Reaching retirement age comes with a mixed bag of emotions. There is a sense of relief that you can finally enjoy an exciting phase of life and gain new experiences. However, with no professional commitments, the feeling of not having a schedule can be daunting. Many seniors feel stressed when they suddenly have all the time in the world. However, with a little bit of planning, seniors can feel as if they are starting their life all over again. As one of the leading senior citizen homes in India,  we share with you some useful tips on starting over after retirement:   Never stop learning: The best way to move forward in life is to keep learning. You can explore a new hobby or pursue old hobbies. Stay busy with a meaningful activity that provides you a sense of purpose and makes you feel productive.  One of the best ways to get started is to join group classes where you will meet people who share similar interests as you. Group sessions are a great way to socialise, meet people, gain confidence, and learn.    Stay socially connected: With children settled and no 9-to-5 commitments, loneliness can slowly become a part of ageing. When you retire, you lose social connections and may start to feel isolated, which can have adverse effects on your mental and physical health. It has been found that loneliness can be worse for your health than obesity and high blood pressure.    To start afresh, make new social connections. Sign up for volunteering opportunities, invite neighbours or connect with your existing friends. Schedule a part of your day to build and nurture social connections. You can make phone calls, have coffee with neighbours, or have lunch with your former colleagues.    Replace your previous work routine with a new routine: With no daily commitments, you can lose structure and routine from your day. To enjoy a satisfying and fulfilling life, you need to replace the old routine with a new one that is packed with new interests, activities, and social commitments.    Having a routine helps you lead an organised life. However, when you make a new routine, be serious about it and stick to it.    Set new goals: Create a bucket list of activities that you wish to complete or a creative project you want to start. By creating a list you will push yourself out of your comfort zone and explore things you never thought you would.    Stay healthy: When you are starting over, begin on a healthy note. From staying physically active and eating a well-balanced diet to improving your emotional well-being – make health a priority. Do not forget that staying healthy is your ticket to enjoying your life to the fullest.    As one of the leading senior citizen homes in India, we do not believe in the stereotypical retirement life. We have an active social calendar that helps our residents socialise, make new friends, and explore new interests.  We have 1 and 2 BHK independent senior living apartments as well as villas. To know more about our retirement homes, call us at +91 8884555554.

When it comes to services and amenities, senior citizen homes in India vary from one another. If you are planning to move into a senior citizen home, you need to be certain that it’s the right fit for your lifestyle and the retirement life you’ve always wanted. Visiting the senior citizen homes helps you zero in on the right retirement community.  To make the best out of your visit, it’s important that you ask the right questions Here are 10 questions that we suggest you ask when touring senior citizen homes in India to find the perfect fit for you:   What types of apartments are available? Most senior citizen homes in India offer a wide range of living arrangements. From 1 BHK and 2 BHK independent senior citizen apartments to villas, you have a wide range of choices.  Are the apartments senior-friendly? Panic buttons, anti-skid tiles in the bathroom, panic buttons, and handrails in the shower and near the bathroom are some of the features that make an apartment safe for seniors.  What kind of social activities are available? Senior citizens often move into senior living communities because they feel lonely in their own homes. So, it is important to check their social calendar.  What safety and security services are included? Check whether they have CCTVs installed in the common areas. Make sure that the rooms are senior-friendly with grab bars installed at strategic places. Ask them whether they have 24X 7 security personnel. Also, ask about fire safety, disaster planning, and medical emergency services.  What are the food options? At many senior citizen homes, the menu is decided by a team of nutrition experts and prepared by well-experienced chefs. Not just that, there are multiple venues, including formal dining halls and restaurants.  What all services do they offer? Many senior citizen homes offer services such as periodic housekeeping, maintenance of electrical and plumbing work, laundry service, and daily meals. During your visit, ask about all the services and the service fees. Are there certain visiting hours for friends and family? While zeroing in on a retirement community, ask about visiting hours for friends and family. Also, find out if you can host dinners and get-togethers for them in the community banquet hall or restaurant.  Is the senior citizen home good at handling medical emergencies? While touring the senior citizen homes, find out about their medical facilities such as ambulance service or doctor on call or how trained their staff is at responding to emergencies.  What amenities does the senior citizen home have and are they all operational? With the right amenities, an independent senior citizen home can offer a resort-style living experience. Some communities feature a clubhouse, gym, library, swimming pool, jogging track, salon, and even restaurant. Remember to ask about the amenities that are important to you during your visit. What is the average cost of living? Always ask direct financial questions. During the tour, get a clear cost breakdown. If there are any add-ons, make sure that you ask about their costs. For all your cost-related inquiries, call us at +91 8884555554.

