NEWS of Columbia Pacific Communities

The actions of a manager or a leader (and these are two different things) are the consequence of his/her life experience, training and acquired knowledge. The challenges that COVID-19 presented to us at Columbia Pacific Communities was unprecedented, and none of the stakeholders could claim to have had prior experience in handling the developing situation as we mounted our defence against this as yet unknown enemy. What we did have going for us was: The experience and guidance of our residents – seniors with a wealth of knowledge, experience and maturity. The collaboration and cooperation of the Resident Committees with whom we shared the vision of isolating the Community and residents from the external environment. The on-ground leadership of the Frontliners, the Resident Managers of the Community and their respective teams, whose commitment, passion and dedication to the Company Dharma of “Unconditional Love, Respect and Care” for the residents have made this fight possible. We had a support structure backed the Frontliners with all the resources, material and otherwise, that they needed in their endeavours. A nation-wide lockdown that gave us much needed time to get a better understanding of the virus, its behaviour and the steps that we needed to take to best prepare ourselves. And finally, the knowledge and experience of the various colleagues and members of the Association of Senior Living in India (ASLI) that was leveraged by creating a forum for everybody’s benefit. Guided by the first advice that came from the Prime Minister – “Precautions, not panic,” and with the advantage of the time that the lockdown provided, we proceeded to first educate ourselves and then the Frontliners, the residents and the Resident Committees on the steps that we would jointly take in order to ensure that we ring-fenced the Community and completely insulate and isolate both the residents and the service providers from the external environment. During the early days of the pandemic and lockdown, the quantum of information – good, bad and mad was rampant. Columbia Pacific Communities is fortunate to have Columbia Asia Hospitals as its Health Partner. We collaborated with them to produce content that was credible, accurate and in language that was simple but came with the proven expertise of medical professionals. This content was shared with residents and the Operations team through the respective Community WhatsApp groups providing them with actionable knowledge that gave them a sense of being in control and peace of mind – both of which have a direct impact on a person’s immunity levels. Many of the decisions by service providers were neither easy and nor were they always popular. However, the goodwill and credibility earned over the previous years and the trust that all measures proposed they were conceived and executed with the best interests of the residents and the Community at heart allowed us to gain the whole-hearted acceptance in implementation by our residents. The purity of intent and the honest execution on the ground has ensured that the Communities continue to benefit from the active and enthusiastic support of the residents for the protocols that have been put out and implemented over the past months. With nine communities in five different cities, the protocol in place at each Community has differed based on the circumstances prevailing in their specific locations. The clarity of understanding of the virus and its behaviour has allowed us to put in place protocols that have even been more stringent than those mandated by the local State governments. It is not as if we have not been confronted with setbacks and unanticipated developments in this ongoing battle. However, credit must be given to the Support Structure that backed the Frontliners. Potential and possible scenarios were “gamed” and steps were taken – both proactively and in preparing contingency plans that allowed us to be prudent. The Operations leadership and their steady hand on the rudder have ensured that no matter how strong the headwinds or heavy the squalls – our ship has held steady and on course to the calmer waters that is our destination. As you would imagine, our residents have a higher than average need to consult with their doctors – who by nature of their profession are more exposed to the virus. In order to minimise the exposure to doctors and hospitals, we arranged for teleconsultation sessions whereby residents could get the medical advice they need without stepping out of the Community. Arrangements were made to ensure that the supplies which required contact with the outside world were arranged by team members of Columbia Pacific Communities. Everyday essentials such as newspapers, vegetables, fruits, grocery, dairy, medicines were received, sanitised as applicable and then delivered to the residents by the respective resident teams at the communities. Many residents use their smartphones to stay in touch with their friends and family through FaceTime or WhatsApp. For the less tech-savvy residents, we had our Wellness team members arrange video interactions with their loved ones. The impact of this gesture on our residents’ mood and morale was heartwarming. Never have our residents welcomed our nurses and their daily check-up sessions more! Finally, as a matter of abundant precaution, we designated Isolation Rooms within the Community. These rooms were equipped with necessary services and amenities so that any resident feeling unwell could be isolated and treated within the Community, thereby reducing their exposure risk. Many of our residents have recovered from minor ailments in these rooms where doctors visited them and prescribed medicines. They were nursed back to health by our Wellness team, thereby minimising the risk factor for their partners and the rest of the Community. As we know, defeating this enemy is not going to be possible until there is a cure for the illness it causes, or there is a vaccine that prevents one from getting ill. It is for this reason that the fight is going to be a long one. Much like the signs, one sees on the hairpin bends when driving in the mountains and the Prime Minister’s advice as the nation has started to unlock, we must remember that “Saavdhani hati, durghatna ghati”. The aim of the message is not to scare people, but to convey that until the time a cure or a vaccine becomes available to us, we must mount an insurmountable defence. Hence, it becomes increasingly important that we do not just leave the fight to the Frontliners. Each of us should be a warrior. Every one of us should be an active combatant. Life, as we know it, has been threatened by this enemy. Hence, we cannot be mere spectators. All of us must practice the three-step mantra that will ensure our defences stay up: Wear a mask in public Maintain physical distance Constantly and properly ensure hand hygiene We are confident that together, we will overcome the pandemic.

Celebrating International Friendship Day beyond, Columbia Pacific Communities, India’s largest senior living community operators, shared a joyous, hopeful message of friendship and togetherness amidst these anxious times. The core idea of the digital film is to spread a positive message of friendship and community living at a time when people are isolated from their loved ones. Asking senior residents from across their nine communities to describe their friends and friendships built at the communities in one word, the film shows you that staying together with like-minded people can be a wonderful experience. This also reinforces the fact that seniors are not, and do not need to be lonely as they age. Senior living communities are a great place to build and nurture friendships. Piali Dasgupta, Vice President, Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, said, “It is said that as you get older, it gets more and more difficult to build lasting, meaningful friendships. That’s however not the case at our communities. “Our senior residents make friends for life when they move into our communities. Friends that share their happiness but also stand by them during challenging times”. “This has been particularly evident during these challenging times. This video is a humble ode to friendships that are built at a later stage in one’s lives and within thriving, bustling communities. The video tells you that you are never too old to make great friends,” Dasgupta said. Produced in-house with social distancing norms intact, the film adds a touch of raw emotions by bringing together real-life friends from all nine senior living communities of Columbia Pacific Communities. Highlighting the importance of togetherness and meaningful friendships in these adverse times, senior citizens from Columbia Pacific Communities have stepped forward to spread a friendly cheer on social media platforms and to remind everyone that every friendship is different yet beautiful. The video showcases the brand ethos of positive aging.

