By Alma González Díaz / September 9th, 2026
When analyzing retirement homes in Mexico City, their dining halls, their staff, and their residents, we noticed that in most retirement homes in this country, growing older is treated as a waiting period. The premise is that when someone reaches 70, 80, or 90, what follows is a process of preparation, a way of managing the decline. At Casa OMA, we don’t believe that. Let us tell you what we do believe.
Aging today isn’t what it was 40 years ago
In 1980, a person in Mexico that turned 65 could expect to live, on average, twelve more years. Today, that number is close to twenty. Twenty years is a lot. It is watching a young grandchild grow into an adult. It is traveling, learning, making mistakes, reading, laughing, falling in love, expressing an opinion, voting, and making mistakes again. It is a stage of life. However, the culture of elder care in Mexico continues to operate according to a manual from forty years ago. But an 80-year-old resident in 2026 may still have ten, fifteen, or more years ahead of them. And those years can be lived with joy and well-being.
In 1980, a person in Mexico that turned 65 could expect to live, on average, twelve more years. Today, that number is close to twenty. Twenty years is a lot. It is watching a young grandchild grow into an adult. It is traveling, learning, making mistakes, reading, laughing, falling in love, expressing an opinion, voting, and making mistakes again. It is a stage of life. However, the culture of elder care in Mexico continues to operate according to a manual from forty years ago. But an 80-year-old resident in 2026 may still have ten, fifteen, or more years ahead of them. And those years can be lived with joy and well-being.
Community matters more than the room.
A beautiful room doesn’t save anyone from loneliness. And loneliness is what takes the greatest toll on older adults—more than illness, more than immobility, more than medication. That’s why Casa OMA has a capacity of only 20 residents. We know who’s who.
Who drinks tea and who drinks coffee? Who has a birthday in January, August, or December? Who prefers to read in the garden and who in the living room? Who snores, who stays up late, and who wakes up early? This is what makes a place feel more like home.
A purposeful routine is medicine.
Many residences have “activities,” but the activities are improvised. When it rains, they don’t go out. When the caregiver is absent, there is no workshop. When “someone feels like it,” something gets done. Most of the time, no one feels like it.
At Casa OMA, we did the opposite. We set up a daily routine that is non-negotiable.
– Mornings for the body. Adapted physical activity. Walking, balance exercises, occupational therapy, and gentle yoga. The goal isn’t to become a gymnast. It’s to stay on your feet, maintain strength, and preserve independence. Each resident progresses at their own pace, but everyone makes progress.
– Evenings for the mind. Cognitive stimulation. Memory exercises, shared reading, guided conversation, games, music, and exercises of reminiscence with photographs. Evening is when the mind gets a workout, and it’s also when—for residents with mild dementia—the “sundown syndrome” begins if there’s no activity.
Daily physical activity, regular cognitive stimulation, and everyday conversation have a greater impact on older adults’ quality of life than many medications. It is not an opinion. It’s evidence.
At OMA, family is part of the care. A daughter who comes over for lunch on a Saturday does her family member good, even more than any scheduled activity. A grandchild who stays for two hours on a Sunday is more healing than an antidepressant pill. That is why at Casa OMA there are no restrictive visiting hours. You can come whenever you want. You can stay for lunch. You can take your family member home for the weekend when their health allows it. And we maintain constant communication with each family via WhatsApp: we send photos, reports, and glimpses of daily life.
At Casa OMA, we prioritize a small community, a structured program, a stable staff, communication with families, and Daycare as a gateway.
If you are reading this, you’re probably researching options for someone you love. When you visit any facility, ours or any other, ask specific questions.
Ask: Who does each resident talk to most during the day? What is your family member doing at 6:00 p.m.? How many times a week do they go out to the garden?
The answers to these questions will tell you, without brochures, what kind of philosophy guides each place.