Monte Christo Retirement Village would like to wish all our readers a joyful an prosperous 2012! We are eager to take on a year filled with exciting endeavors and promising developments, so watch out for our newsletters which will be coming your way every month…

De Caravel is on track

A hearty welcome

Residents "bring and braai" 

The owners of Monte Christo Village, who currently reside in the Village enjoyed an informal get together at the show house on Saturday 3 December 2011, by invitation of Sister Hanlie Coetzee and the Sales Agent, Liz Orr.

It took the form of a “bring and braai” – everyone arrived with a packed Picnic Basket with a communal salad, something to be cooked on the braai-fires, kindly supplied by Abie Coetzee; and their favourite tipple.  The Sales Office was dollied up by setting a colourful table – with serviettes and flowers, a Christmas Tree and background music of favourite Carols to set a festive mood!

Sister Hanlie brought a large and delicious Traditional Trifle which took pride of place in the centre of the “Buffet” on dining-nook/kitchen counter – where the holiday spirit was captured with lights and candles.

A convivial spirit abounded with much bantering and clever whit – and a good time was had by all!   The evening culminated in the swopping of a small but meaningful gift to celebrate the season of giving!

-written by Liz Orr

The Dias Festival, 3 – 5 February 2012

Mossel Bay Municipality spokesperson Harry Hill said that this year the Dias Festival will be bigger than ever to include sports as well as cultural and community activities. “As part of its overall strategy to revitalise the area, the Mossel Bay Municipality has identified the need for festivals and events to draw more feet to the historic central business district,” said the town’s Municipal Manager, Dr. Michele Gratz.

The festival will include an air show, a motor sport gymkhana, displays by the NSRI and the SA Police. There will be an array of food and curio stalls at the Festival Arena (Santos Caravan Park) and for the adrenalin junkies; a fun triathlon, yacht racing, an angling competition, a pet walkathon, a cycle race, an adventure trail as well as squash and golf tournaments. The Harry Giddey Park will also host a gospel and talent show.

For more information, visit www.visitmosselbay.co.za.

Eating healthy

According to an article on health24.com, food can be your best ally for living a longer and healthier life. We’ve known this as a general fact, but it’s important to also realize that as we get older certain eating problems of old age can be circumvented. We share a few tips on how to:

Calculate your energy requirements

Mahan and her co-editors (2011) suggest that the Daily Recommended Intakes (DRIs) for energy for adults can be used to calculate the energy requirement of older persons, provided an adjustment is made for increasing age.

Example:

• The DRI for energy for adults aged 18 years is 12 830 kJ/day for men and 10 060 kJ/day for women.
• For reduced energy requirement due to ageing we subtract 42 kJ/day for men and 29 kJ/day for women for each year of age older than 19 years.
• Thus a man of 80 years (i.e. 80-19 = 61 years x 42 kJ = 2 562 kJ/day), then his approximate energy requirement would be 12 830 minus 2 562 = 10 268 kJ/day
• In short healthy men aged 80 would require approximately 2500 kJ less energy than when he was 19 years old.

The trick is to consume enough energy to maintain a healthy weight throughout life and to moderately reduce energy intake as we grow older.

Limit certain foods

It’s important to limit your intake of sodium, solid fats, sugar and refined grains.

Consume more nutrient - dense foods and beverages such as

• Low-fat milk products
• Seafood, lean meats and eggs
• Dry beans, peas, lentils and soy for dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals
• Dark green & leafy OR yellow vegetables

Vitamin and mineral supplements

If you’re struggling to eat a balanced diet, you will benefit greatly from taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement plus a calcium and Salmon oil supplement at least 3 times a week.

Probiotics

“The use of probiotics (“good or beneficial microorganisms”) can benefit people of all ages, including older people.  Try using Bifidoforte or Bifidoflora (which contain Bifidobacteria), which are recommended specifically for the treatment of disorders of the colon (large intestine), or Intestiflora (which contains Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria), to restore the function of the intestinal flora after antibiotic treatments. You should be able to purchase these probiotics at health shops.” – health24.com

Aftreeontwikkeling in Mosselbaai volstoom op dreef

Die inwoners van Monte Christo Aftree Oord net buite Mosselbaai is opgewonde oor die goeie vordering van die nuwe De Caravel gebou.  Hierdie kompleks, wat die klubhuis, verswaktesorgsentrum en ‘n hele aantal deeltitel-wooneenhede sal huisves, se konstruksie is op die oomblik effens voor skedule en dit wil lyk of die okkupasiedatum van middel-Maart 2012 met gemak gehaal sal word.

