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My Experiences in a Retirement Community

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Vaagmi said:
A solution could be to run the canteen on a sharing basis by the regulars.
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Run a canteen? Appears to be an easy solution but who will take charge to run it and who will maintain the accounts?
Actually, seniors choose to go to these resorts only to be free from the daily grind! :couch2:
 
Catering is a money making business. In Sing. Chennai, even for a gathering of 10 to 15 persons, a reputed restaurant brings the food

and the hosts enjoy along with the guests! And, many seniors lament that there is no one to supply food on regular basis in their area.
So, when such a crisis crops up in a senior retirement community, a good caterer staying in that area can make good money! :popcorn:
 
Vaagmi said:
A solution could be to run the canteen on a sharing basis by the regulars.[/COLOR][/I][/COLOR]
Click to expand...




Sir,

I would like to share my experience in this regard.

During my deputation at Delhi, since most of my colleagues are from Tamil Nadu, fed up with searching for a restaurant serving ‘‘Chawal’ every day and with an idea to have our favorite mouthwatering dishes, we decided to establish a canteen run on our own efforts and in this regard we rented a hall, engaged cooks from our State and purchased all necessary utensils, groceries, vegetables, oil, milk and other essential commodities.

Meticulously we sorted out different menus for every week of the day (variety being the essence) which includes a ‘Sunday Special’ besides ‘Festival Specials’

There will be committee consisting of Secretary, Treasurer, Purchase, Hygiene and Cleanliness, etc. The Members of the Executive Committee will be elected during the General Body Meeting held annually.

This Mess Committee will meet once in every month, discuss about the previous month’s expenditure and sharing the same equally among the Members. The Committee will also discuss points on how to bring down the expenditure and to improve the standard of our Mess and its dishes.

One of the interesting things was, on Fridays in the Mess Notice Board, one can find ‘Red Dosai’ in the menu. (This red Dosai is nothing but our delicious ‘Adai’.) Despite our best efforts, our cook was unable to prepare ‘Adai’ to its original taste and size, i.e with golden brown colour, crisp, soft, etc and at last we lost our hope and allowed the menu to continue with ‘Red Dosai’ like ‘Red Indian’.:-)

Interestingly, the proverb is 'ways to man’s heart is through his stomach'. I enjoyed my tenure.

 
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Raji Ram said:
Run a canteen? Appears to be an easy solution but who will take charge to run it and who will maintain the accounts?
Actually, seniors choose to go to these resorts only to be free from the daily grind! :couch2:
Click to expand...


We had a meeting of the residents of the community. We have an association of owners of the community. I was about to suggest that the association should take over the responsibility of running the canteen. But informally I came to know that no one was in favour of such a proposal. No one wants the responsibility.
 
Raji Ram said:
That is what I thought, Sir.

Seniors want to have a very relaxed life with OTHERS taking all the responsibilities. :)
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Dear RR ji,

The canteen can try improving their services by hiring buxom idli type of body shaped females to work as personnel ..that would make the males have all meals in the canteen and their wives too will tag along to prevent their husbands from ogling at these women.

This is just an idea..who knows it might work!
 
Dear Renu,

Seniors go to these resorts to have a care free life, without any commitments, especially to escape the kitchen work.

So, when the problem arises in the common kitchen, they are upset. And, men will hesitate to take the responsibility

of running a canteen. Let us hope the management finds a proper solution soon.
 
Raji Ram said:
Dear Renu,

Seniors go to these resorts to have a care free life, without any commitments, especially to escape the kitchen work.

So, when the problem arises in the common kitchen, they are upset. And, men will hesitate to take the responsibility

of running a canteen. Let us hope the management finds a proper solution soon.
Click to expand...

Well RR ji..I have no sympathy for people who cant help themselves.

May be its this very same "carefree sans responsibility" attitude that got the seniors in this home in the first place..some of the could have tried this stunts of expecting VIP care free treatment with their kids and got the boot!

Responsibility does not end when old age sets in.

The other day one of my neighbours a lady in her 60's was asking me how to solve the problem of her painful knees.

I told her to go for slow walks..initially it will be painful..then the ligaments and muscles will strengthen and eventually the pain will be greatly reduced.

She said she is afraid of stray dogs on the road.

Then I told her since she is well off to buy a thread mill and do slow walks on it..so no need to worry of stray dogs.

Then she said "what is I fall down while using the thread mill"

Then I told her in that case to get a stationary bike cos risk of falling is very minimal.

She then said "But it would be so boring to do that"

Then finally I told her "this is all I can help you..if you cant help yourself..be prepared to suffer pain cos only you can help yourself"

Elderly people need to know that they are still in charge of their own lives..so too bad if they dont try hard enough.
 
Raji Ram said:
Dear Renu,

Seniors go to these resorts to have a care free life, without any commitments, especially to escape the kitchen work.

