Why this title? Just for the heck of creating some more interest in the writeup that is posted - May be this reminds you of the famous book by U.S. physician Dr. David Reuben. Na na - this has nothing to do with the book nor with the contents of the book. This is just about Gated community Retirement homes or rather I would use the word 'Retirement Resorts' where we stayed for two days on experimental basis. Now please go ahead and read to find out. This write up was done for the inhouse magazine 'Spectrum' of my office and hence you may find some references to the magazine which you may just ignore or enjoy too.
[h=2]A Memorable two day's Stint at Gated Community Retirement home[/h]Many of our friends visit Ladakh, Alaska or even a kodaikanal or Ooty. - But can you guess where me and Krishna visited ? Guess - Guess - Guess.. (even wanted to use scroll etc etc - but then don't want you to lose your patience and leave the topic na?)
Me and Krishna made a visit and stay a a Gated Community Retirement home in Coimbatore and what an experience it was - It all started when I met my friend during the return journey from Mumbai - I met Padma who is a retiree from some other PSU who became my friend during Inter PSU Carrom tournaments . Padma and her hubby told me about this Gated Community Retirement home at Coimbatore where they are currently staying. They said , it was a 'WOW" life they have at this home - almost a 5* sort of life. They initially started with a rented accommodation some 4 years ago and then after experiencing the hospitality and serenity provided, they had purchased two bedroom apartment in 2012 . When I raised some doubts about the life, they challenged me to come and stay for some time with them and find out.
We (me and my hubby) have been reading so much about all these Gated Community Retirement homes but we were not sure about the food as we both want non masala, non garlic jain sort of food (of course onion is acceptable to us unlike jains) Padma assured us that we will get the food we want and I said to my hubby ' why not we try' - As a good loving hubby he agreed with me after a day of pesturing - (Here I have to tell a 'shhhhh' secret - Padma said the main activity she was indulged in is playing carroms as there were many good players too and opportunity of playing carroms after 8 years lured me too)
We talked to the administration and booked a guest house accommodation for us - the cost being Rs. 1500/- per day for lodging and boarding too -
We reached Coimbatore in the morning and took call taxi as suggested by Shri Sundaram, Manager and reached the home which was some 9 Kms from the Station. The guest house accommodation was really too good and after the bath etc we ventured to see the home atmosphere in detail. Incidentally, we did not inform Padma that we are reaching the home - As they did not know we were visiting, they and some 34 members had planned to visit a nearby tourist spot 'Anamalai Hills" They invited us too to join them but we declined as we wanted to find out about the retirement home environment.
8-30 am we all had our breakfast of dosa, pova, churtney sambar with hot hot coffee - There was no limited suplply condition and Kannan the main person who was serving with a broad smile was almost on all the tables serving to the heart's content of each and every one. There were two other ladies too with plastic caps covering their heads - We could see the kitchen from the dining space and we could also see the hygienic atmosphere prevailing in the kitchen. The breakfast was yummy, coffee was yummy filter coffee without sugar with sugar being provided separately.
Then we started our visit with the temple which was maintained so nicely - we visited one or two empty apartments which were available for rent - then had a nice walk around the complex. Even though the time was beyond 9.00 am it was a pleasant walk.
We met others who did not take part in the tour and one and all said for the two years they were staying there, they never had any stomach problem or other major ailments - The water provided even in the toilets and bathrooms leave alone the kitchen was RO treated water.
There is a clubhouse with meditation hall which turns out to become a indoor theatre when sometimes new movies are shown, a gym, a indoor games rooms with carroms. chess and round table to sit and chat or to play a game of cards - there is a mini library too with some good books - Newspapers one tamil and one English are provided in the library too.
The accommodation has a tiny modular kitchen with two bedrooms 16 x 10 with attached bathrooms. The bathrooms have skid proof tiles with hot water facility. There is a slightly bigger hall and a tiny modular kitchen too. . (I have attached a video showing Padma's accommodation for you to see ) The apartment has a foyer to sit and also to keep your slippers. There are provisions for keeping washing machines and Refrigerators too. Some of the inmates do their own cooking in the kitchen and even many use the kitchen for making some choice dishes at times.
There is parking space too if anyone needs for a cost and there are lifts provided in all the building running from ground floor to third floor which has half open roofs with a provision to dry the clothes each space earmarked for each apartment.
The home administration takes care of the maintenance of the apartment too - so no nightmare of servant not turning up for a day. Even when you are away, the home administration cleans the apartment twice a week .
After lunch was yummy too with karela sambar, yam koottu and raw banana bhaji - Rasam and curd and pickle ofcourse were there too.
