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Every decade since 1840, the average life expectancy of people has increased by two to three years. The current expectation is that people born in 1987 have a 50% chance of reaching an average age of 98 to 100, those born in 1997 could reach an average age of 101 to 102, and children born in 2007 could become 104 on average. Archaeological evidence shows that people in the past were also physically shorter than now. As recently as a century ago, the average person was approximately five centimetres shorter than today.
According to scholars, several factors contribute to larger physiques and longer life expectancy. Medical science has improved dramatically. Various diseases that were life-threatening in the past are no longer a factor today. The chances of children reaching adulthood are drastically better today, and the chances of older people surviving heart disease and cancer are better than ever.
A longer life can be either a blessing or a curse. How you approach it will determine which one of the two it will be for you. Experts emphasise that people already working actively should be aware of the possibility that they will live longer than their ancestors and should plan for it.
Not only do you have to do financial planning to ensure that you do not outlive your available funds, but you also must plan in which living space you will spend most of your adult life after the age of 50 or 60. You will probably have more autumn years than your ancestors. You must, therefore, ensure that you live somewhere with the necessary support services to enable you to live independently for longer and face the challenges that might come with a longer old age with dignity.
According to Riaan Joubert of Central Developments, the market leader in the development of retirement estates, South Africans are privileged to have some of the best retirement facilities in the world. Their most recent retirement developments, Waterkloof Marina and Celebration Retirement Estate, are prime examples. Unlike a decade ago, in both these retirement estates, the focus is more on an active, healthy lifestyle than on a passive retirement.
According to Joubert, they have already realised that many retirees will live in a retirement estate for a third or more of their lives, most of which will likely be healthy and active years. It is, therefore, essential to create a space where retirees, with the necessary support, can still live their lives to the fullest. Equally important is creating adequate infrastructure so that they have easy access to proper medical support and care. He says that the quality, accessibility, and affordability of medical care in their later years determines retirees' quality of life to a large extent.
The facilities at both these retirement estates confirm Central Developments' commitment to providing a quality retirement to the people who settle in these estates. There is a wealth of lifestyle facilities located on the premises. A coffee shop, restaurant, heated swimming pool, mini gym, walking trails in the parks and natural areas, bird hides, a library, hair and beauty salon, laundry service, recreation hall, and central lounge areas are within easy reach of the residents and provide all the essential services and support they may need. It also creates an ideal environment for healthy social interaction.
With care services and facilities such as a 24-hour frail-care unit, dementia unit, medical consultation room and a clinic already operational from the first phase, residents in these estates can rest assured that they will be properly cared for at every stage of their retirement.
Experts in the retirement industry agree that early planning is the golden key to a comfortable and meaningful retirement. Given the growing life expectancy of retirees, it is worth getting your plans together now! Feel free to visit Waterkloof Marina Retirement Estate in Pretoria and Celebration Retirement Estate in Randburg, Johannesburg, to see what value these developments can add to your golden years.
The property in these retirement estates also offers full ownership, not just life rights. This creates an ideal opportunity for anyone wanting to invest in a property to get a foot in the door early. Currently, the sales and rental demand for these niche retirement properties with proper care facilities far exceed the supply in the market. This results in above-average growth in property value and good rental returns, making these excellent investment properties with unequalled returns on investment.
At Waterkloof Marina Retirement Estate in Pretoria, the only waterfront retirement estate in Gauteng, the last fifteen houses are currently being sold, so those interested should use this opportunity to buy one of the last houses now! On the other hand, Celebration Retirement Estate in Randburg, Johannesburg, still offers a variety of houses and apartments from prices as low as R990 000. The show houses can be viewed daily by appointment.
Central Developments is also launching Bergvallei Retirement Estate in Montana, Pretoria, in October this year, where they are incorporating effective load-shedding solutions into the properties from the outset. For more information on Central Developments’ retirement estates, please click here.
Make sure your retirement planning gets off the ground. What if you live to be one hundred years old?
The post and content is sponsored, written and provided by Waterkloof Marina Retirement Estate.