Do you often find yourself looking for your phone? Or do you keep on forgetting whether you fed the dog or not? Or do you often forget where you parked your car? If so, it might be useful to read this article. As one of  the leading senior citizen homes in India, we have curated a list of spices and herbs that are considered to improve memory and alertness:   Turmeric: A frequently used herb in Indian kitchens, turmeric can boost mental health. In fact, animal research studies show that turmeric may even stave off Alzheimer’s disease. It has been found that curcumin in turmeric can help curb inflammation and fight oxidative stress – factors that may cause Alzheimer’s disease. In Indian curries, turmeric is a major ingredient. You can also add turmeric in smoothies to get more curcumin in your diet.  Amla: Primarily known for its immunity building properties, amla can also improve concentration and memory power. The phytonutrients and antioxidants in amla fight against the free radicals that are responsible for the functional decline in aged brains.  Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to improve brain function, boost memory in people suffering from early stages of memory loss, and prevent the damage of brain cells. Studies have found that ashwagandha promotes antioxidant activity which prevents the nerve cells from damage due to free radicals.  Ginseng: It is an adaptogen that helps you cope with the effects of stress. Some studies have  shown that the components in ginseng can protect the brain against damage due to free radicals. It also improves mental performance and has mood-boosting properties.  Note: Always consult your doctor before adding any herbal supplement to your health care regimen.  In addition to including herbs and spices in your diet, there are different ways to improve your brain health. You can start following a brain-healthy lifestyle that includes performing targeted brain exercises to increase your brain function, improve focus, and boost your memory. To find out the average monthly cost of staying in one of our retirement homes, call us at +91 8884555554.

At some point in life, everyone has to deal with stressful situations when their heart beats faster than usual and palms get sweaty. Anxiety is a normal and often healthy emotion. Anxiety can cause physical symptoms as well as emotional discomfort. Difficult times such as a global pandemic can have far-reaching consequences on mental health and people may feel disproportionate levels of anxiety as circumstances may feel unpredictable. But there are ways to manage your anxiety.  As operators of one of the leading senior living homes in Bangalore, we share a few tips with you to keep anxiety in check:  Exercise regularly: Not only does stress affect the brain, but it also has an impact on the body. When the body is healthy, so is the mind. Therefore, it is important to exercise daily. Exercises such as a brisk walk, yoga, aerobics, or swimming produce endorphins, feel-good chemicals, that help reduce the stress hormone and relieve symptoms of anxiety. To beat anxiety, try to get some exercise at least once a day. Deep breathing: Take a few deep breaths when encountered with a stressful situation. Deep breathing can lower stress and anxiety levels. It can be done pretty much anywhere and anytime you feel anxious. Often when people feel anxious, they experience muscle tension, increased heart rate, and other physical symptoms. Anxiety reduces oxygen levels in the blood that contributes to feelings of panic. Inhaling and exhaling air 5 to 6 times helps you calm down. There are many forms of breathing techniques that you will find in yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Practise the ones that you are comfortable with. Write: Penning down what you are feeling is a simple way of working through anxious feelings. When you write down your concerns, it is a great stress-management tool. It helps to examine your thoughts, reduce anxiety and be more action oriented. If you are new to journaling, start by writing for 5 to 15 minutes. Write about whatever is on your mind. Writing down your worries helps you vent all your anxious thoughts onto the page. This will help you feel light, happy, and more relaxed. Using positive affirmations is a great way to implement the positive pattern in your way of thinking.  If you are looking for independent senior citizen apartments in India, explore our senior living homes in Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Kanchipuram, and Puducherry. At our senior living homes, you will get to enjoy a worry-free lifestyle as you can opt for services such as daily and periodic cleaning, maintenance of individual living spaces and common areas, customised housekeeping, daily meals and 24×7 electrical and plumbing maintenance.

Healthy ageing means more than just eating well-balanced meals and exercising regularly— it also means spending quality time with like-minded people, nurturing one’s emotional self and stimulating the mind through various creative activities. We all know that participating in creative activities helps seniors tackle stress, face new challenges and feel good about themselves. Particularly, when they learn new hobbies or skills, it can help them find their purpose and liberate the mind from negative thoughts. As one of the leading senior living facilities in India, we believe that when seniors engage in creative activities, they benefit in many ways. That’s why you’ll find a host of events, amenities and cultural opportunities and programs held regularly at our communities. Here is a list of common activities that boost a senior’s creative side: Art classes and workshops: From learning pottery to painting, you have countless possibilities to pursue creative activities. At the same time, you get to enjoy the camaraderie and companionship of other like-minded residents who are of the same age as you. Also, when you show your work of art to others, it gives you a sense of accomplishment which can affect your sense of wellbeing. Senior living communities like ours understand the importance of this, hence we highlight artwork, poetry and short stories by our residents and encourage them. Field trips to historical places, art museums and galleries: Many senior living communities arrange for trips to local museums, music concerts, sports events, movie theatres, plays and musicals and galleries to help their residents discover their creative side. Regular exercise: Studies show running enhances one’s creative inspiration. Haruki Murakami, a renowned Japanese writer, in one of his interviews said “I try not to think about anything special while running. As a matter of fact, I usually run with my mind empty. However, when I run empty-minded, something naturally and abruptly crawls in sometime. That might become an idea that can help me with my writing.” Activities like dancing, yoga and deep breathing let you connect with your creative side and help you express your thoughts through different forms of art. No matter what your level of skill, don’t hesitate to pursue creative activities that interest you. So, if you’ve been thinking about attending an evening workshop at your community, or giving a new hobby a try, go for it!

