Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa June/ July 2019 | Page 50

ACQUIRING
Retire in the City
Luxury urban retirement on the rise
BY COLIN WARDLE
A
n increasing number of older South Africans opt to
stay in urban areas after retirement age as they prefer
to stay economically active, near to family members
and medical facilities.
For Don Harwood Nash (85), retiring in an urban area was
essential. ‘I moved from overseas to retire in South Africa. We
lived in Constantia for a few years, then for safety reasons, we
moved to a golf estate where the security was excellent. When I
turned 85, however, my wife and I decided it was best to retire in
Hout Bay to be in close proximity to our family, as well as medical
care for the aged.’
‘There is a growing demand for retirement options closer to the
city or within the suburbs people have lived in during their adult
lives. These homes keep retirees within familiar communities,
close to their personal history,’ says Jacques Van Embden, CEO
of Blok Urban Development, who has recently launched its new
luxury boutique approach to retiring, EIGHTONN along Cape
Town’s Atlantic Seaboard.
EIGHTONN encompasses a new boutique approach to
independent living by providing highly accessible and spacious
apartments for a more mature clientele who are looking for
a future-facing modern home to retire to along the Atlantic
Seaboard.
‘Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of
watching 
EIGHTONN 
evolve into a groundbreaking
independent living concept that promises to cater to what
up until now had been a largely under-serviced portion of the
Atlantic Seaboard. Independent living is designed to surpass
traditional retirement expectations by enriching and enhancing
every facet of residents’ lives. It empowers residents to maintain
their high standards of living in a beautifully designed home that
offers long-term care, should the need arise,’ says Van Embden.
Independent living
Blok hosts a series of 
independent living information
sessions at their show room on Regent Road. The sessions
feature informative discussions with experts on aging well and
retiring in the Atlantic Seaboard.
Family physician and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the
Institute of Ageing in Africa at the University of Cape Town, Dr
Leon Geffen, shared some of his thoughts at one of the sessions;
‘We’re all going to get older and access to healthcare has a
significant effect on our ageing. Living in an urban area with easy
access to health services is critical to ensuring your wellbeing and
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JUNE/JULY 2019 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine
peace of mind, and EIGHTONN’s location ensures you will be
close to a number of health services and specialists based in Sea
Point such as pharmacies and physiotherapists.’
EIGHTONN is designed for convenience and social luxury,
with shared facilities such as a rooftop wellness studio and pool,
a deli and a social area leading out onto a beautiful garden. A
concept that has been key to the development is the on-site
services, such as a care concierge, available 24 hours a day, as well
as in-unit emergency services, a registered nurse and consulting
rooms.
CareChamp founder, Sylvia Klopper, added, ‘One of the
many benefits of staying along the Atlantic Seaboard is the
access to a number of health and wellness amenities it provides.
From yoga and pilates studios along Main Road to walking and
cycling paths in Green Point Park, there are an endless amount
of active ways to experience the neighbourhood. Through
CareChamp, 
EIGHTONN 
also provides residents health
services closer to home such as a wellness studio and round the
clock access to a registered nurse.’
Retiring comfortably
According to Dave Hughes, author of Design Your Dream
Retirement, when looking for the ideal retirement home, look at
what you value in everyday life. ‘If you are accustomed to shopping
in particular stores, ask yourself if you could be happy in an area
where these stores aren’t present. The same applies to things like
art house movie theaters, farmers’ markets, your favorite type of
restaurant, a church of your denomination, and so on.’
Van Embden adds: ‘Retirees need to be mindful of amenities
and accessibility. One needs to think about how the property will
accommodate your needs as you grow older and require more
care. Size and maintenance are typical concerns too, and as people
become older, easier to manage ‘lock up and go’ options with
communal facilities that are maintained by a third party become
more appealing as they provide greater ease of living and peace
of mind.’
‘Additionally, living closer to your family and grandchildren in
a way that allows you to connect to their everyday life is simply
priceless.’
‘Additionally, living closer to your family and grandchildren in
a way that allows you to connect to their everyday life is simply
priceless.’
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