The Commissioner for Senior Australians, Gerard Mansour (and ex-inaugural CEO of LASA), commissioned a very good piece of consumer research on what the Victorian Government needs to plan for in new policy to support older Australians to age well.
From the above list, secure housing topped the list followed by feeling safe.
The report identifies that existing housing in many cases does not supply what consumers want and recommends the Victorian Government actively support ‘better housing choices’.
This is tailor-made for land lease communities and retirement villages – but nowhere in the report is mention of these sectors.
As we discussed last week, Recommendation 57 and 58 from the Counsel Assisting to the Royal Commission made the same observation – that innovation is necessary and Governments must work together to pave the way.
At the moment the sectors are simply observers in this discussion – which will be an opportunity lost if they don’t engage in the next six months.
Older Australians and their quality of life are currently very much in the news and therefore in the community’s thinking, thanks to COVID.
The Royal Commission’s Final Report goes to Government on 26 February. The May Budget will have to respond. But after that politicians and the public will turn to other things. And policy makers will do the same.
The peaks and a number of Not For Profit operators are funding a media advocacy program to roll out around March but this is aged care focused.
Yet it is retirement villages that make the surpluses that support many aged care operators.
Now is the time for the peaks to come together to proactively deliver new proposals on retirement accommodation – or it will be an opportunity lost.
