Seniors suffering from high blood cholesterol levels are at a higher risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases or a stroke. As one of the best senior citizen homes in India, we share a few lifestyle changes that can help seniors maintain healthy cholesterol levels:  Exercise regularly:Seniors with elevated cholesterol levels must stay physically active. Jogging, swimming, cycling, and playing tennis are excellent exercises that can increase HDL levels(the good cholesterol) and lower LDL levels (the bad cholesterol). Increasing daily physical activity – be it doing chores around the house or walking while talking on the phone – can also help lower the bad cholesterol levels.  The importance of diet:  Having a heart-healthy diet offers many benefits such as lowered cholesterol and blood pressure levels. To get sufficient vitamins, minerals, and fibre, seniors must eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and consumer fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. They should avoid sugary beverages, salt-laden snacks, and saturated fats such as oil, butter, cheese, and red meat. They can cook vegetables in broth and herbs instead of frying them in oil. Also, they must have almonds, walnuts, and fatty fish that are rich in Omega-3 acids. Before making any changes to their diet, seniors must consult their physicians.  Moderation in alcohol: Heavy drinking can raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Seniors must set a moderate limit and stick to it. Also, they must drink slowly and try to have plain water between drinks.  At our senior citizen homes in India, we conduct routine medical check-ups and ensure that the healthcare needs of our residents are met. We maintain updated medical records of our residents to help them with their diet and wellness plans. At our community dining halls, delicious and nutritious home-style meals are served. All efforts are taken to ensure the food is hygienically prepared and that they meet the nutritional needs of our residents. All our senior citizen homes in India have fully equipped gyms, indoor game rooms, and open green spaces so that our residents can stay physically active and enjoy their golden years to the fullest. To know more about our senior citizen homes, call us at +9188845 55554.

Brunch parties are a fun and relaxed way to rekindle nostalgia times with old friends. Today’s seniors are looking for more socialising opportunities that promote friendship and positive memories. Hosting brunch parties is a great way for seniors to reconnect with their old friends, spend some wonderful time, and make good memories together. As one of the best senior citizen homes in India, we share some useful tips for seniors on hosting a brunch party:    1. Host a buffet-style party: At a buffet-style party, everyone can serve themselves, so the host can relax and enjoy with guests. Guests can get up and refill whenever they like. They do not have to wait for someone to ask them for a second helping. The most important thing is that everybody keeps on moving so there is always an interesting conversation flowing around.    2. Send an invitation at least three weeks before the party: There are no hard-and-fast rules about how to invite people to a brunch party. In today’s technology-driven world, people send an e-invite, a message, or a text. The invitation is often followed by a call. However, the host should call a couple of days after the first invite was sent. This gives the guests enough time to decide whether they will be accepting the invite or not.    3. Set a menu: There are no set rules about what should be on the brunch menu. As guests will be serving themselves, it is always a good idea to select food items that are not just tasty but also easy and convenient. Serve dishes that do not require last-minute preparation. A colourful tray of fruits can be a healthy and visually interesting addition to the menu. Also, keep a food name tag in front of each dish – it can be helpful for those with food allergies.    5. Choose the right music: While the music should be toe-tapping, it should not be too loud so that people find it difficult to hold conversations.    Looking for senior citizen homes in India with banquet halls?    At our senior citizen homes in India, we have banquet halls where residents can throw get-togethers and parties for their guests. From decoration to food catering, everything is taken care of by our trained staff. To know more about our retirement homes, call us at +91 8884555554. 

