I (Ankit Gupta, living in Bangalore) am an only child of my parents. My father retired from his job three years ago and continued to live in Mumbai with no specific activity except occasional visits to his previous office where fortunately he continued to have part time activity as Technical Advisor. I was worried especially for my father’s well being because being an introvert person, his outdoor activities were almost zero after retirement which had started affecting his health and quality of life. Whenever they visited me in Bangalore, they were even more bored as me and my wife were gone from 8am-8pm.

We are fortunate that we discovered Ashiana Nirmay where they have shifted last October and to my pleasant surprise, both of them have become very active there, made lots of friends of their age and are spending quality time. They are learning new activities and are participating in lots of sports. I am told that both of them are very excited to be a part of forthcoming “Jashn6” in the second week of October 2019. I see a child like enthusiasm in both of them towards this event as they are participating in many activities.

I am now relieved man as the other residents are very co-operative and are taking good care of each other as if they are one close family, sharing each other’s happiness and helping each other in any condition. I had been there twice during 2019 and was really very happy for the decision my father had taken to make Ashiana Nirmay his permanent residence after retirement.  

Change is not easy. Not easy to change per se or to accept a change. And to make a drastic change at the age of 75 is gutsy beyond doubt! And that’s what my mom is, gutsy-a true woman of substance. Who not only has accepted all the changes in her life but has accepted them, moved on and risen up to the challenge.

From a young bride of an honest civil servant, she changed from a girl used to luxuries into a wife who made a home out of the little they had. From a widow at the age of 47, she changed from a ‘homemaker’ into a working mother to carve out a life of dignity for herself and her daughters. And after years of doing her ‘duties’ as a mother and grandmother, years of hardship, she changed her financially insecure life into a secure one not only for herself but for her children and grandchildren as well.

But what she couldn’t change in all these years was the feeling of loneliness. An extremely sensitive woman, she didn’t want to be dependent on anybody ever. And that’s when she decided to change her address and chose Ashiana, and that change has been the best thing that could have happened to her.

If from a woman who had the TV on the whole day to hear some voice other than hers, she has no time to watch Arnab Goswami, then it’s Ashiana that has changed her! If from a woman who stopped buying clothes as she had nowhere to wear them to a woman who asked for a lehenga to be sent to her, then it’s Ashiana that has changed her! If from a woman whose answer to our question ‘What are you doing’ was ‘Nothing’ to a woman who says ‘Can I call later as I am out with friends’, then it’s Ashiana that has changed her!

And we so love that change! Seeing her on the swing, celebrating Teej, dancing on Independence Day, going for plays and movies, the excitement in her voice on winning the walkathon trials, thank you Ashiana for facilitating that change. And thanks for changing our way of thinking as well. We have not sent our mother to an “Old Age Home” (as family and friends keep telling us) but stood by her as she has made this life changing decision and you never know, we might be signing up too.

John Lennon once said, "Count your age by your friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears."

For so many years in Delhi, I saw my grandmother just sitting in front of a blaring TV most of the time because going down from the third-floor apartment and coming back up was tough to do at her age. Except for the times we visited, she never seemed too happy. Life in Delhi wasn't easy given the decreasing number of friends and family. There seemed to be less and less activities to keep her mind busy, discounting the countless games of sudoku, and most importantly happy.

The decision to move to Ashiana Senior Living came as a shock to us and we were all skeptical at first. We couldn't comprehend why she would want to leave her life in Delhi and move to Bhiwadi of all places. However, once we visited the place a few times and tried to imagine a life in the Senior Living, we were finally convinced.

