Columbia Pacific Communities Articles

The holidays are a perfect time for family get-togethers, moments of connection, and making new memories. They offer the perfect opportunity to find moments of joy with your parents. As one of the leading retirement communities in India, we share with you some useful tips that will help you bond with your parents this holiday season:   Make them feel included: Help your parents become involved in the festivities. Ask their suggestions when selecting the menu and decor items for the holidays. Involving them in activities will get them excited about the holiday season and feel needed.  Help them get ready: During the holiday season, everybody wants to look good. Contact their salon and book hair appointments and beauty treatments for them or help them shop outfits for the holidays. Spend time with them looking at family photos: Take a look at the photo albums together and cherish those beautiful memories.  Revive old traditions: Family traditions hold values and are passed down from one generation to the next. However, in today’s busy lifestyle, many family traditions get buried. This holiday season, revive old traditions and enjoy performing them with your parents. Watch an old movie together: There is nothing like watching old films with your parents. Look for the movies that you watched with your parents when you were younger. You can even invite other family members for the movie night and share a laugh or two while watching the movie.  Give them a surprise visit: If your parents live in a retirement home, surprise them by visiting. You can even throw them a party. Many modern retirement homes in India have banquet halls where you can throw a party for your parents.     Looking for the best place to buy a retirement home?     If you or your loved ones are looking for retirement homes in India, explore our retirement communities in India. Our independent senior living communities let seniors start a new chapter in life and enjoy a worry-free lifestyle. Housekeeping, laundry service, and plumbing and electrical maintenance work are all taken care of by our experienced staff. A well-equipped medical centre and 24×7 ambulance is available when needed. To know more about our senior living communities in India, call us at +91 8884555554.

Today’s seniors are not letting life pass by them. They live life to the fullest and do not let age come in their way of realising their dreams. Just like the real-life seniors, the portrayal of seniors on screen has also undergone a sea change. Studios are rethinking their outdated views on ageing and are making more films that show ageing in a positive light.    If you are looking for movies that capture the beauty in ageing, here is a list curated by one of the leading senior living communities in Bangalore:   The Bucket List (English): The film captures the journey of two men suffering from cancer. Played by Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, the two terminally ill men embark on a road trip to fulfil their last wishes. The film shows that the best way to live life is to be grateful for it and make sure that you are living each day with a purpose.  102 Not Out (Hindi): Sentimental and funny, the film explores the relationship between a 102-year-old father and his 75-year-old son. While the father has a joie-de-vivre demeanour, the son is grumpy. The son believes that he is too old to enjoy life while the case with the father is totally opposite. To make his son value life, the father threatens the son to send him to an elderly care home unless he fulfils his certain conditions. The aim of these conditions was to encourage the son to embrace life in a positive way. The journey of fulfilling these conditions is hilarious and at the same time insightful.   KD (Tamil): As people grow old, they are expected to behave in certain ways by their children and society. However, this film presents a unique take on ageing and desires. 80-year-old Karuppu Durai (Mu Ramasamy) runs away from home when he discovers his family plans to get rid of him. With the help of an 8-year-old, whom he met after running, he tries to fulfil his child-like desires. The film creates an amazing contrast between KD and the child, KD always has a twinkle in his eyes while the child is too wise for his age.  The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (English): The film is about British retirees who come to India to take residence in a hotel, which, to their disappointment is not as luxurious as advertised. Though the retirees do not get what they had initially wished for, they embrace life and learn to adjust to the new realities with vigour.    Senior living in Bangalore: Explore India’s first independent senior living community designed to international standards At Columbia Pacific Communities, we believe that age is just a number. Our independent senior living community in Bangalore is India’s first senior living community designed to international standards and is ideal for seniors who wish to spend their golden years in the lap of luxury and comfort while pursuing their passions. Book a virtual tour to know more.

