Columbia Pacific Communities Articles

Holidays are all about family, friends, great food and great memories. It is also that time of the year when people usually gain weight. It’s often seen that during holidays one doesn’t stick to their regular exercise regimen and easy access to sumptuous treats can make them snack unnecessarily. However, this doesn’t have to be like this always. As one of the leading senior living communities,  we share with you 5 tips to eat healthy throughout the holiday season without giving up on your holiday favourites: Have caffeine in moderation: When you are with friends and family, there are multiple rounds of tea and coffee. While both tea and coffee are known for increasing alertness, when consumed in copious amounts they can cause nervousness, anxiety, and digestive troubles. Limiting caffeine intake will help you sleep better and feel less anxious and jittery. Not just that, reducing caffeine also keeps you energised. Increase fibre intake: During the holiday season, often fibre intake takes a backseat in your dietary diligence. With cookies and other goodies easily available, people tend to make food choices that are high in sugar and low in fibre. It is important, however, to consciously include high-fibre foods at every meal. Fill at least half the plate with high-fibre vegetables and fruits. One easy way to add more fibre to your diet is to have high-fibre breakfast and eat salad before every meal. Keep yourself hydrated: When it comes to avoiding weight gain associated with the holiday season, the typical mindset is to increase workouts and cut calories. But what many people do not realise is that drinking water can help you address problems like weight gain and digestive issues. It is good to kick-start your body’s metabolic process in the morning by drinking a glass of water. Eat mindfully: To prevent festive season binge eating, you must opt for healthy food choices and eat mindfully. When you fill your plate, fill it with the food you love but in small portions. Notice the colours, taste and textures. Savour every bite. Eating slowly will stop you from overeating. Before heading to a party, have a high-protein snack to curb hunger pangs. Limit alcohol: Alcohol makes you eat more, besides increasing your risk of liver, heart, brain and stomach damage. It is advisable to set a limit and stick to it. Have a friend or a partner to keep yourself accountable. Eat before drinking so that you don’t end up drinking too much. Engage yourself in conversations instead of sitting and drinking.

When it comes to ageing brain, don’t believe everything you hear. Doing crossword puzzles used to be perhaps the best advice in terms of how ageing adults can keep their brains sharp during the golden years. However, there are several ways that can help you reduce the risk of cognitive decline in general and keep your brain in the best shape. As one of the leading senior living communities in India, we debunk the common myths about ageing: A healthy lifestyle doesn’t affect brain health: Your brain is in charge of keeping your heart beating and lungs breathing. It lets you move, feel, and think. But a poor diet, dehydration, and stress help in generating free radicals that damage brain cells. It is thus important to give your brain the nutrients it needs by eating a variety of nutrient-packed food, exercising regularly, and keeping yourself hydrated. When you are stressed, the body responds with inflammation which subsequently reduces the brain’s ability to function and transmit information. Learn ways to manage your stress. Doing yoga, writing a journal and meditating are some ways that can help you change negative thought patterns. Sleep doesn’t matter: Often it is thought that poor sleep is a normal part of ageing, but it is not. In fact, deep sleep is very important for seniors as it reduces the risk of cognition loss and dementia. According to a study, lack of deep sleep reduces word recall memory. Your sleep pattern may change as you age but disturbed sleep should not be ignored. Those having trouble sleeping should see a doctor. Gum disease is actively related to brain health: One of the more surprising connections scientists have found is between gum disease and cognitive decline. It has been found that bacteria that cause gum disease can move from the mouth to the brain. Once in the brain, the bacteria can destroy nerve cells, which in turn can lead to memory loss, which has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Now, you have one more reason to make good oral health a priority. Dehydration and brain function: All the cells in the body need water to carry out essential functions. Therefore, when the body is dehydrated, brain cells cannot function as they should. Exercise is good for the heart: Well, you all know that exercise is good for your cardiovascular health. But what about your brain? Exercise increases the heart rate, pumping more oxygen to the brain. This stimulates chemical changes that provide an excellent environment for the growth of brain cells which boosts one’s learning skills, mood and thinking abilities. Exercising also releases happy hormones that helps one manage stress. As a leading senior living community operator, we encourage positive ageing at our communities by offering the right atmosphere to lead a physically and socially active lifestyle.

