The DCM Village Manager Professional Development and Peer Network Program is a national program providing access to ongoing professional development and support developed and delivered by industry experts.
Launched in April, the program already has over 180 members.
We encourage LASA members to join the program which we are proud to announce is endorsed by LASA and participants will receive recognition of prior learning (RPL) directly into LASA’s Diploma of Leadership & Management conducted through LASA’s registered training institute – http://lasa.asn.au/training.
Retirement villages again and again come up as a great seniors alternative in the Royal Commission into Aged Care.
This has never been more apparent than this week when the Commission focus has been on family carers at home driven to breaking point, alone and with a home ‘not fit for purpose’.
The isolation of wives, husbands and children who become carers, with nobody to talk to day-to-day, nobody to provide even simple support – things like collecting extra groceries or even sitting down having a cup of tea or giving some support navigating the aged care system – has been heartbreaking.
The witnesses at the Mildura commission hearings talked of suicide, mental breakdown, broken marriages and broken families.
The concept of retirement villages, being a supportive community, homes designed for ageing, village management to provide support and financial certainty tick a lot of boxes.
Most importantly, when the carer is eventually on their own, they are not alone.
This is a resident subject that is often talked about but so easily forgotten – but it is really important to understand.
Up until now most of the people joining retirement villages come from the Veterans generation – people who were born before 1945.
As you will have experienced, they are really solid citizens. They were hard-working, respect authority, loyal team players who don’t let others down, and thrifty. Market researchers say they ‘built the nation’, from the Snowy Mountain Scheme to our highways and cities.
Veterans don’t like to complain; they are likely to grin and bare situations.
But now we’re seeing the first Baby Boomers, which are a totally different breed people – and moving in as residents in your villages.
Baby Boomers were born between 1945 and 1965. The first Baby Boomers officially retired in 2010 and are now aged 74.
You will have read many times that Baby Boomers can change the world – and they don’t intend slowing down because they’ve joined a retirement village.
Things to think about
Have you ever stopped to consider how these differences may impact your operational activities?
Baby Boomers having a characteristic that blurs the line between life and work. They are accustomed to supermarkets being open until midnight. They may expect the same from you.
It will be paramount as a Village Manager that you are able to set, reinforce and abide by expectations that clearly set the situations and times that you will be available afterhours.
Where the Veteran generation were happy to have one rule for all the Baby Boomer will challenge the status quo and potentially be seeking a rule applicable for themselves individually.
As a Village Manager it will be vital that you are quick to set expectations upfront when new residents move into the village and then reinforce these standards often to ensure that it is clear how the community operates.
There will be challenges in meeting the needs of both generations. For instance the Baby Boomer is likely to want the ability to submit maintenance requests via an app or online.
However existing Veteran resident may not have the technology or desire to learn a new way and therefore leaving you as the Village Manager the job of creating a win win process to meet both sets of expectations.
As a Village Manager it will be important to take time out to consider how operationally you will meet the expectations of both parties. The danger is loud Baby Boomers will swamp the preferred operations of the Veterans – and you as village manager!
This week Jodie Prosser and her team staged our first Village Manager PD days in Brisbane and Sydney.
Close to 100 village managers attended. Here are some of the comments and some pics.
(It is not too late for you to sign up for Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, which are coming up over the next few weeks. Check the dates and VM PD membership HERE).
“Just wanted to drop you a quick note to thank you for yesterday. The inaugural NSW State PD day was well facilitated, very informative with excellent speakers providing constructive and useful, practical information and it was also most enjoyable”.
“It was great to meet so many working in the sector, to hear of their passion, the substantial combined knowledge available within the Village Management & PD Network and to come away feeling encouraged about the support available via DCMI, The VM Peer Network and the positive steps toward ongoing development of village management personnel”.
“Feedback from our staff was that they really enjoyed the day and are looking forward to the next one. Personally, I was really impressed with the content and the speakers. It was a bit scary committing so many staff to undergo the training, but I know we made the right decision and the staff will get so much out of the next 12 months”.
To comply with the retirement village Code of Conduct Village Managers will have to demonstrate training has been completed across a number of areas.
To comply with Retirement Village Accreditation Village Managers will require training on the accreditation program and demonstrate professional training across modules have been completed.
To fast track your training obligations join us at the VILLAGE SUMMIT. Experience 22 leading speakers as they address individual components of the village manager role.
They say that ‘sales solve all problems’. For retirement villages speedy turnover of homes is desired by residents, families and owners.