It is well known that a sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for chronic diseases. As people age, they tend to become less active physically which can lead to weight gain and increase causes of mortality.  However, the effects of a sedentary lifestyle are not just limited to physical health – as sleep pattern and mental well-being are also adversely impacted.    As one of the leading senior citizen homes in Coimbatore, we share with you some useful insights on living a sedentary lifestyle and what you can do to stay physically active:    Physical inactivity affects brain health: Sedentary lifestyle can adversely affect how the brain functions. It has been found that physical activity can protect against cognitive decline via glycemic control. Sedentary lifestyle slows down metabolism: When people spend most of their waking hours sitting or lying down, their leg muscles stop working and they consume minimal nutrients from the bloodstream. As a result, these muscles do not release substances that break down fatty acids in the blood which slows down the body’s metabolism. A slow metabolism affects the blood sugar and cholesterol levels.    What can you do to avoid a sedentary lifestyle?   1. Stand more: Standing can help you burn more calories and ease back pain. Increasing your daily standing time may reduce your risk of chronic illnesses, such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Also, it has been found that standing is associated with better insulin sensitivity.    2. Try short workouts: Many seniors struggle to exercise continuously for an hour. They can try short bursts of exercises twice or thrice a day. It has been found that short bursts of high-intensity exercise several times a week can improve memory in older adults. The study found that after three months of such workouts, older adults performed better in a memory test.    3. Move every 30 minutes: To avoid sitting for long hours, seniors should take mini breaks. From climbing stairs and going for a walk to watering indoor plants – there are a host of activities that seniors can do while they are on a mini break.  Our senior citizen homes in Coimbatore are designed to encourage residents to participate in different physical activities. Whether it is guided yoga in the morning or dance classes by trained teachers, our activity calendar is designed to ensure that our residents enjoy a lifestyle that blends fun, learning, and fitness. You can check the list of senior citizen homes in Coimbatore: , Serene Idigarai by Columbia Pacific, Serene Shenbagam by Columbia Pacific, and Serene Indus Valley by Columbia Pacific. To know more about our retirement homes, call us at +91 8884555554.

Seniors are actively participating in green initiatives to lead an environment-friendly lifestyle. Many are embracing the idea of recycling and reusing to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. From using pickle jars for planting seeds to buying products made from recyclable products, they are trying different ways to recycle and reuse.    Looking for ideas to recycle and reuse?    As one of the leading retirement homes in Bangalore, we share with you a few useful ways to recycle and reuse:    A. Avoid single-use plastic: Nearly 300 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced each year and half of which is for single-use items. Here are some tips to avoid single-use plastics:  Carry a reusable bag with you while you go for shopping.  Drink your coffee from a reusable cup.  Carry your own water bottle.  Use reusable stainless steel cutlery instead of plastic cutlery.   B. Recycle paper: Recycling paper helps the environment – it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Here are some tips to recycle and reuse paper: Use both sides of the paper.  Use scrap papers to make a notebook.   Be creative and use old newspaper for gift-wrapping  Designate a bin for used papers so they can be reused or can be sent for recycling C. Reduce waste: Before you throw something away, try to repair it. For instance, old furniture items can be reupholstered, and old clothes can be repaired or upcycled. Here are some more ideas to reduce waste on a daily basis.  Use reusable kitchen cloths instead of paper towels.  Try to fix an appliance first, before you throw it away.  Buy items that come with less packaging.  Reuse glass jars and old coffee canisters for storing pantry items.  Use old plastic bottles to store homemade cleaners. If old clothes are in good condition, donate them to a charity.  Do not throw broken dishes, you can use them as planters. Every time you recycle something, it conserves resources, helps the environment, and reduces landfill waste. In addition to recycling and reusing, today’s seniors are also actively participating in volunteering programs. Here is a list of meaningful activities that are enjoyed by seniors.  If you are looking for senior citizen homes in Bangalore for yourself or your loved ones, give us a call at +91 8884555554.