So, when the problem arises in the common kitchen, they are upset. And, men will hesitate to take the responsibility

of running a canteen. Let us hope the management finds a proper solution soon.
Click to expand...

They are justified. If you went to a pre-paid dinner party and saw the chef walking out, and the wait staff comes out and says sorry. Anybody will be upset. The management runs a poorly financed business, to entice residents but can not deliver. In India it should not be too difficult to get a cook or some catering company till they find a cook.
 
prasad1 said:
They are justified. If you went to a pre-paid dinner party and saw the chef walking out, and the wait staff comes out and says sorry. Anybody will be upset. The management runs a poorly financed business, to entice residents but can not deliver. In India it should not be too difficult to get a cook or some catering company till they find a cook.
Click to expand...

dear prasad,

i dont think it is that easy to find qualified and good cooking cooks these days. plus the caste and religion of the cook is also a criteria. and ofcourse the wages demanded and the location of work.

the booming hospitality industry and the restaurant businesses are skimming of the best products of the catering schools. on the other end of the scale, both brahmin and NB cooks have a heyday catering to weddings and special occassions. even the retired mama mami earn a handsome money catering for a couple of seniors and delivering the somewhat so-so tasting food.

there is demand and supply is limited. even in this forum, how many ads we have seen for brahmin cooks? and no takers. and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

very soon folks in india would have to do with frozen prepared food or vacuum packaged sambhars and poriyals (some of which i have seen in toronto shops too - the sambhars but no poriyals :) )

:)
 
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Dear Kunjuppu Sir,

Some brands of fresh chapAthi and parOta packets, with a few days to 'expire', are already flooding the provision stores here!

Just heat it and eat it! Fresh idiAppam is sold in the colony where my sister lives! :)

BTW, I saw frozen 'ilai adai' in an Indian store in Boston! :D
 
Kitchen queens with 'nAkku nAlu muzham' may better to go for fresh decoction which will have more aroma.:-)
 
This is not my personel experiance But my friend stays here you can see her in gren saree facing the camera This I picked up from an article in the Link I visited her on her 80 Birthday celeberated 2 years ago It is a sophisticated retreat Nice and beautiful - Place Soundaryam Coimbatore!


Senior camaraderie At Soundaryam and Santhosham Comfort and Retirement Home. Coimbatore's pleasant weather has made it a retirement destination K ANANTHAN​



COVAI_PROPERTY_CEN_2358127g.jpg
 
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There are certainly nice places to live in and enjoy!

There are heavens on earth!!

It is the mindset that matters!!!

Happy days are here again.

"Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again
So let's sing a song of cheer again
Happy days are here again"

Source: Happy Days Are Here Again Lyrics - Barbra Streisand




 
There are many members here who are staying in retirement Communities and many more who know people staying in retirement communities.

It would be a great help if they post their experiences.
 
Dear Nacchi Sir,

One lady member had posted a video of a musical skit staged in her retirement community. Other than her, no one writes in our forum.

I have many friends staying in different communities - some in Sing. Chennai and some in Coimbatore. Everyone has chosen the right

place, according to their liking and budget. I have noted that those who are not very particular about excellent and tasty food have a very

contented life. Of course, Ram's Casino mAmA keeps grumbling about the quality of food - he has tried at least six different 'resorts'!!

P.S: Casino mAmA's wife was an excellent cook and prepares delicious South Indian and North Indian cuisines and she is no more! :(
 
Last week one of the old residents passed away. He has been bed ridden for a long time. He was abandoned by his son. He was being looked after by an attendant. His son did not come for the final rites.

The community did the funeral rites. Took his body to the cremation ground and burned him with minimum Hindu rites. I was really surprised to see Brahmins performing such ceremonies for strangers and non-brahmins.
 
Raji Ram said:
Dear Nacchi Sir,

One lady member had posted a video of a musical skit staged in her retirement community. Other than her, no one writes in our forum.

I have many friends staying in different communities - some in Sing. Chennai and some in Coimbatore. Everyone has chosen the right

place, according to their liking and budget. I have noted that those who are not very particular about excellent and tasty food have a very

contented life. Of course, Ram's Casino mAmA keeps grumbling about the quality of food - he has tried at least six different 'resorts'!!

P.S: Casino mAmA's wife was an excellent cook and prepares delicious South Indian and North Indian cuisines and she is no more! :(
Click to expand...
I would like his opinion about the best so far. LOL
 
Yesterday was the 42nd Anniversary of our Wedding. We celebrated it by giving Vada/payasam in the canteen. All the residents congratulated us . The management gave us a bouquet of flowers.

It is surprising. We have never celebrated our wedding anniversary. My children are not even aware of it.

Here in the residential community we celebrate our birthdays and wedding anniversaries like we have never done before.
 
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