Daniel Gannon, Retirement Living Council Executive Director, who answered ABC journalist Adele Ferguson's questions on the national broadcaster's 7.30 program last night, said the issues raised are not "systemic across the retirement living sector".
"It is important to remember that homes in retirement communities are not investment properties, nor are they a vehicle for generating wealth – they are a lifestyle choice," Daniel told members in a bulletin late last night. .
He also rejected claims made that the sector is largely unregulated.
"The retirement living sector – and its financial options – are heavily regulated by state and territory legislation, while some communities are also governed by the federal Aged Care Act.
"These acts are consistently reviewed by governments and are typically reviewed every five years – and appropriately so.
"Throughout these reforms, industry continues to be motivated by a desire to increase consumer confidence, raise standards, and pursue better regulation and transparency.
"We have worked with governments in recent years to inject more certainty, clarity and transparency into contractual processes because we want simpler contracts."
Craig Bennett, President of the NSW Retirement Villages Association, today said, "To say that I am disheartened by the focus of this program is an understatement."
"Community living is not for everyone, and to opt for a retirement village is not a financial investment choice - it is lifestyle (security, safety, less maintenance responsibility etc) - and we believe the majority of retirement village residents are happy with their choice," he said.
He is angry the 7.30 Report used part of its Ageing Without Fear report to counter the industry's claim about the benefits of living in a retirement communities.
"The reality is that 40% of the small sample of people who responded to the survey had been exposed to some form of psychological abuse; that is intimidation, bullying, not financial, or any other form of abuse," Craig said.
"That sample represented 1.8% of the number of people living in retirement villages, hardly a representative picture of all villages."
Judy Mayfield, President of the Association of Residents of Queensland Retirement Villages, said the program will achieve nothing but cause distress to people living in retirement communities.
"It makes me angry and there is little thought given to the impact such stories have on older people living in a village. It is distressing and unsettling to many," she said.
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