Fun in the twilight years
Fun in the twilight years
With ever-increasing options for post retirement life, people are planning early and with a degree of excitement for their silver years, says Anuradha Varma
Ask someone what they plan to do once they retire, and the day dreams begin. From turning authors, watching the sun set from the deck of a cruise liner, climbing mountains to running a café, it’s a time-out zone for most working professionals.
Many people have a blueprint for the future, even though tentative. Whether it’s couples waiting for kids to grow up and fly the coop, others who have adopted a no-kids policy or singles, the silver years are a time when they will do their own thing.
Mumbai-based foodie and writer Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal shares her plan for the future, “We have a lovely house in Dehradun. Shekhar (her husband) and I dream of opening a cafe under the mango tree there. He will bake — he loves to bake — and I will cook. His pizza, my topping; his breads, my butters and jams... we will have awesome food made from stuff we grow and fab coffee. And we can watch our grandkids run around the garden.”
Poonacha Machaiah, chairman & CEO, Above Solutions Inc, has a bucket list ready for retirement. He says, “It has activities that will continue to keep me actively engaged both mentally and physically, such as climbing the seven summits, exploring Bimini island – The Road to Atlantis and finding the hidden tomb of Genghis Khan.”
The 60s are a time to live it up, with long sessions of golf, unending evenings filled with friends and shared interests, and luxury travel. And why not? They have the time and the money! Confesses one gentleman in his mid-60s, “It’s the sunset of our lives, but we want to make sure that it is at one of the most beautiful beaches or exotic locations that our cruise ship is anchored!”
They’re not the only ones living it up as Nishit Saxena, director, Cunard World Voyages, reveals, “It’s the people in the 50 to 60 age bracket that have the time and money for a cruise that lasts over a fortnight or more.”
With nuclear families having forced the present generation of silvers to live independently, despite having children, the current generation has more reason to live for themselves. Like Siddharth, a journalist, who married at 40 and has decided against having kids. He says, “I don’t want to be in a situation when I retire with a child who has miles to go. And what is the guarantee that a child will take care of us? As we age, I can visualise us living in our own home with a person to look after us and two dogs.”
Adds 39-year-old Arpita (name changed), “We never felt the hunger to have kids. And, kids are no insurance policy for old age. A lot of us friends discuss growing old together in a retirement community.”
As friends become the new extended family, with many booking homes close to each other, builders are cashing in on the trend, with retirement townships and homes gaining currency. The facilities include health clubs, meditation centres, spas, indoor games, movie shows, coffee shops, laundromats, drivers and medical consultation. While Aashiana’s Utsav complex has young people booking an address post-retirement, others like Pune’s Golden Nest Senior Commune and Dignity Lifestyle also offer elderly-friendly housing. Says Sheilu Sreenivasan, founder president, Dignity Foundation, “The township has been designed as the ultimate un-retirement plan. Cottages have non-slip flooring and grab rails in the bathrooms. NRI kids are booking homes for parents and advance booking is becoming a norm.”
It’s also official that planning for retirement begins early, so that lifestyles can be maintained till the very end. Says Anisha Motwani, CMO, Max New York Life Insurance, “People realise that they have only themselves to depend on. The pension industry has grown by a whopping 40 per cent over the last year. The bulls-eye age to start investing for retirement is 40. The average amount being invested in a pension plan is Rs 40,000 annually. People also save for retirement in other ways like fixed deposits, real estate, etc.”
Siddharth Mangharam, founder and CEO, Peek India, is looking forward to retirement to take a road trip with his family across India and Europe. The idea now is to plan one’s life, factoring in the years required for a career, bringing up kids and other responsibilities. Says 28-year-old Priyanka Jain, “My husband and I see ourselves free of our corporate routine and running a social service outfit. We plan to do the groundwork now. We want to spend our old age with a likeminded community of friends and take month-long holidays abroad. I might turn to writing and he may go back to playing drums.”