Author of 12 books, Dr. Roshen Dalal is known for her books Puffin History of India and The Puffin History of the World. In this virtual chat series, through a Facebook Live session, the writer will talk about her passion for writing, and how one can awaken the slumbering writer within. Dr. Dalal writes extensively on the history of India and its religions. Some of her most celebrated works include India at 70: Snapshots since Independence and the Religions of India. Dr. Dalal holds a Master’s degree and PhD in ancient Indian History from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. In the early years of her career, she worked as a teacher and taught at both school and university. She has been actively involved in research in the fields of history, religion, philosophy and education. After working as an editor for many years, Dr. Dalal is pursuing her passion for writing amidst the beauty of Dehradun, where she lives with several rescued cats and two dogs. Where: www.facebook.com/columbia.pacific.communities When: July 31st, 2020 | 4:30 pm

The objective of the 30 day engagement campaign was to play the role of a catalyst and inspire seniors to live their best lives… Columbia Pacific Communities has started a 30-day virtual campaign, an inter-community competition where residents will showcase their talent in painting, singing, dancing, photography, and other categories. Starting July 20, the ‘Platform 2020’ competition is being streamed live, accessible to the public. The month-long campaign will be leading to August 21, World Senior Citizens Day. The focus has been towards leveraging the power of technology and social media to bring people closer at a time when everyone is socially distanced. “The brand follows three principles of keeping their seniors physically engaged, intellectually stimulated, and emotionally looked after to ensure that they live healthier for longer. This, in many ways, is what constitutes the brand credo of positive ageing,” said Piali Dasgupta, vice president, marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities. Platform 2020 is created to celebrate singers, dancers, artists, musicians and photographers in the communities and owing to extraordinary situations due to COVID-19, the company went online for creation of a month-long campaign in the run-up to World Senior Citizens Day, with the objective of engaging with seniors and giving them something to look forward to during these very uncertain times. The campaign has been conceptualised with the objective of celebrating residents, Dasgupta said. “The idea is to shine the spotlight on them and help them reconnect with their hidden talents and long lost passions that they earlier did not have the time to nurture. Contest categories such as handicraft, painting, instrumental, group vocal and dance are new additions this year,” she added. The primary target audience consists of seniors aged 50 and above, and the secondary target audience consists of people aged between 28 and 40, who live away from their senior parents, many abroad, and are actively looking for a solution for their parents. The insights for the campaign came from a previous campaign launched during lockdown 1.0, the 19-day campaign called #PositiveLockdown across the social media platforms in order to engage seniors during the lockdown. It had urged seniors to reconnect with their old hobbies, interests, and passions. “The campaign met with huge success online and told us that seniors are looking to stay meaningfully engaged over extended periods of time in order to combat a general sense of anxiety and hopelessness that has engulfed the world. This led to us planning a month-long campaign in the run-up to World Senior Citizens Day.” Dasgupta added.

Columbia Pacific Communities, India’s largest independent senior living operator, has initiated ‘PLATFORM 2020’, a month-long virtual talent hunt initiative for its residents across nine communities located in five cities. The inter-community talent hunt was digitally inaugurated by Puducherry Lieutenant Governor, H.E. Dr. Kiran Bedi, at 11 AM on July 18.   MUMBAI, JULY 20, 2020 (GPN): The past few months of national lockdown and the ensuing physical distancing measures due to the COVID-19 crisis have adversely affected community engagement and social activities. Senior citizens, who are the most vulnerable section of society battling the pandemic, have been worst-hit as self-quarantining has become the norm. Keeping this in mind, Columbia Pacific Communities, India’s largest independent senior living operator, has initiated ‘PLATFORM 2020’, a month-long virtual talent hunt initiative for its residents across nine communities located in five cities. The inter-community talent hunt was digitally inaugurated by Puducherry Lieutenant Governor, H.E. Dr. Kiran Bedi, at 11 AM on July 18. Bringing together residents from across communities in Bengaluru, Puducherry, Chennai, Coimbatore and Kanchipuram, PLATFORM 2020 invites participation under various categories such as music – vocal and instrumental, dance, photography, painting and crafts with the central theme of ‘Hope amidst COVID-19’. The competition goes on for a month with the winners from each category being announced on August 21, World Senior Citizens Day. PLATFORM 2020 aims to instil hope and build resilience among seniors during these uncertain and difficult times by keeping them active, stimulated and engaged. Dr. Kiran Bedi, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest said, “I’m very happy and honoured to be a part of Platform 2020, by Columbia Pacific Communities, where senior citizens, my peers are encouraged to reenergize themselves through activities like painting, dancing, and singing. It is scientifically proven that art, culture and creativity heals oneself. In these difficult times when all of us are constantly trying to fight back and keep us safe and protected, this comes as a wonderful initiative where the community is fighting all odds and helping each other survive the pandemic positively. I am proud to be part of such community and humanity.” Mohit Nirula, CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities, Commenting on the initiative, Mohit Nirula, CEO, Columbia Pacific Communities, said, “Our residents have been an inspiration to us over the last many months. With their support and enthusiastic participation, we have shunned “social distancing”, embraced “physical distancing”, and while remaining mentally, intellectually and socially engaged. And for those, who believe this generation is technologically challenged, I invite you to come online and support this unique celebration of positive ageing by the residents of Columbia Pacific Communities” The competition will be streamed live and is open for viewing for anybody who wishes to celebrate the concept of positive ageing. Viewers can join through this link https://call.lifesizecloud.com/4665942. In the recent past, Columbia Pacific Communities launched #TheLivingRoom, a virtual talk show initiative that urges seniors to make the most of the lockdown period, and helps them stay inspired and motivated through meaningful conversations. The series has given seniors access to interact with stalwarts, experts, professionals and popular personalities such as Anuvab Pal, medical, Charu Sharma, Nandita Das, Prakash Belawadi, Prahlad Kakkar, Kabir Bedi and Vasundhara Das.