Poor diet is among the biggest risk factors for early deaths worldwide, according to a paper published in the Lancet. The problem is not just with what people are eating but also with what people are not eating. While eating too much salt, sugar and fat are definitely not good for one’s health, missing out on fruits and vegetables and whole foods also affects one’s health adversely. As a leading senior citizen community operator, we ensure that fresh and healthy foods are included in our residents’ diets. Across senior citizen housing projects in India, the menu is designed to encourage seniors to eat healthier.Over here we discuss 4 power foods for older adults: Avocado: Avocado is one of the most nutrition-packed fruits. Rich in beta-sitosterol, the fruit helps maintain good cholesterol in the body which prevents cardiovascular diseases from developing. They also help in keeping the skin naturally moisturised. Eating one avocado daily is good for cognitive function of older adults, according to a study. Mixed greens: With age, problems like indigestion, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), diarrhoea, constipation and bloating become more common in older adults. Eating greens like baby spinach, romaine and kale are beneficial for gastrointestinal health as well as cardiovascular health. Rich in vitamins and minerals (lutein and zeaxanthin), salad greens are high in nutrients and low in calories that help seniors stay healthy and maintain their weight. Also, lutein and zeaxanthin are known to ward off age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Sprouts: Considered a nutritional powerhouse, sprouts have a lot of dietary fibre which regulates digestion. Sprouts also help in keeping blood sugar levels in check, making them a staple for those suffering from diabetes. Low in calories, sprouts are a rich source of nutrients and beneficial plant compounds. Sprouting enhances the nutritional value of the grains, legumes or beans. Coldwater Fish: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and potassium, coldwater fish like salmon, sardines and tuna are associated with health benefitslike improved cognitive function and reduced joint inflammation — making them ideal for a senior-friendly diet. Eating the recommended amount of seafood may also help in keeping the eyes healthy. If you are a vegetarian, you can have flaxseed, walnuts, and seaweed as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that are essential building blocks for the brains.

There is a growing body of evidence which shows that following creative pursuits can significantly improve our sense of wellbeing. A recent study commissioned by BBC Arts found that time spent on pursuing creative activities can have a huge effect on the way we manage stress and face new challenges. Also, when we nurture our creative pursuits, we build more confidence which has the power to push us out of our comfort zones and take chances. This applies to people of all ages, young as well as old – which is why today’s senior living facilities are helping their residents nurture their creative sides.. With a calendar filled with community activities based on residents’ creative interests and hobbies, senior living communities in India are motivating their elderly residents to pursue their passions in unique ways. Music and dance classes: For many seniors, music is much more than a song or a symphony. It’s a mood-enhancer and can significantly reduce stress levels. According to a study published in PLOS One, listening to music has a relaxing effect on our mind. Dancing is also known to boost one’s mental wellbeing; it releases oxytocin, a ‘happy’ hormone that floods our system and helps us relax. Many senior living communities in India like ours host dance workshops and music classes to help residents learn new musical instruments or dancing steps. Book clubs and well-stocked libraries: Reading offers us a much-deserved escape into our imaginations, inviting us into worlds of limitless possibilities – and it’s proven to be good for our mental and physical wellbeing. In fact just six minutes of reading is found to be helpful in reducing stress levels, as per a study by the University of Sussex. Libraries play an important part in the wellbeing of our residents and form the hub of our communities. Columbia Pacific Communities have wi-fi enabled libraries which feature collections of fiction, non-fiction books, movies, CDs and more. Craft workshops: Engaging in mindful activities like pottery or sewing can help seniors focus on their thoughts and feelings, which can boost their mental health. It also gives them an enormous sense of accomplishment. At our senior living communities, residents have opportunities to participate in various art and craft workshops. At Columbia Pacific Communities, you can enjoy your golden years to the fullest in peaceful and connected communities. To schedule a tour of our facilities, call us on  +91 8884555554.