To be honest, I've never seen my grandmother happier. True to John Lennon's words, she's grown in terms of the number of friends she's won in Ashiana Senior Living and the smile and enthusiasm in her voice that we hear every day sure puts a smile on our faces as well. This move has been the best decision that she could have taken for herself to really start living her life and blossoming in this new environment and friends rather than just wilting away in her third-floor apartment. This is not just a change of address. This is my grandmother reinventing herself and living the life that she deserves to live because Dalai Lama XVI wisely said, "Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”

This message is for my Mrs. & Mr. Mahajan

Like all sisters are made in heaven, undoubtedly mine too is an angel in my life. She has not only been the best sister but also my best friend. Her name is Neeta Mahajan and she is a happy resident of Ashiana, Bhiwadi T703 B1 along with her husband and have shifted from Vikaspuri, New Delhi. She served as a Teacher in a renowned school and always wanted a place which is away from hustle bustle of the city. She told me about this wonderful concept for senior citizen living and her plans to move. I was shocked when she made this decision as she will be many kms away from me. But listening about the facilities and activities provided to the senior citizens like them whose children are settled abroad, I was convinced it was the best decision she had taken. I was amazed to know that Ashiana has built this home keeping in mind everything that is required in old age such as emergency call button, physiotherapy sessions and what not.  She calls it her dream home and I am happy to see them living a happy and healthy life as they are able to give time to their overall health. On top of it, whenever I video call her, my sister and Jija ji are always up for an activity like swimming, movie watching in the club or book reading in the library. 

 *Taarif kare kya uski jisne Ashiana banaya... Ashiana is best for senior living!*

 -From, Vanita Anand, Sister 

The topic itself reveals the journey of my Parents. My Parents, Mrs. Poonam Rani Gupta and Mr. Vijay Kumar Gupta grew with lots of traditional beliefs which were given to them by society and their parents. My Dad was living with 3 brothers, 1 sister and parents when he got married, and being the eldest son, his priorities were laid down pretty nicely which didn’t include him or my mom in the list. Over the period of next 20-25 yrs, they both played many roles like of a son, parents, daughter in law, sister in law, but they forgot to play POONAM and VIJAY. This describes their journey of what they learnt from society. Their own wishes, dreams, aspirations were overshadowed by other relations they were managing, so much so, that my Dad left his dream job for family and started some business with his brother. This sums up pretty much where they came from.

Their second phase of life came up when they fulfilled their responsibilities by settling their 4 children. They were staying alone as all 4 of us got busy in our own lives. Their alone monotonous life pushed them to the journey of unlearning. The orthodox system imbibed within them was dissolving slowly as we all tried together. They started playing with grandchildren and travelled in and out of India. But we realized that their happiness is temporary. Till the time they are with us or with kids they feel happy. WE REALISED THEY DESERVE TO BE SO HAPPY IN THEIR LIFE FOREVER and from here a search began.

2 years back, in 2017, we started looking for a place for them. Gradually while searching and speaking with people we came across “Ashiana Nirmay“, this was to be honest like “too good to be true” type of a place where I was getting a “Heaven” for my Parents. The place was so promising that we found “Nirmay” to be the best present we could ever give to our parents. We finalized it and planned to shift them from Dwarka, kudos to the entire team of “Nirmay” that it looked so easy from sales to registration to shifting and welcoming them during Dad’s birthday. It’s here that my parents found the third phase of their life or relearning. Today, they are learning to take care of themselves, giving themselves long due priority and doing all sorts of things like swimming, pool, Gym, TT, Cycling, Outing, Dance, Singing and the list is endless. He is busier than all of us combined and this is a life they truly deserve. Yes, today I clearly see that my parents are playing Poonam and Vijay. Thank you Ashiana Nirmay.

The New and Revived Anjula and Mrinal!

"Never in a million years!" was our reaction when our parents told us of their decision to move to a retirement community. My sister and I couldn't wrap our heads around the fact that not only would our parents not be in Delhi, but that they would be a part of a community that, to us at the time, sounded like an old age home. We couldn't have been more wrong! 

Now, we are thankful everyday that our parents are part of a lovely, friendly and, most importantly, happy community that makes every day of their retirement feel like a mini vacation. All our lives we saw our parents give up many things for the sake of their two daughters—whether it foregoing a relaxing cup of coffee with a friend to stay at home and help us prepare for our exams, or small luxuries for themselves to ensure that we got the computer we needed for school work. So when we visit them now and see our mother, who loves the water, lounging in the pool or our father, who has always loved music, learning how to play the keyboard, we are thankful and happy that they finally get to pursue interests and hobbies that they should have been able to as younger people, but couldn’t.