COVID-19 as an illness has brought in challenges, both at the individual level and society at large. Statistically, India currently ranks third to the number of people affected by COVID-19 worldwide. According to a recent epidemiological survey and a report by the World Health Organisation, the surge is yet to arrive in India. Given the implications of the COVID-19 outbreak, challenges in the healthcare sector are likely to multiply. Especially to seniors as they are the most vulnerable demography to the disease. There is a dire need to define and follow strict protocols to face the challenges posed by COVID-19. Looking ahead, one cannot help but wonder – is the pandemic going to pass? And what will the world look like post COVID-19? In my opinion, we’re going to have to co-exist with the virus (SARS-CoV-2) in the foreseeable future. With the passage of time, a vaccine against COIVD-19 will be developed, tested and made freely available for mass inoculation. While the vaccine will be able to help us build immunity against the disease, it cannot, however, eliminate the virus. Once we carry out mass inoculation of the vaccine successfully, it is only a matter of time before we develop herd immunity (resistance to the spread of COVID-19 because a significant percentage of the population has acquired immunity to it). On a positive note, there have been innumerable cases of super senior citizens or people aged 80 and above, recovering from COVID-19. However, we cannot be complacent about the much-needed precautions to be taken in the interest of the senior population. Let us begin with categorising and strategising to tackle the envisaged challenges. Categorisation of senior citizens It would be prudent to broadly categorise senior citizens based on their living conditions and health status. Based on their living conditions – individual seniors living independently in their houses; Seniors living in mixed families (dependent on their families); Seniors living in gated communities; and Seniors living in retirement homes. Based on their health status – seniors with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, immunocompromised illnesses; Senior citizens without any comorbidities that access to the support system as well as their reaction time matter when it comes to fighting against COVID-19, irrespective of their living conditions and health status. Emerging challenges The reluctance to report with early symptoms of COVID-19, fearing isolation and hospitalisation, can result in seniors seeking treatment only when their condition gets acute and the reaction time is minimal. Self-medication to avoid visits to hospitals can result in complications and possibly reduce the chances of a smooth recovery. Fear and anxiety around COVID-19 can aggravate the existing comorbid conditions, thereby putting them at a higher risk of getting infected and complicating the treatment in positive cases. Social distancing has become the norm and has worsened the fear of isolation among seniors. Consequently, seniors are likely to either experience new mental health issues or aggravate their existing conditions. A sedentary lifestyle combined with seniors spending most of their time indoors can cumulatively lead to vitamin D deficiency, which, in turn, negatively impacts their immunity. Going back in history, poverty and unavailability of food during the many wars, famine and epidemics slowed down human metabolism over time. This has resulted in seniors having a predisposition to Metabolic Syndrome and the associated disorders such as morbid obesity and diabetes, thus making them more vulnerable to infection. Seniors who have had pneumonia or a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and have recovered from COVID-19, may need respiratory rehabilitation. Strategies for overcoming, coping with challenges A comprehensive geriatric care system, addressing the physical, emotional and mental well being of senior citizens is a primary requirement. This can be achieved by involving primary care physicians to address health holistically by doing the following: The next generation of doctors should be trained to serve the increasing population of seniors with professionalism and compassion. Geriatric care should be made a mandatory part of the medical students’ residential internship. This can be easily achieved by liaising with clinics and hospitals that treat and care for the elderly. Family clinics should be staffed with general practitioners who are trained in caring for the elderly and should be available on call for home visits. Avoiding visits to healthcare centres helps limit unnecessary exposure to contagious infections and diseases. A care system comprising of nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychologists and general practitioners trained in geriatric care could be teamed up for early intervention and timely services. Role of primary care physician An integrated approach through respiratory rehabilitation services, yoga and movement therapy should be prescribed to the elderly recovering from illnesses. Respiratory rehabilitation should be made a part of the follow-up treatment of seniors who have recovered from COPDs, COVID-19, and pneumonia. To avoid daily visits to the rehab centre, seniors should be assessed and prescribed customised programmes at the time of discharge. Exercises and movements that improve flexibility, strength, stamina, balance and coordination should always be prescribed and demonstrated to seniors in a detailed manner. Online physiotherapy sessions are practical, given the present circumstances and restrictions. We need to adopt an integrated approach to tackle the COVID-19 crisis. This can be done by integrating preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative healthcare by integration with the existing public healthcare system. The Ayush HWC initiative is a brilliant example of a holistic healthcare system successfully implemented at a national level. Looking ahead, this integrated approach applied at a primary care level seems to be the way forward. National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers certified mobile lab services should be scheduled at gated communities and senior living communities on a regular basis to provide easy access to necessary health check-ups and tests. Consultations with specialists Getting an appointment with a specialist is a cumbersome process. In order to encourage seniors to get regular health check-ups, telephonic and online consultation sessions should be popularised. Strategic digital initiatives There will be a greater need to develop new healthcare systems by leveraging digital advancements while retaining the human aspect of it. A forward thinking digital healthcare system built for compliance with evolving government regulations will have a lot to offer. Mental health consultations are most needed in times of this situation. Counselling sessions with therapists should be made more accessible to seniors. Healthcare workers are not the frontliners any longer. They are the last line of defence. Individuals have to step up as the frontliners in the battle against COVID-19. The war has shifted to the communities wherein it is the individual’s responsibility to protect themselves and pull their community to a safe shore.

