care to as many people as possible. There is need to raise awareness and reduce mental health stigma which is the main reason that people needing help and support do not come forward to seek it,” Dr Bangar added.   WHO estimates, mental illness accounts for about 15% of the total disease conditions around the world and that India has one of the most sizable populations affected by mental disorders. Consequently, WHO has branded India as the world’s ‘most depressing country.’   All schools and colleges need to adopt a mental health curriculum to improve resilience. Corporates need to invest in the mental health of their employees by providing regular counselling sessions as an integral part of employee benefits, introducing mental health leave and appointing mental health advocates within the organization. We also need to impart skills to the general population as well as primary health workers to identify and sensitively care for the people suffering from mental health issues in the right direction, said Dr Bangar.   According to Niraj Singh, founder & CEO – Spinny, every organisation should place an impetus on mental well-being and rectifying mental health-related issues. The pandemic has been devastating for the world’s collective mental state of mind and it needs to be a collective responsibility for us to look out for each other.   According to Dr Karthiyayini Mahadevan, head, wellness and wellbeing at Columbia Pacific Communities, man is the architect of society and individual mental health plays a vital role in bringing about overall social well-being.   “Nutrition feeds the mind, breath anchors the mind and activities engage the mind,” he said.   Let us have a well-balanced, nutritious diet through locally grown organic produce prepared traditionally; let us breathe properly by regulating our breath through healthy breathing practices and take care of the atmosphere by being sensitive and responsible towards environmental pollution; and let us engage in creative activities to enliven the mind, stay in good mental health and contribute towards a healthier society, Dr Mahadevan further said.

Advertising has a huge role to play in crafting progressive narratives around gender and take the dialogue on feminism forward. And that’s because advertising is a large part of what we consider as popular culture. And therefore, it must mimic society and needs to depict the changing role of women in society.   From time to time, various popular consumer brands have been able to do this very well. A great example is a brand like Tanishq. With its “khud se naya rishta” proposition empowering women to prioritise themselves over anything or anyone else in their lives or their memorable wedding film in 2013 that showed a woman with a child remarrying, the brand has had a very important role to play in changing narratives around women.   Brands today explore various facets of gender inequality to craft nuanced narratives. In the past decade, advertisement has facilitated conversations around mansplaining to pay gap and from body positivity to breaking the taboo around talking about same-sex relationships. Back in 2018, handbag brand Baggit tacked mansplaining with their ad featuring Shraddha Kapoor, beautifully incorporating the product. And Myntra’s ethnic private label Anouk talked about a same-sex relationship in their 2016 ad. Durex’s #cometogether campaign talked about orgasm inequality among men and women, bringing to focus a topic that is often brushed under the carpet in our country.   So, I think dialogues around gender equality are no longer at a surface level today in Indian advertising. They are definitely getting deeper and exploring complexities within the gender discourse. And that’s a very positive sign.   When you create a piece of communication that is high on EQ, is future-facing and propagates the idea of an egalitarian world, everyone wins. And I don’t really mean awards here.   It’s no secret that everybody loves a good story. And a good story is often one with a happy ending. Like the Cadbury ad. Whether you look at the original Cadbury ad made by Piyush Pandey in 1993 or the one by the same agency after 28 years, one of the things that is common in the two versions is that they have great repeat value. You want to see them again and again, and it doesn’t get old. And that’s the beauty of a classic. Whether it’s a film like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge or a Cadbury ad.  And the reason you want to see them, again and again, is because of the happy ending, because it makes you smile wide and fills your heart with abundant joy every time you watch it. It instantly puts you in a good mood. And that’s really the power of creativity.   A brand that is able to evoke such robust positive emotions with its communication, will enjoy high recall and very high consideration amongst its target audience, not to forget, strengthen its positioning. In the case of Cadbury, it has always stood for celebrations and the good times with its “kuch meetha ho jaye” proposition. And an ad such as that only reinforces the idea of “celebrating” everything good and precious in life with a bar of Cadbury. It equates “Cadbury” with “celebrations,” thereby building very high brand association, which is one of the building blocks of brand equity.   Cadbury has also been able to catalyse important conversations and bring in positive change in society while strengthening its brand proposition. It has always stood for doing the right things – whether it is batting for small business owners for Diwali last year or stepping forward to do something really meaningful for hundreds of children with congenital limb defects through their Rakhi campaign in August. And this time too, it showed the world, that it’s time for a different narrative. Where the woman bats and the man cheers on. And that’s the narrative the consumer of 2021 is eager to see.   There are many brands that have been able to craft effective communication that is both uplifting and also propels a narrative change. Dove’s Real Beauty campaign has been running successfully globally for over a decade now, and Ariel’s #ShareTheLoad campaign has cracked the code of using powerful emotions and storytelling to create something that brings in a paradigm shift.   The idea of refreshing iconic ads with current context is great, provided done well. The 90s were the golden era of Indian advertisement. That decade gave us some of the most iconic ads that became such an integral part of Indian pop culture. Whether it was Dhara featuring a young Parzan Dastur, or Humara Bajaj, the Liril ads, The Dil Maangey More ads by Pepsi featuring Bollywood stars including Shah Rukh Khan or the Titan and Cadbury ads – the sort of recall value these ads have enjoyed is not something ads today enjoy. And that’s what makes them immortal.   Nostalgia is a very powerful tool. It instantly brings people together and takes you to a happy place. It’s a very crucial communication and storytelling tool, and brands have used nostalgia successfully (for example, Paperboat) to create a strong, emotional bond with their consumers and make a real mark in the consumer psyche. And the beauty of nostalgia is that it can be used in any manner and form, and not necessarily by repurposing an old, iconic ad.

