Homes just for the elderly

Mr Paul Adede, Digital media marketer, Superior Homes Kenya, with one of the houses in the background. PHOTO| DELFHIN MUGO

What you need to know:

  • Dubbed Fadhili Care, the facility will be located in Athi River, about 30 kilometres from the city centre, and will be similar to a home for the elderly in all respects.
  • According to Mr Njogu, the homeowners will get into an agreement with Kenya Redcross Society to provide emergency medical evacuation when needed.
  • Though a relatively new concept in Africa, it is certainly bound to give homes for the elderly a run for their money.

Property Developer Superior Homes Ltd, is set to launch the first purpose-built assisted living complex in Kenya, targeting people above the age of 65.

Dubbed Fadhili Care, the housing complex is specifically designed to ensure their safety, security and well-being.

The facility will be located in Athi River, about 30 kilometres from the city centre, and will be similar to a home for the elderly in all respects, but the fact that the residents will own the 42 cottages.

This project, will provide a break from a tradition where old people, including those accustomed to the bustling city life, retreat back to the village or move into a home for the elderly to spend their sunset years.

“If you look at the kind of developments coming up, they are not very friendly to the aged. So many opt to go back to the village or Nyumba ya Wazee for families that can afford it,” Mr Paul Adede, Superior Homes Ltd’s head of digital media marketing, told journalists during a media tour of the facility.

This, he says, is the inspiration behind Fadhili Care, which will sit on a 5-acre piece of land in the company’s signature project Greenpark Estate on Mombasa Road. The first house is expected on the market this September, four months ahead of the January 2019 project completion date.

SAFE HAVEN

“We decided to come up with a development within Greenpark estate that makes these senior citizens part of our community because the idea of sending them to a home for the elderly gives them the impression of being abandoned,” said Mr Adede.

The housing project will provide a safe haven for those with mobility limitations as all facilities will be on the same floor.

There will be ramps, wider doors to allow for wheelchairs and wider windows for natural light. The houses will also have spacious bathrooms, complete with hand rails and other features to eliminate falling accidents.

Special installations in the house include a panic button in case of an emergency. The housing complex comes with a clubhouse, whose construction is almost complete, to provide the old citizens with a range of time-killing activities. Here, there is a common lounge where the senior citizens can chat and watch television together.

For those who love reading, the library will certainly come in handy. The clubhouse will also house a restaurant that will provide catering services to homeowners and their guests on a daily basis.

“The clubhouse is a great place to relax, socialise and make new friends and a wide range of drinks and delicious meals will be served in the spacious lounge,” read a communique from the developer.
The clubhouse, Mr Adede told DN2, will also have consultation rooms for the medical personnel, who will provide services to the residents.

ROUND THE CLOCK CARE

“There will be a fully qualified nurse always on duty and emergency panic buttons in every home to ensure there is help in hand no matter the time of day or night,” said Mr Nicholus Njogu, Superior Homes’ sales and marketing manager.

He added: “We will have a one off monthly charge that covers all costs and amenities. However, those requiring additional services like extra housekeeping, cooking, laundry, transport and additional medical services including physiotherapy and special care can have them tailored to their specific needs.”

According to Mr Njogu, the homeowners will get into an agreement with Kenya Redcross Society to provide emergency medical evacuation when needed.

He however did not reveal the prices for the homes or the services, saying the company is yet to arrive at the decision.

Unlike most homes for the elderly, where people in that group spend most of the time away from their next of kin, these one and two bedroom bungalows according to Mr Adede provides an opportunity to accommodate a live-in relative or two, to the advantage of the old person.

Though a relatively new concept in Africa, it is certainly bound to give homes for the elderly a run for their money.