NEWS of Columbia Pacific Communities

In a country like India with a steadily increasing senior citizen population, the growth of the senior living segment has been a noteworthy development in the real estate sector. The concept of senior living homes, which has been widely popular in the west, is now gaining popularity in India and giving seniors a choice to lead an independent and secure lifestyle they truly deserve.   The COVID-19 pandemic has brought focus on the need for accessible healthcare for the elderly. More importantly, it has increased the demand for senior living homes that cater to the unique lifestyle needs of the elderly. To understand and explore the growth potential of the senior living segment in India, Housing.com conducted a webinar on the topic ‘Future of senior living projects as an asset class’.   The panelists at the webinar included Ankur Gupta (joint managing director, Ashiana Housing Ltd), Mohit Nirula (CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities) and Mani Rangarajan (group COO, Housing.com, Makaan.com and Proptiger.com). The session was moderated by Jhumur Ghosh (editor-in-chief of Housing.com News).   Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the senior living segment   The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted people from all walks of life. It also brought many challenges for senior citizens, not just on the health front but also in meeting everyday needs like groceries and pharmacy. Highlighting the impact on the senior living segment, Gupta said, “After the pandemic and when the lockdowns were lifted, we saw a lot of demand, not just from seniors but also from their children who wanted to make sure their parents were safe. From a demand perspective, it has been a phenomenal journey over the last one-and-a-half years. Even before the pandemic, among the things that have been changing, is the idea that people were able to differentiate between an old age home and senior living. People are able to identify that senior living is a lifestyle choice.”   Nirula from Columbia Pacific Communities that manages senior living communities across five cities, drew a comparison between the experience of senior citizens who had been living alone or in mixed-family condominiums to the kind of experience that communities designed for seniors offer. He observed that in an urban environment, where people depend on a lot of home services and external agencies, the demand for senior living communities has increased owing to the easy access to such services they provide. He added, “We have noticed that in our read-to-move-in communities, there is a waiting list, since the need is urgent. In communities that are under development, a new phenomenon that we have seen, is the fact that buyers have become younger. While the youngest, earlier, used to be 60-65-year-olds, the buyers now are in the age group of 48-55, who are looking at moving to a community where everything that one needs is given by the service provider. It is a big differentiator between an old age home versus a community designed for seniors.” He further said that this kind of living would be the preferred option for seniors in the future.   Speaking on the importance of medical care for the elderly, especially those dealing with specific health issues, Rangarajan highlighted the need for geriatric care in senior citizens and the facilities available at the continuing care retirement community (CCRC). He stressed on the concept of senior living and the need for specialised facilities like anti-skid tiles, grab bars, alarms and the availability of ambulances for the seniors. He said, “In India, there has been a social stigma attached to old age homes. However, things are changing. These centres are not old age homes but community centres that allow seniors to lead a happier and comfortable lives.”   Senior living homes vs old age homes   Speaking on the taboos associated with old age homes, Ghosh mentioned, “Until a decade ago, the stigma attached to the concept of old age homes was a business hindrance to these kinds of senior living projects. Businesses have had to cope with the misconception.”   Gupta pointed out that people having elderly parents are now beginning to understand the concept of senior living communities, where their ageing parents will have access to the best facilities and medical care. He emphasised that more and more senior citizens are now open to the idea of leading independent lifestyles in these communities.   Nirula added that the country has seen a humongous change in the last 15 years. With globalisation and access to educational opportunities, children and their elderly parents, in many cases, have started living away from each other. In such a scenario, the senior living communities provide an ideal environment where one’s daily needs are met and there are wellness programs for ensuring one’s overall well-being, he revealed.   The need for assisted living facilities in senior living projects   A term widely used in the west, ‘assisted living facilities’ are a prominent feature of senior living projects. If a senior requires medical care or support in executing specific activities, they will receive round-the-clock assistance in these communities. Nirula mentioned that the objective of senior living homes, was to deliver an increasing level of support to seniors, based on their evolving needs. He also highlighted the provision of on-site nursing care. “Any senior living community in India must allow for the resident to be with the medical professionals from the date they enter until the date they leave,” he said.   Agreeing to the need for specialised care for seniors, Gupta added that it was also about the different kinds of activities that seniors could do in these communities for their mental and physical health, thus, improving their quality of life. “One of the biggest challenges that groups of senior living providers will have, is to figure out whether the segment should evolve on the lines of the western concept or in an Indian way, which will be more beneficial and affordable for the consumer and ensure an independent and higher quality of life,” he maintained.   An overview of the current market trends   The experts were of the view that although it was a niche segment, senior living was growing and expected to evolve and witness increased demand. They believed that the concept had to evolve into the mainstream before any regulatory mechanism could come into effect.   Speaking on the high demand for senior living projects, Gupta said that most of the consumers were opting for under-construction properties. “If you are going with other developers, it is important to check their credibility and their past records and RERA, to ensure your finances are safe. Most homes in India right now are very limited on rental models. If one is looking for lease, then, it is possible only through an owner who has purchased a property in the project,” he pointed out.   “The decision-making of a buyer should be driven by the services on offer in these projects and that should happen, once they have ensured there is a credible track record. RERA does ensure protection on the asset for the consumer,” Nirula remarked. According to him, the right time to buy a home would depend on the need of the consumer. He also stated that such assets appreciated in price, during the life of the project. A senior living project can increase by 18% to 20% in price, he said.   Experts also opined that senior living projects had a significant resale potential. They also maintained that rentals for these projects ranged between 3% and 4% of the total property value.   Giving insights from the business perspective and on the current home buying trends, Rangarajan shared that Proptiger.com witnessed significant demand from the NRIs. A significant number of projects were under construction, with limited availability of ready-to-move-in projects. “People are mainly concerned about the quality of life and quality of medical care they will have access to, in these projects. Secondly, people are paying a lot of attention to the overall design and layout of the apartment with special facilities for the elderly,” he said.   What do these senior living communities offer?   Equipped with the finest of amenities and caregiver services, senior living homes also deliver assistance for the elderly when it comes to getting immediate medical attention. The experts said that these communities have skilled medical staff and have tie-ups with leading hospitals, thus, ensuring that the seniors always have access to timely and quality medical care.   Most of the senior living communities in India are located away from the city centers. The experts said that apart from providing easy access to medical care and facilities to meet the lifestyle needs of seniors, these projects include vast open and green spaces and a pollution-free environment. They also highlighted that the proximity to quality medical infrastructure was one of the factors for site selection in such projects.   Correlating the emergence of the senior living segment with the growth of the ‘silver economy’, the panellists concluded that, with the rising percentage of the elderly population in the country, the segment was expected to witness huge demand in the times to come.

