Assisted living breaking the taboo of old age homes in Chennai

Unlike normal old age homes, assisted living ensures that the senior citizen has his or her own space. They get their individual apartment spaces and they can customize them the way they want.

In her one BHK space, Vallinayagi, 83, sings her favourite devotional songs and a few Tamil love songs. She then spends her time reading her favourite weekly journals and spiritual books. The entire set-up looks like a regular home of an elderly citizen but here the only difference is that Vallinayagi is part of an assisted living community. On December 5, 2019, Vallinayagi who is a retired teacher, lost her husband to ill health, after enjoying over 20 years of their retired lives together. Their only daughter, who has been settled in Dubai, insisted that her mother come along with her. But Vallinayagi decided to stay back in Chennai. Her daughter decided to choose a safe space for her mother. On the 14th day after her husband’s death, Vallinayagi moved into her new home at Athulya Assisted Living.