'Practical choice': Why Bengaluru families turn to assisted-living rentals for elders

With rising disease burdens and shrinking joint families, people are opting for professional care setups for their ageing parents, even though they come at a premium

After his wife’s passing in December 2022, Felix P found himself living alone in his home, located near Banaswadi. In his 70s and living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, he had one persistent worry: what if his full-time caretaker fell sick? Moving in with his children was not feasible. His son lives in 'cold' New Zealand, one daughter works in a convent in Uttar Pradesh, and the other, though in Bengaluru, has a routine that does not align with his. The family decided that Felix, a retired banker, should move into an assisted-living facility in south Bengaluru, even though the rent was about Rs 1 lakh a month. He did not resent the decision; he considered it a “practical choice”.

Though he felt out of place during the first month, he is now happy and no longer feels lonely. He is surrounded by people his age and supported by younger caregivers, and keeps busy with various planned activities, health check-ups, and phone calls with family. However, he misses non-vegetarian food. The facility only serves vegetarian food but allows residents to order in or families to bring meals when visiting. “Once a month, I visit my house to see its maintenance and meet my tenants. From there, I go to a restaurant for chicken biryani,” he says with a laugh.

Premium assisted-living facilities for seniors are gaining ground in Bengaluru. Elders are placed here not only by their NRI children but also by families living in the city. Most are in their 70s and older, with a small number crossing 100. Singles, both widowed and unmarried, outnumber couples at these centres, and there are more women than men. They may go out to visit their families and friends and stay even, and the local guardian is kept informed. People can also visit them during visiting hours.

Acceptance of the concept has grown since the pandemic, when many seniors suddenly found themselves alone. They now want to avoid a repeat. “While it was a hesitant decision earlier on, it has become more of an organised plan now (keeping in mind an elder's future needs),” says Praveen S N, cofounder of Priaashraya, which runs two 30-room care homes in Yelahanka. One is fully booked, the other is at 60 per cent occupancy. “We offer trial stays, and the conversion is almost 100 per cent,” he adds. Rising life expectancy and a growing disease burden are also pushing families toward professional and supervised elder care, says Rajit Mehta, CEO and managing director of Antara Senior Care, with an 80-bed facility in Bannerghatta. Greater affluence, he adds, is now allowing families to look beyond conventional old-age homes, which often conjure up a less-than-ideal image. “About 3 per cent of our occupants have moved here from old age homes,” says Srinivasan G, founder and CEO of Athulya Senior Care. He clarifies that these are not cases of abandonment; rather, the families want to provide their parents with a 24/7 supervised environment that also allows for socialising and activities.

What’s inside

The facilities Metrolife spoke to are not meant for elders needing palliative care or those with mental conditions like dementia. Talking about their centres, Mehta says they cater to seniors who are not sick but need help with daily activities, have had a medical episode, or require post-surgery rehabilitation or transition care.

Daily care includes assistance with bathing, diaper changes, mobility, or administering drugs, as well as specialised medical support for conditions such as Parkinson’s, and for those on oxygen concentrators or feeding tubes. Facilities typically have a central kitchen, on-site doctors and nurses, and an activity calendar spanning physiotherapy, board games, film screenings, music performances, painting, newspaper reading, prayer sessions, and cyber-literacy classes. Praveen says the idea is to promote “social and active ageing”.

Rental models can vary. A double occupancy room can start from Rs 50,000 and go up to Rs 1.5 lakh a month, while a personal suite with a shared caregiver can begin from Rs 65,000. Exclusive nursing support, in some cases, can cost extra. According to Srinivasan, hiring a caretaker, cook, and housekeeper, along with arranging emergency support for an elder living in a rented home, can be just as expensive, and still doesn’t fully meet their need for supervision, safety, and companionship. These centres see a mix of short- and long-term stays, and the latter can be as long as two to three years.

Modern families

Srinivasan's 150-room Kasavanahalli facility is fully occupied, and the Whitefield centre is 60 per cent full. About 60 per cent of their clients have NRI children, some of whom carry “guilt” about their parents living alone. “One man in San Francisco flew his mother in a chartered flight, costing Rs 40 lakh, because she wanted to spend her last days close to family in Bengaluru. She passed away six months later,” he says. The rest have families in the city, but with everyone working full-time, there’s little time to monitor their ageing parents.

The erosion of the joint family structure, especially in cities, has also contributed to this shift. Praveen expressed "surprise" at the last two admissions at their facilities. The elders came from families that had just welcomed a baby. The households no longer had space for both a caretaker for the newborn, and their elderly parents. And naturally, the infant required more attention. “The elders understood,” he says, adding that such situations can arise in households where the elders have health issues. Mehta points to another emerging trend: children going on vacation or spiritual trips are leaving their ageing parents in these care homes for 10-15 days.

Rise in retirement homes

The growing acceptance of assisted-living facilities is also driven by seniors’ desire to live independently, with Mehta noting that “today, 70 is the new 60". This trend is even more pronounced in the case of retirement homes, where individuals buy properties in senior-friendly gated societies.

Rajagopal G, cofounder and CEO of Serene Communities by Columbia Pacific, which has locations in Devanahalli and on Old Madras Road, says, “The stigma around independent senior living has come down. It is no longer viewed as isolation or abandonment by children.” He notes that 90 per cent of their residents purchase homes independently, typically 2BHK units and above. The market prices for such units are between Rs 70 lakh and Rs 1.5 crore. These are people who have done well in life and want to live well, he explains.

These communities provide primary care, emergency attendance, preventive care, security, housekeeping, F&B services and curated activities. “But we make it clear that residents should not expect aggressive medical support,” he adds. Rajagopal points out that Bengaluru has been among the frontrunners in India for retirement homes, along with Coimbatore and Chennai, benefiting from its pleasant climate, cosmopolitan culture, good connectivity to domestic and international destinations, and a well-earning IT population.

Vijaya Simha, 71, and his 65-year-old wife Malathi have been considering a retirement home for some time. Both manage mild health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and congestion. Their children live in Canada and Delhi, and they feel it would be “unfair” to ask them to move back. Having lived in five countries, the couple also wants to spend their later years close to friends and family, with Bengaluru’s pleasant weather as an added draw. Managing their independent home in J P Nagar has become time-consuming, sometimes leading to disagreements, and finding reliable staff has proven difficult. Vijaya, a former wealth manager, believes a retirement home isn’t a “bad idea,” as it can provide professional support.

Make them affordable

Elder care campaigner Premkumar Raja welcomes such facilities but would like the government to subsidise them to make them affordable for a wider section of society. He also recommends reserving 10 per cent of the space exclusively for dementia patients, supported by appropriate infrastructure.