Tydens ‘n informele vergadering met die kontrakteur, inwoners en die verkoopspan op Dinsdag, 11 Oktober, het Mark Teuchert, ‘n direkteur van die ontwikkelingsmaatskappy Lazercor, die kontrakteur met die vordering gelukgewens.

“Die sukses van ‘n ontwikkeling soos hierdie vereis gehalte werk; op skedule gelewer. Julle het nie net reggekry om ons mylpaaldatums te haal nie, maar het selfs ‘n paar vroeër as beplan te voltooi!” het hy oor ‘n glasie vonkelwyn bygevoeg.

Met die kontrakeur wat reeds sedert 1 Junie vanjaar op die terrein is, is die blad van die boonste vloer nou gegiet en is die strukturele raamwerk van die gebou daarmee saam voltooi – wat beteken dat dit nog net die steenwerk, dak en afwerking kort om van De Caravel ‘n uiters welkome realiteit te maak.

Die verswaktesorgsentrum op die grondvloer staan ook einde se kant toe, ‘n feit wat tot hernieude belangstelling onder voornemende beleggers lei en ‘n redelike stroom verkope oor die afgelope paar maande tot gevolg gehad het.

John en Agnes McDonough, wat onlangs ‘n plot-en-plan huis in Monte Christo gekoop het, sien uit daarna om hul besige lewens in Gauteng te veruil vir die vreesdame omgewing van Monte Christo Aftree Oord.

“Hierdie lei vir ons ‘n heel nuwe fase van ons lewens in”, sê Agnes opgewonde, “en een waarin ons die gemoedsrus kan hê van gehalte mediese sorg ‘n klipgooi weg, namate ons ouer word.”

Inwoners sien veral uit na die opening van die klubhuis, met sy restaurant, kroeg, patio met braaiplek en balkon met ‘n pragtige uitsig oor die bekende ‘Punt’ in Mosselbaai.

“Ek vermoed dat die klubhuis die hart van hierdie aftree-oord sal word, hetsy vir alledaagse maaltye, aktiwiteite, inligtingsaande, of om familie en vriende vir ‘n ete te trakteer – of selfs net om ‘n boek uit die biblioteek te geniet,” het Teuchert geglimlag.

Benewens die deeltitel-wooneenhede in De Caravel is daar ook nog ‘n aantal plot-en-plan erwe in Monte Christo Aftree Oord beskikbaar.

Visit our stand at the Retirement Expo (Coca-Cola dome, Johannesburg, from 28-30 October 2011) to see more of this beautiful development. 

Spring has sprung

Winter is fast losing its grip and we are all easing into spring – a beautiful season that’s perfect for slowing down and savouring our beautiful surroundings here at Monte Christo!

With the landscaping slowly but surely coming into its own, we are also seeing more and more visitors of the feathered kind – and in the spring sunshine the sunbirds glitter like jewels among the indigenous flowers in our gardens.

Peace of mind included in the deal

Life is unpredictable, and an emergency can come up in any situation. However, as we grow older, the risk of such emergencies – whether a serious fall, heart attack or kitchen accident – increases. To ensure fast and accurate response to any such emergency situation, Monte Christo Retirement Village residents all receive a MAMBO2 device as part of their contract.  If you press the panic button, the device sends an emergency signal plus your GPS co-ordinates to a control centre, so that an emergency medical response team can find you.

This clever little piece of equipment looks like a small cell phone, but has been designed to make handling as simple and intuitive as possible. Thanks to large keys (buttons) and unmistakable symbols, elderly people can operate the MAMBO2 with ease. A so- called “Funkfinger” with emergency key,  reminder function for the intake of pills, monitoring of pulse and blood pressure by means of sensors, as well as person-tracking for patients or people living in homes make the MAMBO2 an ideal aid in the everyday life of elderly people.

De Caravel steadily takes shape

The pillars of the De Caravel building (with its well-designed sectional title apartments, clubhouse and frail-care centre) are already up to the 2^nd floor and the projected completion date for Phase 1 is set at mid-March 2012. This development is creating a definite sense of excitement about this scenic retirement village, with construction on yet another two houses starting within the next two weeks.

DE CARAVEL PROGRESS

With the slabs of the De Caravel building (with its well-designed sectional title apartments, clubhouse and frail-care centre) having been poured and the projected completion date for Phase 1 set at March 2012, excitement about this scenic development is greater than ever. No wonder yet another two houses have recently been sold!

