The Care Centre at Buh-Rein Retirement Village has opened and includes both a frail-care facility and one-of-a-kind Memory Care Centre for dementia patients.
“This beautiful care centre houses two areas that are designed to facilitate the best possible living conditions for those who require 24-hour supervision and care,” says Riaan Roos, managing director of the Multi Spectrum Property (MSP) group of companies, which created Buh-Rein Estate in the northern suburbs.
Both the frail-care and memorycare areas - which have a total of 25 beds - allow residents freedom of movement and promote their dignity through the provision of private rooms and areas for relaxation, rest and activities.
Roos says families will be comforted by the focus on de-institutionalisation, and the work that has gone into making the care centre as pleasant as possible a place to live under close supervision.
Launched a year ago, Buh-Rein Retirement Village, within the Buh-Rein Estate, has achieved record sales and its first phase of 152 units is now sold out. Phase 2 will be launched soon.
“MSP has gone to great lengths to create a care centre that will offer excellent care to make a real difference in older people’s lives. The company worked within the guidelines of the recently released Macadamia Foundation’s ‘Memory Care specification for Dementia Care Facility Design and Implementation’.
“We were aided by input and advice from architects the Dennis Moss Partnership; Medwell, the care service providers; Shire Retirement Properties, as retirement living consultants, and dementia specialists, Dementia SA.”
The project is co-developed and financed by Old Mutual Alternative Investments through its Housing Impact Fund South Africa.
“The Memory Care Centre is the first of its kind in the Western Cape, with bespoke architecture designed to reduce the frustrations that result from institutional environments and restrictive settings. Given the high incidence of dementia among ageing populations worldwide, and the effort that has been taken to create an appropriate space, there is likely to be high demand for its services. Several rooms have already been booked.”
He says the appointment of a competent care services provider to the estate is an essential part of the care centre’s success.
Medwell has a “strong track record” and has undertaken to work with the estate to contain costs and provide a high level of care, not only to residents of the care centre, but also through home-based care, care planning and early intervention for residents of the estate in the independent and premium-
serviced apartments.
“Medwell will be supported in their work by Dementia SA, who will manage the on-site Memory Bureau at the care centre, which will provide advice, training and support to the public at large from within Buh-Rein Retirement Village.
“This vital service to the community forms part of the MSP vision to impact communities through cost-effective, quality retirement developments.”