The veteran actor talks about the pressing need to change our lifestyle, the post-pandemic future of theatre and more Prakash Belawadi is a familiar face. In the movies, he has essayed several memorable roles. In theatre, he is a veteran. On news channels, you might occasionally find him involved in intense debates. Away from these on-screen dramas, Prakash also actively participates in environmental programmes. And, the National Award-winning filmmaker will talk about the need to change our lifestyle on Columbia Pacific Communities’ Facebook Live, #TheLivingRoom. Ahead of his live session at 4.30 pm on July 17, Prakash spoke to MetroPlus on the post-pandemic future of theatre, his future projects and more. What have you been up to in the last four months? I have written a screenplay, and am presently working on the second one. I did some patchwork shooting for a web series. I have also been working on a play script which I’m adapting from a novel. I have been busy with the Rotary organisation too, especially for the cause of the environment, which is a new Rotary International area of focus. I have been active on Facebook following the Covid-19 pandemic and China’s politics, spending time at home and annoying my wife in the kitchen with my whimsical cooking. What is the future of theatre after the pandemic? Hard to tell when, but this pandemic will fade away, eventually. The virus may well learn to live and let live, or someone will find a cure or a vaccine. And we will be back in business. In fact, I will begin rehearsals for the play that I’m adapting, hoping to stage it in October or November. There have been pandemics before. Humans are resilient and fear is fast forgotten. Will the pandemic impact the form and content of plays? If the pandemic impacts our consciousness, if it makes us reflect on how we must live with nature and with each other, yes. We will see content that is concerned with equity and justice. Otherwise, we will get back to business as usual. In India, I’m hopeful that a change for the better will come about, gradually. Can you talk about the differences between acting in cinema and theatre? There are many differences. I will list some here: On stage, the whole body is before the viewer, it is not chopped up by framing and lensing into close-ups or mid-shots; action and reaction are not set in sequence by editing; the audience don’t get different points of view with changing camera placements; the action on stage is continuous, not broken up with editing cuts. The stage does not depend on “real places” for locations — jungles, the sea, mountains, ships, airplanes and trains, palaces or parliaments. It works by ‘suggestion’; a plastic chair can be a throne, a painting or pencil sketch can be a landscape; any man, woman or child from any part of the world can play the role of any character of any age, male or female — Abraham Lincoln, Queen Victoria, tiger or snake. Once the play begins, there are no ‘Action’ and ‘Cut’ calls, no retakes, no stops other than planned intervals… A stage play happens in a sacred time-space, it is not a recorded medium. Actors and audiences need to bring their ‘bodies’ to the space (theatre) and time (show duration) of action (the play) and experience. When the play is done, all we are left with is the experience. There is not a recorded reel. Of course, now we are finding a middle way with the live telecast of stage shows. You have been an active participant in environmental programmes. Do you think our movies should highlight environmental issues as much as they do social problems? Not just movies, all media and politics should bring ecology to the front page. We came from the elements, we will return to the elements. What could possibly be more important to us than Nature? In the #TheLivingRoom, you’re going to talk about the changes we need to make in our lifestyle. What are the post-pandemic changes you foresee? The previous pandemics, like the 2009 Swine Flu, didn’t hurt the economy as badly as this one. So we didn’t learn any lessons from it. But the worldwide lockdowns have destroyed businesses of the rich and livelihoods of the poor. Societies which care and that have commonsense will better appreciate that Nature is not a resource for humans to exploit, that Nature is the source itself — of all life, matter and consciousness. The air was cleaner, skies bluer and waters sparkled during the lockdown. Nature doesn’t need humans. We need Nature. Nations that don’t learn that lesson and continue to destroy forests, pollute air and water by building concrete monstrosities will perish, if not with Covid-19, then the next big pandemic. We don’t need so many automobiles. We don’t need bigger homes, cars or wardrobes. Enough. We can’t live like this. If we continue with this, we don’t deserve to, anyway. Are there any changes that you have promised yourself to make? Three things: 1) I won’t buy anything unless I really need it; 2) I will try to grow most of what my wife and I eat, so that I learn not to see what I consume in mere transactional terms; and 3) I will seriously consider the old motto – simple living, high thinking.

If variety is the spice of life, then senior living communities are quite rich in spice. They are a potpourri of single men, single women, couples whose children live abroad, couples without children, healthy people, not so healthy yet independent people and entirely dependent people relying on a full-time attendant. The only common thread in this heterogeneous group is that they are all senior citizens. Here is an account of how this vulnerable group at Columbia Pacific Communities effectively tamed COVID-19, with almost no positive cases so far. How are senior living communities staying safe? Awareness – A unique feature of senior living communities is that a diversified crowd blends into a monolithic entity within a short span of time. Social awareness and camaraderie are a part of the culture of the community. Self-discipline is a way of life, while hygiene is an obsession. Necessary measures – Residents at the community showed zero tolerance to violation of social distancing norms. Since healthy food is prepared hygienically in the community kitchen, there is little need for seniors to go out for buying provisions, vegetables etc. The delivery of everyday essentials such as milk and newspaper is managed with care and precaution. Other essential commodities such as fruits and bread are made available within the community, once a week. Errand boys from nearby kirana stores deliver miscellaneous household or personal care items at the community gate. From gas cylinder, a battery for internet dongle to a mouth wash, everything is just a phone call away. Uninterrupted delivery of medical supplies is taken care of by nearby pharmacies while the resident nurse at the communities provides constant medical care. It is all fun – we have now become a “masked” community. With a little practice, community residents have now learnt to recognise other “masked members.” The regular distribution of immunity-boosting drinks such as Nila Vembu Kashayam and Kaba Sura Neer by the community staff members doubles up as a socialising platform for residents. There are squares marked for residents to stand apart while in a queue to ensure social distancing. Healthy members in the community take turns to don the role of newspaper and milk boys to deliver essentials from the security gate to the doorsteps of the other members. How are seniors thriving during this unprecedented health crisis? Facilitators – The community gym and the facilities for indoor and outdoor games remain open to promote a healthy mind and a healthy body. Stretching exercises, as well as chanting and meditation sessions are as regular as the sunrise at the community. With social distancing becoming the order of the day, Zoom groups are on the rise within the community, and most of the seniors are becoming tech-savvy. Some members keep themselves engaged by providing free online lessons to school children. Since social distancing and self-quarantining can make residents feel lonely and depressed, in-house entertainment programmes will be organised more frequently to generate enthusiasm and motivation among seniors at the community. Control Measures – All members of the community have taken upon themselves to fight the battle against COVID-19, head-on, till the end. As we reach the end of lockdown 5.0, a meeting was held recently to discuss the way forward. During this meeting, it was the residents who proposed and rooted for the introduction of a pass system to deter the usual gallivanters, with a double whammy of a mandatory 14-day-quarantine for violators. Visitors are strictly not allowed. Kudos to Columbia Pacific Communities (spread across nine locations in five cities) for joining hands with seniors for taming COVID-19 in their own, inimitable way. It is indeed inspiring to see how our communities across the country have taken on the mantle of fighting the battle against the pandemic.

