Community Living and Longevity
“Using data from 70 studies involving more than 3 million people, recent research concludes that loneliness, living alone and social isolation results in shortening of life or premature death.”
Man is a social animal and ‘Sharing and Caring’ are his needs to lead a long, healthy, happy
and contented life. In the early nomadic life, communities moved together to protect the weaker members from external threats. As the civilisation progressed, communities settled in suitable places and ideas of ‘families’ rather than the whole crowd got rooted. In these joint families of ‘parent, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins with one person heading the family’ the sharing of resources and caring of young ones and aged gave some stability to the lives of people. The system of joint families continued till about 50 years ago and the same still exists in rural area.
As resources dwindled over the years, members of the joint families started moving to urban areas in search of jobs and other earning opportunities and at some point, nuclear families living in a comparatively ‘small’ accommodation became a norm. Sharing and caring for a small group was manageable. Over the time ideas of sharing and caring changed too. Thus sharing implied ‘emotions’ and physical care got extended to mental care. The close relatives circle slowly got replaced by close friends. Though the importance of close relatives in one’s life can not be denied, that of neighbours i.e. people living in close proximity can not be overlooked either.
At around this time, the concept of ‘co-operative’ housing societies became popular. Members of these societies started to live a sort of ‘community living’. They provided first line of defence in case of emergencies. Their children could share their playtime with others in the society and elders could find solace in the company of other elders of the society. ‘Sharadashram’ widely considered to be the first society of such type in Mumbai and ‘Parijat’ considered to be the first society on this principle in Pune are shining examples of such community living. Mumbai’s Chaal Sanskriti and Pune’s Wada Sanskriti are the older versions of the same concept of community living. There is close co-relation between the community living and one’s life expectancy. Research done in recent times suggest that those elders who get to share with the members of their families, interact with elders from the neighbourhood and have the opportunity to mix with younger generations tend to have comparatively longer life span than those who spend their later life in solitude and isolation.
Things really started changing in the last decade of the last century. Cities became congested. Race and competition for higher education, non-availability of open spaces for games for children drove them to isolation. In the case of elders, lack of walking track and recreational facilities kept them indoors. Arrival of 21 st century saw this problem becoming more acute. Even the security of elders and children became a concern. Though in places like Nashik – widely known to be Health Capital of India – such problems are comparatively negligible, growing population and vehicular congestion in the years to come will surely pose these threats to elderly and young.
The planners of modern day living i.e. people living in large gated communities like Suyojit’s Viridian Vallis at Nashik had this strong correlation that exists between community living and longevity somewhere at the back of their minds. What else explains the elaborate amenities (more than 100) planned to be provided to the residents of Viridian Vallis which will facilitate community living, interacting with peers and mixing with younger generation within the same complex.
Come book your space at Viridian Vallis – ‘The’ future address of Nashik and experience the ‘nature and community living’ staying together harmoniously. Live a full life.
