Now that I’m sixty-plus—and yes, I say that proudly, Senior is like a badge earned from the Universe after surviving corporate battles, demonetisation, relatives’ banter, and erratic Wi-Fi—I feel I’ve earned the right to see life from a tilted angle. The glasses may be progressive, but the perspective is sometimes refreshingly regressive. So indulge me, a 60-plus who’s still working, walking, and occasionally whining while I share a few truths on Seniors- ‘The Market of Ageing Well’.
I still work. Not because I’m addicted to Excel sheets (heaven forbid), but I’m still fairly healthy, and I consider ageing a process, not a problem. And death? Well, I’ve accepted it’s inevitable, but until then, I intend to live it in the present with my concept of ‘Alive On date’.
Something seismic is shifting beneath the surface when it comes to ageing. Relationships, expectations, and conversations—all have changed. I have realised there is a vast untapped market for a subset of seniors like me, even if the marketing world hasn’t caught up.
No, seniors are not looking to be treated like antique furniture, polished and ignored. They want to engage, evolve, and maybe flirt with the idea of skydiving (figuratively, if not literally). So here’s where brands should be paying attention:
1. Senior Community Living.
No, not ‘Old Age Homes’ with bingo and bad lighting. Think about co-living with fellow seniors who know their blood pressure and their Bluetooth. Seniors want homes with ramps and side railings, as well as rooftop cafés, gossip benches, and yoga pods. Most places today assume seniors are only waiting for the Great Exit. They are actually waiting for karaoke night in a place where they do not seem like aliens.
2. Health & Hydration.
Seniors know it all. They have been through the tests and COVID. They are more loyal to their doctors than to their spouses. The seniors know our HDL from LDL and are suspicious of anyone selling life insurance or health drinks that promise “youth in 30 days.”
Give them realistic health tools, empathetic physiotherapists, and reminders to drink water that don’t sound like they are five years old. Oh, and maybe water bottles that look like they contain whiskey—just to keep things interesting.
3. Food for Thought—and Gut.
Seniors want food that doesn’t require running to the loo or the cardiologist. And while they are still adventurous, they don’t want to be decoding their breakfast. A snack shouldn’t sound like a space mission: “Activated Almonds on a Bed of Fermented Flax with Ancient Himalayan Quinoa Dust.” Please. Just call it “senior-friendly chivda”, and they will be happy.
4. Cognitive Stimulation
Who said seniors only enjoy crosswords and Sudoku? They also like podcasts on philosophy, workshops on AI, or storytelling clubs where they can talk about the time they almost got arrested during the Emergency (long story). They want to keep their brains as active as the WhatsApp group “We The Legends.” The card and board games bore them to death!
5. Sexual Wellness.
Let’s not pretend this is a no-man’s land after 60. They are humans and still have hormones bubbling inside, though they may sometimes malfunction, like the WiFi. But sexual wellness for seniors shouldn’t be reduced to “performance at any cost.” They would like mature conversations, real intimacy products, and maybe a discreet delivery box. They may be old, but they are not blind to judgment or judging someone.
6. Sleep.
Insomnia is the new Netflix for seniors. And no, counting sheep doesn’t work when half of them might forget the number they were on. They need sleep solutions that soothe without sedating—like audio stories in Rafi’s voice or mattresses that don’t make their knees question their life choices.
7. Grooming & Vanity.
Seniors like looking good, and why not? They still have space for more not-shared selfies in their 256 GB Android. But salons assume they either want hair dye or a head massage. What if they want funky glasses, silver-streaked hair styled like Amitabh Bachchan, or skin creams that don’t smell like they’ve been embalmed? They don’t want to hear- ‘Khandahar batate hai ki immrat kabhi buland thi’ (the ruins tell that the structure was bloody robust in the past). They are still robust, lively, romantic and smart.
8. Travel.
Let’s address the luggage-toting elephant in the room: Seniors LOVE to travel and definitely would love to travel. But they don’t want 6 a.m. wake-up calls, treks to waterfalls that require a degree in mountaineering, or buffets full of mystery meat. They want slow mornings, clean loos, legroom, sugar-free desserts, and guides who speak up but not down.
Travel agencies, listen: Offer senior-specific trips that combine comfort with culture. Add footstools in buses, keep a doctor on call, throw in an evening a jazz night—seniors are flexible. And please, don’t call it a “Silver Safari.” That just sounds like a shampoo range.
Net Net.
This sixty-plus senior crowd is not a reluctant market. They are curious, connected, and cash-ready. Brands, designers, healthcare providers, urban planners, content creators—everyone needs to realise that seniors aren’t a charity case. They are a consumer base with personality, memory (some days better than others), and spending power.
So, while I may write this with a pinch of humour and a full plate of bias, know this—seniors’ needs are real, their voices (and demands) are rising, and the market of ageing well is just waiting to be tapped. Not with pity. But with a partnership.
Because growing old isn’t the problem, growing invisible is.
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