The unprecedented-in-a-lifetime COVID-19 lock-down has tested everything imaginable, and perhaps the most important community that every heart sends out a prayer for, is the seniors — whether related to us or not — because of their greater vulnerability to the deadly virus. In the given situation, Riyaan Shaikh reached out to Piali Dasgupta, Vice President – Marketing of Columbia Pacific Communities – the largest senior living community with 1600 homes in 9 communities in 5 cities. Columbia Pacific Communities is a part of the Columbia Pacific Group, one of the foremost developers of senior living communities in the United States and South East Asia. and promoters of Columbia Asia Hospitals – the pioneering healthcare service provider with 13 hospitals in India that have established new standards in high-quality medical care. Given that the novel corona virus has most affected the seniors, this exclusive interaction with Dasgupta explores the effect of the pandemic on senior living, how it is likely to affect people, businesses and marketing, and how Columbia Pacific Communities been doing its part in providing the best protective nurturing and care for all the seniors living in its communities. The conversation also touches upon tough areas like ageing and the unfortunate taboo attached with senior living, and more. Read on for Piali Dasgupta‘s excellent and enriching insights and empathetic approach to the entire subject and to her custodianship of the marketing communications of Columbia Pacific Communities in India. This is definitely a save-and-return to discussion that will benefit students and practitioners of the strategy and business of marketing and branding alike RIYAAN AHMED: You have professionally been a part of many sectors, from marketing and content for known fashion brands like Myntra to CPC , your journey has been quite dynamic what was it about CPC that made you venture here? PIALI DASGUPTA: I think I had reached a stage in my career where I was not keen to be pigeon-holed into one category and wanted to look beyond fashion. As much as I love fashion and the business of it and owe a lot to it, there was a need to explore something that would challenge me sufficiently, while ensuring there was a steep learning curve. At the same time, it had to be a category that was high on EQ, empathy around which a compelling narrative could be built. So, it wasn’t really about picking up any category outside of fashion. Senior living, as a concept, excited and intrigued me at the same time. It was a new concept in India, and there was a rare opportunity to not just build a brand from scratch (and when I say scratch, I truly mean it, because at the time that I joined, the brand did not have a name or an identity), but also a category. Columbia Pacific Communities is solving a large problem in the country. The razor sharp focus on serving seniors and provide a solution to a hugely underserved market in India is what attracted me to the role. Ageing is an unpalatable topic, not just in this country, but the world over. No one wants to grow old, and brands, pop culture and the media doesn’t want much to do with the silver generation. So a population of 116 million in this country is tremendously underrepresented: Piali Dasgupta CPC is still relatively new to India, what is the groundwork that goes in to make a strong foothold in India? The groundwork includes extensive market research – both qualitative and quantitative, to understand need gap, demand patterns, the senior demographic and the key problems they are looking for a solution for. Research not only helps us identify the markets and the regions in India “ripe” for the solution, but also helps us gauge the product mix and pricing. This is then followed by a study of category players – their strengths and weaknesses which helps us arrive at key differentiators as a brand and a product offering. Tell us about the arrival of CPC in India, its growth, the model of operation, the number of cities it is present in, and how many families are staying in your communities. Columbia Pacific Management, our Seattle-based parent company, acquired Serene Senior Living in 2017. The acquisition was done with the primary intention of understanding the senior living market in India. A new registered company, Columbia Pacific Communities, was formed in 2019 which currently operates 9 communities across five cities in India looking after 1600 homes and almost 3000 senior citizens. The communities are spread across Chennai, Bangalore, Puducherry, Kancheepuram and Coimbatore. We have recently launched our 10th project in Bangalore, which is our signature offering and the country’s first senior living community designed to International standards. This will be a one-of-a-kind senior living community and will be ready for occupation tentatively by 2022. CPC’s core proposition revolves around ageing, a fact not everyone wants to talk about; especially not in their prime years. So how does one have that conversation and more importantly how does one target customers? This is a great question. Ageing is an unpalatable topic, not just in this country, but the world over. No one wants to grow old, and brands, pop culture and the media doesn’t want much to do with the silver generation. So a population of 116 million in this country is tremendously underrepresented. CPC as a brand, wanted to give voice to our seniors and make them more “visible” and make them part of mainstream conversations. The idea was to celebrate ageing in all its glory and that gave birth to our brand credo of “positive ageing: Piali Dasgupta Positive ageing is a new concept in India. It stands for active ageing and reinforces the idea that age, in fact, is just a number and you are as old as you feel. We wanted to see if we could make “ageing” look cool, and something to embrace gracefully with open arms. Towards this, we launched an award winning campaign titled ‘RELEARN’ in June 2019 that not only challenged age-related stereotypes and shattered ageism but also started a very positive dialogue around what it means to be a senior today. The campaign reached over 3 million people, received several awards including the very prestigious Ayaz Peerbhoy Memorial Awards at the Big Bang Awards last year and also helped us strengthen our positioning and have a meaningful conversation with our primary target audience. We also organized south India’s first senior citizens flash mob in Bangalore in the week before Christmas, where a group of nine senior citizens danced to Christmas songs and spread Yuletide cheer. This made a strong statement – that seniors could do whatever they wished to and age is not a deterrent, but in fact, an enabler. As a brand, we are committed to spreading the message of “positive ageing” far and wide and continue to take this narrative forward with various such initiatives. CPC Initially came to India through the southern cities. Why was that route chosen? Too much brain drain of professionals and wistfulness of parents left behind? Well, as I explained before, we acquired a company that was operational in the south. And it is also true that south India has a high demand for senior living communities. Cities such as Coimbatore, Puducherry and parts of Kerala are key markets. Traditionally, south India has seen significant brain drain to the US, Middle East (Dubai), South East Asia (Singapore, Malaysia) and Australia. A large number of IT professionals, and arguably the country’s best, have left India to make successful careers offshore, leaving aged parents that find themselves without a robust support system. And that’s where we come in. Having said that, the concept of senior living is gaining popularity in other parts of the country as well, with huge demand in Delhi/NCR, Pune and Kolkata. CPC’s is a holistic approach to help seniors live healthier for longer and age positively. Loneliness has been proven to be the single biggest killer, particularly in one’s advanced years. Community living backed by a well-planned lifestyle in a safe and secure environment, helps greatly to overcome loneliness in advanced years and enhance the quality of the lives of seniors: Piali Dasgupta What role does CPC play to enhance the senior’s community and lifestyle? At Columbia Pacific Communities, we have a three pronged approach to help seniors age positively. We look after their physical wellbeing through various physical activities and nutritious meals, their mental and emotional well-being by ensuring they are actively engaged in a community filled with like-minded people, and their intellectual wellbeing by meaningfully engaging them in a host of events and activities that help them remain intellectually stimulated, while allowing them to showcase their skills and talent. So, it’s a holistic approach to help seniors live healthier for longer and age positively. Loneliness has been proven to be the single biggest killer, particularly in one’s advanced years. Community living backed by a well-planned