Our parents have taken care of not just us, but their own parents for as long as we can remember and it wasn't easy. We've seen them deal with stress, tension, sadness, fatigue and now that they're on the other side, after excellent, inspiring careers, they deserve to sit back and relax. Our parents are smart, cheerful and warm and it’s heartening to see that they are now surrounded by similar people. They love every minute of it and for that we thank Nirmay.

Our rejuvenated Father-Mr. Vimal K Mehra

Our father is a very emotional person, a true family man. A powerhouse, full of energy, a bundle of joy & a fighter. He has a magnetic personality, attracts attention wherever he is, always an influencer. Very passionate about his physical & spiritual health, lives life by his own terms & philosophy. His mantra to life has been “Live Life King-Size”, full of enjoyment whether it is with family or at work. Whatever he does, he does with full vigour. He has always been a workaholic, 24/7 office work & touring. Life is a continuous journey, has many phases and circumstances change with time. So the truth of life hits everyone, he too had his fair share of challenges, retirement, wife’s health, children moved out to face their respective lives. This had a dent on his life though he fought well, tried his best to maintain balance but it took serious toll on his life style. This amplified after our mother left for her heavenly abode, our father Mr. Vimal K Mehra felt devastated and life for him became loathsome. We feared that his health would start deteriorating fast as he chose to stay alone and this decision became a vicious cycle, soon to hit our face as full-blown depression.     Fortunate for him and us, we came to know about Ashiana Senior Living. Without giving a second thought we convinced our father to sell his existing house and buy one unit there. He has always held the bull of life by its horns, he showed confidence in his children’s confidence. Just by listening about the philosophy of Nirmay “ Continuous Care Retirement Community”, he was moved that we are not asking him to move into any Elderly Home. He was so confident that this will open for him a new chapter for happy living and purchased Unit No. 806, passing the alternative of moving in a trial apartment before actual purchase. Within few months of his stay there, we have found wondrous changes in him, the cheerfulness that had vanished came back to him in abundance. His spirit to be active and participate in everything around him has returned. 

According to him, he receives everything there that a retired person will long for. There are plenty amiable persons of his age to share his joys and sorrows, lush green ambience to fill his lungs with pure air, parks to do restful walks, yoga and meditation, club for indoor games and recreational activities, and of course a canteen maintaining ample hygiene to provide food that's not only a delight to the taste buds but nutritious too. In short, all the facets of a life after retirement are taken care of, by Ashiana. I'm so grateful to all those great souls who conceptualised this heaven for Senior Citizens and also to the magnificent team managing it remarkably. In my opinion, Ashiana Senior Living is the perfect solution for the purpose of Rejuvenation of Senior Citizens.

“Friendship is for happiness and it reduces your pain wherever u are living”

I, Mrs Aloe Mukherjee & Mrs Neeta Mahajan have been friends since 1993. She is fun loving and always said one thing ‘speak what you want’. She and her husband Mr. Adarsh Mahajan always wanted to give their both daughters wings to fly therefore they provided  them with the best options available. They always dreamt of a house which was spacious, no parking problem like in Delhi and most importantly a secured life. Once their daughters got married and settled abroad ,they both thought of living a life of their own, which would give them contentment, friends of their age group where they can share their problems and not miss their friends in Delhi. They saw Nirmay, a Senior Living in Bhiwadi and their happiness knew no bounds. It was picture perfect- friends, entertainment and most importantly security. Calling two daughters for any help was not possible as they are settled abroad and only Bhiwadi – Nirmay could provide help. Their day to day monitoring, caring and responsive attitude is what they wanted. So they booked their flat – T 703 and were assured that Bhiwadi Nirmay will help with their quick and dedicated staff. Their children who are well settled in abroad now can relax and leave everything on Senior living -Nirmay where security of the parents was the most important thing. Kudos to both of them who thought of living a life which even the youngsters of Delhi cannot do. Retiring before age just to be in Nirmay was the most sensible decision. A right choice made by them. I really feel jealous sometimes when she talks about what she did every day.