With age, it’s normal to worry about health. However, when one constantly worries about becoming seriously ill, it’s a form of anxiety called health anxiety. It is a serious condition, whereby people develop an obsessional preoccupation with the idea that they are currently, or will eventually be, seriously ill. Though health anxiety is a common condition, it can be difficult for seniors to find the right support to cope with it. The medical condition is often not taken seriously and is joked around as hypochondria. As one of the leading independent senior living communities, we debunk some common health anxiety myths: Myth 1 – It’s not an illness: People often wrongly believe that health anxiety is just someone overreacting about their health. But this is not the case. Health anxiety is an anxiety disorder that needs medical treatment. People with health anxiety obsess over their health to the extent that every little symptom seems dangerous to them. Myth 2 – It’s all in the head: A person with health anxiety may experience symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, excessive sweating and blurred vision. These symptoms are caused by anxiety. Healthy anxiety can also trigger panic attacks that may trigger several severe physical reactions such as shortness of breath, racing heart and weakness. It can be difficult to calm down a person who is having a panic attack. Myth 3 – It affects just the mind: Health anxiety can affect the overall quality of life. The condition may prevent people from enjoying things that they once used to love. A person with health anxiety may find it difficult to read a book or watch a film that has a reference to physical illness. News about health issues can cause anxiety. Myth 4 – Health anxiety cannot be treated: Just like other anxiety disorders, health anxiety can also be brought under control with effective treatment that includes medications and therapy. Myth 5 – The condition affects just the sufferer: Often people think that those with health anxiety only worry about themselves. Well, this isn’t the case. Some people have anxiety over other people especially family members like children and spouse. People with health anxiety may find yoga helpful. Yoga and breathing exercises help in reducing stress and increasing mindfulness. We urge people to not dismiss the fears of those who are suffering from health anxiety and encourage them to seek medical help.

For many seniors, the opportunity to lead an active social life often reduces after retirement. With family members having their own schedule, the feeling of social isolation can increase. At such a point in time, connecting with people who share similar interests is very important. There are many independent senior living apartments in India that offer residents ample opportunities to find others with similar interests and before long, they make new friendships and regular get-togethers are enjoyed. If you are planning to move to an independent senior citizen apartment, here’s a useful read for you on the benefits of social engagement and how new-age senior living solutions are promoting it- Improved mental health: Loneliness can be a real problem for senior adults. Socialising with people of your age can help gain a positive outlook. Just like people of any age, older adults too connect with those who are passionate about similar things. Be it a dance class or an art class, taking classes can be a great way to learn something new and meet people who share similar interests. At our retirement homes that have independent senior living apartments, we organise activities like fitness classes, friendly sports tournaments and drawing contests to help residents make friends. Sense of belonging: Creating lasting bonds with others help seniors feel like they are cared for and they belong somewhere. Those who are socially engaged are less likely to experience anxiety and depression. At our retirement homes, though seniors have their independent apartments, there are daily community activities for social engagement. All the festivals are celebrated with fervour. Movie screenings, yoga classes, tambola, food festivals and classical music programmes are some of the events that are regularly organised to encourage residents to interact with each other. A sense of purpose: Being socially engaged improves the quality of life. It gives life a meaning and makes it vibrant. Meeting family and friends and at the same time making new friends, gives seniors a sense of purpose. At our retirement homes, we encourage residents to get involved in different recreational activities. This keeps residents busy as well as happy. From workshops to music concerts, there are various activities that residents can take part in. There is a spacious dining hall where residents can dine together and get to know each other better. With the ongoing pandemic, our wellness team has been providing assistance to residents to connect with their family and friends over video calls. Better self-esteem: When people engage socially, they feel they are needed, they are loved and cared for. Enjoying the company of others while doing things that you love to do can be immensely good for your self-esteem.