Sunway Healthcare bets on senior-living demand with KL ramp-up, Johor expansion
Its managing director says there is a gap in Malaysia for integrated wellness solutions for the elderly
[KUALA LUMPUR] Sunway Healthcare Group is expanding its senior-living offerings, ramping up its flagship facility in Kuala Lumpur while also moving into Johor’s Iskandar Puteri, betting on rising demand for integrated aged-care and medical services.
Dr Khoo Chow Huat, Sunway Healthcare’s managing director of hospital and healthcare operations, told The Business Times that the group plans to develop a sanctuary-like facility next to or co-located with its hospitals.
As part of the conglomerate’s growth strategy, Sunway is expanding its footprint, with ongoing projects in Johor Bahru, where it is developing Sunway City Iskandar Puteri.
One such development in the township is Sunway Medical Centre, with 300 beds and specialised services in areas such as oncology. The group also plans to introduce its senior living residences, Sunway Sanctuary, to cater to the rising demand for integrated senior living options.
The proposed launch of Sunway Sanctuary in Iskandar follows that of its flagship senior living residence in Kuala Lumpur. Located in Tower D of Sunway Medical Centre in Subang Jaya, Selangor, the 473-room facility opened at half-capacity in 2023.
Annexed to Sunway Medical Centre, residents of the sanctuary can access a range of medical services, including independent living, assisted living, post-hospital discharge care and post-natal care.
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Of the 229 rooms in operation, 70 to 80 per cent are occupied, comprising a mix of elderly residents, patients undergoing post-hospitalisation care referred from Sunway Medical Centre and other hospitals, and medical travellers, said the company.
The facility comprises rooms of various sizes, including deluxe studios (422 square feet, or sq ft), executive studios (488 sq ft), signature suites (644 sq ft) and sanctuary suites (1,028 sq ft).
The independent living units, for seniors with independent-living needs and active lifestyles, start from RM8,800 (S$2,733) per month. For assisted living units, which are for seniors requiring some help with daily activities but do not need intensive care, packages start from RM10,800 a month.
Sunway Sanctuary offers a range of wellness, recreation and medical amenities, including a heated saltwater pool, a terrace for outdoor exercise sessions such as yoga, activity rooms, and personal training and physiotherapy services.
Dr Khoo noted that the majority of elderly residents at Sunway Sanctuary are locals, and the majority of medical travellers who stay there are from Indonesia.
Sunway Healthcare is finalising the plans for the remaining seven floors of Sunway Sanctuary in Kuala Lumpur, with renovation works scheduled to begin in 2026 and completion targeted for 2027.
With the Kuala Lumpur facility ramping up, Sunway plans to extend its senior-living concept to Iskandar Puteri, with a project similar to Sunway Sanctuary to be located next to Sunway Medical Centre in Iskandar.
The company hopes this project will attract elderly from Singaporeans, besides the locals, said Dr Khoo. While Sunway has no immediate plans to set up medical facilities in Singapore, it will explore opportunities should they arise, he added.
Dr Khoo highlighted a gap in Malaysia for integrated wellness solutions for seniors. As the population ages, few senior living options provide a full ecosystem that offers healthcare, rehabilitation and lifestyle needs beyond traditional hospital care, he said.
He added that Singapore faces its own challenges, with high medical and living costs limiting both affordability and capacity. For instance, Sunway’s independent living units range from RM8,800 to RM20,000, while suites at a new assisted living facility being built in Singapore by the Perennial Group are priced from S$8,900 to S$17,000 a month.
“Sunway Sanctuary addresses these needs by bridging healthcare and lifestyle, offering premium senior living with access to world-class medical care, wellness and leisure facilities within the Sunway ecosystem.”
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