How The Aspen Tree At The Forestias Nurtures a Healthier, Happier Retirement

What’s perhaps the most compelling feature of The Aspen Tree is how each unit’s transaction is structured. Here, the sticker price for every home is composed of two components: one for the physical property itself and the other, for the lifetime services and care that each resident will enjoy. A resident can thus be assured that the provision of these services, which range from enrichment activities to medical care and more, will not be contingent on further payments of fees or subscription charges in the future.

“Giving our residents this peace of mind is important,” declares Hye June Park, president of The Aspen Tree Corporation, a subsidiary of MQDC. “We’ve studied senior living communities in other countries and seen how residents in some of them may be denied services or even kicked out if they’re unable to pay. We developed our business model to ensure that these will not happen.”

This assurance affords a resident the freedom to focus on maintaining a healthy, socially engaged lifestyle. Indeed, The Aspen Tree holds the view that ageing should be invested in early, zooming in on preventive rather than curative care. A key part of the development’s value proposition—its care and services—will thus be focused on meeting the physical, psychological and social needs of its residents. Choices abound, from hikes in The Forestias’ forest to daily classes that can be booked via the smart device located in every home.

Park recognises that The Aspen Tree’s operations team will need to manage these services and activities in the years ahead—with a deft touch, no less. “We’ll look at the residents’ profiles and shape our programmes and activities accordingly. At the same time, we’ll also provide personalised services on an individual level. Given how The Aspen Tree’s community will be quite sizable, there is potential for us to engage in community building as well.”

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For any development centred on retirement, the elephant in the room is the issue of medical care, particularly active ageing. On that front, The Aspen Tree has partnered with experts to develop and provide the relevant services, with the aim of meeting the majority of its residents’ needs within the property itself.

This holistic lifetime care will cover every stage of ageing; active living, assisted living, high care and palliative care needs can all be met, thanks to The Aspen Tree’s strategic partnership with Baycrest, the noted Toronto-based research and teaching hospital specialised in geriatric care. Baycrest’s involvement covers every aspect of healthcare, from the initial medical underwriting for insurance to disease management and more.

On a broader scale, The Aspen Tree has also teamed up with the Panyapiwat Institute of Management (PIM) under the Charoen Pokphand Group (C.P. Group) to create a caregiver training programme based off the latter’s experience in running a nursing faculty. Instead of the 420 hours of training needed to be certified as a licensed caregiver, however, The Aspen Tree’s bespoke programme will span 800 hours of training across diverse topics, including nursing, hospitality and language skills.

According to Park, The Aspen Tree will serve both as proof of concept and the gold standard for senior living communities in the region. She notes that apart from similar developments in Japan, the concept remains relatively nascent in the region—despite the trend of ageing populations in Southeast Asia and the changing attitudes towards caregiving responsibilities.

“In Asia, there is a respect for seniors in general and that’s a good thing,” she opines. “But we also want them to consider a happy, healthy, and hassle-free living within the high quality community during their golden years. Instead of expecting their children to take care of them, they should explore the options that are available out there, such as senior living communities. A concept such as The Aspen Tree doesn’t just give them independence and a high quality of care, but also a wealth of enjoyable experiences.”

Sales have already begun for The Aspen Tree’s units and the property is expected to be completed along with the rest of The Forestias by late 2023.

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