A smile can make your day. But do you know that smiling has many health benefits? A study of baseball card photos taken in 1952 revealed that the smiling players lived longer than their non-smiling counterparts. Not only does a smile lighten your mood, but it has the potential to boost your physical health. To give you more reasons to smile, we at Columbia Pacific Communities, one of the leading senior living communities in India, have curated interesting insights on smiling. So here we go: Boosts immune system: A happy face can lift your mood and relax your body; this helps to boost immunity. Not many may know that laughing increases immunity cells and infection-fighting antibodies. Reduces stress and anxiety: When you laugh, the after-effects of that laughter stay with you for long. Laughing is not just a simple act. It is an act that relaxes the body, releases tension in muscles and also increases feel-good hormones. An increase in feel-good hormones naturally translates into less reduced stress and anxiety. Eases pain: Well, you must have heard that smiling through painful situations is good. Well, it is actually true. Laughter releases endorphins that are responsible for triggering positive feelings. They are also the body’s natural pain reliever. Laughter helps to lessen the perception of pain. Good for cognitive function: When the brain experiences stress and anxiety, it can find it difficult to retain new information. However, laughter reduces stress and anxiety. This promotes better cognitive function, helping the brain to learn new thing and make new memories. It is a good cardio workout: A hearty laugh is no less than a workout. When you laugh, there are many organs that get stimulated. From your lungs to your heart, from your abdomen to your face, each organ gets a little bit of exercise. Laughter improves your intake of oxygen which can actually benefit your respiratory health. A good laugh also causes the brain to release endorphins that help keep stress and anxiety at bay. Lowers blood pressure: With age comes the challenge of controlling blood pressure. Laughing not only has a positive impact on your mood but it also improves blood circulation. So, laughter has the potential to keep your heart happy. Laughter indeed is the best medicine. With so many health benefits, it is best to laugh and let the world around you laugh with you. Read More – 6 Steps to Healthy, Happy Ageing Happiness Tips for Seniors Living in Community Living Facility

Ageing gracefully isn’t about looking young – it’s about living an active life. For active ageing to be a reality, you have to practise healthy habits that will reduce stress and help you maintain a healthy mind and body. At our retirement home facilities, we provide all the assistance and facilities that make ageing all about living a healthy and happy life. Here are some tips on how to stay active in your golden years: Keep your body alert and active: The benefits of regular exercise cannot be emphasised enough, regardless of your age. Staying physically active in your golden years helps you feel more energetic. It also increases your mobility and balance and delays care dependency. Yoga, swimming, stretching exercises and dancing can help you improve your flexibility and boost muscle strength. At our community living facilities, we have well-equipped gym, jogging tracks, and yoga decks. As these activities are done in groups, they are fun as people get to socialise. Stay mentally sharp: Taking care of your mental wellbeing can enriching your life and reduce boredom. But how do you keep the mind active? Doing things that give your brain a workout is the best way to keep your mind sharp. Reading books, playing games like Sudoku, chess or learning a new language, learning to play instruments, learning new skills like origami, art and craft and painting are just some of the few ideas that can get you started. Maintain a medical diary: Being proactive about your health is the best thing you can do for active ageing. A diary of your medical checkups can help you keep an eye on all the important health parameters. To help our residents stay healthy, we organise regular health screenings for residents at our retirement home facilities. All the vital parameters are monitored periodically, and we keep up-to-date medical records of all residents with us. We organise periodic wellness workshops and awareness lectures to encourage our residents to take care of themselves. Have a positive outlook: Your attitude shapes the way you perceive the world around you. Maintaining a positive attitude can help you embrace all the ups and downs of ageing without feeling low. Read More – How Retirement Homes in India are Promoting Positive Ageing? Positive ageing: How to Enjoy Life After Retirement? Best Retirement Homes in India are Helping Seniors Find Happiness and Meaning with Ageing Ageing with a Healthy Heart: Tips from The Best Rated Senior Living Communities

