Knowledge Centre

Day: May 4, 2023

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Facility Manager Latest industry developments Village Operator

Retirement living operators’ confidence double the three-year average

The latest ANZ/Property Council Survey states the nation’s retirement living sector has strong confidence around capital value growth and construction activity levels over the next 12 months.

Operators are more confident about 12-month construction activity levels than the residential, office, industrial, retail and hotel sectors.

Confidence levels in capital growth (22.9 points) are almost double the three-year average since COVID-19 hit Australia’s shores in March 2020 (12.0). Construction activity sentiment currently sits at 46.3 points, up 10.6 points in the same period.

Retirement Living Council Executive Director Daniel Gannon warned operators state government reform processes could hurt the positivity.

“Industry confidence around Australia has improved over the past 12 months, but various state legislative reviews loom large on the horizon,” Daniel said.

As The Weekly SOURCE stated in an Opinion Article “Act or face the Consequences” last Tuesday, the reviews to the Retirement Village Acts in QLD, SA, VIC and WA focus on changes to Exit Entitlements.

 “This comes at a precarious time given the country is facing challenges around housing supply, affordability, cost and supply chain constraints. If these reforms make it harder for operators to build and operate age-friendly communities, it could place a handbrake on supply and dampen confidence at the worst possible time,” Daniel said.

“Importantly, our industry offers a trifecta of opportunity – superior housing outcomes for senior Australians, more housing supply, while delivering significant efficiencies for State, Territory and Federal Governments.

“However, investment conditions and confidence can be strengthened or eroded by legislative frameworks around the country.”

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Facility Manager

Forging strong ties between the village and the wider community

Sue Dundas, Village Manager of the Year in 2018, has a dynamic team at Blue Care’s Carlyle Gardens in Townsville, QLD.

Creating strong ties for her residents with the wider community on the state’s north-eastern coast is vital.

The Senior Village Manager, who has been with UnitingCare for five-and-half years, literally has the Townsville Mayor and Townsville Bulletin editor’s direct numbers.

She has also been instrumental in connecting residents to local charities like Kate’s Campaign for Change and Hear and Say, and residents to Annandale State School and Townsville City Council on the 3B’s campaign (Birds, Bees, Butterflies) to plant trees encouraging the growth of those animals.

See also works closely with the residents to organise the monthly Arts & Craft Market, which is open to the public and has a strong following in Townsville.

“We have a lot of residents here, and many diverse and eclectic personalities, and every single person makes a difference here in some way, whether they’re 90 or 60. There’s a difference made by every team member and every resident,” said Sue.

“When you have a dynamic team, the job really isn’t a job. And when you have a client-base, my whole life I have worked in client-focused industries, and when your client-base care about you as much as you care about them, that’s an added bonus. As I say to the residents, ‘I don’t live here, but I call you MY residents’.”

One the highlights, for Sue, is the experience of when people first become residents, particularly those who are unsure.

“Then seeing them six months after they’ve been here saying it is the best decision they’ve made in their life.”

What makes a successful retirement village manager?

“If you’ve got people skills, you are already 80% there. You can learn the financial and operational side of things, but if you understand people, the job is wonderful,” she said.

“Naturally in this environment, people go. This is the last port of call in life for many people who come here. When you’ve got people skills, you’ve got a heart. So, when we lose a resident, it can make it very challenging.”

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Latest industry developments

The Uniting NSW.ACT chef in Food Service’s Chef of The Year final

Luke Stephens, Executive Chef for four of Uniting NSW.ACT’s facilities from Farmborough Heights to Gerringong on the NSW South Coast, has competed in the $10,000 Foodservice Australia Chef of the Year competition in Melbourne.

It is the time chefs for the ageing sector have been among the 32 finalists for the competition, which finished on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old started working at Uniting NSW.ACT eight months ago and hails from Albury/Wodonga on the NSW/VIC border. He owned his first restaurant at aged 20 and has worked in the industry ever since.

Luke changes the menu for the residents every three weeks.

“All the food is local. We get our meat from J D Meats Gerringong and Albion Park Village Meats.

“The best part is sitting down with the residents and see them enjoy the food.

“I have nothing to lose in the final and I am just going to enjoy every minute.”

Tom Hitchcock, Head Chef, at The Spirit House Restaurant, Yandina, on QLD’s Sunshine Coast was judged Foodservice Australia Chef of the Year.