lifestyle in a safe and secure environment, helps greatly to overcome loneliness in advanced years and enhance the quality of the lives of seniors. What are the major challenges of the senior living, or we’d rather say, senior care business in India? Also, what opportunities are there? I would speak mostly about senior living here. The primary challenge is to fight the stigma attached to senior living as a concept. It’s still a taboo subject in our country and a conversation that a parent and a child find difficult to have sitting across the table. Children fear that making their parents stay in a senior living community would be seen as abandonment, when it is actually quite the opposite. Besides, “senior living” as a concept, has often been likened to “old age homes” and the dreary image of the latter: Piali Dasgupta Children fear that making their parents stay in a senior living community would be seen as abandonment, when it is actually quite the opposite. Besides, “senior living” as a concept, has often been likened to “old age homes” and the dreary image of the latter. This is unfortunate, because senior living communities are a lifestyle choice; they are NOT old age homes, where people live more out of compulsion than out of choice. There is also lack of awareness around the product offering itself, given how new the category is. There is also some amount of hesitation in seniors to invest in an asset quite late in their lives. Senior care is a sunrise industry in the country. It needs robust government support and policy changes to thrive and make real impact. Not to forget, a lot of support from the media to raise awareness around it and make it a mainstream category and business. It will take a couple of unicorn start ups in this category to make this a mainstream business and also a desirable career option for the top talent in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic was a health disaster that affected all of us but the seniors were at the greatest risk. How has CPC tackled that? How has it kept both, the seniors, and the care- and lifestyle-givers safe and secure? This was a massive challenge, no doubt, given the demographic we deal with. We deployed stringent protocol across our communities and till date, do not allow any visitors to come inside the community. This helped us remain COVID-free to a large extent. On care of their senior wards during the ongoing COVID outbreak: it was also crucial for us to ensure that seniors were not feeling lonely, anxious and hopeless during these trying times and their mental health was not greatly affected due to physical distancing. Using technology, we ensured that they were connected to their loved ones. We also had counsellors that they could call if they were feeling distraught and under stress: Piali Dasgupta Our frontline teams did an exemplary job rising up to the situation and ensuring frequent and thorough sanitization, door step delivery of essentials including bringing in ATM machines inside the community so that seniors can stay locked in. We also ensured that strict anti COVID protocols laid down by WHO including wearing a PPE, maintaining social distance and fumigating and sanitizing the communities were followed at all times. Residents were asked to strictly adhere to social distancing norms, all community events that involved a gathering of large number of people were cancelled and immunity building diet was served by our F&B teams. However, it was also crucial for us to ensure that seniors were not feeling lonely, anxious and hopeless during these trying times and their mental health was not greatly affected due to physical distancing. Using technology, we ensured that they were connected to their loved ones. We also had counsellors that they could call if they were feeling distraught and under stress. Brand initiatives such as The Living Room, a virtual chat show on Facebook, that invites luminaries and experts from different walks of life (Nandita Das, Kabir Bedi, Charu Sharma, Prahlad Kakkar, Dolly Thakore to name a few) and digital talent showcase platforms ensured they were positively and meaningfully engaged while staying indoors. Your key TG for marketing your service is the well settled children of the seniors, right? How are you reaching them – what channels do you use. Also, another important segment would be the seniors themselves. Just as kids have great pester power in the buy decisions on all household items, cars and holidays etc. But by and large, elderly people are difficult to market to and to have a conversation with on social media. And now, with conventional methods taking a backseat due to the pandemic, how have you driven marketing through all this? Our primary TG is the customer himself – ie a senior citizen who is either close to retiring or has retired already and is looking for a solution for himself/herself. Our secondary TG is the children of the primary TG, who are away from their parents and are looking for a solution for their parents to ensure they as well as their parents lead a worry-free life. It is true that the children of the seniors are an important stakeholder in the purchase decision, and hence our communication is targeted to younger audience living in India and abroad as well. Our marketing strategy has always been digital first given that it allows us precise interest and age-based targeting, but also lends itself well to brand stories and brand narratives that we want to build to raise awareness. We have always used OOH and at times television as a secondary/supplementary channel. In television, we have tried seniors only subscription led channels such as Tata Sky Seniors to reach out to our core TG, as also a more mainstream option such as Star Plus. This apart, we also do events and associations as part of our BTL efforts. However, our business leads primarily come through digital channels such as Google and Facebook. With all the safety checks and care for your senior families, you must have had a great track record during covid-19, and even though this has been the worst and most tragic time in living human memory, has it given you an opportunity to showcase how effective and really desirable, even essential for those who love their parents/seniors, the CPC service is? What’s been your record of senior safety from COVID, leaving aside any unfortunate happenings due to natural causes? COVID-19 has resulted in heightened interest in the category as seniors have realized the importance of living in a safe, secure, fully services community as opposed to living alone where they have to fend for themselves even in the face of a pandemic: PIali Dasgupta Yes, it has. COVID-19 has resulted in heightened interest in the category as seniors have realized the importance of living in a safe, secure, fully services community as opposed to living alone where they have to fend for themselves even in the face of a pandemic. Whether it was doorstep delivery of essentials, or even arranging for a haircut amidst the lockdown, our frontline workers have done an incredible job of ensuring that our residents don’t feel the impact of the lockdown and the pandemic. Needless to say, the children of our residents, have been relieved and in comfort knowing that their parents are in safe hands. With the use of testimonial videos, images from the communities of our frontliners taking care of residents to the best of their abilities, we have been able to showcase the need and the importance of a solution like ours. As for our senior safety records, we have been able to ensure than more than 99% of our residents are protected from the virus till date, owing to strict protocols and superior crisis management strategies. How is a communication strategy for senior citizens different from that for a younger target group? I think more than the communication strategy itself, it’s the platform or the channels that one uses to reach out to a senior audience vis a vis a youth audience that differ. Having worked with youth brands before, one knows that emerging social media platforms such as the now banned Tik Tok, for instance, is a more favoured channel, than, let’s say Youtube. Or print would be a less favoured option compared to, let’s say OTT platforms, to target them. In terms of communication strategy and content per se, seniors tend to have a comparatively higher attention span than the millennial audience. And they have great appetite for good quality content – irrespective of the length of it. So there isn’t a constant pressure to grab their attention in the first three seconds: Piali Dasgupta With seniors, one has to understand that they are late adopters of technology. Having adopted it quite late, most of them appreciate the many boons of it. However, they are necessarily available on all digital channels such as Instagram or Pinterest. Our focus, therefore, has been on Facebook as the primary channel of communication in the digital sphere, followed by Youtube. In terms of communication strategy and