The pandemic and the consequent restrictions it brought on daily living and social interactions highlighted the difference in experience of seniors living in independent homes or apartments that were part of mixed-family condominium complexes and that of residents of a senior living community. Seniors living on their own have to depend on several external resources to support their activities of daily living. This involves different persons who provide security, housekeeping and laundry support, gardening, chauffeur, cook and all sorts of deliveries that come to their doorstep from newspapers to services such as online shopping and food deliveries.   During the pandemic, not only were these deliveries severely restricted, but every incoming person increased the risk of infection. In mixed-family condominiums, senior residents were dependent on the protocols devised by the Residents’ Welfare Associations. These protocols were more often than not compromises designed to manage the expectations of the diverse population occupying the community and oftentimes were not in the best interest of the most immuno-compromised demographic – the seniors.   On the other hand, residents of senior living communities were able to have their daily needs fulfilled, have medical support at hand and a daily calendar that ensured physical distancing did not cause social isolation and brought peace of mind to the residents and their families. Consequently, the senior living industry has seen exponential growth in demand for both ready-to-move-in communities and those under development. Columbia Pacific Communities has the privilege of serving senior living communities in the metro cities of Bengaluru, Chennai. Furthermore, we also serve communities in the smaller cities of Coimbatore, Kanchipuram and Puducherry. We now have a waiting list of future residents who would like to move into these communities. They are open to purchasing homes on re-sale or availing of the services of the community as tenants. At the same time, our website, www.columbiacommunities.in has seen a 4x increase in organic visits which is reflective of the increasing awareness of and interest in senior living communities.   The CII report in 2018 on the Senior Living Industry estimated a requirement of over 200,000 homes as part of communities designed with specific needs of seniors in mind. At that time, the total number of homes under various stages of development were 20,000.   Seniors are the fastest-growing demographic within our population mix. This growth in numbers of seniors combined with the growing nuclearisation of families has resulted in an increased incidence of seniors staying alone. With the long gestation period required for creating communities, this 10x gap between supply and demand has only increased.   Indians have always seen education as an enabler of upward mobility. Parents have unhesitatingly invested a large portion of their earnings to provide their children with the best education possible. Globalisation has allowed these individuals to pursue their careers and growth across the world. As a consequence, the demographic of 50 plus individuals who are proud of their children’s advancement, who do not wish to relocate from their home city and are staying alone has grown and will continue to grow exponentially.   COVID-19 and the resultant experience of both the parents and their children over the last 15 months have made senior living communities the preferred lifestyle option for seniors living on their own.

The real estate industry, like every product or service industry in the world, has been impacted by the pandemic and the changes it has wrought on how people live, work, and interact. The real estate industry encompasses within itself verticals that have seen a tectonic shift in how people interact with the product.   Commercial spaces have to rework their business model to factor that lessees now seek a revenue share model instead of a fixed monthly rental. The new “work from anywhere” model has the potential to disrupt the co-working and co-living spaces. We have to wait and watch how the new hybrid model of working impacts the industry.   On the flip side, gated communities have become more attractive for families that have thus far been living in independent homes. The fact that a single service provider ensures the delivery of many services that one has to otherwise depend on multiple external people and agencies is a blessing.   When one combines all the advantages of a mixed family condominium – security and common area maintenance with the specialised functions that are available in a senior living community, one can understand the reason for the 4x spike in demand for homes in communities specially designed for seniors.   To be able to enjoy in-home housekeeping and maintenance, chef-prepared and home-style meals in the restaurant, or have them delivered to the home, allows the residents to spend their time doing things they want to instead of worrying about the things that they have to do.   In addition, the presence of round-the-clock nursing support ensures peace of mind for both the residents and their families. Most importantly, good senior living communities should offer a scientifically designed wellness and wellbeing programme that encourages social interaction thereby ensuring that friends, activities, and interaction is just an elevator ride away for the residents.   At Columbia Pacific Communities, we have seen two distinct changes in our future residents – the demand for ready-to-move-in communities from older residents of 70+ and demand for our new communities from a much younger demographic of 50+. Furthermore, there is a distinct increase in the number of inquiries from children for their parents.   The success of a senior living community is best gauged by the happiness levels of the residents. While the quality of the home is an important contributor to this happiness, it is critical that the daily services, daily activities, and healthcare facilities meet and exceed the expectations that residents have for themselves.   As a consequence, there is an increased interest from developers to partner with senior care providers to create senior living communities as a part of their integrated townships. To have this product and service solution enhances the facilities within their township, adds texture to the community, complements and supplements the product of the residential home they offer since the target markets for regular residential and senior communities are separate and unique.   2021 will be a tipping point for senior living communities with these becoming the preferred options for seniors and will become a mainstream solution that will be sought by parents for themselves and by children for their parents.

Senior citizens occupy 8% of the country’s population and this number is set to treble in the next thirty years. Seniors are the fastest growing demographic in the country and is the only demographic that is showing a double digit growth. Today’s senior citizens are an important consumer segment with great buying power.   Brands and advertisers, after having neglected this fact for a long time, are slowly waking up to it. And so, the number of ads featuring senior citizens have increased in the recent past, although it’s not a hockey stick growth curve yet.   Examples of wonderful narratives featuring seniors include the Valentine’s Day campaign by Big Bazaar last year titled #LoveSabKeLiye, a heart-warming ad showing domestic banter between an elderly, middle-class couple. The Tanishq ad last year during Ganesh Chaturthi featuring a group of senior citizens surprising their “Vighnaharta” with a Tanishq pendant. Thomas Cook’s #NeverTooOld which talks about senior citizens making international travel plans or the delightful Vodafone ad in 2017 featuring an old couple using GPS to find their way around Goa.   The good news is that brands are depicting baby boomers in a fresh new avatar, eschewing age-old stereotypes (read:cranky, old next dooruncle, or the conservative aunty) attached to this generation.   Whether it’s the recent CarDekho “E for Elderly” campaign that had an adorable elderly couple using sarcasm to call out the way the youth treat elderly drivers, or a buoyant Neena Gupta doing her version of a hip hop in the Brooke Bond Red Label #LetUsUnstereotypeIndia campaign, brands today are depicting seniors as a fun, irreverent, confident bunch with an envious sense of humour.   Remember the adorable daadi in British Airway’s #FuelledByLove ad that made the campaign go viral on Twitter in 2016?  And the delightful old couples in the Vodafone and SBI ads? The latter in Piyush Pandey’s iconic ad “Heere ko kaisepatatumhariumarkyahai?” The one thing that’s common among all these ads and their narratives is that they all hint at the growing purchasing power of today’s senior citizens and are a reflection of their changing lifestyles. The characters are fun-loving, jovial, tech-savvy, and living life to the fullest.   Featuring baby boomers in brand communication results in narratives that are high on EQ. It’s why the Pond’s Cold Cream “Dadu” ad done last year by Ogilvy Mumbai pulled at our heartstrings. Similarly, some of us still remember Help Age India’s “daadi” ad from 2016 that told children of the elderly that it was their time to care for their parents.   Columbia Pacific Communities’ recent campaign featuring noted author Ruskin Bond depicted him as an individual who is living his best life at the age of 87, looking forward to each day with childlike enthusiasm.   Indian advertising featuring seniors has come of age, and we are finally seeing nuanced pieces of work that depict the modern, future forward senior citizens that are not afraid to own their lives and see retirement as a glorious phase of their lives.

