Resident Associations’ views and their expectations have been heard and considered more seriously than ever previously encountered by Governments across the country, with many states enacting immediate legislated reforms.
In my own 20-plus years of experience, Ministers would barely be involved in the drafting of new Retirement Village legislation.
Yet in 2019, they were making election promises and directing drafting new legislation in various states due to the tireless advocacy work of the Resident Associations (Photographed Building Commissioner, David Chandler and Kevin Anderson, NSW Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation).
The continued slow and steady media activity via Today Tonight, The Australian and several local state-based papers has continued to confuse retirement villages and aged care.
Then we had Earle Haven Retirement Village on the Gold Coast confusing everyone when its aged care home was abandoned by the outsourced manager.
Reinforcing the media’s interest in our sector are the awards to Anne Connolly (pictured right) and her team from ABC, who recently took out the Australian Human Rights Commission’ Media Award for their ‘Aged Care: Who Cares?’ investigation which aired in September 2018.
2019 has also seen the increase in the acceptance of the Land Lease model and an extremely popular housing option for retirees.
Plus the introduction of many other hybrid model offerings such as LDK Healthcare – led by assisted living advocate Paul Browne – and their “Club membership” offer, apartment buildings with Care Concierges, etc….
Along the way village operators are building medium rise villages that look like hotels – and Village Managers will be leading them.
2019 has certainly been a year of disruption and refocus for many operators and the sector!