No one can predict with certainty what the future holds as we age. There are steps we can take on certain matters to conclusively set the course, such as ensuring financial stability upon retiring but, when it comes to health, unpredictable factors come into play.

Age-related illnesses such as dementia, heart disease and strokes commonly occur after middle age, with genetic predispositions increasing the likelihood of developing diseases in even the healthiest of elderly people. It makes sense, therefore, to make sure that, as you age, you have quick and easy access to top-quality care from doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals trained to assist at every stage of the retirement journey.

There are currently a range of healthcare solutions available in South Africa that offer healthcare support for older people whenever, wherever and however it’s needed. Broadly speaking, these are divided into three categories: home-based care, assisted living and in-patient care, each designed to meet the challenges and needs of aging.

Home-based care is ideally suited for those who need discreet, personalised assistance for basic needs and everyday activities, such as getting out of bed, meals, bathing, dressing and walking. To bolster the home-based care bouquet, multi-disciplinary teams consisting of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists could also help with specialised requirements.

A second tier of care is assisted living – ideal for those finding it harder to manage at home. This long-term care option gives seniors the freedom to live independently, with their day-to-day needs fully supported by a team of carers seeing to meals, personal care assistance, administration of medication and occupational therapy.

In-patient care is for those needing 24-hour specialised care, such as frail care, palliative care, sub-acute care and memory care. By definition, such specialised care should be of the highest standard, offered by experienced doctors, registered nurses and therapists working in multi-disciplinary teams to meet each patient’s needs.

Some frail-care centres – like those in the Evergreen Lifestyle portfolio – also allow elderly people who require short-term recuperative care after an operation or hospital stay, to make use of their facilities without having to move to the retirement village permanently.

Evergreen’s Care centres have been abuzz recently with activity linked to the national vaccine rollout programme, which entitles all persons over the age of 60 to be vaccinated.  These Care centres were designated as Outreach sites, which means that they can administer vaccines to residents and elderly members of the community at large

After successfully rolling out the vaccine in Gauteng a few weeks back, Evergreen started an intensive engagement process with the Western Cape Government to roll out vaccines at their Cape Town villages too.  These arrived on 1 June, and to date, close on 800+ residents have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Feedback from residents has been overwhelmingly positive, with many remarking that the recent rollout of vaccinations reinforces Evergreen’s partnership for life promise, serving as further proof that living within a privately owned and operated retirement village which offers 24hour medical care and support, can literally save lives. 

Ageing is a time of some uncertainty, so it makes sense to avail yourself of the best care on offer. To find out more about Evergreen’s superior class healthcare services and facilities, click here.