Ageing is a physiological process that paves the way to connect with the world with earned wisdom. This process needs to be embraced with grace. In ancient Vedic days, a human being’s life was divided into different ‘varnashrama dharmas’, which guided their lives. After active service in the world was accomplished, everybody, whether a king or a common man, followed Vanaprastha – retiring to the forests.   In the modern age, even though there is retirement from active services in the world, elders are still active in their minds. It is not ageing, which is a problem, it is accelerated ageing that is a problem, wherein one enters this process earlier than their biological age.   What brings about ageing? Ageing at the physical and physiological levels happens due to gravity posed changes in the human organs and system. Our organ systems are endowed with certain capacities which are known as cognitive reserve, reserve lung volume, cardiac reserve, etc. All these reserves are maintained through healthy lifestyle and this is most needed when one enters a phase of life when increased degeneration occurs due to oxidative stress more than regeneration.   Present day science and technology has extended the life span of humans but due to lifestyle changes the quality of life has been compromised.   How do we view ageing? At the physical level, gravity poses changes in the upright posture thereby inducing many compromises in the musculoskeletal system. This results in hunch backs, stiff necks, lower back aches, knee pain, etc.   At the physiological level, cell degeneration occurs through oxidative stress which is exaggerated these days due to changed lifestyles, thereby disturbing the internal and external milieu. At the emotional level, stress responses affect the neuroendocrine system which also gets exaggerated with uncertainties in challenging times such as the present pandemic.   At the Intellectual level, a disconnect due to inactive mind-oriented tasks bring about disengaging sense and thereby the impairment of cognition.   What can we do to address this premature or accelerated ageing and age gracefully? At the physical level – Adequate physical activity and exercises are important to maintain good balance, coordination and posture.   At the physiological level – Balanced nutrition and adequate rest are needed to reduce the oxidative stress which also needs to be addressed through individual contributions to reduce the pollution at the environmental level.   At the emotional level – Reconnect with the inner child and engage in joyful artistic activities like music, dance, drama, etc. as a group activity.   At the intellectual level – Engaging the mind in connecting with society through authoring articles, sharing wisdom with the youth through debates and discussions can keep the cognitive reserve in good state.   Where do we see all this happening? Retirement communities help in delaying the ageing process and promotes graceful and positive ageing. In senior living communities, daily routines are thoughtfully designed to maintain bio rhythms aided with timely elder-friendly meals.  Balanced nutrition and well-choreographed activities prevent and reorient accelerated ageing to a slower pace while retaining good memory and cognition.

With children far away and domestic help unable to come to work, the elderly have been left to fend for themselves in the pandemic. Many are now opting for assisted living facilities   When his wife passed away in April 2019, S.S. Subramanian, now 76, decided to move into a retirement community. “My mother had told him to do so,” says his daughter, Sheela Subramanian. “It was a decision they had made together as a couple.” Besides, he was very lonely. “Life today is not like it was before—the neighbours barely stop to say hello anymore.” Leaving him alone at home, when she had to go to work or travel, worried her too, says Sheela, a food entrepreneur.   Over the next year and a half, they visited various communities. Finally, in December 2020, the two of them zeroed in on a facility in the town of Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district. Then, in March 2021, as cases began rising again, she decided to move her father to the senior citizen community home. “I thought it would be the best time to move; he would be safer there,” she says.   The pandemic has spurred a demand for homes catering to the needs of senior citizens. Dependency anxiety, the desire for reassurance and the need for post-infection covid care have “triggered them (the elderly) to think that it is not easy to live alone,” says Dr Karthik Narayan, a medical doctor and the MD of Athulya Assisted Living in Chennai. “At a broad level, we saw a 30-50% increase in enquiries,” he says.   His perspective is shared by Mohit Nirula, the CEO of Columbia Pacific Communities, a prominent player in the eldercare space. “In the six months between wave one and wave two of the pandemic, we sold more home than in the 12 months before that,” he says. “We now have a waiting list of people wanting to enter our communities.”   The pandemic has been especially trying for older adults, many of whom had to deal with anxiety, fear, isolation and helplessness over the last 15-odd months. According to a report published by Helpage India to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15), 42.1% of elders were most worried about being hospitalised if they contracted covid, 34.2% were concerned about being isolated, and 11.5% were afraid of dying.   With fatalities among the elderly being exceptionally high, the sense of vulnerability and dependency on caregivers has become more pronounced. Unfortunately, with children often stranded in other cities or countries and domestic workers not allowed to come to work due to multiple lockdowns, the elderly are often forced to fend for themselves. This is not only physically challenging but also has an impact on their mental health—a March 2021 survey published by the Agewell Foundation pointed out that the pandemic has caused psychological issues for one in four older people.   A cultural shift Uma Damodaran (69) moved into Serene Urbana, Columbia Pacific Communities in Bengaluru, in November 2020. “My daughter wanted to make sure that I was safe,” she says. So far, she is very happy with the facilities. “They take excellent care of us. My daughter has selected a good place for me,” she says.   Most retirement homes promise nutritious food, safety, recreation, support and excellent infrastructure. More importantly, they all have tie-ups with various hospitals and have 24/7 medical support. During the pandemic, for instance, communities organised vaccination drives within their campuses for elderly residents, ensured multiple levels of protection, delivered food and grocery to residents’ doorsteps, and engaged them via virtual activities. It is why many children—especially those who live far from their parents—are beginning to prefer that they live in these communities, especially now, says Arun Suresh, Managing Director, Arun Excello Ziva, a senior citizen home in Mamallapuram, about 40km from Chennai. “Living in a community like this gives them comfort,” he says.   Unlike the US and the EU countries, which have more mature senior and assisted living operators, the idea is yet to gain widespread acceptance in India. Traditionally, the Indian joint family system has been very reserved about the idea of senior living, says Arjun Shyam Sumaya, Head, India Alternatives, JLL India. Covid, which threw open the gaps in India’s healthcare system, has forced families and elders to rethink the quality of living and, more importantly, assisted care. “The number of inquiries for senior and assisted living has increased dramatically from 2019,” says Sumaya. It’s still in a nascent stage, but he believes the market has a massive opportunity for growth. “As families focus on safety and security for the elderly, the willingness to invest/lease a secondary asset for elderly parents is actively being explored,” he says.   Nirula, too, agrees that the pandemic appears to have reduced the stigma attached to these homes. “There was a time when senior living communities were seen as places that people without any other option went to,” says Nirula. It could now become the preferred solution rather than the no-option solution, he believes. “A lifestyle that relieves you of having to do day-to-day chores, provides you with a life of social engagement, where your current and future medical needs are met…why should this not be the preferred solution,” he asks.   S.S. Subramanian, Sheela’s father, has not regretted his decision to move to a retirement community: “I like the facilities here. The care, the food, the medical facilities, being around people of the same age group… I feel at home.”

