Old Age Homes · Scottburgh South, Amanzimtoti, Scottburgh & the South Coast
Alex Park Older Persons Retreat
Highly rated home for older persons in Scottburgh South with care, one of the longest-running on the South Coast.
- Frail Care
Retirement Villages · Margate, Amanzimtoti, Scottburgh & the South Coast
Hibiscus Retirement Villages
Non-profit founded in Margate in 1962 and the first in South Africa to use life rights, with four villages between Margate and Port Shepstone, each with frail care, bowls and a clubhouse.
- Frail Care
- Life right
Retirement Villages · Pennington, Amanzimtoti, Scottburgh & the South Coast
Umdoni Retirement Village
Sectional-title village at Pennington from about R850,000 with on-site frail care and step-down facilities, next to the Umdoni golf course and 50 minutes from Durban.
- Frail Care
- Sectional title
Local knowledge
Living in Amanzimtoti, Scottburgh & the South Coast
The South Coast is where KwaZulu-Natal retirement is cheapest. Hibiscus Retirement Villages, a non-profit founded in Margate in 1962 and the first in the country to use life rights, runs four villages between Margate and Port Shepstone and is building the 600-cottage Widenham village at Umkomaas, where one-bedroom cottages started at R1.2 million and three-bedrooms at R2.35 million. Renishaw Hills at Scottburgh is a 500-unit lifestyle estate for over-50s, Umdoni at Pennington has on-site frail care, and Poinsettia Park, Alex Park and Lakeview serve Amanzimtoti and Scottburgh.
Hospitals thin out as you go south. Netcare Kingsway in Amanzimtoti is the main private hospital for the upper coast, Hibiscus Private in Port Shepstone and Netcare Margate serve the lower coast, and Scottburgh has a provincial hospital. Durban's specialists are 40 minutes from Scottburgh and 1 hour 30 from Margate. King Shaka is 1 hour to 1 hour 45; Margate has a small airport.
Winters are mild, the sea is warm and the pace is slow. The questions to ask are about the distance to specialist care and whether a village's frail care is built or still planned. Our frail care and village costs in KZN guide has the figures.
About frail care
Frail care is round-the-clock nursing for older people who can no longer manage daily activities on their own. Care is given by registered nurses, enrolled nurses and care workers, and most facilities also offer short-term respite and post-hospital recovery stays.
What to ask when visiting a frail care facility in Amanzimtoti, Scottburgh & the South Coast
- 1Is the facility registered with the Department of Social Development, and when was the last inspection?
- 2What is the ratio of nurses and carers to residents, day and night?
- 3Which doctor visits, how often, and how are emergencies and hospital transfers handled?
- 4What is included in the daily or monthly rate (medication, incontinence products, physio)?
- 5Do they offer respite or step-down care for a trial stay?
Other care in Amanzimtoti, Scottburgh & the South Coast
Nearby towns
Questions families ask
Frail Care in Amanzimtoti, Scottburgh & the South Coast
What does a life-right cottage cost on the KZN South Coast?
Widenham Retirement Village at Umkomaas listed one-bedroom cottages from R1.2 million, two-bedrooms from R2.05 million and three-bedrooms from R2.35 million in its recent phases. Hibiscus villages in Margate and Ramsgate are generally lower.
Which South Coast villages have frail care?
Umdoni Retirement Village in Pennington has on-site frail care and step-down. The Hibiscus villages share the Margate and Umdoni care centres, and Widenham has a clinic with a frail care facility planned. Alex Park in Scottburgh is an older persons' home with care.
How far is Scottburgh from Durban?
About 40 minutes on the N2 to central Durban and an hour to King Shaka International. Margate is 1 hour 30 to Durban.
How do I know if my parent needs frail care?
Frail care is usually needed when someone needs hands-on help with several daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, getting out of bed or eating, or needs nursing supervision for medication or a medical condition. A GP or a facility's nursing manager can do an assessment.
Does medical aid pay for frail care?
Generally no. Medical schemes may cover a short post-hospital stay in a step-down facility, but long-term frail care is normally paid privately. Check your parent's specific scheme and plan.
Can we try frail care before committing?
Many facilities offer respite stays of a week or more. This is a good way to see the care, and for your parent to get used to the place.