Whether it’s enjoying chai after the morning walks, or catching up with friends regarding favorite shows and activities, or comfortably hosting children and grandchildren during their visits, or engaging in activities that improve physical, mental and emotional well-being, you will find your tailored apt solution at 2getherments. More and more families are moving back to semi-joint family structures. An emerging type of urban Indian family unit is that of a senior single parent living with married senior children. Given how critical support for aging individuals is, it is heartwarming to notice that family values continue to stay strong and support for seniors increase among many Indian families. The home requirements of this family unit are very specific and the solution was designed accordingly. With a growing senior population (from 104 million in 2011 to 173 million by 2026), an increase in life expectancy, and aspirations of active senior living, the need for specific housing solutions is high amongst Indian seniors.

A lot has changed in a typical senior retirement lifestyle experience in the last 3 decades. Earlier, middle-class families worked through their life, held one job, lived in one city, built/bought a home, and after retirement, drew pensions/ savings and lead quiet retired lives. While some of them were not financially dependent on their children, they needed emotional, mental and at times physical support from their adult children. Nowadays, seniors are looking forward to an active retired life and to indulge in interests and community engagements that they had little time for during their working life. Travel, gardening, community service are high up on their priority list, along with support for their grandchildren’s upbringing. While some would like to move away from the big cities, others choose to stay back as there is a larger support system in place for their growing needs (such as better healthcare facilities, social engagements, professional opportunities, etc).

Earlier, studies and careers took families to different places. But when it came to retiring, most families choose to come back to their hometowns. Nowadays, with children traveling across the country and globe, hometowns can be where their friends, children or interests are present.

PAIN POINTS-

‍With those aspirations come typical pain points senior families face including:

• Feeling social loneliness with limited opportunity to increase friend circle.
• Feeling stressed on how much chores there are to do around the house.
• Wanting to improve the all-round well-being of the aging parent.
• Having limited access to pursue fitness activities.
• Having limited access to pursue hobbies and sports.

HIDDEN ASPIRATIONS-

‍From our research and decades of work experience designing residential communities, we’ve identified some hidden aspirations of senior families and have designed solutions that help address their needs appropriately. Typically, senior families require:

• Spaces for the family to engage and connect with each other, friends (old and new) and neighbours.
• The stronger community in which to build and develop new friends.
• Homes that do not require too much housekeeping effort and time.
• Adequate storage for requirements of the family.
• Expandable home for visiting families and guests.
• Options for the whole family to explore and develop skills and interests; and reduced commute times while pursuing those activities.

A report released by the United Nations Population Fund and Help Age India.

‍LIFESTYLE CHOICES-

‍In addition, we are also seeing an increasing preference for lifestyle choices that include:

• Moving towards organic food sources and greater food safety.
• Developing interest in kitchen gardens and home-grown greens and vegetables.
• Responsibly managing waste segregation, disposal, and recycling.
• Responsibly consuming energy & water.
• Craving for homes that are closer to nature and cleaner environment.

Given the above needs and requirements, we’ve designed the units in 2getherments to be apt homes for senior families; homes that also have multi-tasking spaces; homes that change from time-consuming habitats to time-earning habitats. As we walk through each room design, this larger design intent will become evident from the solutions and provisions that have been included to help address these specific aspirations of such families.
‍
While we’ve designed homes keeping a typical senior family persona in mind, we understand that not all families are the same or all their requirements identical. And so, we offer customisation services (as an add-on service) where our designers will work with you and your family to create a home that meets your specific needs and requirements.