According to the WHO, non-communicable diseases kill 41 million people each year, which is equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally. Cardiovascular diseases account for the most non-communicable disease deaths.   Studies have shown that women are less prone to coronary artery disease. But now various population based studies in India and western countries show that the most common risk factors in deaths are coronary artery disease and hypertension. Epidemiological studies indicate that the prevalence of hypertension has increased over the last decade and there has been a higher incidence among women.   Why is it so? Women usually do not exhibit any symptoms of cardiac diseases and hypertension and, therefore, go undiagnosed. The sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone in women protect the blood vessels from oxidative injuries. Oestrogen decreases the renin level which plays an important role in moderating the blood pressure through the Renin-Angiotensin system. Changing lifestyles have brought in a shift in these hormones. Oestrogen has been replaced with androgen and is commonly expressed as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in young women. With the declining levels of oestrogen, androgen increases the expression of certain enzymes which favours oxidative stress, vascular damage and inflammation.   Other reasons contributing to increased prevalence among women are: 1. High glycaemic index food – Over consumption of trans fatty acids and refined carbohydrates through junk food poses the risk of overweight and obesity. 2.Binge eating – Easy availability of tasty food at the doorstep with just a phone call has compromised the biorhythms in eating habits. Consumption of instant food with preservatives, fried snacks, chutneys and pickles with extra salt compromises the quality of nutrition. 3.Lack of physical activity – Sedentary jobs with multi-tasking requirements and no regular time for any sort of physical activity. 4.Stress – Our adrenal glands which act as shock absorbers provide us with crucial hormonal support that we all need to get through the day with energy and enthusiasm. The intensities and frequencies of the stresses in our life exhaust these glands too early. 5.Unhealthy body image inspired from media – Oestrone (E1) is produced in significant amounts in body fat. The idea of ‘Zero waist’ and unhealthy dieting affects the secretion of this protective hormone. 6.Economy driven world has taken a big toll on the balanced way of functioning between production in mass and human personal interaction. This has changed the human consciousness to a state of imbalance that manifests through emotions and affects the physical hormones. This impact is seen in women these days as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Metabolic Syndrome with Type II Diabetes, menstrual disorders and infertility.   How to detect hypertension? Headache, giddiness and blurring of vision are some of the symptoms which needs to be checked for elevated blood pressure. Weight gain leading to overweight and obesity over a period of six months requires regular blood pressure check-up and health screening.   How to address this? The most important thing to remember is that prevention is better than cure.   Health education: School curriculum must bring in the importance of nutrition, the importance of biorhythms and physical activity. Health education through all social media about regular physical activity, balanced nutrition and biorhythms in diet and sleep should be made available in all regional languages resonating with the local people’s interests.   Midlife health screening: Regular health check-ups after the age of 35 should be a must to check where one stands with regard to health.   Non pharmacological management for those who are at risk:   1. Balanced nutrition -Choose the right source for macronutrients -Consume more of complex carbohydrates -Get micronutrients through locally grown vegetables as salads -Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables for the trace elements needed for the body function -Add adequate fibre through plant source   2. Physical activity -Either 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity throughout the week. -Mindful movements like Yoga, Taichi would help in mental and physical well-being   3. Managing stress -Positive attitude -Mindfulness and meditation   Conclusion: Rapid urbanisation by amalgamating various cultures has been advantageous. But it has also brought in some unpronounced setbacks to human health. With India’s diverse culture, each region developed a healthy cuisine that was governed by their own climatic conditions and terrain. This has been diluted, and to a great extent destroyed due to top loading of non-seasonal, unsuitable cuisine only for enjoyment and availability. The effect is far reaching which has largely contributed to non-communicable diseases. By paying adequate attention to what and how we eat, indulging in physical activities and adopting conscious living can address this silent killing disease.  

