Sudhir Singh
Aug 23, 2017 · 3 min read

Breaking The Myths About Senior Living Communities

Studies after another have proven that how we perceive ageing, to a very large degree, determines how we age. Thinking about getting older in terms of decline or growth can dictate how our mind and body responds. To age well, one must change how they feel about ageing. With a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to age well, senior living communities today are proving to be the game changers.

These communities have greatly contributed to change in societal attitudes towards senior care and living but there are still many myths surrounding senior living and senior living communities. We want to finally debunk a few persistent myths around senior living:

1. Senior living communities are expensive: While the cost of living in a senior living community varies depending on size of apartment or levels of care, the average value of senior living is often comparable or even less than receiving the same services and support at home. Even for those who have paid off their loans, homeownership is still a costly affair. Consider taxes, insurance, maintenance and repairs, utilities, emergency expenses, etc. At a senior living community, like Antara, everything is included in one convenient charge including various on-site lifestyle and lifecare facilities. Living in a senior living community can offer a cost‐effective lifestyle, a sound investment in your future, and can provide you with more predictable costs and greater financial peace of mind.

2. Staying at senior living means your children have abandoned you: ‘Senior living is where you go when you have no one else to care for you, and is an unavoidable fate when you can’t take care of yourself anymore’ — this perception is one of the biggest obstacles that keeps people from exploring senior living communities. The reality is modern senior housing is a world completely different from the institutions of yesteryears where the elderly went to stay because they were heirless and too old to look after themselves, or unwanted by their children. Far from being a pejorative, senior living is a lifestyle statement, a conscious choice, as is apparent from the mix of residents who are choosing to be a part of it. Some progressive senior living communities in India, for instance, house retired officers from IAS, IPS and the armed forces, besides many NRIs, doctors, engineers and professors who have chosen renewal and not retirement.

3. Senior living communities are dull and depressing: This is probably the myth that turns the most people off active senior living residence. The reality is most senior living facilities are anything but dull. Modern senior housing facilities are lifestyle communities which offer the opportunity for seniors to engage in their hobbies and interests, make new friends, build relationships, and enjoy life. A modern senior living community in Dehradun, India, offers a sprawling 50,000 sq.ft clubhouse, a gymnasium with specially designed equipment, a 40-seater private theatre, well stocked library, art studio, hobby clubs, dance classes, golf putting greens, outings, shopping, events and interactions that offer far more mental stimulation and social engagement than staying at your current home.

4. Senior living communities mean assisted living : As adults reach closer to their senior years, one thing they fear is their dependency on others for their day-today needs. This is also probably the reason that they assume that senior living communities are all about a completely assisted living. However, that is an absolute myth. At a senior living community, the choice between assisted living and independent living usually depends on how well an individual can manage daily activities without extra assistance. Most communities offer both assisted and Senior independent living options and residents are able to adjust their lifestyle based on their changing needs. Active senior living communities, like Antara, provide their residents independent lifestyle with a safe living environment and minimal assistance, if required. Lifecare services like full-time on-site nutritionist, 24*7 emergency services, integrated health-care benefits facilitate a healthy, safe and joyful living.

5. Senior living community means losing independence : While most seniors fear that senior living is equal to a loss of independence and privacy, the truth is in fact much the opposite. Choosing to live in a senior living residence provides you with more independence to enjoy life. Modern lifestyle communities for seniors offer aid with almost everything ranging from housekeeping to cooking to maintenance and other chores that only become more onerous over time. Senior living offers greater independence with the precious time you have. They provide for certain services and optional conveniences to make life easier and hassle-free leaving you with ample time and liberty to do all that you always wanted to do.

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