Auria Senior Living Expands Its Footprint To The Western Cape

The existing Woodside Village is a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) situated on 9 hectares, comprising over 200 houses and apartments, as well as an assisted living facility and extensive gardens and communal areas. “The acquisition appealed to us as we operate all our Auria communities on the CCRC model. It is an established and well-run community which we will be able to take to an international standard in terms of the amenities and services we offer,” says Barry Kaganson, founder and CEO of Auria. Woodside Village will become Auria’s flagship CCRC in the Western Cape, and critical to Auria’s expansion plans in the region. “Our strategy is to have a presence in all major South African cities, and the acquisition and redevelopment of Woodside Village forms an important part of that rollout,” says Kaganson.

Woodside Village will undergo renovations over the coming six to nine months to match the other senior living communities in the Auria portfolio. As part of this process, existing facilities will be upgraded and new ones added. A cinema, wellness centre and an enhanced dining and entertainment area will be just a few of the improvements that residents can look forward to. Communal areas and facilities are important as it is here that residents get to interact, socialise, exercise or take part in learning and interest activities. Providing such amenities is in line with global best practice, which recognises the tremendous benefits of regular social interaction, physical activity and intellectual engagements for older adults. In addition to the physical upgrades, great care will be paid to enhancing the daily operations from a hospitality, social and wellness perspective.

Auria has a proven track record in turning around underperforming and outdated retirement villages. Its flagship senior living community in Gauteng, San Sereno, has received three international awards in the past year alone. The most recent of these was being named one of the five winners of the prestigious international Argentum* 2020 Senior Living by Design Awards. These recognise senior living providers who create quality senior living communities in innovative ways. Of the five winners of the Senior Living by Design Awards (2020), San Sereno was the only entry from outside the United States.

“At Auria, we refer to senior living and not retirement living because we understand that this stage of one’s life is not about retiring, it’s about a different set of needs and lifestyle choices defined by happiness, security, peace of mind and health. Our aim is to develop senior living communities that are destinations of choice – places where anyone over the age of 70 would want to live for their high quality lifestyle and amenities, whether they need assistance with any aspect of their lives or not,” says Kaganson. “Of course, with seniors generally having greater care needs as their age advances, it certainly helps to have the reassurance of living in a place where they can manage their wellness better, with the requisite assistance if necessary. We are excited to have the opportunity to bring this exceptional quality of life and a strong sense of community to Woodside Village”

Auria’s philosophy of care is driven by the aim of helping people enjoy their best quality of life. The company has experienced great success with its established communities and has seen a significant rise in demand for places in these communities as people realise the benefits of living in a well-managed environment specifically suited to their wholistic needs.