Armed with disposable income and a willingness to splurge, this consumer cohort comprises over 10 per cent of the population. No wonder marketers are beginning to target this segment with specialised products   In popular American show on Netflix Grace and Frankie, a retired cosmetics baron and a hippie artist are forced to live under the same roof when they get to know that their husbands are in love and want to get married. The series goes on to show how the two septuagenarians navigate life independently. Not only do they go for indulgent holidays and steamy dates, they also launch their business venture, Rise Up, to make hydraulic-powered toilet seats for the elderly.   Though the show is a comic interpretation of Grace and Frankie’s adventures and misadventures, for marketers, it is smartly-woven around an important cohort of consumers — the senior citizens — a $7-billion market in the US. The nascent market is now booming in millennial-obsessed India as well.   Around 120-million Indians, according to a Deloitte report are above 55. The figure is estimated to rise to around 300 million by 2050, accounting for 20 per cent of the overall population. Spending by senior citizens is predicted to increase from $100 billion in 2020 to almost $1 trillion by 2030. What makes this cohort lucrative is their high disposable income and willingness to spend on themselves.   Spending Power Of the 120-million elders, about 40 million stay in urban areas, and over 50 per cent of them have the ability to spend Rs 40,000-50,000 a month. With a bank balance to boast about, they are as aspirational as the millennials. From financial services to personal care products and from hospitality to gadgets and even real estate, companies are increasingly beginning to tailor-make products for these consumers.   Music and content company Saregama India, for example, in 2017, launched Carvaan, a pre-loaded music box, which looks like a transistor, specially targeted at the silver generation. The Rs 521.47-crore company has even come up with variants of Carvaan in regional languages and has sold over 2.4 million units since its launch. Apart from the regular Carvaan (priced at Rs 6,000), there’s also Carvaan Mini priced at Rs 2,500. It includes the Bhagvad Gita, Gurbani and Bhakti songs. Carvaan recently introduced podcasts in its new version and Saregama India Managing Director Vikram Mehra is surprised at the variety of content that consumers are open to. “While news and religious music are a given, consumers are even lapping up wine and whisky appreciation podcasts. In fact, the most popular is the one on single parenting.”   Age is no more a barrier for the current generation of elders who want to live life king size. While spending on assisted living tools (elderly care services such as medical care, wheelchair, adult diapers etc) is a given, this new-generation of elders also want to live independently, look good and travel places. They are not apologetic about spending on themselves. “By 2050, this segment will be 20 per cent of India’s population, and will account for 20-25 per cent of consumer spending,” points out Sanjesh Thakur, Partner, Risk Advisory Practice, Deloitte India.   So, when Tapan Mishra founded e-commerce platform Seniority.in in 2015, the stress was on providing assisted living — from wheelchairs to hospital beds and adult diapers. The past year has seen Mishra focusing more on building a direct-to-consumer personal care business targeted at 55-year-olds and above. “We started with nutraceutical products under the brand name Seniority and are soon going to rollout hair care and skin care for this age group,” says Mishra, who is also the founder of Evergreen Club, an online platform that helps the silver generation to not just avail the services of doctors and physiotherapists, but socialise as well. Launched in March 2021, the platform offers a plethora of activities — from antakshari and housie sessions to yoga and cooking classes. In the past four months, there have been 75,000 downloads on the Android store, according to Mishra. In June, Evergreen Club launched a paid subscription model. Around 1,000 signed up within the first 10 days.   Mishra says the company’s personal care products cater to the needs of this consumer cohort. “Most brands offer age-defying or anti-ageing products, which this cohort of consumers are not looking for. They want products that will help them age gracefully.”   Ad man-turned entrepreneur, V.S. Srikanth, Co-Founder, Fifty Rocks Lifestyle, is also getting ready to rollout a range of premium personal care products for the 50-plus under the brand name Amazing Grey. “This population amounts to 40-42 per cent of India’s population in terms of value consumption. The millennials have no money,” says Srikanth.   Last year, ICICI Bank launched Retire Happy Solutions, targeted at 55-year-olds and above. “This age group is five-six years away from retirement, so, it’s not a bad idea to open a NPS account. Most people start buying health insurance at the age of 54, which covers them till the age of 74. Retire Happy Solutions curates that too,” says Pranav Mishra, Head, Liabilities, ICICI Bank. The product also has features such as FD Invest and FD MIP. “What it means is you have created an FD for five years and the interest which will come out of it can go into SIPs. Similarly, the interest money that will come from FD Invest will come in the form of a monthly income plan so that it can act as income replacement,” he adds. The product also offers travel loans for this cohort of consumers.   New-age Elders This is also the generation whose children have stepped out of their homes to work in other cities, and as a result of which most of them are empty nesters. Real estate companies are capitalising on the same. The past decade has seen the emergence of retirement communities such as Columbia Pacific and Antara, which offer end-to-end services such as medical care, kitchen and house-keeping facilities for residents. “While the millennial is more into the sharing economy than buying, seniors are happy to pay a premium for comfort. They have disposable income, and are willing to invest and indulge,” says Mohit Nirula, CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities. Its communities are self-sustained. “Senior residents don’t have to worry about sweeping, mopping, maintenance or food,” adds Nirula.   Prashin Jhobalia, Vice president, Strategic Marketing, House Of Hiranandani, doesn’t want to label his properties as a senior citizen community, but says it is the 50-plus cohort which is the target audience for its premium residential complexes. “While facilities such as hospital, ambulance and dining room are a given, they are looking for spacious homes, great views and well-equipped clubhouses. Since they are looking at spending the rest of their lives here, they don’t want to compromise on quality.” These gated communities are priced from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 4 crore. “Consumers are happy to pay a premium for amenities, which they were not willing to do 10 years ago,” says Jhobalia.   While real estate companies are launching senior citizen communities, tech companies such as Emoha and MedRabbits are offering assisted living services. Consumers just need to download an app and subscribe to a host of services, including medical care, grocery delivery and even entertainment. Emoha, says Co-founder and CEO Saumyajit Roy, has installed sensors at homes of its consumers, so that whenever there is an emergency it can rush to help. “The idea is not to box our elders in an old-age home, which is regressive. For every home we take care of, we look at how we can take care of emergency support needs, how elders could socialise and also learn new skills.”   “The biggest pandemic is not Covid, it is loneliness,” adds Roy. Emoha TV has been one of the hot favourites of the 55-plus community during the pandemic. It offers over 700 activities from the comfort of home.   “Just as what edtech is for education, our ambition is to make a similar impact on the senior citizens market,” adds Amol R. Deshmukh, Co-founder, MedRabbits.   Convenience Matters Such consumers are the favourites of the hospitality industry too. Be it tour operators or resort companies such as Sterling Holidays and Mahindra Holidays, it is the 55-plus segment from where their revenues are increasingly coming from. “When I go for a holiday I don’t want to go to a place where kids are yelling. I want to go to a place where I can do my thing. I need menus which will suit my age and needs,” says V.S. Kannan Sitaram, Former COO, Dabur, and currently Venture Partner at Fireside Ventures.   Hospitality companies are going all out to cater to the needs of consumers such as Sitaram, who are essentially looking for experiences and are willing to pay for it. From yoga getaways and wellness holidays to camping by the river side in comfortable air-conditioned tents, most of the newer properties of hotels and resorts offer experiences tailor-made for the new silver generation. “Over 25 per cent of our new members are above the age of 50,” says M. Harinath, Vice president, Corporate Marketing, Sterling Holidays. One of Sterling’s best-performing resorts before Covid struck them was the company’s wellness resort in Rishikesh, where bulk of the guests constituted the 50-plus age bracket.   “While millennials opt for weekend getaways, elders prefer longer stays. They don’t mind spending one-two weeks for an ayurvedic experience so that they can take the full benefit of the treatment. This helps us improve our occupancy rates, especially during off season,” he adds.   Mahindra Holidays has created a 10-year membership programme, Bliss, targeted at the 55-plus cohort. Bliss focuses on offering experiential holidays to its members. Priced at Rs 2-4 lakh, Bliss is Mahindra Holidays’ top-performing product. “Fifty five is the new 25. It is far more profitable to focus on this cohort as they spend more at resorts. They contribute the highest in terms of revenue per customer,” says CMO Pratik Mazumder.   Be it living in a residential community that offers all kinds of amenities or subscribing to a service such as Emoha, convenience is the prime factor. “Between the age of 18 and 35, you are in that state of your life, where you believe you are on top of the world and everything should be happening according to your choice. You want to control every aspect of it. As you start growing older, you realise that even if you want to control your life, you can’t. More and more people start valuing convenience over control,” explains Mehra of Saregama.   The idea behind Carvaan, he adds, is to offer convenience and not control its target audience. “A digital app will give you control, you can control which song you want to hear, you know who the composer is. However, Carvaan is all about music playing out. I like Kishore Kumar or Lata Mangeshkar’s song, so I need a platform where I can listen to them. An average 50-year-old living in Kanpur or Satara find it difficult to explore technology on their own, they typically end up using features they are comfortable with. That’s one part that anybody who wants to target this segment needs to realise,” he says. The Carvaan success story has been instrumental in turning around the stagnant music business of RPSG into a profitable venture.   Other consumer categories are also realising the importance of convenience. During the first wave of Covid-19 last year, Bata India launched its store-on-wheels, the idea for which came from requests by senior citizens to deliver footwear home. Titan Company’s eyewear brand, Titan EyePlus, has started offering eye-testing services at consumers’ homes, and CEO Saumen Bhaumik says that though the service was launched keeping the Covid-19 lockdown in mind, going forward, the company will continue to offer the same. “A large segment of our consumers are above 55 years and are seeking convenience,” he adds.   Growing Potential Indian marketers are obsessed with millennials and understandably so, since they comprise 70 per cent of the country’s population. Leading skin care brands do have anti-ageing products, but no solution for skin care concerns of an elderly consumer. In apparel, brands do have options for consumers who have a big built, but they have nothing specifically for senior citizens. “I recently went trouser shopping and checked out all the leading brands, but I couldn’t find anything that I would be comfortable wearing. Most of the collections were meant for the 20 somethings,” says Sitaram of Fireside.   “This is a neglected segment, which has huge scope. If I look at a consumer cohort of 20 crore in the next 25 years, it is a mammoth population. It’s not a generation that wants to hoard gold and wealth, but spend on things that give them convenience. Unfortunately, enough isn’t being done for this consumer cohort,” points out Thakur of Deloitte.   Mehra of Saregama says for most brands it makes business sense to look at 70 per cent of the population where everybody wants to look good, rather than speak to the remaining 30 per cent, of which only 10 per cent wants to look good. “You look at an average person in Kanpur or Nagpur, they won’t care about going to the gym that much. As far as they are concerned, it is for their kids. However, there is a goldmine sitting in that age group and very few brands fighting for that particular set of customer.”   The single-minded focus of a 55-year-old a decade ago was to save for his/her retirement. It’s no longer the case. Mumbai-based investment banker couple, Kapil and Priya Mathur (58 and 55), have been empty nesters for the past few years. Their children are well-settled and the couple is inching towards the retirement age. They recently went to Ananda Spa near Rishikesh for a week-long holiday. “We are doing all that we couldn’t do earlier. We have planned our retirement, bought houses and the children are more or less settled. It’s now time for a little bit of indulgence.”   On the other hand, for 80-year-old Iti Mishra, who retired from corporate life over 15 years ago, age is just a number. The tech-savvy octogenarian goes on holidays across the globe on her own. She has close to 1,000 followers on Instagram and her food blog Cheffington Post has caught the attention of leading fine-dining restaurant chains across the country. She often curates specialised menus for them.   What has led the current silver generation in India to be indulgent and not conservative like their predecessors? ICICI Bank’s Mishra attributes it to the first phase of liberalisation in 1991. He says most Indians born in the late 60s and early 70s got their first jobs post 1991, and that made the difference. “They started earning more than their parents and were able to save at a much younger age. Around 2000/01 interest rates came down significantly, and banks also started lending for home loans or any secured asset.”   According to Mishra, liberalisation created lucrative jobs and people no longer worked in one organisation for life. They started experimenting with jobs, which led to higher appetite for risks, and was demonstrated in the way they invested. “Since they had higher disposable income, their ability to take loans and repay was higher. They were into value- and long-term investing through SIPs, which helped them create long-term wealth. Indians also started believing that health- and term-life insurance isn’t a cost, but protection for themselves and their families.”   Unlike their parents who saved all their lives so that they were able to invest in a house around the time they retired, the current silver generation invested in their first property when they were in their late 30s or early 40s, and have systematically planned for their retirement. This has resulted in higher disposable incomes and spending power.   In fact, the 55-year-olds don’t appreciate being addressed as ‘seniors’. They are aspirational, they want to look and feel young and have the wherewithal to indulge. High time brands across the board carve out a strategy around them.