On the occasion of International Seniors Day Mohit Nirula, CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities briefs Realty+ on emerging senior living communities and the lifestyle they offer.   A CII report on senior living estimated the need for such homes at 200,000 in 2018.  At that time there were 20,000 homes in various stages of development.  Given the long gestation period of real estate projects and the fact that India is adding over 4 million seniors to its population every year, this 10x gap would only have increased in the last three years and will continue to increase in the foreseeable future.   Demand for homes in communities designed with seniors in mind is higher than it has ever been.  More tellingly, the average age of the customer has reduced dramatically with more and younger people looking at the quality of life, safety and security and healthcare support on offer at these communities as desirable attributes that must be available in the homes they live in.   During the past 24 months, the experience of seniors living on their own has been in stark contrast to their contemporaries who were residing in senior living communities. As a direct consequence, there are waiting lists for projects with ready to move in homes and a 4x increase in demand for homes in newly launched communities.   While entrepreneurs are looking for ease of doing business, seniors and their children are seeking “ease of living”.  Well designed and well managed senior living communities ensure that their residents are relieved from the mundane but real worries of doing their day to day chores and completing their activities of daily living.  Instead, the services on offer, the wellness and wellbeing programmes, the availability of opportunity and space to meet and interact in small and large groups make senior living communities a preferred option for people in the age of 50 and beyond.   Furthermore, professionally managed senior living communities are able to offer customised and responsive healthcare services that allow residents to age in place.  As one’s needs change over time, the on-site healthcare services can be supplemented and augmented to cater to individual needs.  This allows residents the required peace of mind and companionship that is the essence of community living, where your friends are your neighbours, your neighbours are your friends and they are all a corridor walk or an elevator ride away.

Communities designed with seniors in mind are increasingly becoming a mainstream subject of discussion. In the last 18 months, the country has become more aware of the distinct advantages that residents of senior living communities have over seniors living on their own or as a part of mixed family condominiums.   Positive Ageing, the brand promise of Columbia Pacific Communities, has come to symbolise the approach that this demographic is taking to life. Age is just a number to them, as they use this phase of their life to be the best of themselves – whether it is in pursuit of hobbies and passions that they always wanted or it is to give back to society by leveraging their expertise and talent.   A holistic wellness and wellbeing programme at senior living communities ensures that residents stay healthier for longer. The notion that one will be less fit at 75 than one is at 65 years of age is a fallacy.   What determines whether this is the case or not depends on what one does in the intervening 10-year period.   One’s overall health is a unique combination of physical fitness, mental alertness, and intellectual agility. The single common facilitator and enabler of these is social interaction. Hence, in a well-managed senior living community, the service provider should have design and deliver a programme that enables its residents the best chance to be healthier for longer.   Physical health is a combination of strength, stamina, balance and flexibility. On-property physiotherapists can, through group sessions work with the larger population and in sessions customised to the individual’s needs, ensure continuous and sustained improvement on these parameters.   Group sessions encourage social interaction, peer competition and engenders higher levels of participation, attendance and consequent improvement. As residents see, sense and demonstrate this improvement, they become ambassadors of the cause encouraging participation from their previously reluctant neighbours and friends.   Good mental health is predicated on our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It has a direct bearing on how we think, feel, and act. This in turn, impacts how we interact in a social environment, handle stress and the manner in which we seek or not seek help.   Well-designed senior living communities ensure there are enough and varied public areas that encourage and provide the space for group interactions for small to large groups of people.   Whether it is a game of bridge or rummy, a sudoku competition or a tambola evening – social occasions that encourage interaction are a great safeguard against loneliness and worry.   Equally, India being a land of festivals, community celebrations bring residents together and ensure spiritual wellbeing and a sense of elation and jointly celebrated happiness.   With increasing life expectancy, just having a longer life is not enough. It is now even more important that one is careful and conscious of the need to be healthy in order to enjoy the longer life span. It is this need that senior living communities and its residents can fulfil by adopting the philosophy of Positive Ageing and a holistic lifestyle for all round physical and mental wellbeing.

