With a busy lifestyle and younger generations moving out, the demand for elderly services is on the rise. Old age homes in Mumbai are no longer just a place for shelter for the helpless; they have evolved into a place of safety and guaranteed care for loved ones. Let's take a closer look at the changing scenario in elderly care in Mumbai.
A New Wave of Senior Care: The Rise of Modern Old Age Homes
Modern old age homes do not paint sad pictures anymore, and elderly people live in sadness. Old age homes today are beautiful places with top-notch amenities, on-call services, and the safety of 24/7 medical and emergency care. Elderly care today is not about basics but more about a rich post-retirement life with like-minded people engaging in activities that are good for the brain, mind, body, and soul while receiving professional care. These living facilities are thriving communities where everyone feels valued and supported.
Here's how new-age, old age homes are doing it differently:
Personalised Care Plans: Each resident at well-equipped and advanced care old age homes gets a tailored care plan. The plans are designed after an in-depth assessment of the resident before admission and regular checkups to adjust and modify the plan. It ensures that each resident lives comfortably and all their unique and specific needs are met to help them enjoy a better quality of life.
Health Care: Old age homes have top-notch medical teams that include doctors, nurses, and therapists for regular checkups and medical attention for everyone, depending on individual health conditions. The dynamic team ensures that elderly residents remain under professional medical supervision and receive care for chronic conditions.
Social and Recreational Activities: As said before, old age homes are not sad places; rather, they are thriving with energy. Caregivers and geriatric care experts emphasise social and recreational activities for a healthy and happy life for the elderly. As a result, most of these places have interactive activities lined up regularly for the residents to participate in. Activities include group yoga, creative and artistic therapies, games, movie nights, etc.
Mental Health Support: A few old age homes often support mental health care and wellness with geriatric counselling, meditation, regular therapy sessions and regular check-ins with introverts. Elderly residents are often under supervision at old age homes to check for any signs of depression or loneliness.
Olive Eldercare's are living facilities that meet every need of senior care and more. With different types of accommodation options to choose from and a range of on-call services, it cares for the mental, emotional, physical, and social needs of the elderly residents.
Senior Care Challenges: The Hurdles We Need to Overcome
Even though the revolution in the world of elderly care is impressive, the issues are not entirely gone. There are still several challenges that remain and are still affecting the quality and accessibility of elderly care.
Affordability: Affording elderly care at a good old age home is a problem for many people, especially for the long term. While there are many options today to choose from in different budgets, getting good services and quality care on a small budget can be tricky.
Social Stigma: Keeping elderly parents in an old age home is still seen as neglect in society by many people. Many parents and their generations have a similar belief system, which makes shifting parents to old age houses even more difficult.
Quality of Care: Quality of care is the main ingredient that makes an old age home good to great. It is what sets the standard. While some senior care centres are redefining geriatric care, changing society's thinking about old age homes, most are yet to upgrade, barring the movement.
However, while there are challenges, hope is still alive with more and more people accepting and choosing premium elder care. The idea of senior care is evolving in Mumbai and the whole of the country, especially in urban areas.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Senior Care in Mumbai
Following the current trends in senior care, we can expect more integration of elderly care in the lives of common people with home care services. Attention to elderly care needs and quality care is also expected. The increase in attention can lead to:
Community Integration: The Government is taking active steps towards improving elder care. Potential integration of old age homes with local communities through activities can help minimise the stigma around it. It can be expected to help people transition willingly towards improved elder care support.
More Affordable Options: With increasing demand, affordable solutions are expected to arise with more budget-friendly models.
Smarter Care: Technological innovation is being integrated into senior care. Health monitoring apps, teleconsultations, and health devices are the future of elderly care, paving the way for more personalisation.
Current trends show isolated efforts from NGOs, Government or care providers. However, if collaborative efforts come into play in the future from all sectors, they can shape the perception and development of old age homes in the coming years.
Conclusion: Dignity in Senior Care
The demand for premium senior care is increasing day by day in Mumbai, which is leading to the emergence of quality old age homes. The evolution has brought options into the picture for people looking for elderly care support. Today, elderly care is not as sad as it used to be. It is being redefined as the dream retirement life for elderly people. While senior care for years has only been about medical support and basic livelihood support, today, it is about meeting their physical, mental, social, and recreational needs. In the coming years, we expect the normalisation of old age homes and premium elder care needs. After all, everyone deserves to live a life filled with dignity, purpose, and love, irrespective of their age and health condition.