Neighbourhood CT - 04 July 2021

Neighbourhood 04 JULY 2021

PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE

A sense of belonging While over-60s often have to deal with loneliness, Covid-19 has exacerbated the situation, impacting their physical and mental health – retirement estates, however, are geared towards warding off loneliness, page 2

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PROPERTY

04 JULY 2021

Retirement estates combat

isolation

The elderly once again have to suffer through the effects of Covid-19imposed isolation for their own safety. What options do over-60s have to preserve a sense of community while remaining safe?

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s arguably the socio-demographic group most at risk of falling severely ill or even losing their lives after contracting Covid-19, there’s no doubt that the over-60s have been the worst affected by the pandemic.

However, the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the older generation reaches beyond threats to their physical health.

“The elderly are not only battling the physical health effects of the virus, they’re also facing the toll that the virus has taken on their mental health – thanks to Covid-19-imposed isolation,”

explains Gus van der Spek, property developer and owner of life rights company Manor Life.

“Many elderly people across South Africa live alone and had already been struggling with feelings of isolation and loneliness before the pandemic began, but with the very real threat of Covid-19, these issues only worsened.”

Loneliness and social isolation for those not living in retirement communities is a well-documented issue facing the older generation, brought on by factors such as the loss of a partner, having family emigrate, losing touch with friends and withdrawing

from community activities. “The physical and mental health risks to elderly people living in isolation are numerous: it increases the risk of premature death, dementia and is associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide,” explains Van der Spek.

The threat of Covid-19 forces even elderly people with community ties and family nearby to go into isolation. Government communication urges over-60s to stay home as much as possible and family members and friends need to stay away to reduce the risk of infecting the more vulnerable older generation. Churches and other community centres – which form the basis of many of these individuals’ social lives – have to close their doors as well.

“To add to this, while the rest of the world turns to technology as a tool to keep them connected to loved ones, many elderly people struggle to adapt to these tools, especially those who live alone with no one around to walk them through it,” he says.

Community living as a lifeline

Thankfully, not all over-60s are left to grapple with the physical and mental challenges of Covid-19 on their own. “Those residing in retirement communities are able to interact with their friends and friendly staff members on a daily basis,” he says.

EVERGREEN Lake Michelle, Noordhoek, Cape Town, provides ample outdoor space

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While it’s true that nursing homes and frail-care centres are hit particularly hard by Covid-19 as they are often the location for concentrated outbreaks,

Van der Spek explains that this is an unfortunate result of the close-living conditions in these facilities and the underlying health conditions typically found in nursing home and frail-care residents.

“However, those who have opted to live in retirement lifestyle villages and estates are able to isolate in their own units, with plenty of space to themselves while still interacting safely 'masked-up' with other residents and staff outdoors when necessary.

“Residents of these kinds of retirement communities are able to have the best of both worlds – they have the safety of their own units rather than a single room in close contact with other sick people, and they are able to interact with their neighbours safely outdoors within the boundaries of a safe, access-controlled environment.”

More senior living options

Loneliness, boredom and social isolation become a reality as you age, particularly if you’re stuck behind high walls in the suburbs, nursing a spouse, or no longer able to drive, says Garry Reed, managing director, Evergreen Lifestyle Villages. This influences the mental health of the elderly.

“However, retirement villages are home to vibrant communities of elderly people who are keen to make new friendships, to stay active, and even to learn new skills. There’s always something to do, and someone to do it with.

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04 JULY 2021

PROPERTY

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In addition, for those who may have a partner who ends up suffering from dementia, top-class assistance is on hand, allowing you to share the onerous burden of care,” he says.

Van der Spek, who is in the process of developing Wytham Estate, an over-60s retirement lifestyle village in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs, says he was partly motivated by the desire to combat isolation among the elderly and to give them a home that promotes overall wellbeing.

“Research indicates that community living has proven to significantly improve the physical and mental health and happiness of the older generation, and we’re proud that our estate will soon be a part of those efforts.”

According to Van der Spek, there are a few ways in which living in retirement lifestyle estates helps to combat elderly isolation: 1. An abundance of new friends close by. While there are obviously more ways to connect with your friends and neighbours without the threat of Covid-19, it’s still possible to socialise with your neighbours outdoors, with masks on and while 1,5m apart.

2. Staff on hand to talk through needs. If residents are feeling lonely or that they have no one to talk to about their emotions, they know that professional staff are always on hand to listen and offer solutions where possible.

3. Assistance with connecting to loved ones. Many elderly people desperately want to video-chat with family and friends who they can’t see in person, but they are unsure of how to go about it. The estate’s staff can help get them set up and comfortable with using these tools.

