Making room for retirement

Ranui complex in Alexandra. Photo: ODT.
Ranui complex in Alexandra. Photo: ODT.
The backers of the 94-home retirement village on the outskirts of Cromwell say they are surprised...
The backers of the 94-home retirement village on the outskirts of Cromwell say they are surprised by how great the demand is for the homes. Photos: Lynda van Kempen.
Ranui Home and Hospital manager Mavis Thornton at the construction site of four more homes at the...
Ranui Home and Hospital manager Mavis Thornton at the construction site of four more homes at the Ranui Court retirement village, Tarbert St, Alexandra.
Construction of the Golden View Lifestyle Village has been speeded up to cater for the growing...
Construction of the Golden View Lifestyle Village has been speeded up to cater for the growing demand.

The lack of rest-home, hospital and dementia care beds for Central Otago’s ageing population has been under the spotlight for the past year. Lynda van Kempen updates the progress made in easing the shortage.

A new one is being speeded up, another new one is getting closer to the starting blocks and an expansion is under way.

Central Otago’s popularity as a retirement spot shows no sign of diminishing and aged care facilities are being built  and planned to meet the demand.

The first residents of the $60million Golden View Lifestyle Village will be in their  homes on the outskirts of Cromwell by Christmas.

Four of the planned 94 homes will be completed by then and one of the project backers, Neil Bulling, says  demand has meant that instead of rolling out the homes over seven years, construction will be speeded up into just three years.

"The demand has really surprised us.

"We haven’t advertised at all or gone to the market, but they’ve come to us. We thought it would go well, but not as well as it has."

So far, residents have been signed up for 74 of the 94 homes, he said.

The first four homes have been bought by people from Timaru, a New Zealander returning from Australia, a Wanaka resident and a Cromwell resident.

The 7ha retirement village on the town’s western edge, between Kawarau Gorge Rd and Iles St, will have a lodge as its hub. Work on the 700sqm lodge would start next week and  be finished by September, Mr Bulling said.

The lodge would include an indoor heated swimming pool, gymnasium, craft room, library dining room, hairdressing salon, workshop and cinema.

Neighbouring land has been secured for  a hospital and care facility and plans are being drawn up.

"We’re having serious talks with a major health-care provider — we don’t want to say who just yet — but that looks promising and they’ll lease that building," he said.

Presbyterian Support Otago has also acted to alleviate the shortage of aged care and retirement homes.

It is expanding the Ranui Court retirement village in Alexandra, next to Ranui Home and Hospital, and four homes are being built.

Chief executive Gillian Bremner said the homes would be completed by May and the organisation had land set aside for further expansion.

"Our long term plan will be shaped on the entire district, given that other developments are taking place or planned."

Presbyterian Support could  expand the residential care  facility in Alexandra as well as add more homes to the village.

"It’s likely demand is going to be in both areas," she said.

"For the area’s residents, the developments are all positive news.

"It means as they get older, they won’t have to leave the district to access aged care facilities."

The proposed Leaning Rock Village, a retirement village and aged care home next to the Alexandra golf course, is edging closer to becoming a reality.

A charitable society was set up two years ago to develop it and a recently-completed feasibility study has endorsed its economic viability and demand for the project.

"The study has highlighted there is a very real and immediate need for the Leaning Rock Village’s retirement and aged care proposal. There’s a real dearth of accommodation like this, to meet the demand out there," society spokesman Russell Checketts said.

The group would work to remove the reserve status of the land it wanted to buy.

He said based on the 2013 census data, 21.3% of the Central Otago population (3812 people) was aged 65 or older, compared to 14.3%  nationwide.

"The Central Otago market is grossly under-supplied and people are faced with the bleak prospect of moving away from Central Otago to find suitable independent retirement and care options."

lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz

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