The four Rand Aid retirement villages – Inyoni Creek, Thornhill Manor, Tarentaal and Elphin Lodge – have always placed residents’ safety and well-being at the heart of village life.
While most residents remain active and independent, age-related challenges mean that additional support systems are valuable. Alongside the village sisters and social workers, a strong sense of community thrives, where neighbours look out for one another and initiatives to promote safety and combat isolation and loneliness continue to evolve.
At Inyoni Creek, practical new measures are being introduced. Residents can now collect free daily calendars from the office, designed to serve as a subtle well-being check. “If a calendar hasn’t been updated, it’s a gentle reminder for us to check in and make sure everything is okay,” explains village manager Jenny Tonkin. In addition, laminated emergency preparedness lists have been distributed, and residents have been given a step-by-step SOS button guide. A new buddy system is also being launched, inviting volunteers to keep an eye on two or more neighbours, with support and communication through a dedicated WhatsApp group.
Elphin Lodge is also exploring a buddy system. Village manager Debbie Beech says the idea gained traction after lessons learnt during a recent power outage. “There’s a very good informal system where neighbours check on each other, but there’s also a need for a more formal structure to support frail and vulnerable residents,” she explains. Already, two sections of the village have set up their own WhatsApp groups, with positive results. Elphin residents are also making good use of the new village WhatsApp community group, which keeps everyone updated about outages, events and important announcements.
In addition to these measures, Elphin Lodge also hosts regular learning circles, facilitated by Debbie. A learning circle is a group discussion format where a facilitator poses a question, and each participant has an uninterrupted opportunity to respond before a broader conversation begins. “The aim is for people to connect on a deeper level than superficial chat,” Debbie explains. She adds that they provide an opportunity for residents to share memories and connect in a meaningful way – and all are welcome to join.
Another initiative that spans both Elphin Lodge and the Ron Smith Care Centre, located on the same grounds, is the men’s group. Facilitated by village social worker Nadine Radford, the group provides a space for men to come together, share experiences and discuss topics of interest. In one session, for example, a member gave a fascinating talk about Ascension Island, sparking lively conversation. The group plays an important role in preventing isolation among men in the care centre and encourages meaningful interaction with village residents.
At Thornhill Manor, manager Shaun Victor says the village is reviewing various strategies. Meanwhile, residents have been using WhatsApp groups for daily check-ins, and these are now being considered for wider rollout.
Tarentaal residents also benefit from community networks and the long-established SOS button system, which connects directly to Carephone in emergencies, with a maximum response time of 20 minutes. Residents are reminded to keep their panic buttons charged and within reach, and to save key emergency numbers.
All these initiatives reflect Rand Aid’s commitment to creating caring, inclusive and resilient communities. They align with The Rand Aid Way, which embraces mutual respect and empowerment, and with the HEARTS campaign, which promotes honesty, empathy, accountability, respect, trust and sensitivity. Together, these values help ensure that Rand Aid villages are not only places of safety, but also of belonging.