content per se, seniors tend to have a comparatively higher attention span than the millennial audience. And they have great appetite for good quality content – irrespective of the length of it. So there isn’t a constant pressure to grab their attention in the first three seconds. If you serve them content that is meaningful, relevant and helpful for them, they would engage with you. Our content landscape covers everything that today’s senior is interested in – from long forgotten hobbies to reading lists and Netflix watch lists to quizzes and more. There is also a judicious use of “nostalgia” as an emotion, which works very well for this audience. Ultimately they are looking for meaningful content, as opposed to ephemeral content, which a lot of youth audience tend to consume. Covid -19 has changed life as we know it. How do you think these change would impact business and marketing when we adapt to the new normal? Well, I wouldn’t say that there will be a drastic shift in how brands would communicate and market their products. By the next quarter, pressure will mount to make up for the lost time and chase revenue goals. So, sooner than later, brands would have to go back to product driven marketing. Having said that, brands would increasingly focus on gaining customer trust back. At least for the next three to four quarters, brands across sectors from hospitality, F&B, retail to aviation and real estate, would continuously communicate safety and hygiene measures adopted by them along with ensuring a mostly contact free customer experience/journey. Marketing will see a shift in medium – digital adoption and dominance would be imperative for survival for brands. Most brands will shift their offline, specifically OOH, budgets to digital, because for some time at least, people will continue to limit their exposure to the outside world… It will most likely be a no-frills, KPI-driven approach to marketing for some time at least, as marketers would have to work with reduced budgets, so there will be a need to innovate, be nimble and creative in order to achieve maximum results with minimum cost inputs: Piali Dasgupta Marketing will also see a shift in medium. Digital adoption and dominance would be imperative for survival for brands. And most brands will shift their offline, specifically OOH budget to digital, because for some time at least, people will continue to limit their exposure to the outside world. Spends will be reduced on print because a large section of the population believe that newspapers carry the virus and hence have stopped taking newspapers at home. The budgets for print will be shifted to television as people are watching more television than ever as they are self-quarantined/socially distanced and the TV consumption went up by 38% during the lockdown. There will largely be a no-frills, KPI driven approach to marketing for some time at least, as marketers would have to work with reduced budgets. So there will be a need to innovate, be nimble and creative in order to achieve maximum results with minimum output. Businesses that solve real customer problems and ease their day to day challenges using technology as an enabler will ultimately thrive. Do you see a stronger and more permanent part-shift of marketing budgets towards digital mediums for campaigns and communication strategy after COVID? What changes do you expect in communication strategy that will stay with us? COVID-19 has been the real catalyst in the digital transformation in the country. Almost all digital KPIs have seen a massive uptake across demographics in the past three months – from average time spent on platforms to the number of downloads. As for changes in communication strategy, given what the world has gone through in the last few months, there will be increased focus on creating communication around hope, human connection, kindness, gratitude and empathy as the key sentiments for brand narratives: Piali Dasgupta Obviously, this has led to brands shifting a large chunk of their offline budget to digital media. This, coupled with a drop in both CPM and CPC pricing on platforms such as Facebook by 50% and 19% globally, has led to brands across categories such as FMCG, real estate and edutech, who are looking at getting the best returns from their marketing investments given the budget cuts. This trend will continue at least for the next three quarters, irrespective of whether the economy sees a V shaped or an U shaped recovery. A KPMG report says that COVID-19 will not have a long term impact on print advertising. In the short and the medium term though, as marketers continue to be in a “wait and watch” mode, print advertising will suffer. Marketers would consider display advertising using a CPM /CPC model on the web versions of publications in the medium term. As for changes in communication strategy, given what the world has gone through in the last few months, there will be increased focus on creating communication around hope, human connection, kindness, gratitude and empathy as the key sentiments for brand narratives. Examples of this include Swiggy’s campaign to thank the delivery boys who tirelessly deliver food and essentials to customers to Coca Cola’s Ummeedon Waali Dhoop and Asian Paints’ #stayhomestaysafe campaign, “Seniors in Command”, a campaign by Columbia Pacific Communities, to salute seniors who have gone beyond their calls of duty and during these troubled times, brand communication was certainly very high on EQ the past few months. What kind of marketing strategy do you employ for business growth? How important a role does direct marketing play here? We follow the classic model (Awareness – Interest- Desire -Action) to propel business growth. What this means is that we first focus on creating enough awareness on the category at large and the brand in particular. This is done through a mix of offline and online channels along with PR efforts. Once awareness is built, we initiate product marketing that highlights key differentiators and the promise of a “zero headache life” for our seniors in our communication. We have a complex target audience that includes two generations, we rely heavily on digital marketing for effective targeting and a more scientific approach to calculating ROI compared to offline channels. Digital also allows us to be cost effective, which is a requirement for a marketing team at any growing start up. Therefore, direct marketing plays a significant role in getting us the right leads and growing the business. Do you also have corporate tie-ups with top corporates to include senior care as part of the perks so their key leaders and professionals can work stress-free? Alliances and tie-ups are part of the roadmap for this year and the coming years. We have already collaborated with a bunch of senior care brands including Seniority, Hearfon, Dozee, Oncierre, Empowerji for various activities. We would be looking at corporate tie ups in the near future. Since the lockdown was announced people have broken away from their routine life and have now started to pay more attention to their needs and products that provide value. With this in mind, do you see a shift from direct selling to a more empathetic approach taken by brand to reach out to their consumers? What considered advice would you give young marketing professionals? Marketers need to be hyper aware, hyper sensitive and have their ears to the ground to avoid sounding tone deaf or cloth-eared during these troubled times: Piali Dasgupta This is a great time to build awareness if you are an emerging brand or create salience and “top of mind” if you are an established brand, because consumers are consuming more content than ever on digital platforms. And the only way to do this is through effective storytelling and a noble intent. Brands must ensure that communication is in line with the crisis at hand. Marketers need to be hyper aware, hyper sensitive and have their ears to the ground to avoid sounding tone deaf or cloth-eared during these troubled times. This is not the time to do a “CORONA sale” and try to capitalise on a pandemic. Brands can’t afford to be irresponsible and insensitive towards certain sections of society. A classic example of a brand communication strategy going horribly wrong was the Kent RO ad. So, my advice to young marketers would be to step back, hit the reset button, think, rethink, study and understand consumer sentiments, and then build a strategy that is a win-win for the brand as well as the end user. How much, if it does, does CSR drive you? I have always said that the most successful brands are those that are purpose driven and go beyond just selling a product. CSR, particularly in the current scenario, is a very crucial component of “brand purpose” and one that ultimately does result in brand love. We are aware of this and would be focusing on creating a robust CSR plan in the future. However, currently our energies are focused on building the most preferred senior living option in the subcontinent.

