Affordability
Means Test: The physical, mental, emotional and financial health of our applicants is vitally important to MHA. We have implemented a system whereby those health criteria are established when offering accommodation, periodically after that, and at the time of wanting to contract with MHA, in order for both parties (MHA and the applicant) to understand and accept the financial and other obligations ahead
Payment of Life Right: When a Waiting List applicant has been offered a cottage or apartment, and indicates acceptance, a 10% deposit on the Life Right amount is required, with the balance being paid or guaranteed prior to the applicant being authorized to make any alterations and improvements, and to moving into the accommodation
Monthly Levy: This applies to cottages, apartments and frail care accommodation, must be paid monthly, and interest may be charged on overdue amounts
Day-to-day living expenses: MHA fully understands and appreciates the financial challenges which face many retirees, more so with advancing age. It is, however, critically important that residents of our cottages and apartments have the means by which to live, without undue hardship. This forms a part of the Means Test referred to above, and may involve counselling and further discussion
Healthcare: Generally our residents have private Healthcare/Medical Aid cover, and maintaining this is strongly encouraged
Guarantee: When one of our residents needs to move to one of MHA’s Frail Care units, and when faced with potentially increased monthly personal expenses (the Frail Care Levy, medication, incontinent wear, oxygen and other medical consumables, and perhaps private carers), MHA generally asks that the resident provides a guarantee that the monthly expenses will be settled timeously, and invariably a Guarantor is sought, usually a family member
Financial Relief: A Frail Care Assistance Fund was established to assist those residents, previously residing in a MHA cottage or apartment, who no longer have the financial resources to cover the Frail Care costs in full. This Fund has come under significant stress in recent times, and MHA is in the process of establishing another mechanism for making funds available for assistance, where warranted and when possible. Similarly, a Residents’ Assistance Fund was established to address instances where a resident in a MHA cottage or apartment can no longer cover monthly expenses. An arrangement is generally made for MHA to recover the monthly Levy amount by debiting the affected resident’s Life Right Refund amount, thus reducing or exhausting the eventual refund due. This Fund too has come under significant stress in recent times, and is also receiving MHA’s attention.