Media Coverage

BusinessWorld

By Mohd Naushad · 23 September 2026

Seniors relaxing together over coffee at a courtyard cafe in a lifestyle-led senior living community

India’s Senior Living Market Shifts To Lifestyle-Led Communities

India’s senior living market is moving beyond traditional retirement housing as developers increasingly focus on independence, wellness, healthcare access and community living. The shift comes amid a steady rise in the country’s ageing population and changing expectations among senior citizens.

According to Colliers’ Future of Ageing and Longevity Economy in India 2026 report, India’s 60-plus population was nearly 149 million, or 10.5 per cent of the total population, in 2022. The number is expected to reach 347 million, or 20.8 per cent, by 2050.

Industry players said the changing profile of senior citizens is pushing the segment beyond need-based accommodation towards lifestyle-led communities focused on active and independent living.

Ankur Gupta, JMD, Ashiana Housing, said senior living is increasingly being designed around the evolving needs of residents rather than only their care requirements. “The focus is increasingly on enabling active, independent lives, with high-quality homes and support or care tailored to evolving needs as people age.”

Anantharam V Varyur, Co-Founder, Manasum Senior Living, said the opportunity extends beyond increasing the supply of senior housing. “The opportunity is not just about building more homes for seniors, but creating environments where people can continue to live independently, actively and with dignity.”

Anil Godara, Managing Director, J Estates, said the segment is witnessing a shift in consumer perception, with senior living increasingly being considered a lifestyle choice. “What was once perceived as a need-based housing option is now emerging as a preferred lifestyle choice for a generation of seniors who value independence, wellness and meaningful community living.”

Colliers said demand for senior living in India remains largely latent and is often triggered by health events, loneliness or migration of children. At the same time, around 30 per cent of seniors are financially independent, supporting the emergence of more lifestyle-oriented demand.

Building More Than Homes

The shift in consumer expectations is also changing the nature of the business. Developers need to combine residential infrastructure with healthcare, hospitality, safety and community services, making senior living more operationally intensive than conventional housing.

“You cannot approach senior living as conventional real estate with services added later. The operating experience has to influence location, design and the community from day one,” said Arudradev Rao, Founder, Amaya Senior Living.

Kirthi Chilukuri, Founder and MD, Stonecraft Group, said the sector would increasingly depend on the services and experiences provided alongside the residential component. “The future of senior living will depend not only on residences, but on the care, wellness, services and experiences built around them.”

Colliers said senior living is not a conventional build-and-sell model, with value depending on occupancy, service quality and trust. Projects can take four to six years from feasibility to steady occupancy, which can make traditional investors cautious.

The report also identifies operational issues such as caregiver attrition, service quality, healthcare response and pricing transparency as factors that could affect the long-term performance of senior living communities.

Location Shapes Growth

As the segment expands, location is likely to play a larger role in determining where senior living projects can achieve sustainable occupancy and operations.

Rishabh Periwal, Senior Vice President, Pioneer Urban, said both established urban centres and emerging retirement destinations could support the sector. “Tier-1 hubs like Gurugram are anchoring premium and luxury service-led communities, while Tier-2 destinations such as Vrindavan, Coimbatore, Dehradun and Varanasi offer scalable opportunities due to lower land costs and improving healthcare.”

Aakash Ohri, MD and CBO, DLF, said seniors increasingly want to remain connected to established social and urban networks. “People are no longer looking to step away from the cities and networks that have shaped their lives. Instead, they want to remain close to family, friends, healthcare, cultural experiences and the social fabric they have built over decades.”

Colliers, however, said location selection cannot be based on land costs alone. Access to tertiary healthcare, availability of service workers and social infrastructure are also important factors in determining the viability of a senior living project.

The sector also remains relatively small and fragmented, with limited clarity around product categories and business models. Colliers said senior living needs clearer segmentation across active senior living, assisted living, memory care and continuing care retirement communities to improve consumer understanding and investor participation.

Institutional participation is beginning to emerge, although the report notes that India has yet to see a landmark private-equity acquisition comparable with mature senior living markets. Primus Senior Living’s Rs 2,000-crore platform with HDFC Capital is among the developments indicating greater institutional interest in the segment.

The sector’s growth, therefore, will depend not only on the number of senior living units being developed, but also on how effectively operators address healthcare access, service quality, location, trust and the evolving expectations of senior residents.