Communication in this crisis has seen a tectonic change; brands today have also changed as to how they tell a story. Earlier seniors have always been shown as cranky, dependent, and miserable by brands. But with changing culture and lifestyle of seniors, the depiction has also undergone a change and today we are seeing many brands using seniors as the protagonist.   From being shown as miserable and dependent family members to independent, high-spirited, and living larger than life, the depiction and usage of senior citizens in the content have come a long way. Gone are the days where the old were shown as cranky, old next-door uncles, or the conservative aunties who frown upon high hemlines. This change in the communication strategy of brands is a mirror image of the cultural changes the nation has gone through.   There are so many brands that have started focusing on seniors and have developed campaigns just for seniors. For instance, CarDekho, Columbia Pacific Communities, Vodafone, etc.  There is a change in the depiction of the elderly in communication narratives, the popularity of senior citizen influencers, and how they are becoming the most credible advocates of brands.   Piali Dasgupta, Senior Vice President – Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, talks to us about the change, how Columbia Pacific has adapted to the new normal, and much more….   This crisis has taught us many lessons, your thoughts?   Oh yes. Completely agree. As Winston Churchill said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” The pandemic has made us more and more aware of how insignificant we are in the face of global adversity. A tiny virus has the ability to turn the universe topsy turvy. So we are like snowflakes in the universe. Our designations, job titles, the importance that we tend to give ourselves, don’t really matter when you are fighting a disease. And so, this was a great time to self-introspect, to set our priorities right, and understand who or what really holds real value in our lives. Because, life as we have learned, is fragile.   On the marketing and brand building front, the pandemic underlined the importance of brands being authentic, empathetic, and have a purpose that is aligned with the planet. While these have been topics of discussion for some time now, the pandemic made it almost mandatory to view their customer experience and communication strategy through at least one of these three lenses.   One is also seeing more seniors in brand communication today, any reasons for this?   I am sure we can agree that it’s about time we saw more seniors in brand communication. But the fact is, it’s not just seniors. We are seeing more off-kilter, underground, non-mainstream narratives, that are shining the spotlight on the underdogs and the minorities – whether it’s members of the LGBTIQ community or neurodiverse people or senior citizens. For way too long, brands have been obsessed with millennials and the Gen-Z. Now they have realized that they are alienating a segment of the audience with huge purchase power (senior citizens) by not representing them or talking to them. Senior citizens form 8% of the country’s population today and are the fastest-growing demographic, set to treble by 2050. It is the only demographic that’s seeing double-digit growth. I think brands have finally realized the perils of not talking to this generation.   Brand messaging is becoming more empathetic, is this due to the crisis or brands have now realized that content is more important when it comes to targeting their consumers?   Content has always been king. Every marketer has realized this in the last ten years. But with digital consumption, and social media consumption, in particular, going up by nearly 75% during the pandemic, brands have realized that there is a greater opportunity to engage with their consumers and build brand salience.   Most people narrow down “empathy” to brand messaging that appeals to a consumer’s EQ (Emotional Quotient). However, true empathy is shown by a brand when it can walk in a customer’s shoes. Throughout the pandemic, we have had several examples of brands coming forward, taking up social responsibility, and showing they genuinely care. Whether it was Cadbury with its “Not Just a Cadbury Ad” campaign in Diwali 2020 supporting small business owners hit by COVID, or brands such as Parle G and Crocs distributing biscuit packets and crocs shoes respectively to frontline workers, humanity shone. And it showed a deep commitment of brands towards people across sections who may or may not have been their core audience. Revenue took a backseat, and empathy was put on the front burner.   And this goes beyond content. Content is only a vehicle to take to masses a brand’s actions and intentions. It starts with an honest intention, whether or not the end result is PR or content. It can never really be the other way round. Because if it is, it’s not honest enough. It is the age of empathy. And not just for brands. People have come together to help each other when the system has failed them. If there’s one thing that we will take ahead with us when all this is hopefully over, it is empathy.   What has changed today, brands are depicting seniors with free-spirited and more adventurous, focussed and advisors in the family, your thoughts?   Seniors today are a different breed from those 30 years ago. They live life on their own terms, are adventure seekers, look at retirement as the best phase of their lives, are adapting to technology, and are fiercely independent. So, these attributes of the baby boomer generation are reflected in advertisements today.   The old, hackneyed narrative of the cranky, old next door uncle, or the conservative aunty who frowns upon high hemlines, is thankfully behind us.   Whether it’s the recent CarDekho “E for Elderly” campaign that had an adorable elderly couple using sarcasm to call out the way the youth treats seniors behind the wheels, or actress Neena Gupta doing her version of a hip hop in the Brooke Bond Red Label #LetUsUnstereotypeIndia campaign, brands today are depicting seniors as a fun, irreverent, confident bunch with a great sense of humor.   How innovative has Columbia Pacific Communities’ communication become during this crisis?   We have innovated immensely during the past 15 months. In India, we function as a start-up, and hence, have the advantage of being nimble. We have kept the interest of our customers – senior citizens, at the center of everything we have done in terms of innovation, with the sole aim of ensuring that even while they were physically distanced from their loved ones, they were not emotionally isolated or distanced.   Whether it was launching a Facebook Live initiative called The Living Room to enable seniors to interact live with celebrities and luminaries across disciplines from the comfort of their homes during the lockdown or using digital platforms to execute a month-long talent hunt across our 9 communities in the run-up to World Senior Citizens Day (August 21) last year, or virtually training sign language to six senior residents from our communities enabling them to perform to an audience of 400 hearing and speech impaired people for Christmas, we have efficiently used technology to bring people and communities together.   On the business side, we have developed content-led sales tools such as walkthrough videos, video chats and have participated in digital expos to enable digital-led transactions. We have even made two significant business announcements to the media through digital platforms.   What have been your marketing strategies during this crisis?   Marketing strategies have obviously evolved in the past year. Heightened use of technology throughout the customer lifecycle and use of digital marketing tools such as walkthrough videos and Whatsapp calls from the site have replaced site visits, with customers making purchase decisions remotely.   In terms of the marketing mix, we have always been digital-first, allocating about 70% of our marketing budgets to digital channels. Post-COVID, OOH, experiential marketing, and other offline budgets have been redirected to digital as well, and in the initial months of COVID, budgets for print media were also realigned towards digital.   When the pandemic hit us in March 2020, we took a conscious call to not hard sell the product, and instead adopted an engagement-first strategy on social media for a few months launching campaigns such as #SeniorsInCommand that brought to the fore inspiring stories of seniors giving back to society and taking charge of the situation at hand during the pandemic.   During the second wave too, we stopped all product and brand-led communication and opened out our social media channels for about 10 days to invite pleas for help from anyone at all, so that we could amplify these messages. This was our own little way of doing our bit for those that were affected, since we are not FMCG brands, and couldn’t really mass distribute a product like, say, sanitizers, to frontline workers.   We also realized the need for mental health support for seniors who were deeply affected by the second wave and were increasingly feeling lonely, isolated, hopeless, and stressed about the situation around them. And hence, we launched a campaign in association with the Fortis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, called #ReacOut urging senior citizens to reach out for mental health support.   So, it was empathy and care first and commerce and selling later, all through the pandemic. It wasn’t an easy choice, but one that we believe was the right choice, even at a time when we saw a 4x rise in inquiries because seniors realized how difficult living on their own can be amidst a crisis, and the importance of living in a community.     Way forward?    The way forward for marketers is honest, purpose-led, and impactful marketing, with cutting-edge storytelling and creativity. There will have to be more skin in the game, for sure. And while, there will always be pressure on marketers to produce short-term results, as a community, marketers have to convince stakeholders and the C-suite that brand building is a long-term game. And that the greatest businesses in the world have been built on long-term thinking. So, it’s not necessarily about being hyper-obsessed with the CTRs and the VTRs of today. All that is important for sure. But the main task is, how do you engage your audience beyond three seconds when all they are willing to give you is three seconds? Human beings now officially have an attention span less than that of the goldfish. And that’s not good news for marketing and advertising professionals, because it makes our job harder and harder. And that’s where good storytelling comes in. If you have something truly mind-blowing to say, people will give you the time. Just as you make time for a great novel. You don’t necessarily count the pages, do you?   For us, the way forward includes building a world-class brand and helping Columbia Pacific Communities fulfill its mission of becoming the subcontinent’s most preferred senior living option by truly helping seniors live healthier, happier, and fitter lives for longer.   A key area of focus would be to strengthen the brand positioning by taking the narrative of “positive ageing” forward through storytelling, PR, advocacy, and other consumer engagement initiatives. Our aim is to popularise the concept of community living and its connection to positive aging in India, and pivot conversations around age and aging in India.