Tamil Nadu’s second-largest city, Coimbatore is one of the best places in India to enjoy your golden years to the fullest. Weather, connectivity, and healthcare facilities make Coimbatore an ideal retirement destination. It is, thus, not surprising that there are several retirement homes in the city that provide seniors with the comfort of a homely environment coupled with efficient and superior professional hospitality service. If you are looking for a retirement home in India, here are a few reasons why you should start with Coimbatore: Weather: If you are looking for a place to unwind and explore the joys of retirement, Coimbatore is one of the best cities. The city has a pleasant tropical climate all year round. The summer season lasts for a couple of months and for the rest of the year, the weather is pleasant. Secure living: When it comes to senior living facilities, security and safety are major deal-breakers. Coimbatore has a low crime rate and is considered safe for senior citizens. We have currently four retirement homes in Coimbatore – Serene Rose, Serene Idigarai, Serene Shenbagam and Serene Indus Valley, where the safety of residents is maintained via a dedicated 24-hour security protocol. The premises of our retirement homes in Coimbatore are always under the watchful eyes of our security guards and as well as CCTV cameras. Connectivity: Coimbatore is connected to different cities in India by rail, three national highways and air. This great connectivity makes it one of the best places to retire. Places to visit near Coimbatore: Being surrounded by the Western Ghats, there are several scenic places that you can visit in Coimbatore. From temples to wildlife sanctuaries, from waterfalls to museums, there are several places to visit. You can also plan trips to nearby hill-stations like Coorg and Ooty – there’s something for everyone to look forward to. Healthcare facilities: Tamil Nadu is among the best performing states in India when it comes to healthcare and Coimbatore is at the forefront. The city has state-of-the-art hospitals, providing world-class treatment. All our retirement homes in Coimbatore have formal tie-ups with nearby hospitals so that residents are assured round-the-clock care. Along with some of the leading healthcare providers, we organise periodic wellness workshops and awareness lectures. Read More – How Does the Right Attitude Help You Live Independently? Tips from a Senior Citizen Retirement Home in Coimbatore How The Best Retirement Homes in Coimbatore are Helping Seniors Enjoy Life After 60

A simple definition of lifelong learning is that it is “development after formal education: the continuing development of knowledge and skills that people experience after formal education and throughout their lives.”  Lifelong learning offers a host of benefits to people as they age – from reducing the risk of cognitive decline and making new social connections to coping with age-related decline. As one of the leading retirement homes in Pondicherry, we encourage our residents to expand their knowledge and skills through various creative and mentally stimulating activities. In addition to conducting activities such as art and craft sessions, we host Sanskrit classes, Carnatic music classes and other activities that help our residents learn new skills. We have a well-stocked library and reading clubs where our residents can learn new things and share their knowledge with other like-minded residents. Here we discuss why lifelong learning is important for ageing well: Keeps brain active: As people grow older, their body shows signs of slowing down. From feeling tired to “slips of the mind” – ageing affects a person’s health in different ways. Learning a new skill helps seniors ward off age-related cognitive decline and a growing body of evidence suggests the same. According to a research by Baycrest Health Sciences, learning to play a musical instrument has a positive effect on an individual’s listening and hearing skills. Boosts confidence: Whether you are trying to pick up a new language or learning to knit, it makes you feel good about yourself and boosts your self- confidence. As you grow older, you tend to lose your self-confidence, become more withdrawn and less active. But when you learn a new skill, it reminds you that you are still capable of accomplishing new things. Expands social circle: When you are attending a class or a lecture, you find yourself surrounded by people with similar interests. As you grow older, your social circle tends to get smaller. Learning a new skill gives you the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people and make new social connections. At Columbia Pacific Communities, we make it easy for our residents to get involved in lifelong learning opportunities. Get in touch with our team to know more about our senior living facilities in India. Interesting Read – Best Retirement Homes in India are Helping Seniors Find Happiness and Meaning with Ageing