It is very important to keep one’s heart-healthy whereby the circulation of blood to every organ is maintained well and the organ reserves are utilised at the time of need.   Things to consider before starting cardiac endurance exercises:   1. If one has any risk factors such as a family history of cardiac disease, smoking, obesity or high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes, then before starting an exercise program it is advised to consult a physician so that the right kind of exercises can be chosen for safety and health benefits.   2. These exercises are targeted towards keeping the heart rate up to 80% of the maximum heart rate (beats per minute) which is one’s age subtracted from 220.   Here are seven basic exercises for a healthy heart   1. Walking: One needs to set a pace by which one can get the best cardiac benefits out of walking. After walking at a moderate pace with comfortable strides over a fixed time and distance, one needs to check the pulse rate which is an indicator of the heart rate. If it is more than 80% of the maximum heart rate, then one needs to reduce the number of steps for the same distance with added time, and if the heart rate is less than 80% of the maximum heart rate then increase the number of steps for the same distance within lesser time. Even though it is easy nowadays to check these through gadgets such as a Fitbit, it is fun to know your body yourself.   2. Intermittent jogging: This is for those who are already into regular walking. To introduce short jogging in between walking is like bringing short bursts of workouts in between the regular intensity of walking. Each time jogging should be followed by three times walking time.   3. Jogging: This is for those who are already into basic workouts and intermittent jogging. They can graduate to jogging by keeping distance and time as indicators to reach 80% of maximum heart rate.   4. Walking with the pace of breathing: This is for beginners who have not been exercising regularly. With one’s normal range of breath, count the number of steps taken on one inhalation and steps walked with one exhalation. Continue with the same pace in sync with the breath.   5. Swimming: This too should be in sync with breathing which will help the individual get the maximum benefits. Inhalation and exhalation must be of the same duration of exhalation can be longer. Arm strokes are the counts with each phase of the breath.   6. Yoga: Daily practice of Surya Namaskar, which has both inhalation and exhalation based postures alternately, brings in optimum benefit in circulation. Also, yoga balances the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems and benefits the heart.   7. Tai-Chi: Mindful movement with repetitive patterns calms one’s mind and benefits the heart by reducing stress.

Senior citizens in India are facing a unique situation that can best be described as a Hobson’s choice. On the one hand, greater awareness of physical and mental health, a nutritious diet, access to health care is leading to an increase in the life expectancy of Indians while on the other hand, the years added on to one’s life are during a period when income has become static and expenses on account of health care are at their highest.   Healthcare inflation for the past many years has been trending at double the rate of the average retail inflation. Given bank deposit interest rates barely cover for real inflation, one is not sure whether to rejoice or lament the longer lifespan.   It is for this reason that all of us and especially senior citizens need to adopt a lifestyle that keeps them healthier and fitter for longer. Thanks to increased scientific knowledge and professionally designed wellness and wellbeing programmes being followed in senior living communities, it is no longer an unrealistic aspiration to be fitter at 80 than one was at 70 years of age.   The pandemic, which forced us all into physical separation has only worked to highlight the advantages to residents of a professionally managed senior living community.   The CII report of 2018 estimated a demand of over 200,000 homes against which there were a mere 20,000 homes under various stages of development. Given the long gestation period (36 – 48 months) of new projects and the fact that India adds almost 4 million senior citizens to its population every year, the supply demand gap is only going to increase in the short to medium term.   The government needs to encourage and incentivise the insurance, banking, healthcare and real estate sectors to address the real needs of our senior citizens.   Bank interest rates that are pegged to the consumer price index are wholly inadequate to provide the cover required by senior citizens. This is especially true because income tax, indirect taxation and healthcare inflation conspire to make the individual poorer with every passing year.   Furthermore, senior citizens staying on their own have to depend on various individuals in the unorganised sector for their daily chores. Housekeeping, gardening, security, driver, cook and other individuals are all paid in cash while no additional taxes are borne by the payee.   When the same individual moves into a senior living community, all these service personnel become a part of the organised sector and benefit from social safety nets such as Provident Fund, Employee State Insurance etc. While this is to the benefit of the employee, the resident has to pay 18% Goods and Services Tax which increases the outflow for them.   Insurance schemes need to be designed to address the co-morbidities and pre-existing conditions that are naturally present with advancing years. The banking sector needs to develop a robust reverse mortgage scheme that allows seniors to take advantage of the asset that they have created during their lifetime.   In essence, we need to recognise that a demographic that will soon be a fifth of the population needs and deserves an ecosystem that is designed to look after their every need. This is the least that we can do for a cohort that has spent their entire life in fulfilling their responsibilities – to their children, their parents, to society and the nation.  

