Dubai isn’t a playground for just the young and the youthful. Following the launch of the Dubai Retirement Visa last year, the city just took a big leap in its bid to become one of the world’s favourite elderly-friendly destinations. Vita Elderly Care Complex, the region’s first specialised and integrated elderly care complex, will soon open in Dubai. The state-of-the-the-art healthcare facility will offer comprehensive healthcare services for elderly Emirati and expats over the age of 65.
A deal has been signed between regulator DHCC (Dubai Healthcare City) and Vita, a UAE-based healthcare investment company. The launch of the centre will help the city tick an important box in becoming a global hub of healthcare for all, from paediatrics to geriatrics.
Addressing the needs of an ageing population is both a moral imperative and essential service in the continuum of care
The UAE’s recent visa reforms, including Golden Visas and Retirement Visas, will lead to a rise in the number of ageing people in the country. Addressing the needs of an ageing population is both a moral imperative and essential service in the continuum of care. Dubai believes there is a vital and unmet need for elderly care that must be addressed. Officials maintain that the specialised facility will bridge a gap in the UAE’s medical care and non-clinical services for the elderly. The Covid-19 pandemic showed that the elderly are among the most vulnerable sections of society.
The complex aims to become a centre of excellence for geriatric care in the region, offering services like an outpatient geriatric medical centre, an advanced nursing home for long-term care, an Alzheimer’s centre, an elderly daycare centre, a rehabilitation facility, a ventilated care Centre, a home care centre and home health monitoring services.
Healthcare for all: From paediatrics to geriatrics
The DHCC is already home to five hospitals and 168 clinical facilities. It is now an internationally recognised centre for excellence in healthcare and medical education. The free zone’s first phase, occupying 4.1 million square feet in Oud Metha, is dedicated to healthcare and medical education. Its second phase, occupying 22 million square feet in Al Jaddaf, is dedicated to wellness.
DHCC in numbers
3,000 private health facilities
160 clinical partners
150 specialities
90 source countries for licensed professionals
The new geriatric centre, to be operated through Vita Care, will be a key component of DHCC’s second phase. In 2016, the UAE had 1 per cent of its population over the age of 60 years. In 2020, the population aged 65 and above stood at 1.26 per cent. In 2017, a Dubai Health Authority report said the country’s elderly population, people aged 65 and over, would surge from 6 per cent to 29 per cent by 2050.
Be the first to write a comment.
Your feedback
