How to choose a retirement village that’s right for you

A few things that you could look for, and questions you should ask, could relate to the following:

• Safety and security
• Availability of Comprehensive Healthcare
• Access to 24-hour emergency assistance by qualified staff
• Services, advice and assistance to maintain an ‘independent’ lifestyle within your own safe and secure home for as long as possible
• Peace of mind for the family about the wellbeing of their parent/s

Comprehensive Healthcare refers to Primary Healthcare services and includes inter alia periodic clinical assessments of all residents, clinical support services in your own home such as post-operation care, wound care and medication administration, 24-hour emergency assistance, occasional nurse-based clinic services for preventative care and routine monitoring of chronic diseases or minor illnesses.

Another thing to look for is if there is a frail care facility, assisted living units and/ or home care services where qualified staff attend to you in your familiar environment. Note that this service is usually for the resident/ patient’s account but some medical schemes do pay partially or fully for this service.

Just a note of caution – most medical schemes do not have benefits for the care of frail persons and this cost in a frail care facility will be for the resident/patient’s account. It is therefore important to make sure the relevant retirement village’s financial model makes provision for the subsidising of healthcare services in the retirement village to ensure affordability for the residents in the long term.  

Here are a few questions that you can ask before making your choice:

• What ownership model is relevant to the estate and what would the financial implications be for you?
• What exactly do the healthcare services offered in the retirement village comprise of and what are the projected costs thereof?
• Are the healthcare services subsidised by the monthly levies or what financial model is in place to keep services affordable for residents and ensure the financial stability of the services offered?
• Is in-house managed home healthcare available in the comfort of your own home or is it your responsibility if / when it is needed?
• Does the village allow external service providers for home healthcare?
• Is the care unit big enough and if it is fully occupied, how will it affect you as a resident or which alternative is available to you when it is full?
• How many dwellings/ units will be developed as the critical mass determines the levy and sustainability of service in a retirement village.

Different retirement villages focus on different market segments, so they can’t have all services available. It is therefore crucial that every person establishes what their circumstances, expectations and monetary abilities are before choosing a retirement village. Ask the necessary questions ensuring your decision is an informed one!  

Details: Email info@medwell.co.za or visit www.medwell.co.za.