India has a predominantly young population. However, the number of senior citizens in the country is increasing steadily, resulting in rising demand for dedicated senior housing communities. Apart from this, this demographic is expected to be vital for India’s overall economic growth.   The narrative of a ‘Young India’ driven by the demographic dividend – its youthful population, actually camouflages a sociological change of seismic proportions. While we speak of a ‘Young India’, we lose sight of the fact that we are also a country ageing at a pace that will result in a fifth of its population being over 65 years of age by 2050. India is adding over four million people a year to the senior citizen category, representing a growth of three percent per annum.   A Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) report released in 2018 estimated an existing demand of two lakh homes in urban India for seniors. At that point in time, there were approximately 20,000 homes in various stages of development. Given the rate at which the senior population grows and the long gestation period of real estate projects, this significant gap between supply and demand would only have increased.   We believe that every Tier 1 and Tier 2 city in the country should have at least 2-3 projects on offer to senior citizens at any point in time. However, this gap between supply and demand will not be narrowed in the short to medium term.   Globalisation has given the younger generation access to high-quality education and the opportunity to pursue their careers across the country and overseas. This phenomenon has resulted in parents and children living independently and in different cities and even countries. Communities designed with seniors in mind are increasingly becoming the preferred option for seniors living on their own. Having all their requirements of daily living catered to by one service provider removes the headaches associated with daily chores. At the same time, the presence of in-community paramedical support for day-to-day medical assistance and emergencies brings peace of mind to both parents and children.   The COVID-19 pandemic has only served to enhance the desirability of senior living communities. The desperation experienced by seniors living alone in their homes or neighbourhoods with mixed families has stood in stark contrast with residents of senior living communities. Consistently adapted protocols and on-property service personnel have ensured that residents of senior living communities have been safely ring-fenced from the external environment. Furthermore, carefully designed engagement programmes and activities have resulted in physical distancing not being an impediment to social interaction, thereby keeping loneliness and despair at bay.   As we see around us, middle-aged parents in today’s times embrace life and covet a lifestyle very different from their parents. This demographic will soon be a part of the so-called ‘silver economy’. Product creators and service providers across industry spectrums are realising that the senior demographic represents an untapped segment that has the time, aspiration, means, and will to live life to the fullest. It is both ironic but at the same time fitting that the demographic that is now being called the silver generation drove the economy forward with their hard work and passion during their youth and will again propel the economy forward in their golden years through their lifestyle.

