Construction of a Pukekohe assisted living development designed to help older residents age independently has finished construction just six months after work began.
The development, on Edinburgh Street, was blessed recently and it will soon welcome new residents.
Notre Dame Living, built by Ramwall and marketed by Bayleys, has transformed a former Catholic Church site into a modern village for people aged 55 and over.
The name of the village was chosen as it was also the name of a former nunnery that occupied the site before it was sold in 2022.
Its construction marks a new chapter for the site and its long association with the local Catholic community.
Many such villages operate on a licence-to-occupy (LTO) model through which residents purchase the right to live in rather than own a unit.
However, Notre Dame offers full ownership with minimised management fees, Ramwall’s operations manager Shiva Sami says.
“Any capital appreciation that you gain on this property is yours. Once you own it, it’s yours.”
The village’s 23 single-level homes were designed for accessibility with layouts aimed at reducing the risk of accidents.
“It’s a good stepping stone, especially for people downsizing as they age gracefully into their new place, the house is actually designed to adapt to them,” Sami says.
While the village provides another housing option for older residents, the primary intention is to help people remain connected to their community as they age.
Associate Health Minister and Minister for Seniors Casey Costello says developments such as Notre Dame are important in meeting the needs of New Zealand’s ageing population.
“These options give people the chance to downsize and still stay in the community they know and love,” she says. “People want to live in a really suitable, accessible home with a safe bathroom that’s well heated and easy to maintain, not to injure themselves by tripping when stepping over the front steps!”
Focusing on healthy housing for retirees has a domino effect, benefiting both older residents and the wider community, Costello adds.
“If we can keep people healthy at home, safer, then that takes some burden off the health system.”