Then we had a nice game of carroms till 3.45 when we had to come down to have our coffee and biscuits. Then it was walking and talking time and some went for bhajans etc. Night Dinner was kitchady,chutney, curd rice and pickeles. By 8 pm the dinner was over and then again a bit of carroms - Krishna busy with playing card s- a game of 56 -
By 10 pm we were in bed to wait for the next day. Next day morning Krishna went down at 6 am , took his coffee and brought my coffee in a flask. Then breakfast was Idly and sprouted beans porridge with sambar and chutney Lunch was beans bhaji and beatroot and carrot salad sambar rasam etc etc.
it is said weekly once some of the inmates will have his birthday celebrations or some pooja with vada and Kheer provided to all the members at his cost. But management restricts the same to only once in a week so inmates wait for their turn to provide vada and payasam.
Weekly once chapathis are provided, and some of the days they have wheat preparations like dosa, lapsy upma etc. Afternoon lunch has an option for having lapsy (wheat granules cooked to substitute as rice ) or rice -
There is a clinic inside when a doctor or nurse visits everyday so that those who want can check up their BP or other minor ailments. If anyone falls really sick then they has a vehicle to take you to a hospital. The day we visited we heard that one lady fell down and a nurse stayed with her the whole night to take care of her. But ofcourse, all at a cost -
Persons for ironing the clothes, flowere vendors etc are at your beck and call too.
If you weigh the Pros and cons , the pros outnumber the cons but there are cons too.
1) they don't provide any fruits and for getting some fruits you have to have an auto or walk a kilometer to come to the main road where there is a Nilgiris Mall.
2) May be in time, You may get bored with the rigid timings to take breakfast/lunch dinner etc but there is always an option to start your own cooking. If you don't use the food for more than five days with prior intimation then the cost of boarding is reduced proportionately.
3) The food provided is totally south indian brahminical and hence those who have teeth for masaladaar food may get bored with the sober food provided by the home, Ofcourse we loved it the way it was.
4) Even though at times, the children of NRI parents come and stay with them with their kids, but most of the time you may be seeing the old (pun intended) faces and this may make you start feeling old too.
Besides the above constraints, I would say if you really like a peaceful life, then this is the place. For less than Rs. 20000/- a month you get two bedroom/hall/kitchen accommodation, with maintenance as well as food taken care of. Ofcourse if you have penchant for playing games, walking, like being with the people you won't get bored. There is always a chance for outdoor visits too.
I have attached a video clip and some pics howing the glimpse of the gated community retirement home with a video clip showing the apartment of my friend padma too. Just enjoy and please give me your feedback .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=8gAcpq7o34o
[h=2]A Memorable two day's Stint at Gated Community Retirement home[/h]Many of our friends visit Ladakh, Alaska or even a kodaikanal or Ooty. - But can you guess where me and Krishna visited ? Guess - Guess - Guess.. (even wanted to use scroll etc etc - but then don't want you to lose your patience and leave the topic na?)
Me and Krishna made a visit and stay a a Gated Community Retirement home in Coimbatore and what an experience it was - It all started when I met my friend during the return journey from Mumbai - I met Padma who is a retiree from some other PSU who became my friend during Inter PSU Carrom tournaments . Padma and her hubby told me about this Gated Community Retirement home at Coimbatore where they are currently staying. They said , it was a 'WOW" life they have at this home - almost a 5* sort of life. They initially started with a rented accommodation some 4 years ago and then after experiencing the hospitality and serenity provided, they had purchased two bedroom apartment in 2012 . When I raised some doubts about the life, they challenged me to come and stay for some time with them and find out.
We (me and my hubby) have been reading so much about all these Gated Community Retirement homes but we were not sure about the food as we both want non masala, non garlic jain sort of food (of course onion is acceptable to us unlike jains) Padma assured us that we will get the food we want and I said to my hubby ' why not we try' - As a good loving hubby he agreed with me after a day of pesturing - (Here I have to tell a 'shhhhh' secret - Padma said the main activity she was indulged in is playing carroms as there were many good players too and opportunity of playing carroms after 8 years lured me too)
We talked to the administration and booked a guest house accommodation for us - the cost being Rs. 1500/- per day for lodging and boarding too -
We reached Coimbatore in the morning and took call taxi as suggested by Shri Sundaram, Manager and reached the home which was some 9 Kms from the Station. The guest house accommodation was really too good and after the bath etc we ventured to see the home atmosphere in detail. Incidentally, we did not inform Padma that we are reaching the home - As they did not know we were visiting, they and some 34 members had planned to visit a nearby tourist spot 'Anamalai Hills" They invited us too to join them but we declined as we wanted to find out about the retirement home environment.
