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Considering the prevailing belief that the demand for residential healthcare developments is unlikely to diminish in the aftermath of the events of 2020, various medical service trends have since gained significant popularity in the last couple of years, writes ITUMELENG MOGAKI
The trends within medical development projects range from virtual healthcare, proactive healthcare approaches, and preventative care to frail care centres in and around residential areas. According to Louise Martin, CEO of Estate Living, developers tend to invest in a retirement estate with an ageing-in-place offering, and medical support or a hospital nearby.
Martin says that full-blown medical centres and frail care facilities are not increasing; rather than investing in stand-alone frail care facilities, developers are focusing on offering support services within retirement estates.
“I think there is huge value in building retirement communities, and these are really doing well, but hospitals and frail care centres tend to work better outside of a retirement village. They tend to be built nearby and offer as Faircape and Evergreen, that tend to build retirement estates that may have a step-down facility, but not necessarily a full-blown frail care solution,” says Martin.
She envisions that investing in communities providing integrated medical solutions has a bright future. “The emergence of lifestyle estates with on-site medical suites reflects a broader trend towards holistic care. As already alluded, developers are drawn to areas with a high concentration of retirees, where the prospect of new hospitals stimulates residential development,” she explains.
 HOSPITAL CLOSE BY DRIVES EXPANSION
Martin cites Hermanus in Cape Town as a prime example where the anticipation of a new hospital drives the expansion of retirement communities.
“What we are seeing is that in a naturally recurring retirement area, such as Hermanus, where you have many people of a certain age, more hospitals are being built. This brings in more residential development. As soon as there is a promise of a hospital going up in an area, you tend to see many ageing or retirement communities being built around it.”
She adds: “One should remember that within the medical side of retirement and ageing, we are finding that there is an increasing number of people being diagnosed with mental health issues, and these individuals require a different kind of service to someone who has physical medical issues.”
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MUCH-NEEDED SOWETO CLINIC UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Despite Martin’s strong views on the supposed declining prevalence of full-scale medical centres, new medical property developments are being constructed. The Naledi Clinic in Ext. 2, Soweto, is one such development. A Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) project, on behalf of the City of Johannesburg, the construction of the much-anticipated Naledi Clinic facility is advancing rapidly, promising a transformative impact on healthcare accessibility and quality for the Naledi community.
The Naledi Clinic facility consists of four separate wings – the chronic wing, the antenatal wing, the acute wing, and the emergency wing.
With 18 consultation rooms, including support buildings, the Naledi Clinic will be close to the existing temporary clinic in Naledi Ext. 2.
“The facility will accommodate larger volumes of patients and provide a wider range of services. The consulting rooms, at minimum 15m each, will be divided between the main streams, namely chronic, antenatal, and acute, as well as an emergency wing with an ambulance pick-up,” says JDA CEO Siyabonga Genu.
Genu adds: “The single-storey design reflects a dedication to inclusivity and accessibility, making healthcare services easily navigable for all. The construction process is monitored closely to ensure its completion within budget.”
