Imagine retirement village residents being able to pool home care funds to employ a 24/7 village nurse. Under the dreary label ‘congregate’ living or services, this is one of the innovations being considered by the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care.
This was drawn to our attention by Simon Miller, CEO of Anglicare Sydney, in our SATURDAY article this weekend.
He says he anticipates the Government will support the delivery of care services in retirement villages.
This has the potential to be truly significant, being the first time to our knowledge, that the Feds have factored in the village sector as part of the answer for supporting older Australians in their home.
Imagine retirement villages gaining the positioning of being the preferred and legitimate path to ageing in place. It will turbocharge demand exactly as it did in New Zealand coming out of the GFC, when retirement villages committed to the continuum of care model.
With only 2,400 net new aged care beds built in the last two years, Australia is about to witness a tidal wave of older Australians seeking supportive accommodation.
It will mean operators will have to reassess their level of services and duty of care risk. Within 24 months it may not be possible to assist a village resident into an aged care bed because they are all full. Equally, dementia and villages is going to jump.
Maybe as early as 10 January, the Aged Care Taskforce report and recommendations will be released we are told. With it will come a big number of new product and service concepts, championed by optimistic village and care operators.
Congregate living and funding may be the tip of the iceberg.
To understand these blue sky opportunities, join us at the LEADERS SUMMIT, on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 March in Sydney.
Learn more HERE.