As parents grow old, they insist that they do not need or want gifts. However, on special occasions, giving your parents meaningful and useful gifts is one of the best ways to express your love and make them feel special. If you are looking for gifting ideas for your parents, here is a list that you might find useful:    Personalised gift: You can get their names engraved, embossed, or printed on gift items such as wallets, notebooks and pens. Also, you can get their photos printed on cushions, mugs, or key chains. Activity books and games: Colouring, solving puzzles, or playing board games are not just pastimes but they also offer numerous health benefits for seniors. Here is a useful read on how solving crossword puzzles can help seniors. This too can be a great gifting idea. Pill organiser: With a pill organiser, your parents can sort out medicines on a weekly or monthly basis. You can give them a digital pill organiser that comes with automatic alarms so that your parents do not miss a dose of their medication.  Gift a memorable holiday: If you are looking for a unique gift, think of gifting them a holiday—an experience they will cherish forever. Electronic items: Smartphones, smart home devices, digital health appliances, SOS phone, hearing aid, panic button, robotic vacuum cleaner, voice assistant gadgets, and key finders are some of the useful electronic appliances that you can gift your parents.  Exercising equipment: An exercise bike, cross-trainer, or a treadmill are useful gift items that will encourage your parents to stay physically active. When looking for senior-friendly exercising equipment, look for the ones that have a wide, comfortable seat and offer back support.    Gift them a worry-free retirement lifestyle    If you want to help your parents live an independent and worry-free retirement life, gifting them a retirement home can be the right gift. When you buy a retirement home for your parents, you do not give them a set of keys to a beautiful apartment – instead, you give them an opportunity to unlock a retirement life they have always dreamt of.   Senior living in India – explore our retirement homes  Our senior living communities in India offer a worry-free lifestyle so that your parents can enjoy each day the way they want to. From a fully equipped gym and swimming pool to dining facilities, everything is available within the premises. To know more about our retirement homes in India, call us at +91 8884555554.

Following a healthy lifestyle is the key to living a healthy and a longer life. A Harvard study has found that following healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet, never smoking, exercising regularly, moderate alcohol consumption, and keeping a healthy weight can result in disease-free living. The study analysed more than 38,000 men for 28 years and 73,000 women for 34 years. The results showed that the women who practised four or five of the healthy habits lived an average of 34.4 more years free of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, compared to women who adopted none of the healthy lifestyle changes. The study also found that men who adopted four or five of the healthy habits lived 31.1 years free of chronic disease.    However, following a healthy lifestyle is often easier said than done. Finding the motivation every day to follow the healthy habits as recommended by your doctor can be tough. As one of the leading senior citizen homes, we share some practical strategies to help you make the lifestyle changes suggested by your doctor:    1. Get involved in self-care: Self-care will encourage you to adopt healthy habits. For instance, if your doctor has recommended a new diet to control your blood glucose levels, seek help from a trained nutritionist who can help you with a customised diet plan that satisfies your taste buds and keeps you healthy.    2. Take  small steps and be realistic about your goals: Making a lifestyle change can be challenging, especially when your doctor makes several recommendations. You must remember that lifestyle changes take time. So, make realistic plans and break them down into smaller yet achievable goals. Weekly goals or monthly goals are a great way to stay motivated.    3. Be kind to yourself: In your journey towards a change, there will be occasional lapses such as a missed workout or a diet slip-up. While it is important to stick to a healthy lifestyle, it is also important to relax occasionally. If there are missteps, pick yourself from there and get back on track.    4. Find fun ways to follow doctor’s recommendations: Incorporating fun activities into your daily routine can help you stay on track with your health goals. For instance, if your doctor has advised you to spend more time on daily exercises, you can join a dance class or plan a virtual exercise routine with your family and friends. Pairing healthy behaviour with small treats can be effective.   Looking for a senior living community in India that supports overall well-being?  As one of the leading senior citizen homes in India, we encourage our residents to lead a healthy lifestyle. Fitness is an integral part of our residents’ lives. Apart from a fully equipped senior friendly gym we host different types of group activities like yoga classes, meditation programs and aerobics classes that make it easier for our residents to stay physically active. To know about the best retirement home plans, call us at +91 8884555554.