The spark which I  see in Neeta’s eyes, the excitement and enthusiasm the couple exhibits gives me immense joy. They both have added life to their remaining years and this gives me a reason to smile and wish them all the happiness in this world. I too will join them soon to have a lovely life like them. Mrs Aloe Mukherjee-16/09/2019

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful senior people are work of art! And Ashiana is a great artist, creating the “seenager masterpieces” at Bhiwadi Rajasthan. I moved to America to pursue my PhD in 2003. My Mom and Dad were 54 years old. Over the years as I settled in America; my Parents were ageing, from a healthy happy couple in their 50s with a thriving professional and personal circle of friends to a couple soon to be 68 years old, with both their daughters settled in different parts of the world. In their voices, I started sensing loneliness. I could feel the palpitating anxiety that old age brings. In my head I could hear a voice, I am too far from them. I would call my Mom every day at 9 am EST (7 pm in India) and if I was late, even by a few minutes, she would start getting anxious, concerned as she has been waiting for my call for a few hours that day. 

In 2017, something changed – my Parents read about Ashiana and they visited the site. They liked what they saw and decided to move from Faridabad and resettle at the age of 68 years old! Kudos! Within a few months they started to thrive and have this amazing social life, a life more socially and emotionally fulfilling than I have seen in more than a decade! I continue to call my Parents at 9 am EST (7 pm in India) but now they are busy, playing a game of cards or participating in a dance class or just enjoying their evening with other “seenagers” and LIVING as they have no time to worry!  

Thank you Ashiana for creating happiness and pride, for the serenity, in them and me! Just like birds, families & individuals have left their homes where they lived for years and made memories for life, and now flown into Ashiana Bhiwadi to make new nests for themselves. My parents, Mr & Mrs Ashok Chatrath, lived in our family home in Faridabad for nearly 45 years where they made lifelong relationships with friends, family and neighbours. Hence, moving to Ashiana was a BIG decision! However, moving to Ashiana has not just been a change of location, but a complete change of lifestyle too! The facilities provided in the society are next to amazing and there is always something for everyone, no matter what your interests. Activities run on a daily / weekly / monthly timetable which keeps everyone informed of upcoming events and gives something to look forward to. For the first time ever, my parents started learning how to swim and I feel are now starting to live life for themselves. Papa has also started playing billiards whereas mummy is enjoying her rangoli making and other art classes. Ashiana has something for everyone, and the team is always coming up with new ideas to keep everyone busy. Doing things such as rain dance, watching movies in the theatre room, going out on a picnic, celebrating all festivals together, month end celebrations, playing board games, Jashn festivities and many more, gives immense pleasure that I know is cherished by my parents and hopefully all. Not forgetting, the beautiful relations they are building now with their new family at Aashiana! Being thousands of miles away, I talk to my parents almost every single morning, and there has not been one day when they are not up to something. I get the feeling of pride, content happiness when I see them enjoying their life to the fullest. Thank you Ashiana!

RUCHIKA SHARMA D/O SATISH AND SHEELA SHARMA T-1005, ASHIANA NIRMAY BHIWADI 

Happily Retired…  

It is rightly said that age is just a number. One can never retire from one’s long cherished, bitter and sweet experiences and subdued passions. The dreams which were once willingly suppressed for coping up with the sleep-depriving jobs, hectic schedules and most importantly, the unending demands of nurturing children have now been materialised. Today, I see my parents living that dream! All thanks to Ashiana! 

It has been a good thirty four years that I have seen my parents struggling day in and out trying as hard as possible to run their family and give the best in the world to my brother and me. Their days turned into nights and nights into days but their labour, compassion and love for us never changed. In fact, I have always seen my mother working like a robot, I would sometimes touch her forehead at night and feel the sweat of the day’s labour and chores. My father would sometimes doze off with a TV show running on with some foreign language that was beyond his comprehension, yes he was always that tired.