The elder care market in India is worth $1.5 billion. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic senior homecare services are much higher in terms of the demand factor.   The elderly, are most vulnerable at this stage of the pandemic as their age gives them an immunity level much lower when compared to younger people. The senior homecare industry is facing a huge profitable rise in this context. In India there are 110 million elders who are above the age of 60, out of which 40% live in the urban sector. They are not only vulnerable physically as of now as they are emotionally. They have a weaker immune system due to the age factor they are more likely to already have comorbidities which increases the risk of severe covid-19 related death. They are not only suffering mentally but even emotionally to a large extent.   Tara Singh Vachani, Executive Chairperson, Antara Senior Living said, “The senior demographic in India is one of the fastest growing demographics, with over 20 million elders staying alone, and the number is slated to rise in the next two decades. The lockdown and second wave of Covid-19 exposed the gaps in India’s senior care system and has highlighted the need for dedicated senior care services. We saw a surge in customer inquiries and demand for services across our assisted care portfolio in the last two months.” She clearly states the reality we are facing.   She goes on to say, “At Antara, we have been cognizant of the evolving needs of the senior community and have been at the forefront of providing tailored solutions for seniors’ varied needs through our Care at Home, Care Home and MedCare Products verticals thereby fortifying our original value proposition of Residences for Seniors. Knowing that seniors who tested positive for COVID19 needed greater intervention on a daily basis; COVID Care at Home and Critical Care at Home solutions were deployed. For those who were asymptomatic or had milder infection, we created options for remote monitoring and isolation centres / COVID Care facilities offering holistic care solutions. These services include comprehensive remote assessment, essential medical kit for health tracking and self-isolation, monitoring by nurses, telephonic doctor consults to track progress, respiratory rehabilitation by experts, nutrition plan and counselling to manage anxiety.”   Hence her view is the necessity of overall development of the elderly population during these extremely trying times.   “The pandemic and the consequent restrictions it brought on daily living and social interactions highlighted the difference in experience of seniors living in independent homes or apartments that were part of mixed-family condominium complexes and that of residents of a senior living community. To have their daily needs fulfilled, have medical support at hand and a daily calendar that ensured physical distancing did not cause social isolation, brought peace of mind to the residents and their families. Columbia Pacific Communities has seen an exponential growth in demand for both ready-to-move in communities and those under development,” according to Mohit Nirula, CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities.   He also shows concern about how due to the demand, people have to be more careful and responsible along with remaining positive in these highly disturbing times.   Saumyajit Roy, Co-Founder and CEO, Emoha Elder Care feels that, “There has been a huge spike in the demand for at home elder care services in India in the couple of years. We at Emoha Elder Care have had an early movers’ advantage in this segment. We have been supporting this vulnerable population for a while now. We reinvented ourselves when the first wave of the pandemic had struck India, that also led to a sudden surge in demand for at home elder care services in India.”   Their 150 ground team members have been working 24/7 to keep the elders safe in these unpredictable times. They have saved 120 precious elder lives, done 100,000 care calls, 4500+ emergency simulations, have 500+ doctors on call, speak in 20+ Indian languages, and have done 900+ elder focused events which are extremely important for elders’ emotional wellbeing.   They are also taking all kinds of precautions to ensure that elders are safe in their homes and are able to tide over the crisis smoothly.   He further states that, “As a result of our activities, we were much better prepared to deal with the second deadly wave that wreaked havoc in the country and exposed the pitfalls in India’s healthcare system. Since the beginning of the month of April this year, our efforts to protect elders have been on a war footing. The platform has been focusing on offering complete Covid care support and operations through a ‘connected community’ for elders and their families, bringing together world-class expertise and delivering single-click access to a range of health, emergency, social-engagement, convenience services at home, so that elders can live life to the fullest.”   In addition to this, Archana Sharma, Founder and Managing Director, Samvedna Senior Care said “Ever since the pandemic broke out, the elderly became the most vulnerable group globally. In India the problem became more acute because of lack of social welfare programs and services to support the elderly. Suddenly we saw desperate calls for help to manage basics like groceries, medication, household work. It came as a wakeup call for many children to provision support their parents’ needs. We expect a surge in homecare services for seniors, last year we saw a 30% growth in our emergency support services. The services growth opportunities will be in physical and healthcare needs as well as mental health support.”   On a conclusive note we are pondering over the big question right now which is that, are we as a nation equipped to deal with the increase in elderly population in India? India in the last few decades has seen a demographic shift. This period has shown that the elder population is quite high. A report by the CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) projects that India’s senior population will increase threefold to 300 million by 2050. To create a strong healthcare ecosystem for senior citizens, the support of the government is highly essential as well. Overall, we need to work together to ensure that everyone is safe and living with good health – mentally, emotionally and yes, most importantly as of now, physically.