Experts underscore positives of retirement communities at panel discussion powered by The Hindu
Transforming dynamics of demography, the advantage of companionship, pollutionfree environment, and assisted care were among the factors expert speakers espousing the advantages of retirement community homes dwelt at length during a panel discussion here on Thursday.
The second panel discussion in the series ‘Coimbatore Unlimited 2.0’, presented by real estate developer G Square Group and powered by The Hindu on “Coimbatore’s Kovaipudur An Emerging Destination for Retirement Communities” also witnessed a consensus among the speakers that a cultural shift strongly signifies preference of senior citizens for living independently visavis joint family system, which, they observed was, disintegrating.
The panellists: R. Karthik Narayan, Founder and Managing Director of Athulya Senior Care, Chennai; A. Sridharan, Founder and Managing Director, Covai(from left to right) Rahul Padmanabhan, Senior Care Consultant and Medical Director, Dr. Rahul’s Elder Care, Coimbatore, A. Sridharan, Founder and Managing Director, CovaiCare, Coimbatore, R. Karthik Narayan, Founder and Managing Director of Athulya Senior Care, Chennai; and Omkar Vikram Sankar, Managing Director, Sankar Group, Coimbatore. at the panel discussion on ‘Kovaipudur- An Emerging Destination for Retirement Communities” in Coimbatore on Thursday.
Care, Coimbatore; and Rahul Padmanabhan, Senior Care Consultant and Medical Director, Dr. Rahul’s Elder Care, Coimbatore; and Omkar Vikram Sankar, Managing Director, Sankar Group, Coimbatore, together drove home the point that with provisions of technologyaided preventive care, and theraupatic activities, the retirement homes will be best suited for senior citizens.
It is only at retirement
homes that attention could be accorded for the four needbased verticals: Independent living, assisted living, nursing, and palliative care. If Coimbatore has come to be preferred over cities such as Bengaluru and Pune as the destination for senior citizens to spend the rest of their lives, it has much to do with the advancements in affordable healthcare; easy air, rail and road connectivity, and proximity to the airport, Mr. Shankar said.
The culture of respectfulness among the people is a major reason for the choice of Coimbatore as a preferred destination for senior citizens. Joyful conversations, which are possible only in retirement homes, do wonders to the physical and mental wellbeing of senior citizens, Mr. Karthik said.
Affordability was also a major factor Coimbatore could take advantage of to transform into retirement capital of India, Col. Sridharan said, observing that with ailments affecting people right from midforties, taking a call early on in life to settle down in the secure environment of retirement homes has become necessary. Kovaipudur is a location in Coimbatore that houses people of all age groups and with a lot of open space and accessibility to healthcare, it is a preferred destination for senior citizens, he said. An ecosystem for preventive health care and home care coupled with therapeutic activities is what would attract senior citizens, Dr. Padmanabhan said.