But today, I see a reversal in role. While we are slogging hard trying to meet the ends, our parents are doing all that they had deprived themselves off for good thirty four years-RELAXING AND ENJOYING! Watching my mother sing on the stage of JASHN gave a cultural attack to me as I had never heard her sing. Wow! She is a damn good singer and I seriously feel that her bathroom chrooning deserved to be taken seriously. Now, my dad explains me the winning techniques of uber-modern games like the Table-tennis and billiards who once never got the quality time to even finish watching his favourite TV shows. And not to forget my mother has a huge friend circle who loves to watch movies together, shop till they literally drop. They’ve never been busier before, the only difference is that now that they are busy LIVING their lives to the fullest. They are truly living an independent and dignified life with a mind of their own wherein their opinions and desires matter the most to them.

WRITTEN BY NIDHI SETH D/O Mrs Neelam Chopra and Mr. Anil Chopra, T-301 ( Ashiana Nirmay) 

Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. But then your choices make your life. Almost 70 she is my strong, courageous, simple, caring, happy, ‘bring it on’ MUM. My mother was shocked half dead by the untimely and unexpected death of my father. She was only 49. A year later both my brother and me got married and settled abroad. At her golden age she was left alone. This was a bigger blow to her. She was dying inside, crying in the bathroom for hours and trying to smile outside all the time. She started decaying, her legs started to limp. Her immunity went down so fast that she always had cold and cough. The first beam of joy came to her with the arrival of my son. The mother in her awoke again and she tried to struggle to survive.

The big Bengali bun had vanished and she was left with a string of hair. But life started coming back. She collected herself in difficult times but only when the test is difficult, the exceptional rise. Against our wishes she booked a flat in Nirmay and landed in Utsav Ashiana. The doctor had suggested three surgeries, spine and both knees. She was ready for it because of the Care Home in Utsav. She was feeling relieved because of the after care. However as of now she has postponed the surgery as she is enjoying her life with her new friends and constantly motivating her old friends to come and settle in Nirmay. A new beam of life sprinkles, life is never what you think it will be, but making the best use of everything,  everytime  is living to the fullest. It is a joy to see her enjoy her life with all the activities and trips. Nirmay has been a turning point to my thoughts and perspective. I love coming over and enjoying the facilities and the staff mean more than family.

ODE TO LIFE

Ashiana Senior Living has opened an exciting innovative chapter in my mother’s life. It has created a world of stimulating experience, interests and novel friendships around her. Age and retirement bring fresh challenges like isolation, insecurity, vulnerability and health problems. Ashiana retirement homes have resolved and reformed these problems of social care for seniors giving them an opportunity to embrace a different outlook towards life. Provision of services like health checks and ambulance services at doorstep, on site restaurant , adaptive devices and emergency bell inside accommodation, staff on site 24 hours, domestic assistance etc; has given me peace of mind knowing she has help around her. There is always face to face human connection and she has company of her peers and like-minded people.

They have leisure facilities like swimming pool, fitness centre, games room, in house theatre and library for seniors. There are regular competitions and activities for seniors to participate. I loved the friendly, harmonious yet vibrant atmosphere on my visit where seniors can avoid boredom of monotonous retired life by pursuing hobbies or learning new skills. My mum has been the best example of how one can develop new interests and relive a hassle free lifestyle at Ashiana. She retired from the medical profession and is now devoting her energy and time socialising, taking part in competition, rock painting and learning how to swim. She has won second prize at a recent rangoli competition. She goes for excursions with her friends, watches in house movies and has a choice of cooking her meal or enjoying meals at a café. She looks less worried, more healthy and happy living an active, flexible, independent retired life. I feel grateful that Ashiana Senior living has revived her enthusiasm and aptitude, supported her needs and has become a safe haven for my mother.

My masi Sunayana Mirchandani had shifted in Ashiana Nirmay when it was half completed and very few flats were in possession i.e. very few people had moved in. She is staying on the top floor from where the view is fantastic. It’s like a village scene that they show in movies but in real life it is completely different. Regarding the people, most of the people are between the ages of 60-80 years. They are all friendly and mixing types. There is a swimming pool, cafe and clubhouse.

Every week there is some kind of activities where both ladies and men come out with their hidden talents. It is slowly developing but it lacks one thing “care home”, where a person can go in for an emergency. There is a staff nurse 24/7 on call. Staff is very friendly and always on call whenever you need them for any help. All the festivals are celebrated, movies are shown twice a week and there are games of your choice. She just loves it there.