With a retirement that promises to be empowered and independent, it’s time to turn that dream into a plan for action. Let the good times continue!
Ask someone what they plan to do once they retire, and the day dreams begin. From turning authors, watching the sun set from the deck of a cruise liner, climbing mountains to running a café, it’s a time-out zone for most working professionals.
Many people have a blueprint for the future, even though tentative. Whether it’s couples waiting for kids to grow up and fly the coop, others who have adopted a no-kids policy or singles, the silver years are a time when they will do their own thing.
Mumbai-based foodie and writer Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal shares her plan for the future, “We have a lovely house in Dehradun. Shekhar (her husband) and I dream of opening a cafe under the mango tree there. He will bake — he loves to bake — and I will cook. His pizza, my topping; his breads, my butters and jams... we will have awesome food made from stuff we grow and fab coffee. And we can watch our grandkids run around the garden.”
Poonacha Machaiah, chairman & CEO, Above Solutions Inc, has a bucket list ready for retirement. He says, “It has activities that will continue to keep me actively engaged both mentally and physically, such as climbing the seven summits, exploring Bimini island – The Road to Atlantis and finding the hidden tomb of Genghis Khan.”
The 60s are a time to live it up, with long sessions of golf, unending evenings filled with friends and shared interests, and luxury travel. And why not? They have the time and the money! Confesses one gentleman in his mid-60s, “It’s the sunset of our lives, but we want to make sure that it is at one of the most beautiful beaches or exotic locations that our cruise ship is anchored!”
They’re not the only ones living it up as Nishit Saxena, director, Cunard World Voyages, reveals, “It’s the people in the 50 to 60 age bracket that have the time and money for a cruise that lasts over a fortnight or more.”
With nuclear families having forced the present generation of silvers to live independently, despite having children, the current generation has more reason to live for themselves. Like Siddharth, a journalist, who married at 40 and has decided against having kids. He says, “I don’t want to be in a situation when I retire with a child who has miles to go. And what is the guarantee that a child will take care of us? As we age, I can visualise us living in our own home with a person to look after us and two dogs.”
Adds 39-year-old Arpita (name changed), “We never felt the hunger to have kids. And, kids are no insurance policy for old age. A lot of us friends discuss growing old together in a retirement community.”
As friends become the new extended family, with many booking homes close to each other, builders are cashing in on the trend, with retirement townships and homes gaining currency. The facilities include health clubs, meditation centres, spas, indoor games, movie shows, coffee shops, laundromats, drivers and medical consultation. While Aashiana’s Utsav complex has young people booking an address post-retirement, others like Pune’s Golden Nest Senior Commune and Dignity Lifestyle also offer elderly-friendly housing. Says Sheilu Sreenivasan, founder president, Dignity Foundation, “The township has been designed as the ultimate un-retirement plan. Cottages have non-slip flooring and grab rails in the bathrooms. NRI kids are booking homes for parents and advance booking is becoming a norm.”
It’s also official that planning for retirement begins early, so that lifestyles can be maintained till the very end. Says Anisha Motwani, CMO, Max New York Life Insurance, “People realise that they have only themselves to depend on. The pension industry has grown by a whopping 40 per cent over the last year. The bulls-eye age to start investing for retirement is 40. The average amount being invested in a pension plan is Rs 40,000 annually. People also save for retirement in other ways like fixed deposits, real estate, etc.”
Siddharth Mangharam, founder and CEO, Peek India, is looking forward to retirement to take a road trip with his family across India and Europe. The idea now is to plan one’s life, factoring in the years required for a career, bringing up kids and other responsibilities. Says 28-year-old Priyanka Jain, “My husband and I see ourselves free of our corporate routine and running a social service outfit. We plan to do the groundwork now. We want to spend our old age with a likeminded community of friends and take month-long holidays abroad. I might turn to writing and he may go back to playing drums.”
With a retirement that promises to be empowered and independent, it’s time to turn that dream into a plan for action. Let the good times continue!
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