8-30 am we all had our breakfast of dosa, pova, churtney sambar with hot hot coffee - There was no limited suplply condition and Kannan the main person who was serving with a broad smile was almost on all the tables serving to the heart's content of each and every one. There were two other ladies too with plastic caps covering their heads - We could see the kitchen from the dining space and we could also see the hygienic atmosphere prevailing in the kitchen. The breakfast was yummy, coffee was yummy filter coffee without sugar with sugar being provided separately.
Then we started our visit with the temple which was maintained so nicely - we visited one or two empty apartments which were available for rent - then had a nice walk around the complex. Even though the time was beyond 9.00 am it was a pleasant walk.
We met others who did not take part in the tour and one and all said for the two years they were staying there, they never had any stomach problem or other major ailments - The water provided even in the toilets and bathrooms leave alone the kitchen was RO treated water.
There is a clubhouse with meditation hall which turns out to become a indoor theatre when sometimes new movies are shown, a gym, a indoor games rooms with carroms. chess and round table to sit and chat or to play a game of cards - there is a mini library too with some good books - Newspapers one tamil and one English are provided in the library too.
The accommodation has a tiny modular kitchen with two bedrooms 16 x 10 with attached bathrooms. The bathrooms have skid proof tiles with hot water facility. There is a slightly bigger hall and a tiny modular kitchen too. . (I have attached a video showing Padma's accommodation for you to see ) The apartment has a foyer to sit and also to keep your slippers. There are provisions for keeping washing machines and Refrigerators too. Some of the inmates do their own cooking in the kitchen and even many use the kitchen for making some choice dishes at times.
There is parking space too if anyone needs for a cost and there are lifts provided in all the building running from ground floor to third floor which has half open roofs with a provision to dry the clothes each space earmarked for each apartment.
The home administration takes care of the maintenance of the apartment too - so no nightmare of servant not turning up for a day. Even when you are away, the home administration cleans the apartment twice a week .
After lunch was yummy too with karela sambar, yam koottu and raw banana bhaji - Rasam and curd and pickle ofcourse were there too.
Then we had a nice game of carroms till 3.45 when we had to come down to have our coffee and biscuits. Then it was walking and talking time and some went for bhajans etc. Night Dinner was kitchady,chutney, curd rice and pickeles. By 8 pm the dinner was over and then again a bit of carroms - Krishna busy with playing card s- a game of 56 -
By 10 pm we were in bed to wait for the next day. Next day morning Krishna went down at 6 am , took his coffee and brought my coffee in a flask. Then breakfast was Idly and sprouted beans porridge with sambar and chutney Lunch was beans bhaji and beatroot and carrot salad sambar rasam etc etc.
it is said weekly once some of the inmates will have his birthday celebrations or some pooja with vada and Kheer provided to all the members at his cost. But management restricts the same to only once in a week so inmates wait for their turn to provide vada and payasam.
Weekly once chapathis are provided, and some of the days they have wheat preparations like dosa, lapsy upma etc. Afternoon lunch has an option for having lapsy (wheat granules cooked to substitute as rice ) or rice -
There is a clinic inside when a doctor or nurse visits everyday so that those who want can check up their BP or other minor ailments. If anyone falls really sick then they has a vehicle to take you to a hospital. The day we visited we heard that one lady fell down and a nurse stayed with her the whole night to take care of her. But ofcourse, all at a cost -
Persons for ironing the clothes, flowere vendors etc are at your beck and call too.
If you weigh the Pros and cons , the pros outnumber the cons but there are cons too.
1) they don't provide any fruits and for getting some fruits you have to have an auto or walk a kilometer to come to the main road where there is a Nilgiris Mall.
2) May be in time, You may get bored with the rigid timings to take breakfast/lunch dinner etc but there is always an option to start your own cooking. If you don't use the food for more than five days with prior intimation then the cost of boarding is reduced proportionately.
3) The food provided is totally south indian brahminical and hence those who have teeth for masaladaar food may get bored with the sober food provided by the home, Ofcourse we loved it the way it was.
4) Even though at times, the children of NRI parents come and stay with them with their kids, but most of the time you may be seeing the old (pun intended) faces and this may make you start feeling old too.
Besides the above constraints, I would say if you really like a peaceful life, then this is the place. For less than Rs. 20000/- a month you get two bedroom/hall/kitchen accommodation, with maintenance as well as food taken care of. Ofcourse if you have penchant for playing games, walking, like being with the people you won't get bored. There is always a chance for outdoor visits too.
I have attached a video clip and some pics howing the glimpse of the gated community retirement home with a video clip showing the apartment of my friend padma too. Just enjoy and please give me your feedback .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=8gAcpq7o34o