4. Beautiful grounds in which to socialise safely outdoors.

If you’re not comfortable interacting closely with other people yet but would still like to see them and wave hello, many retirement villages feature beautiful gardens so that you don’t have to be stuck inside on your own all day.

Steyn City, Gauteng, includes several lifestyle estates to accommodate the whole family 5. Access to top medical practitioners who can spot signs of loneliness in the elderly before it escalates.

As feelings of isolation can lead to depression, anxiety and even thoughts of suicide, it’s important to have access to medical practitioners who can identify and treat these symptoms.

6. Smart technology that keeps a watchful eye. Some retirement villages use smart technology such as sensors in the floor next to the resident’s bed to monitor whether they’ve gotten up that day.

This is primarily used as a way to detect if a resident is ill but could also be used as a way to detect symptoms of depression.

“Finally, once the threat of Covid-19 subsides, most retirement lifestyle villages and estates will organise regular community events and activities to encourage socialisation among residents and ensure that there’s a strong sense of community to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation,” Van der Spek concludes.

Inside the Clara Anna Fontein Club House outside Durbanville

Wytham Estate, Cape Town, is a lifestyle estate for over-60s, soon to be completed

Spaces like the Manor Conservatory at Wytham promotes interaction among like-minded people

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ADVERTORIAL

04 JULY 2021

Safe and smart

Marinus Boshoff

Century City

A ‘smart city’ in its essence operates efficiently and intelligently, using resources optimally, providing a low-cost, low-carbon basis for economic and social growth, as well as an attractive, healthy, safe, and secure environment in which to live and work. Century City increasingly fits the bill.

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art of Century City’s DNA is to continuously evolve and look for new ways to do things, and to do them better and responsibly.

“At Century City, we looked at the emerging trend of being or developing into a ‘smart city’ and realised that there were several significant practices, some of which have been in existence for 10 or 20 years, that make us a smart city,” says Chris Blackshaw, CEO of Century City Property Owners’ Association (CCPOA).

“We’ve identified five smart segments that are currently in place. As we continue to grow, learn, and evolve into a more holistic smart city, we will be adding more segments.”

The segments they’ve identified are: 1. Smart Safety and Security 2. Smart Connectivity and Communication 3. Smart Community 4. Smart Environmental Sustainability 5. Smart Urban Precinct Management

Smart safety and security

“An expectation of being completely crime-free is unrealistic,” explains Marinus Boshoff, Century City Safety and Security Manager. “Century City is a public precinct, managed by its own ‘private municipality’ and our main purpose is to be as proactive as possible to prevent crime and to act quickly and effectively in the event of an incident.”

Number plate recognition

“From the moment you enter the Century City precinct through one of its six gateways, we have you on camera,” explains Boshoff. “License plate recognition (LPR) cameras read the numberplate of every vehicle and forward it to be verified against the LPR databases, including that of the police.

Should a vehicle be flagged on one of the databases, an alert is sent to the Century City Security Operations Centre (SOC) for action. With our SOC receiving early warning of any suspicious vehicles entering the Century City precinct, we can take proactive and preventative action,” Boshoff says.

At-the-gate security

“A first in South Africa is the integration of our LPR software with the at-the-gate security system, used at access control points at office parks and residential developments. The at-the-gate scanner scans the license disk of the vehicle, while the number plates are tested against the LPR databases. This makes for a very effective early warning system, an additional tracking mechanism for suspicious vehicles, and we have a snapshot of the vehicle and its occupants,” explains Boshoff.

Patrol teams

In addition to and complementing the network of cameras across the precinct that stream and record 24/7 to the SOC, a strategic mix of vehicle, bicycle and foot patrols provides a visible deterrent and rapid response to any incident that may occur.

The use of technology improves the effectiveness of the patrol teams. “Our software allows us to use the built-in GPS tracking system to live-track our radios via an app. This gives the SOC shift manager a live view of the location and movement of all security personnel in the precinct, which allows for dispatching teams closest to an incident,” Boshoff explains.

Dashcams

In addition to a GPS, bodycams are worn and dashcams mounted inside response vehicles. These remain live and stream back to the SOC. When responding to an incident, the officer starts the recording function. Footage is recorded on the unit, and can be transmitted to the cloud system that is fully compliant with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). This dashcam and bodycam footage allows the SOC shift manager to monitor and manage staff on a scene,

and it substantially reduces the time taken to relay important information to management or emergency services. “The recording of the incident becomes vital when evidence is required after the fact.”