Considered a retirement haven, Chennai offers seniors a safe and secure space to spend their golden years. The city has good infrastructure, amenities and is connected to other major cities in India by air, highways, and rail. Also, the city is considered the health capital of India. So, if you are planning to enjoy a long and happy retirement in Chennai, we suggest you take a look at our senior living communities in Chennai, Serene Adinath and Serene Pushkar. Designed specifically for seniors, our communities help residents lead an independent retired life and an active social life built around the communal facilities which include clubhouse, libraries, common areas for meeting, and tracks for walking and jogging. How to select a senior citizen home in Chennai – useful tips Self- sustaining communities: When you are looking for senior citizen homes in Chennai, ensure you do not need  to venture out to look for basic services. This includes space for exercise and leisure, dining options, a library, green spaces with walking paths and entertainment areas. Banquet halls can be booked for small gatherings and private celebrations. Residents in our senior citizen homes are surrounded by ample opportunities for recreation. Greenery: Chennai is known for its hot weather but staying in a senior citizen home that has greenery and open spaces can make every day pleasant. The best senior citizen homes in Chennai such as ours have lush green surroundings, walking spaces and beautiful landscapes. Hospitals: A senior citizen home with formal tie-ups with top-rated hospitals can make sure that you get round-the-clock care without any delay. Our senior citizen homes in Chennai have partnered with some of the best hospitals in the city. While our goal is to keep our residents healthy through preventive health care, we also ensure that emergency care with 24×7 ambulance service and doctor-on-call are easily available in our communities. Safety: Chennai has consistently been on top of the safety index. However, when looking for retirement homes for yourself, safety should always be a priority. At our senior citizen homes in Chennai, the safety of our residents is in the capable hands of trained security personnel. The premises are under CCTV surveillance and there is a panic button in each dwelling unit for immediate assistance. Opportunities to socialise: When you live in our senior citizen homes, you become part of a socially active community. Our calendar of events is not merely about keeping residents busy. A lot of thought and effort go into each and every activity we offer. Our activity calendar includes activities, workshops, and outings all designed to promote social engagement and make every day meaningful. We also organise movie screenings, bhajan sessions, dance classes, and music classes. Our concierge team also helps organise pilgrimages and weekend trips. Read More – Are Senior Citizen Homes in Chennai Right for My Ageing Parents? How Senior Living Homes in Chennai Promote Positive Thinking?

Launches hashtag #LoveBeyondAge for Senior Citizens One is never too old to celebrate love. Holding steadfast to the belief, India’s largest senior living community operator, Columbia Pacific Communities launched a unique initiative #LoveBeyondAge, amplifying the voice of the elders on Valentine’s Day and dismissing age-old ideas of senior citizens being too old to find, express or enjoy romantic love.   Often Valentine’s Day is associated with the young, and love is marketed and celebrated as a young person’s thing. Meanwhile, seniors are deemed to have grown out of love and romance. Breaking such stereotypes, Columbia Pacific Communities released a vox pop video showcasing the perspectives of both seniors and millennials and their ideas about love, romance and celebrating the day of love. Speaking about the initiative, Piali Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, said “We tend to have an ageist attitude towards love, almost adjudicating that one loses the ability to express and celebrate love as one grows older. These beliefs cannot be farther from the truth. The #LoveBeyondAge initiative beautifully shows how the expressions of love become stronger and more real as one ages. Seniors have lived a lifetime of love, conflict, and finding love again. In matters of true love, it is they who have a lesson or two more to teach the Gen Y and Z and therefore should not be excluded from the mainstream/pop culture depiction of love.” Society at large seems to have a cringe element associated with seniors displaying affection and eschew such narratives as much as possible. Even on celluloid, there’s rarely any story on elderly love. However, the vox-pop video proved that love has nothing to do with age and showed the most romantic and graceful expressions of love by seniors. It also featured elderly social media influencers sharing their views on love. Companionship, love, and togetherness continue to play an important role in the lives of seniors and love transcends the majorly materialistic and physical urges, while becoming more emotional, pure, sensual, and graceful amongst seniors. The core brand purpose of Columbia Pacific Communities is to popularize the concept of positive ageing and shatter all age-related stereotypes. Love is an important element of positive aging. The initiative does not just celebrate love amongst seniors but also demolishes false notions about seniors shying away from celebrating Valentine’s Day. This is not the first time Columbia Pacific Communities has encouraged the expression of love among seniors. Last year, the organization’s initiative ‘#ExpressionsOfLove’ on the occasion of Valentine’s Day saw a collaboration with Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru for an elaborate, 100 dishes lunch for three couples to celebrate love in all its myriad forms and glory. This year with #LoveBeyondAge, Columbia Pacific Communities has raised a pertinent question on our comprehension and view of love and its expressions amongst seniors in our society.