Why is senior citizen friendly environment important in housing societies?

Jul 23, 2021

In the traditional Indian households, elders of the family were looked after by the members of the family along with the support of house-help and caregivers. However, things have changed over the years as the joint family structure is no more commonplace. We now see more nuclear families, in which there are mostly working couples. So elders are mostly left to themselves or have helpers to accompany them and take care of their needs. Most of these nuclear families live in gated housing societies - a lot of which don't provide the elders of the family too many opportunities for social interaction. They also have to manage their regular and medical needs all by themselves, with some assistance of domestic help. This not only leaves our elders in an unpleasant situation but also working couples concerned about the health of their parents. This is why housing societies that provide facilities to accommodate the special needs of the elderly are growing in number.

So how do these societies differ from your usual housing projects? To begin with, they are more like a community that provide the elderly that can help them lead an active and independent lifestyle. These housing projects take care of the convenience of elders, have design features that are elder-friendly, and give plenty of opportunities for social interactions. Many of these projects even offer medical and healthcare support in emergency situations.

The purpose of building societies that consider the special needs of the elderly is to not only make them feel safe but also make them spend the later years of their life in peace. Building residential communities that cater as much to the needs of the elderly as they do to people of other ages is still a trend that is in nascent stage. However, many builders like Purvanchal are investing more money to ensure that their societies provide a great living environment to the elders. Their project, Purvanchal Royal City, is a great example as they have defined Senior Citizens area apart from special facilities for them.

If you are looking for a society that will be right for your entire family, including your parents, you need to keep a few things in mind. Location is important. You need to look for a location where you can provide elderly with a pollution and noise free living environment. Also, the location should well connected so that there is no problem in transportation if there is an emergency.

Another very important thing to consider is easy healthcare access. Make sure that the society you are going to buy a house in has a hospital nearby. Better still, see if they provide access to internal emergency medical services. That would save you time and ensure critical care is provided without any delay in case of an emergency.

In addition, the project should have easy access to your home via elevators, ramps, etc. Some of the other facilities include laundry service, electricity and water supply at all times, recreation facilities, housekeeping, security, fitness and yoga center, 24/7 helpdesk, emergency alarm, CCTV cameras in common space like elevators and stairs, parks, and more.