But these are challenging times with declining household prices. Every village needs more sales enquiry and conversion.
We have assembled the most successful village marketers and salespeople to give you insights and skills that work.
The VILLAGE SUMMIT offers exceptional value – increasing your sales rates by just 10% for most will repay the SUMMIT investment and more.
The sooner you join us at the VILLAGE SUMMIT, the sooner you can implement your new learnt sales skills. Please join us 11 – 12 April in Sydney. Check the SUMMIT out HERE.
This week we briefed Matt Church (pictured above) for his keynote speaking role at our village Summit in two weeks time here in Sydney.
He wanted to know what the job of a village manager will look like in five years’ time.
What are your thoughts? We said it will be very different; the business of retirement villages is being ‘disrupted’ like every other business.
New villages are going vertical in inner and middle suburbs of cities and regional towns, with international hotel like facilities. The building is very different as a ‘capital asset’ to the traditional village of villas. ‘Concierge services’ are being marketed.
Sales need to be fast.
Older villages require refurbishment – requiring different village manager skills, working with residents, complex building and outfitting, and budgeting.
Resident sales expectations need to managed.
Five years from now – a new world requiring new skills. Are you prepared?
We have invested in Matt Church to support you in preparing for this new retirement village sector. You can experience Matt at our VILLAGE SUMMIT 11-12 April in Sydney..
Matt is one of the nation’s best keynote speakers. He blends inspiration, education and entertainment to create world class conference presentations.
He is committed to helping people prepare for tomorrow by taking action today. His philosophy can be summed up in one word NEXT! What is the best next thing you can do to future proof your business or career?
In 2014 Matt was inducted into the professional speaker Hall of Fame. e-Speakers ranks him as one of the Top10 motivational speakers globally. The International Federation of Professional Speakers recognised him as one the top 21 most influential speakers on the planet.
Please join us, experience Matt and 21 other leading speakers on village management. Click HERE for the program.
Early indications reveal Retirement Living sales will be slow in 2019.
Negative media, the impacts of a softening residential housing market, tightening of consumer lending, and let’s not forget the influence of the Aged Care Royal Commission.
We know your role as the Village Manager in the Sales Process is an important one, whether you are totally responsible for the sales function or whether you work alongside the marketing and sales teams.
The Village Managers is the face of the village – and first impressions count!
Here are some things to think about.
You can prepare the village for potential customer visits:
Lead the Village team to focus on customer service so that first impressions count
Meet with prospective residents early in the process, to ensure a strong relationship can be built
Residents and word-of-mouth in the local community is gold:
Maintain resident satisfaction and engagement, to encourage residents to also be a sound referral source for the village
Maintain a planned welcome process that encourages a smooth transition for new residents; home readiness, neighbour buddies, induction, meals, etc..
Build community relationships to influence local community members to become referral sources for the village
You are on the spot and a local yourself. You understand what the market wants:
Assist with development planning with real, local information
Influence the marketing strategies by providing intelligence around the current resident socio-demographic
This is what you do every day -the marketers need to understand this and engage with you more this year than ever before.
Many of us don’t think about how much a retirement villages contribute in the local community and how many people we touch.
100 residents each have two local friends and let’s say two local children – that’s 400 people and 400 families.
100 residents have doctors, dentists, hairdressers, pharmacists, clubs and shopping centres they buy from.
With 100 residents, you have a business that may be valued at $10M+ that spends money every week on maintenance and operations.
The village is important and you as the village manager are important to all these people.
And they are important to you.
To maximise the enjoyment of your role and the value of your village, for your residents and operator, our advice is to get out in the local community.
Here are some suggestions:
Join a local community club or business council – it can be refreshing to network with other local business managers
Ask your residents if they have any special local relationships that you can promote e.g. membership of local clubs, children who run local businesses
Check the council website or visit their office to get the calendar of local events over the next 12 months to see what you can participate in
Understand and promote what transport options are available to residents
Promote local events in the village (special business sales, community events)
Identify local businesses that can benefit both the residents & business owners and suggest some special deals e.g. the local butcher offers of a village special once a week or businesses that can deliver, offer seniors discount, or are willing to do a talk/host event for residents are a great start
Inviting local community groups into the village for an agreed function/activity or be a guest speaker
I like to think as Village Mangers we are striving to be great Community leaders in every way.
It’s the last day of January so why not start the year on a fresh note.
