KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 – UOA Group has launched a co-living and wellness facility in Kuala Lumpur, equipped with medical and care services, for senior citizens, dubbed to be the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia.
The development called Komune Living and Wellness, located alongside a serene 99-acre park in Cheras, is the first integrated facility in Asia that combines senior co-living spaces with a dedicated wellness hub that will offer professional senior care services, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and luxurious pampering options to both residents and walk-in guests.
“Our objective with Komune Living &Wellness is to create a safe and engaging community for seniors, where they can age actively with all the facilities and support they need to maintain both their physical and mental well-being. In many cases, seniors get moved around as their care needs change over time, but that can be unsettling and disruptive for them and their relationships.
“This is why Komune Living & Wellness has been designed to support retirees at different steps on their ageing journey. We can provide a ‘hotel-like’ environment and experience for independent and active seniors, as well as the medical care and assistance which may be required by others.” said Mark Chen, general manager at Komune Living and Wellness at the May 12 launch.
“There has been a lot of research which shows that the bonds of community and social engagement are one of the key factors in sustaining health and longevity, and this philosophy has driven the development of Komune Living & Wellness. We believe that our senior co-living model, supported by high quality communal facilities and activities, as well as top-notch on-site medical facilities and care, offers a unique solution. Our residents can ‘age-in-place’ in a stimulating and fun environment where they can build long term friendships and bonds, whilst enjoying lots of life enriching and fun activities.”
Komune Living & Wellness provides residents and guests with over 20 different amenities and facilities across 40,000 sq ft of space dedicated to wellness and community activities. Indoor facilities include a heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, gaming rooms, KTV rooms, movie theatrette, specially equipped gymnasium, activity studios, community living room, community kitchen, community dining area, and launderettes.
Outdoor facilities include a swimming pool, outdoor gym, rooftop farm and direct access to the park (Taman Tasik Permaisuri) which features a lake and numerous footpaths.
The lower levels of the development are accessible to the public and feature a number of other amenities that guests, residents, and visiting friends and family can enjoy. These include a 12,000 sq ft food court with over 400 seats and 12 food stalls providing a range of popular food options, a mini-mart, a pharmacy, a hair and beauty salon, a childcare centre and other food and beverage (F&B) outlets. Alongside this will be a range of other amenities including a number of medical practices.
These will include a general medical practice, a dental practice, ambulatory day-care screening services, a medical aesthetics clinic and even an anti-ageing clinic providing services such as stem cell treatments. These practices will be operated by medical professionals from UMH Healthcare & Medical Group.
Other aspects of resident and visitors’ holistic health will also be catered for harmoniously in a partnership between UOA Group and wellness specialist Tong Xin Tang. Tong Xin Tang, an established and reputable Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) business, will help those interested in holistic medicine to balance their yin and yang, and improve their Qi through a diverse range of TCM services including acupuncture, massage, cupping and more.
The large Tong Xin Tang facility at Komune Living & Wellness will include over 50 private consultation and treatment rooms. Residents will also benefit from optional and complimentary TCM health talks and seminars, Qi Gong training sessions, and nutrition and dietary advice.
In addition, senior residents at Komune Living & Wellness will be able to access a variety of additional care services delivered by Komune Care – a dedicated wellness partner created through a collaboration between UOA Group and Care Concierge, a senior living specialist.
Komune Care consists of 260 resort-like Assisted Living Suites, as well as a dedicated Senior Daycare facility, making it the largest in Malaysia at 6,600 sq ft. Supported by nurses and experienced senior caregivers, all overlooking the tranquil park and lake, the seniors will receive essential care as they participate in the life-enriching community, cognitive and physical wellness activities. These activities are specifically tailored by occupational therapists to best suit their care needs and includes a music therapy programme.
“In Malaysia, many children look after their parents, which is a fantastic tradition, as strong family bonds are also important in helping people grow older gracefully. However, due to the hectic demands of modern working life, many seniors spend a lot of time alone at home, often without the kind of stimulation and community they need to help preserve their physical and mental well-being, through no fault of their families,” Chen said.
“In conjunction with the official opening of Komune Living & Wellness, I am also pleased to share that a RM500,000 Senior Care Fund will be set up to provide financial aid to eligible young working families in urgent need of support to care for their aging parents due to unexpected financial hardship.
“The fund will be channelled towards the purpose of providing holistic support for seniors by extending subsidies to eligible families in dire circumstances in the form of aged care services at Komune Living & Wellness. We hope that this meaningful cause will bring care support closer to the seniors in need, and enable them to live better and age comfortably.”
Senior co-living residents will have access to either independent or assisted living accommodation options within the development. The Independent Living Studios are suitable for independent and active retirees, but can be customised to include special services such as full or part-time care packages, an emergency response system, medical escort services and healthy meal plans.
The Assisted Living Studios are designed for seniors who require the assistance of caregivers round-the-clock. As well as the optional services listed above, the Assisted Living Studios also include a digital diary which can be accessed via the mobile app, a range of essential care services and hospital grade beds.
Each floor will have a dedicated care team round-the-clock and new residents will also undergo a medical assessment on arrival, to properly gauge the level of support required from the Komune Care team, who will create an Individualised Service Plan for each resident.
The management and concierge team will be dedicated to both caring for and stimulating residents through regular community events including activities in the park, daily morning and evening exercises, daily leisure activities, weekly walks and courses, regular group workshops and even external excursions.
All of this is designed to create an exciting and harmonious environment for residents, helping them make new friends and social connections — building a real community, something which has been proven to improve mental health and longevity. More independent, active retirees and other residents will also be able to take advantage of a complimentary scheduled shuttle transfer to Sunway Velocity Mall and neighbouring transport hubs.
Komune Living & Wellness features a total of 791 co-living units in eight formats including studio rooms, two-bedroom studios, and one-bedroom suites which range from 173 sq ft to 573 sq ft. Apart from the Independent Living Studios and Assisted Living Studios which are dedicated to seniors, other rooms in the development will be available to rent for both short and long-term stays.
The development’s location alongside a beautiful park, and also close to the city centre, popular shopping destinations, several hospitals as well as a key transport hub, make it attractive to anyone considering a co-living lifestyle – particularly anyone focused on their own health and wellness.
“The convenient location makes Komune Living & Wellness ideal, not just for seniors and their visitors, who will also enjoy the hotel style facilities and park, but also for anyone who wants to enjoy the benefits of co-living – specifically the ability to ‘live-light’ with flexible obligations, greater affordability and communal facilities that help foster connections and friendships,” Chen said.
“Residents will be able to enjoy hotel quality services, facilities and conveniences in a communal atmosphere that makes them feel at home. They will also have the same range of healthcare and pampering options available to them as our senior residents, making this a real hub for those who truly care about their own well-being,” Mark concluded.
Prices for the Independent Living Studios for active seniors will start from RM2,100+ per month. Prices for the Assisted Living Studios for seniors who need more dedicated, round-the-clock personalised care will start from RM6,800 per month, which includes a range of care services, daily activities, and community and social programmes. The Senior Daycare facility membership starts from RM3,500 per month.
Prices for standard co-living rooms will start from RM179+ per night and will be available for booking on the property’s website and other major hotel booking platforms, for short-term stays. Prices for extended stays (but under 3 months) will start from RM2,100+ per month. Prices for long stays (over 3 months) will start from RM1,850+ per month.
