Retirement Homes — A Modern Take At Old Age Homes

Old Age Homes: An abode for people who believe that life begins after 60

Man is a gregarious animal and comes with several social needs. When a child is of 6 or 7 years of age, he likes to go out and play with other children. A 16-year-old adolescent boy would not want to play with a 5-year-old kid and neither will he enjoy conversations with 30-year-olds. This affinity to interact with people of one’s age group does not go away with age.

That is why it becomes shifting to old-age homes may be the smart choice after a certain age. This is more important when an aged person has lost his or her spouse and is all alone.

Now there are two things that I would like to draw your attention to. Firstly, when we say ‘old-age homes’ the first picture that comes to your mind is that of a destitute center filled with aged people with no one to care for. This is wrong.

Retirement Homes — A Modern Take At Old Age Homes

A relatively new concept in India, retirement homes has existed in the western world for quite some time now. These are paid services and the range of luxury will depend on the amount that you are ready to shell out. The retirement homes have dedicated 24X7 nurses who will be available at your beck and call. The houses are designed to make them safe and comfortable for the elderly.

However, what is more, important than the infrastructure of the place is the fact that it is here that one will find the company of people of his or her age. It is an old age home where one can foster new friendships at an age where it would otherwise be impossible.

Doing Away with The Stigma Of Sending Parents/ Grandparents To Old Age Homes

The reason why people hesitate to send their near and dear ones to old age homes is because of the social stigma associated with it. It is important to realize that sending elderly people in your family to such places does not mean that you do not care about them. On the contrary, it goes to establish that you care about their mental health so much that you are ready to keep them away from you.

Research has established that instances of depression and mental illness are significantly lower in people who have more social interaction with peers of his age.

Reason Why Old Age Homes Are The Need Of The Hour

It is important to realize that the familial structure today is very different from what it was a couple of generations ago. The joint-family system has given way to nuclear family life. With both the husband and the wife pursuing their careers and availability of quality maids, nannies, and daycare facilities for kids, the dependency on older family members has decreased. Striking a work-life balance has got so tricky that we barely have any time to give to our elderly family members.

Even if we do manage to take out some time for them, we are at a loss of what to speak. In the last couple of decades, technology has impacted our lives so massively that an inevitable technology divide has been formed. Generations on either side of this line are finding it difficult to communicate with each other.

Making your house completely senior-friendly is another challenge. You cannot do away with all uneven surfaces, staircases, smart TVs, and all of that. In certain parts of the world, finding a 24X7 caregiver is a challenge in itself.

In a nutshell, the best way to care for elderly members of your family would be by giving them a conducive environment where they can live life in their terms. As far as their relationship with you is concerned, most old age homes have provision wherein family members can visit residents whenever they please. Indeed, life at a safe and comfortable old age home is the best gift that you can give your elderly family members.