What is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause for dementia and is a growing health concern among the elderly population particularly in developing countries where the infrastructure and resources to support this disease are still in a developing stage.   The disease causes brain cell death and tissue loss throughout the brain and over time the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly all its functions. This is due to the accumulation of abnormal clusters of protein fragments called plaques and tangles. These plaques and tangles block cell to cell signalling, thereby affecting the transfer of signals and vital cell transport system which deprives the cells of nutrition. Due to this being lost and losing vitality, the brain cells die.   Stages of Alzheimer’s disease Earliest changes in brain cells begin 20 years before diagnosis and is seen over the superior part of the temporal lobe which is involved in learning and memory.   Mild stage – This generally lasts between 2 to 10 years. Symptoms are seen in the affected person as trouble in handling money or paying bills, wandering and getting lost in finding a place, and taking longer time to complete daily tasks. Moderate stage – This lasts for 1 to 5 years. Damage to areas that control language, reasoning, conscious thought and sensory processing such as ability to recognise sounds and smells. They face problems recognising family and friends. They are unable to learn new things. Severe stage – Plaques and tangles spread throughout the brain and the brain tissue shrinks. There is a change in personality and behaviour. Individuals gradually lose the faculty to care for themselves.   According to neuroscientists from Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, plaques and tangles tend to spread through the cortex in a more predicted pattern affecting memory, cognition and behaviour.   Myths about Alzheimer’s disease 1. The most common myth is that Alzheimer’s disease is different from dementia. But the fact is Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause for dementia which amounts to 50 – 60 per cent of dementia.   2. Another myth is that only people in their seventies and older get Alzheimer’s. The fact is that the disease starts 20 years before its overt clinical manifestation happens. So, Alzheimer’s grips individuals as early as in their fifties.   3. There are a lot of myths about treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease. It is neither preventable nor curable. But there are some modifiable risk factors, if addressed effectively at midlife, that can keep the impact and progression of the disease under check.   4. Turmeric is considered to have therapeutic effect for Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin in turmeric serves as an anti-inflammatory agent which may help in overall reduction of inflammation due to abnormal protein accumulation. But there is no clinical data to support the decrease in cases in India where the consumption of turmeric is prevalent.   Precautions against Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease can affect anybody. There are modifiable risk factors which when effectively addressed during midlife through lifestyle changes can lower the impact of the illness. These modifiable risk factors include smoking habits, alcoholism, sedentary lifestyle causing obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and coronary artery disease.   Eat a healthy and balanced diet which includes adequate fruits and vegetables. Avoid junk foods and high glycaemic index foods. Avoid saturated fat and exercise at least 150 minutes every week which includes moderate intensity aerobic activity. These are ways to reduce the risk and the impact of the illness. By staying mentally and physically active, we can reduce the risk and keep the disease at bay.

I think, that “right” news more than “good” news is the need of the hour. At a time when so much of news has unfortunately become about ceaseless noise and drama, and the loudest voice (as opposed to the most logical voice) winning an argument, what we need are news channels that show its viewers both sides of a story, and indulges in fair, clean and agenda-less reportage. I don’t think today’s audience is unable to handle “bad news.”   We had two and a half months of continuous bad news on television screens during the second wave of the pandemic, and that did find an audience. But as citizens, we must demand from the fourth estate fair, honest and nuanced reportage presenting the truth. For, to uphold the truth and be a watchdog of society is the media’s primary responsibility.   As for a channel with “good news”, I think a channel that focuses solely on happy, uplifting, positive stories, will definitely find advertisers. A great example of that is the portal Better India, which was founded in 2016 with the single objective of bringing positive stories across the country to people.   Over time, they have been able to attract a host of A-grade brands across categories as diverse as automobile, BFSI, FMCG, Tech to advertise on their platform helping them tell stories about their brands that bring their brand purpose to the fore.   Such a news channel will certainly be a brand-positive and brand safe space. But ultimately, marketers and advertisers want to advertise on channels that reach out to their target consumer, because they need to base these decisions on ROI. So, a channel such as this will attract advertisers only if it has been able to build a robust and relevant viewership that brands would like to tap into.   It’s true that more and more brands are trying to find a purpose – a raison d’etre. Because they have realized that purpose-led brands are connecting better with today’s consumers and growing at least 2x faster than brands that are not purpose led.   As a brand whose sole purpose is to propound the concept of ‘positive ageing’ and help seniors live healthier, happier, physically fitter and mentally more agile lives for longer, we would respond very positively to a news channel that promotes the spirit of positivity and shares good news.   It’s no secret that the mental health crisis would be the next crisis that will hit the world, after COVID-19. Most of us have experienced the impact of the pandemic on our mental health. And for those that have had pre-existing mental health issues, things have only been tougher.   Positive news is proven to uplift moods and stabilise emotions. So, positive and good news is more than welcome, particularly at a time like this, and is sure to find an audience because it will be like a breath of fresh air in the controversy led shouting matches that pass off as news channels these days.   I would certainly like to place my brand in a channel that stands for all things positive, fair and just. The core philosophy of Columbia Pacific Communities is positive ageing, so we are certainly about positivity. Our residents lead a life of positivity and focus on all the great things that are happening around them. So, the content on a channel such as this is likely to find an audience with our primary target group – senior citizens.   While one is all for positivity, it’s important to perhaps mention in this content that positivity can sometimes turn toxic. No one’s life is picture perfect. Behind every positive outcome is endless struggle, blood, sweat and tears. And therefore, news stories need to focus as much on the journeys as on the destinations.   A lot of what we see on social media is already a big illusion – with people only choosing to post the best versions of their lives. So, a news channel aimed at bringing positive and good news to people should focus on being real and authentic, more than anything else. There is nothing more important than that.