Life is full of ups and downs. Sudden events in life can leave you without routine or make you feel less productive. You may find yourself not wanting to get out of bed or staying up late worrying. A vacation is a great way to de-stress when you feel overwhelmed but that may not be practical every time you feel stressed. As one of the best senior citizen homes in India, we share a few simple ways to reset your mind to improve your overall well-being: Calm your mind: When your thoughts are all over the place, it can be difficult to focus. Dedicate 5 minutes of your day to settle your mind by taking deep breaths. Deep breathing exercises have positive effects on psychological well-being. Starting your day with breathing exercises helps you remain calm throughout the day. Besides breathing exercise, taking a walk in nature and yoga are a few great ways to calm your mind. Declutter your mind for clarity: Knowing your priorities can help you feel less anxious. One of the best ways to declutter your mind is to plan your days ahead. Preparing ahead of time ensures that you have a calmer morning because you know how your day looks. Another way to clear your mind is to write down your thoughts and worries. Develop self-compassion: There are times when you find yourself comparing to others, striving too hard to be perfect and doubting your capabilities. Doing this only works against you. Be gentle and kind to yourself and accept that you are not perfect. With every mistake you make, there is potential for learning. Turn your inner critic into a supporter by developing a positive attitude towards yourself. Get moving: When you exercise daily, you feel that you are becoming a better version of yourself. Regular exercise gives you a dose of feel-good endorphins. Walking, yoga, aerobics, and swimming are not just good for staying fit, they also bring clarity to your thoughts and help you feel accomplished. Practise meditation: Every day, your mind deals with information overload that contributes to stress. By meditating, you can clear your mind, reduce negative emotions and gain a new perspective. We hope you can take a thing or two from this list and make a conscious effort to make your mind your friend. As one of the best senior living communities in India, we provide every possible help to our residents to reset their minds like, ensuring that they start their days with yoga classes. Also, our senior living communities are beautifully landscaped so that our residents feel closer to nature.

The retirement years can be exciting but the uncertainty that often comes along with it can be difficult to process. Whether you stay in the same place or move to a senior living community, whatever you do will be more successful if you take time to plan. As one of the best senior citizen homes in India, we share with you some useful tips to plan your retirement life: Decide where you want to live: Finding affordable, comfortable, and safe housing is an important part of the retirement planning. Whether you wish to live in your own home or move to a senior citizen home, make sure your basic housing needs are met. Senior citizen homes offer senior-friendly rooms, access to social activities and modern amenities. Many communities also offer on-site medical support and wellness programmes that are aimed at encouraging seniors to lead an active life. Your retirement plan should be affordable in the long run: One of the most important questions you should ask yourself is: What kind of housing can you afford post-retirement? Will your home loan be paid off before you retire? Not just that, there are many expenses associated with the upkeep of your property. Property tax, maintenance of lawn and utility bills are some of the many expenses that you will have to deal with even after retirement. It is good to start your retirement planning early and calculate how much you need to save now and how much you will need in the future so that you can enjoy the lifestyle you would like to lead. Have support groups around: Retirement planning is not just about comforts, but also about camaraderie. Many people after retirement lose touch with their colleagues and friends. Some friends move away while some may face health issues. It is important that you have a support base to fill the emotional gap. It is often seen that moving to a senior citizen home is more beneficial physically and socially when you are still active than when you are in your 70s. When you are active, you can enjoy the community, make new friends, and participate in social activities. Do not ignore safety and security: Safety and security are essential components of your retirement planning. Is the place you are planning to live after retirement safe? Is that place close to the medical facilities? Make use of your active years to plan and research the ideal retirement location.

Over the years, the retirement lifestyle has changed and there has been a shift towards positive ageing with a focus on health and social life. With a lot of free time in hand, you have ample opportunities to indulge in your passion for travel or become a volunteer or pursue a hobby. The good part is that all these activities will provide you with opportunities to make new friends while staying connected with your old ones. Here’s how to take advantage of your retirement years and grow your social circle: Participate in group activities: Retirement is the perfect time to take classes or learn new skills. Group classes may be an informal gathering or even a formal classroom kind of learning activity – but they give you the opportunity to meet like-minded people. Also, participating in group activities like yoga, photography, chess or music classes will help you structure your days. Columbia Pacific Communities, one of the best senior citizen homes in India, addresses the issue of loneliness by offering residents an active social calendar filled with interesting activities. Residents don’t have to look outside for recreational activities. Also, there is buggy transportation available in select communities for intra-community mobility. Reinventing workplace connections: Friendships forged at work can last a lifetime. But keeping in touch with colleagues becomes harder once your work life is behind you. Organise get-togethers with those you wish to stay in contact with. As you and your colleagues will no longer be occupied with work, you will have the opportunity to talk about interests and hobbies you might not have had a chance to talk about when you were working. Virtual ways of communication: Emails, texts, and social media help you maintain friendships. Lunches, movies, and exercise classes are a great way to spend time together with your friends. If you’ve moved to a senior living community, invite your friends from the workplace and introduce them to the friends you have made in your community. This way you can maintain your circle of friends and also expand it. At our senior living facilities, residents can host get-togethers, movie nights and parties for their friends and families.

