Can we envision a happy retirement two decades with a sustainable and inclusive future for ourselves? How is the current scenario dictating the future for us?
I visited a retirement community, Serene Kshetra, in May 2024, and it was magnificent, to say the least. The community prioritised nestling the apartments amid nature.
The residents prioritised kitchen gardening, one of their most essential and favourite pastimes, apart from getting together for games or events.
The residents, despite their age and ailments take it upon themselves to supervise the society and collectively ensure that the place is squeaky clean—something even the most premium apartments today can’t boast of—and actively handle the maintenance especially figuring out ways to make the infrastructure more senior-friendly. I wish I were half as lucky as them and would have a dignified retirement and healthy and active ageing to look forward to.
Investing in a lovely climate-resilient house seems to be near-to-impossible these days, due to the high costs, long waiting lists and limited availability. So, even if we skip that step and instead decide to invest in a late-stage, senior-care retirement home with amenities, daily maintenance services, access to healthy food, and accessible healthcare, it seems unattainable to me.
I wish our Indian government focused more on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (especially SDGs 3 and 10). We will soon be a country like Japan, with a significantly ageing population experiencing the most brutal effects of climate change.
The elderly are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events and heatwaves, which are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. This makes it even more crucial for us to address these issues.