A Complete Guide to Mental Health Awareness and Early Signs in Seniors: Assisted Living Facilities in Kolkata

It begins with subtle changes. You visit home from Gariahat or from Singapore for a couple of weeks. You step into those wide open rooms of your parents’ South Kolkata ancestral apartment, or into your NRI parents’ lovely flat that overlooks the Hooghly River and realise something is amiss.

During your Zoom calls and weekly WhatsApp conversations, it’s so easy not to notice. Ma laughs delightfully on your screen. Baba enthusiastically updates you about his garden. Sooner or later, you tell yourself they’re doing fine. Until you visit. Until you see Ma stare blankly at the towering stack of unpaid electric bills on her dining table, which used to be immaculate. Until you hear Baba drone on about politics, only to remember that his cherished Thursday Adda—which he proudly never missed for thirty years straight—hasn’t seen him in months.

We Bengalis have a culture of Abhiman—an unspoken yet powerful pride. We don’t like to appear needy or “down in the mouth”. We brush off episodes of depression as just getting old or complain about aches and pains instead of opening up about our mental health. Because Bengalis don’t suffer silently—we live silently suffering, desperately trying to rediscover happiness in our retirement.

Moving to an assisted living facility in Kolkata isn’t about “leaving” home. It’s about going where the place still feels like home.

Listening for the Signs That Something Is Wrong

Providing the best care means tuning into that silence. They will never come out and say, “Beta, I think I’m depressed.” Instead, you’ll hear them say something like, “Ajj kal ar bhalo lage na”, which translates to “I don’t feel like doing anything these days”.

If Ma tells you she no longer has the enthusiasm to cook up her favourite recipe, or Baba hasn’t hummed his favourite Rabindra Sangeet song in weeks—that isn’t just forgetfulness. Listen closely. These are cries for help.

Seniors are the heart and soul of Kolkata. When a parent loses interest in getting out of bed in the morning, the entire family suffers. But entrusting your parents’ care to a senior home isn’t giving up on them. Not by any means. It’s loving them with your entire heart.

8 Ways to Nurture Their Mental Health

Listen to their Routine

Ask any Bengali mom, and she’ll tell you that their day runs like clockwork. When Ma suddenly forgets to do her morning puja or skips her meet-up with friends from school, take note. When the house is unusually unkempt, try not to scold them for the mess.

Encourage Conversation

Loneliness is cancer to the spirit. Our parents need to interact with fellow Kolkattians who watch the same movies, debate over the same football team, and won’t judge you if you lick the spoon of your rasgulla. I’ve seen firsthand at Jagriti Dham how powerful conversation can be. An evening full of Adda does more for our seniors than any pharmaceutical medication.

Ease into the “M” Word

Mental health is a frightening concept for most seniors. Don’t ambush them by asking if they feel depressed. Ask them softer questions like “Mon ta ki bhari hoye ache?” (“Does your heart feel heavy?”) or “Are the days starting to feel longer than usual to you?” Combat that negative stigma with kindness and compassion.

Talk About the “Silent” Symptoms

Headaches. Stomach problems. They’re often the first indications that something deeper is wrong. Our elderly tend to push themselves until they can no longer stand the pain—physically or mentally. If you’ve tried everything to help them feel better but the medicine just doesn’t seem to be cutting it anymore, perhaps what they need is a little community around them. Senior living facilities like Jagriti Dham offer professional counsellors right on site.

Declutter Mindfully

We attach so many emotions to our “things.” When my parents decided to downsize, I didn’t say, “Oh, you should just throw that away.” We spent hours going through every cupboard and shelf, carefully honouring each item by deciding what to take with them to their new home.

Nourish their Body & Mind

In a Kolkata home, a meal is never just about nutrition—it’s an expression of love. While we ensure our menus are rich in brain-boosting walnuts, seeds, and fresh greens, we know that for a meal to truly nourish, it must also delight the palate. Our dieticians at Jagriti Dham curate menus that are as appetising as they are healthy, ensuring our seniors look forward to every bite.

Stay Sharp with “Second Innings” Activities

Seniors have more free time, which means their brains have to stay just as active! Remind them to do the Sudoku, read the newspaper, join in on the group games, and keep them mentally stimulated. Heck, why not teach them how to use Zoom so they can stay tech-savvy with family far and near? Here at Jagriti Dham, we call it our “Second Innings” for a reason. The fun never stops—just the responsibilities.

Reach Out Before You Need Us

Don’t wait until your parent has a mental breakdown before you consider reaching out to us. Think of transitioning to Jagriti Dham like a “stay-cation”. Allow them to experience our luxury accommodations, round-the-clock care, and socialise with fellow retirees before making the big move. If they feel happy and enjoy their time, you’ll both know that you made the right decision for your parent and your family. 

There’s No Need to Say Goodbye

Our society has come to this strange understanding that when your parents reach a certain age and move into a senior care facility, they’ve been “left behind.” What if the first thought that ran through your parents’ heads when they woke up in the morning at Jagriti Dham was: I feel safe. The sun is shining. The nurse just brought me my medicine with a smile. My friends are downstairs waiting for me. Release the guilt. Let go of the pressure to keep up the family mansion that’s falling apart around you and welcome the comforting relief your parents can experience when they live with us at Jagriti Dham. We aren’t just another senior living facility. We are a family. We are your parents’ Second Innings home. 

Come take a tour. Let’s figure out how we can help bring that smile back to your parents’ faces.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Why do old people not believe in mental health?

Many seniors view mental health through a lens of “willpower” or cultural stigma, often dismissing emotional struggles as a sign of weakness. At Jagriti Dham, we bridge this generational gap by normalising well-being through social engagement and integrated care, helping them see that mental health is as vital as physical health.

• Is it “normal ageing” or a mental health concern?

Distinguishing between the two depends on whether the change disrupts their quality of life. While forgetting a name is common, a sudden withdrawal from the daily Adda, neglecting personal hygiene, or persistent “unexplained” physical aches often indicate underlying anxiety or depression. At Jagriti Dham, our assisted living facilities in Kolkata provide the observant care needed to catch these subtle shifts early and restore a senior’s zest for life.

Visit Jagriti Dham to learn more about how we offer senior citizens in Kolkata a chance to play Second Innings of life filled with purpose, passion, and most importantly, pride. Take that first step today.

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