Marketing guru Seth Godin once famously said, “It’s easier to love a brand when the brand loves you back.” These words have never rung truer than now. The world is enveloped in gloom right now. You only have to switch on your phone or open the newspaper, and there’s just one bad news after the other. So, marketers would perhaps have to pause and think – what are the top four things that the consumer is craving the most right now? To my mind, they are: Positivity Hope Empathy Stability This is a great time to build brand love, provided marketers are able to craft a communication and engagement strategy incorporating the above during these uncertain times, they would be able to win life long loyalists of their brands. An effective communication strategy is one that serves as a voice of reason while being empathetic and staying true to the brand’s core character. Nike’s “Play Inside to play for the world” messaging urging people to stay indoors to save lives, is an excellent example of this. It shows how, a brand, during times of need and crisis, can do volte face while being true to their personality. This is also a time to express gratitude and shine the spotlight on those that help us navigate these uncertain times. And brands have to take the lead in this gratitude journey. Brands have also realised that if they do their bit during these distressful times, there will almost be an organic pull in terms of engagement. Swiggy’s recent “Shukriya Kare” campaign thanking not just delivery boys of Swiggy but also those of Dunzo was a wonderful act. And it did make a very pertinent point. The point being that this is no time to take a dig at competition brands and oust them. This is the time to come together, stay united, and try to keep spirits high by spreading positivity. A great example of brands batting for each other during this crisis is the Lays “Thanks for the HeartWork” campaign, which is a tribute to the unsung heroes in the war against COVID, acknowledging the hard work of brands such as KFC to Whisper and Urban Company. In the face of marketing budget cuts, marketers are divided on whether or not to spend marketing dollars now – at a time when people are not consuming their products or services. While some are taking a “wait and watch” stance, we, at Columbia Pacific Communities, believe that this is no time to go dark or remain silent for a brand. On the contrary, for a brand like ours catering to a demographic that is the worst hit by COVID-19 (senior citizens), this is the best time to engage with them with a message of hope, positivity and wellbeing. The most successful brands in the world are purpose driven. They go beyond selling a product. And they believe in solving a problem and making a positive impact in the world. The right kind of communication can play a crucial role in inspiring consumers at this gloomy hour. Almost immediately after the nationwide lockdown was announced, we acted swiftly and launched a 19-day social media campaign titled #PositiveLockdown. The objective of this campaign was to ensure that seniors make the most of the lockdown period and try out new experiences or nurture old hobbies that they had earlier not found time for. Through a digital activity calendar of sorts, we shared ideas of things seniors could indulge in – from reading the books they hadn’t found time to read, to learning an instrument and playing online antakshari, to giving gardening a shot. The campaign reached over 12.5 lakh people and garnered over 13.1 lakh impressions. The next phase of our COVID communication saw us engaging with our customers through a campaign titled #SeniorsInCommand. The campaign, much like its name suggests, was an ode to seniors who have taken charge of the situation and gone beyond their call of duty to help and support communities affected by the virus. Everyday heroes in our community like ladies who are making masks for frontline warriors or those that are teaching kids online, were brought to the fore. This campaign too reached of over 10 lakh people. We also launched a weekly virtual chat show titled The Living Room using the FB live feature of Facebook, bringing experts and luminaries to the living rooms of seniors through social media. This initiative resulted in a 193% jump in conversations and reached over 1.3 lakh people, featuring people from different walks of life – from actor-activist-director Nandita Das, Kabir Bedi, to adman Prahlad Kakkar, cricket commentator Charu Sharma and super chef Nimish Bhatia. These initiatives are not taken with the objective of driving sales. We are aware that ultimately, a consumer’s purchase decision (particularly of a high-value product) is not really based on whether he/she enjoyed a live session on a brand’s Facebook page. And this is where Seth’s words come alive. This is the time to love, care and do our bit without looking at sales and conversion numbers. This is also the time to build awareness around your brand if you are an emerging brand or create salience and “top of mind” if you are an established brand, because consumers are consuming more content than ever on digital platforms. And the only way to do this is through effective storytelling and a noble intent. Brands must ensure that communication is in line with the crisis at hand. Marketers need to be hyper-aware, hypersensitive and have their ears to the ground to avoid sounding tone-deaf or cloth-eared during these troubled times. This is not the time to do a “CORONA sale” and try to capitalise on a pandemic. Brands can’t afford to be irresponsible and insensitive towards certain sections of society. A classic example of a brand communication strategy going horribly wrong was the Kent RO ad. So, this is the time to step back, hit the reset button, think, rethink, study and understand consumer sentiments, and then build a strategy that is a win-win for the brand as well as the end-user.