Soon-to-be-residents John and Agnes McDonough are looking forward to exchanging the hustle and bustle of life in Gauteng for the peaceful surroundings of Monte Christo Retirement Village. Building of their new home should start in around two months.

“It will be a whole new phase in our lives”, says Agnes excitedly, “and one in which we can have peace of mind, knowing that we’ll have access to medical care within the village as we grow older.”

Residents are especially looking forward to the completion of the club house, with its restaurant, bar, patio with barbeque, and balcony with views towards the famous “Point” in Mossel Bay. We expect the club house to become the hub of the village, whether for meals, activities, informative talks, sharing of ideas, treating friends or family to a meal – or simply enjoying a book from the library!

PROPERTIES FOR SALE

If you have clients who would be keen to secure a home in this small but fast-growing community, but without the wait, they may like our latest offering: A charming 107 m2 one-bedroom house with single garage, full bathroom, fitted kitchen, tiles throughout (except the bedroom, which is carpeted) and boasting an 11 m2 patio. Due for completion in October 2011, it is priced at R1 407 000, including VAT.

Alternatively, they can choose from one of our (31) remaining villa plots, or invest one of the seven well-appointed “Assisted Living” or “Bed-sitter” De Caravel sectional title apartments (ranging from R390 000 to R540 000) to be completed as part of Phase 1 of De Caravel.

Visit www.montechristoretirementvillage.co.za for more information or to download brochures, or call our dedicated sales agent, Liz Orr, on 0861 AFTREE (238733) / 072 278 3707.

De Caravel development commences

In line with developer Lazercor’s promise, the site of the prospective De Caravel building at the prestigious Monte Christo Retirement Village in Mossel Bay  was handed over to the building contractor, WF Construction, on 1 June 2011. Construction of De Caravel, featuring wheelchair-friendly apartments, frail care unit and clubhouse, is scheduled to be completed by February 2012, with residents moving into the apartments in March 2012.

The addition of the De Caravel building has been led by developer Mark Teuchert of Lazercor Developments. So passionately do the shareholders, of whom Teuchert is one, believe in the success of this initiative that they have personally invested in the planned construction of De Caravel. Much thought was given to selecting a professional team and building contractor that not only offered excellent track records, but that also hailed from the business community in and around Mossel Bay, thereby further contributing to the economy of the local community.

Thanking investors, professionals and contractors for their contribution to the achievement of establishing a clubhouse and frail-care facility (usually the ultimate objective in any successful retirement village development) at the hand-over of the site on Wednesday, Mark Teuchert expressed his satisfaction with the progress made. “We regard this building phase as the final milestone in satisfying our promise of providing our residents with physical security, financial security and health security in a dignified environment.”

The De Caravel apartments will be situated in the heart of the Monte Christo Retirement Village, offering residents convenient living in a picturesque setting. The clubhouse will serve as an extension of residents’ living space and will provide a place where residents and their families can relax and socialise. The 40 sectional-title apartments in De Caravel include bachelor and one-bedroom apartments, as well as 8 bed-sitters; ranging in size from 33m² to 96m², and with pricing from R390 000.

The CEO of WF Construction, Mr S.G.S. Herbst, expressed his delight to be associated with the Monte Christo Retirement Village development. "We at WF Construction are very proud to embark on this new and exciting project in partnership with Lazercor, and believe that it will be a very successful partnership.” Having been involved in various projects, ranging from commercial and industrial buildings to luxury homes and residential developments  in the Southern Cape since 2004, WF Construction appears to be a good choice for this important project.

Away from the Maddening Crowd.

Monte Christo Retirement Village is situated on a hill between farmlands and

a nature reserve.  It is quiet and peaceful with a beautiful view of the sea

and the Mossel Bay Peninsular.  Yet we are not isolated;  we can see the

cars rush by on the N2 below, the Spar is but 5 minutes away, and the

Langeberg Mall a ride of less than 10 minutes.  Being closer to the shops

would be disturbing, especially in December and January, when the holiday

crowds arrive.  We can sit on our hill and observe the madness, or join in

at our will!

''Mariette Walliser'' - Village resident

With construction of Phase 1 of the De Caravel building officially starting on 1 June 2011, this is the best time ever to invest in this prestigious development outside Mossel Bay…

De Caravel will contribute significantly to the general property values and quality of life of residents by offering the following:

• The clubhouse, where residents and their families can enjoy the vibrant atmosphere created by amenities such as a restaurant, ladies bar, band stand, braai area, gym and swimming pool.
• The permanent care unit, where our friendly, highly qualified medical staff and world-class facilities will ensure outstanding 24-hour nursing and medical assistance.