At The Somerset Lifestyle and Retirement Village in Somerset West, our emphasis has always been on the independence of residents. By offering both Life Right and Freehold options to prospective residents, we have catered to the preferences of almost all who have come to the estate looking for a luxurious home in an estate that understands the ageing process, but does not emphasise old age and which recognises that many people are highly active well past the age that others consider to be a “retirement” age.
Today the estate boasts a very healthy set of residents who are, for the most part, very active indeed. Many are still active in business, and live in the estate as they would in any other residential estate in South Africa.
You may ask “Why the term “retirement” in the name of the village? The answer is a little convoluted, but it comes down to what people are initially looking for when they start considering the latter parts of their lives. Many will turn to online internet sources and begin their search for “Retirement in Somerset West” or “Retirement Western Cape”. In order to connect to such people, we needed to signal that we cater for people over 50 and thus the term “retirement”.
If you are looking for a place to call home that will treat you in a way that is not patronising or pedantic about rules that are supposed to apply to older people, then you may want to consider our estate. While we protect the rights of all those who live here through a set of healthy community rules and architectural guidelines, we do not emphasise these aspects beyond what is necessary to make the estate a pleasant place to live.
Pets are welcome in most of the homes in the estate, and we encourage visits from friends and family.
While the luxurious clubhouse provides excellent services, it is of a size and provides services that do not burden the estate with onerous overheads. Levies are therefore reasonable when reviewed against similar services in the local suburbs, and some residents have noted that they have made savings since moving to the estate, when they compare their levies to their old budgets.
During the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020, the estate residents were treated to excellent food delivered to their homes, while treats were available for delivery three times a week. Support groups thrived in the village and (as in the suburbs), residents learned new skills and dusted off neglected hobbies and pastimes. Click here to view our lock-down diaries.
Finally, the aspect of most villages for retirees that seem to dominate the headlines and advertising is the so-called “Frail Care”. At The Somerset, the best way to understand the approach and ethos of the developer in building the Health Care Centre is to visit it yourself. It is as far away from an institutional-style Care Centre as can be imagined, and much closer to a boutique hotel or luxury retreat with care services. It is also from this Health Care Centre (which incidentally enjoys some of the most beautiful unspoilt views of the bay) that the staff provide care services to independent residents who require them. This significant benefit implies that one may age graciously, buying in services as needed. The care plan that is developed for each resident is unique to each individual and of course this allows one to put off a move to a Care Home entirely or at least for as long as possible.
We really look forward to showing the estate to you as one of the best possible locations to move to for the less paced part of your life. We will leave you to luncheon in the clubhouse and then take you on a tour – please give us a call to set up an appointment, or simply pop in between 10h00 and 16h00 any day of the week.
To contact us at The Somerset Lifestyle and Retirement Village, click here.