Stretching exercises offer a host of benefits: they help loosen stiff joints, improve flexibility and bone health, and increases blood circulation. Here we share with you a few stretching exercises for seniors that will improve their muscle strength and flexibility.    1. Neck side stretch:   It loosens tension in both your shoulders and neck. Tight neck muscles usually occur from sleeping in the wrong position, sitting for longer period, and looking at smartphones or any other object for long periods.     Steps:  Gently lean your head to the right and then left to warm up your neck.  Now lift your right arm up, over your head, and rest your right palm on the left side. Pull your head to the right side gently. Hold the position for 20-30 seconds and repeat the exercise on the left side.    2. Shoulder and upper back stretch:  Seniors often complain about shoulder and upper back pain. If not addressed immediately, it can worsen and make it harder for seniors to stand straight. Shoulder and upper back stretch help in loosening stiff muscles and improves spinal flexibility.  Steps:  Stand tall and keep your arms by your side. Now, pull both your hands behind you and clasp your fingers. Stretch your hands away from your lower back. When you feel the stretch, hold the position for 20-30 seconds and then come back to the starting position. Repeat again.   3. Tricep Stretch:  This stretching exercise improves flexibility of your upper back and arms. Seniors can do this exercise in sitting as well as standing position:  Steps: Stand tall or sit in a chair.  Lift your hand over your head, bending it at the elbow. Now, move your other hand towards the elbow and gently pull it towards your hand. Hold it for 20-30 seconds and repeat with the other hand.  Always keep your back straight and tighten your abdominal muscles while doing this exercise. Here are a few guidelines seniors should follow before starting a new exercise regimen: Before starting a new exercise regimen, ask your doctor.  Do warmup exercises to avoid muscle injuries. Do not force your body to stretch more. Breathe slowly. Do not hold your breath while exercising. Start slow. Do not overdo it. Senior Living in Bangalore: Explore our retirement communities The Virtuoso, India’s first independent senior living community designed to international standards, will have a clubhouse with indoor games , fitness centre, medical and wellness centre, rubberised jogging path, gym, and a swimming pool. The rooftop facilities will include a yoga deck, garden, and community planting patch. With easy access to all these amenities, residents can find new ways to stay active everyday.  Call us at +91 8884555554 to know more about our independent senior living apartments, monthly maintenance fees, facilities, and services offered.

When it comes to staying healthy, most people have the same goal: living a long and fulfilling life. While genetics play an important role in deciding longevity, a healthy lifestyle can also help one live longer. As one of the leading senior citizen retirement homes in Coimbatore, we share with you some useful insights that may enhance well-being and longevity.    1. Physical activity: It should come as no surprise that staying physically active is essential for living well and long. Exercising offers many health benefits, including improved insulin sensitivity, good heart health, and controlled blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Yoga, aerobics, jogging, and walking are some forms of exercise that you can do on a daily basis.    2. A sense of purpose: A recent study suggests that there is a link between having a sense of purpose and a low risk of mortality after age 50. Finding a sense of purpose does not necessarily have to be through a profession. It can be found through engaging in meaningful activities that help you stay physically active, mentally stimulated, and socially connected.    3. Social connections: Both social isolation and loneliness are associated with increased mortality. Social isolation contributes to many health problems, including depression, obesity and heart disease. Seniors who have strong relationships are likely to experience a better quality of life and a lower risk of cognitive decline. Staying connected to family and friends through social media or joining a community of people with shared interests, can be a good starting point to build social connections.    4. Good nutrition: As people age, the risk of falling sick increases. Poor or inadequate nutrition can make the situation worse. Eating a balanced diet that includes fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, may promote longevity. Also, it is advised to have smaller, more frequent meals so that food is metabolised properly by the body.    5. Better stress management: Stress may significantly decrease your lifespan. Stress is identified as a risk factor for premature death among men and women. Though stress can be unavoidable at times, maintaining an optimistic outlook and managing difficult situations can be beneficial for health. Meditation and breathing exercises are great ways to manage stress.    Choose a retirement home that gives you a sense of belonging    Staying physically active, socially connected, and feeling engaged becomes important after retirement. Living in a retirement home where you are surrounded by people of your age is a great way to have a physically and socially active life. Our senior citizen retirement homes in Coimbatore offer a host of services and amenities designed keeping in mind the overall well-being of our residents.    Call us at +91 8884555554 to know more about our senior citizen retirement homes.