More peace of mind

Other smart safety and security measures in operation in Century City include an integrated and expanded alarm monitoring system, remote video surveillance monitoring, tactical response teams and incident management systems.

“At the heart of Century City and our smart safety and security is our state-of-the-art SOC,” says Boshoff. “Our SOC has been created and refined to efficiently integrate a variety of software systems, as well as traffic monitoring and virtual messaging boards. You can phone the SOC directly from the new Century City app in the case of an emergency and it has a reporting function which allows you to take photos of an incident or maintenance problem and supply details of the issue. This immediately goes through to the SOC’s incident management system and the matter is automatically escalated to the appropriate team.”

• Visit centurycity.co.za for more.

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ADVICE

04 JULY 2021

Debunking common real estate

myths

The real estate industry has more than its fair share of myths and preconceived notions, which can often impact negatively on the success of a transaction WORDS & PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

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A myth can be defined as ‘any invented story, idea, or concept’ and that’s exactly what many of the misconceptions about our industry are – notions that have become entrenched through their retelling over time,” says Steve Thomas, secure estate specialist, Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs.

“And although some of these tall tales may be harmless, others can severely hamper a buyer’s or seller’s success and can easily lead to errors in judgement which can prove costly, both in time and money,” he says.

According to Thomas, some of the most common misconceptions, and potential pitfalls resulting from them, are the following:

Myth 1: Overpricing a home results in a higher sale price

When potential buyers begin their search for a new home, it’s usually online and they will filter their search to select properties that suit their needs and are within their budget range.

So, not only will your property take longer to sell when it’s overpriced, buyers will notice that your property has been on the market for some time and will begin to wonder what’s wrong with it.

“I cannot emphasise this enough, especially in the current market – correctly pricing a home within its market is key to realising a quick sale at the best possible price.”

Myth 2: A quick offer means the property was priced too low

It’s not uncommon for buyers to

be less than thrilled when they receive an offer very soon after listing and to start questioning the agent’s valuation.

However, in most cases quite the opposite is true. After extensive comparison shopping online, serious buyers will have seen everything that’s for sale and have a good idea of pricing, so when they see a new listing that meets their needs and is priced right, they’ll immediately enquire.

Myth 3: Open houses are essential to selling your home “With digital technology now allowing us to advertise homes in much more detail with multiple photos and even virtual walkthroughs, most serious buyers will compile a short list after an online search before contacting the agents to view by appointment.”

Making a sale at an open house is becoming increasingly rare as it can attract nosy neighbours, and people who are thinking of possibly buying but “just looking” for now.

Myth 4: Agents will say and do anything to close a deal It’s certainly true that the most successful agents are those with the gift of the gab and a talent for selling.

“There will always be a few charlatans trying their luck, but they don’t last long, especially in reputable, established agencies. Not only are agents held to a strict code of conduct with a multitude of rules and regulations, they also rely heavily on referral and word-of-mouth business.

Those who are less than ethical and professional will soon fall by the wayside,” he says.

Myth 5: The real estate agent offering the lowest commission is the best option Times are tough and it’s understandable that many buyers want to negotiate the commission rate and most agents will oblige. However, if an agent offers to significantly reduce their commission upfront, it should be regarded as a red flag.

It takes many long hours of work over several months to sell a home from listing to transfer.

Furthermore, a good agent will negotiate on your behalf to achieve a sale for the best possible price and will strive to protect your interests at every point. In other words, they earn their commission and they know their worth, and are unlikely to slash 50% off the rate.

Myth 6: You can completely rely on online valuations

“Although some things, like the initial search for a new home, can confidently be done online, the human element is still critical in other steps in the sale or purchase process, such as property valuations and pricing. Popping online for an approximate estimate of the value of your property is an easy solution, but once you decide to sell, a market-related valuation is critical – one compiled by an experienced agent with a solid track record and knowledge of the area.

Myth 7: Home improvements pay for themselves

While certain upgrades and improvements can significantly increase the value of a property, there’s also a possibility of overcapitalising. “First establish the current value of your home and property prices in your area, as neighbourhoods generally have a threshold up to which buyers and renters are willing to pay. Also find out what trends and home features are most popular.”

Myth 8: A home doesn’t need to be prepped for sale

The truth is that even a brand new build that has never been lived in will attract more interest if staged with furniture. Prospective buyers should easily imagine themselves living in the space. A property can often benefit from a fresh coat of paint, having the garden tidied and a vase of fragrant flowers placed in the entrance hall. Thomas concludes, “The decision to buy a home is not only a financial one; it’s strongly influenced by emotion and it’s therefore essential to engage buyers emotionally by highlighting your home’s best features and making it as appealing as possible.”

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