Last Friday, Ryman Healthcare Australia CEO Cam Holland said goodbye to his staff in Melbourne after deciding to leave when his role was abolished by the head office in New Zealand.
In three-and-a-half years, he has written two papers “A Solution for Australia’s Aged Care System - Continuum of Care” and a second "Shared Care" for the Retirement Living Council (RLC). Both papers have been well-received, both been read by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and the Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells, and both point to a better future for society's most vunerable people.
Shared Care is being trialled by Anglicare Sydney in its Woolooware Shores retirement village in Taren Point, where Home Care Package funds have been collected to pay for a village nurse, who not only looks after people on Government-funded packages but also the other village residents who are not and hopefully the treatment delays their pending acuity too.
The foundation of the concept of continuum of care is that the customer self funds their village accommodation and care support pathway. The business model delivers efficiencies across retirement living, supported living and aged care. Ryman Healthcare has eight operational retirement villages in and around Melbourne with six having aged care centres in operation.
"Starting with just 12% brand awareness in 2021, we’ve skyrocketed to 64% among Melbournians - a remarkable leap in such a short time, and on a lean budget. Over 75% of respondents credited our campaigns for this growth, which speaks volumes about our (marketing) team’s impact," he said on LinkedIn.
Daniel Gannon, RLC Executive Director said Cam was a "unique and rare leader".
"His leadership of the RLC's Care and Support Services Committee came at a pivotal time for the future of care, leading to the creation of the Shared Care framework," Daniel said.
"Cameron's departure from Ryman is a loss for industry - let's hope he finds a pathway back in."
Cam Holland has made Ryman Healthcare a household name in Victoria. It is the ageing sector who will miss him most.
Let's hope we see his sharp mind back soon.