Social isolation can adversely affect the mental health of seniors. This can be more so during a pandemic when the restrictions are stricter for seniors. Here are a few things that home care facilities for the elderly are doing to promote mental health:    1.Embrace precaution, not panic: When it comes to dealing with a pandemic, the best way is to do what is under your control. In the current scenario, taking precautions and spreading the right information to our residents is the best way to proceed further. We have circulated credible pandemic-related information vetted by medical professionals at our health partner Columbia Asia Hospitals. The content contains actionable insights that give the residents a sense of control.     2.Keep the residents engaged: To keep their minds off the pandemic, it’s important to keep the residents busy. Playing games, reading, writing, listening to music – are some of the activities that can help them destress. In the run-up to World Senior Citizens Day, at our home care facilities for the elderly, a month-long inter-community competition was organized virtually. This gave our residents a perfect platform to remain physically engaged, intellectually stimulated, and emotionally looked after. The seniors participated in singing, art, dance, and other activities.    3.Use technology to socially connect with others: At a time when the elderly residents can’t meet their friends and family members, social media is a great way to help communicate with the outside world. Connecting with children, grandchildren, and old school friends can help them feel connected and stimulate their brain in positive ways.  At our care homes, many residents use their smartphones to stay in touch with their family and friends during these difficult times. For those who are less tech-savvy, the members of the wellness team arrange video chats. This keeps residents positive and upbeat.   

Many of you must be looking forward to your retirement years. Not having a 9-5 schedule will give you all the time in the world. But once the initial excitement gets over, it can get pretty boring. But if you move to a senior citizen housing facility, there are a myriad of activities you can participate in to keep yourself engaged and busy. There’s never a dull moment in our senior citizen homes in India. You can explore how our residents are enjoying a fulfilled and content life, making new friends and filling their time with new hobbies. Over here are some entertainment ideas for seniors, pick what you love the most: Plan a day trip: A day trip to a nearby town or taking a pilgrimage tour can open a whole new world for seniors. At our senior citizen communities, we help our residents organise trips and facilitate booking. We also help them hire vehicles for impromptu trips. All our communities in India are located in prime locations which makes it easy for residents to go out shopping, catch the latest movies and eat at their favorite restaurant. Watch a movie: Sometimes, there is nothing more entertaining than watching a movie, whether it is the latest one or a classic. At our senior citizen homes, we provide concierge services that will help you book movie tickets and hire vehicles if you are planning to step out. You can also host a movie screening for your friends and family members at the community. In our Wi-Fi enabled clubhouse, you can watch your favourite movies and shows on your laptop or tablet. Take part in performing arts: Participating in theatre, dance, and music is not just entertaining and fun but it also helps in improving your quality of life and well-being. These activities reduce stress and are good for better cognitive function. At our communities, we organise various activities including performing arts. Recently, we also organised an inter-housing competition that was held virtually owing to the pandemic. Play games: Playing games is a wonderful way to stay engaged and feel a sense of accomplishment. Indoor and outdoor games can be healthy pastimes as they are good for physical and mental health. Our senior citizen housing communities have arrangements for indoor and outdoor games. We also organise friendly matches to keep the community spirit alive. If games are not something that interests you, you can join fitness classes like aerobics and move to the musical beats.