If you are over 60, well-heeled and looking for a home that offers you a lifestyle with life care, welcome to aspirational residential communities that are being crafted with just you in mind.
Waking up to the fact that in realty, old is the newly-minted gold, India Inc is all set to master the art of senior living. Old-age homes in India are all set for a makeover with corporates queuing up to grab opportunities this sector has in store for them. Rechristened senior living, these homes are being designed specially for the well-heeled progressive 60-plus senior citizens who may have hung their boots but are not yet quite over the hill and in search of quality living.
Says Tara Singh, CEO of Antara Senior Living, a subsidiary of the Max Group and youngest child of Analjeet Singh, who is currently busy giving finishing touches to the blue print of Antara?s first senior living project, slated to come up at Purukul in Dehradun within the next two years, ?Our mission at Antara is to redefine the way seniors in our country live and the focus would be on providing our residents a healthy, active and enjoyable post-retirement life.?
Modeled loosely on the format of senior living or retirement communities in countries like the US, Australia and some European countries, Antara?s first project, the ground-breaking ceremony for which was performed a couple of weeks ago, is expected to kick off in about six months time. With a project cost of R240 crore, the Purukul project, to be built over 20 acre of land in the picture postcard perfect Doon Valley, would have 217 apartments as 1-3 BHK and three penthouses in sizes varying from 1,400-1500 sq ft to 5,000 sq ft.
But Antara is not the first venture with eyes for this space. In fact, the senior living space is crowding up fast with corporates like the Tatas, public sector goliaths like LIC Housing Finance and several realty players entering the arena .
Over the past few years, the concept of homes for the elderly has undergone a complete sea change. Gone are the days of decrepit old age homes, peopled with abandoned senior citizens, which made it to the local pages of newspapers with stories of squalor and neglect.
(The travel for the report was sponsored by Antara, a Max group company)