Many seniors are adopting a holistic lifestyle that involves more than physical health. It is aimed at nourishing the mind, body, and soul. As one of the leading retirement homes in Chennai, we have curated some senior health and wellness trends that we think you may benefit from:    1. Leverage the power of technology: The popularity of smart wearable technologies is increasing in seniors. They are using these technologies to keep a tab on their physical activity, calorie intake, and monitor their sleep patterns. It has been found that these wearable devices encourage users to be more active by sending motivational notifications and helping them compare statistics with their peers. Some wearable devices are specially designed for seniors that help them monitor important health markers such as heart rate, heart rhythm, and oxygen levels. There are many apps that use intelligent fall detection and automatic alerts for emergency assistance. These apps use sensors to monitor the movements of the user. By detecting the abrupt changes in body movements, these apps identify falls and alert emergency services.  2. Focus on gut health: Seniors are focusing on diet plans that are gut-friendly and meet their nutritional needs. Numerous studies show a connection between gut health and overall wellness. There are over 1,000 types of bacteria in a human gut microbiome and each type plays a different and important role in the body. Gut microbiomes are extremely important for digestive health, sugar control, and heart health.    3. Alternate wellness measures: Ayurveda and other ancient texts provide guidance on leading a holistic lifestyle. The ayurvedic way of life includes making healthy changes in all aspects of one’s life – from dietary and behavioural to psychological. Seniors are adopting ayurvedic principles in their day-to-day activities to restore the balance between body, mind, and emotions.    4. Lifelong learning: Just as the body needs physical exercise, the brain too needs mental workouts. Picking up a new skill or learning something new is not just good for brain health but also good for emotional health. Pursuing new knowledge slows down cognitive decline and at the same time boosts self-confidence.    5. Managing stress: Though stress is an integral part of life, seniors should make a conscious effort to reduce stress that improves their overall health. It has been found that elevated levels of stress can adversely affect one’s health as it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. By simplifying their lifestyle, many seniors are focusing on things they enjoy doing rather than doing things that just fill their day.    As one of the leading senior citizen homes in Chennai, we focus on holistic wellness. From hobby classes and fitness workshops to health screenings – our services and facilities are designed to ensure that our residents meet their wellness goals. Call us at +91 8884555554 to know more about our retirement homes in Chennai.

Crossword puzzles are entertaining and keep the brain sharp. For seniors, participating in mentally stimulating leisure activities such as crossword puzzles and sudoku offers a host of health benefits such as increased mental acuity and delayed onset of cognitive decline.  As one of the leading retirement homes in India, we share with you useful insights on how crossword puzzles can help seniors:   1. Delays cognitive decline: Solving crossword puzzles is an excellent brain workout as it involves the use of both left and right sides of the brain. Crossword puzzles test problem solving, critical thinking, and memory skills. It has been found that playing crossword puzzles can delay the onset of memory decline in the preclinical stages of dementia.    2. Relieves stress: When you focus on disturbing events in the past or future, it triggers stress. Playing crossword puzzles often acts as a healthy distraction. It clears your mind and at the same time offers a sense of accomplishment. In the hyper-connected world where everything around us is constantly seeking attention, focusing on a single task such as solving a crossword puzzle can be relaxing and put the mind into a meditative state.   3. Strengthen social bonds: When played in groups, a crossword puzzle is a great way to bond with others, strengthen your relationships and make new friends. As solving crossword puzzles requires one to have knowledge on a wide variety of subjects, people of different ages and backgrounds can collaborate and have fun together.   4. Improve vocabulary: Crossword puzzles are a great self-learning tool – they expand vocabulary, stimulate critical thinking, boosts confidence, and fasten the learning process. A study has found that learning new vocabulary can protect against cognitive impairment.   At our retirement homes in India, our residents enjoy solving puzzles together. Also, living in a senior living community with people of the same age and shared interests is a great way to stay physically, socially, and mentally active. To know the average cost of retirement home and the facilities offered, call us at +91 8884555554.