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Category: Key Things to Help You Everyday

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Crafting a Comprehensive Retirement Village Budget

A Manager’s Guide

Each year, we get back from leave and head straight into one of the most intense periods of work in our calendar – the Village Budget.

Preparing a considered budget is crucial to ensure we are in a position to maintain the services and amenities residents enjoy and do so in a way they can afford. Developing a retirement village budget requires careful consideration, which is why we’ve put together some key steps and to guide you in preparing your next Retirement Village Budget:

Assess Current Financial Position
  • Review existing financial records and assess the village’s current financial position.
  • Identify revenue sources, including resident levies, government subsidies, and any additional income streams such as hiring of communal areas or rent received from service providers.
Understand operating costs
  • Break down operational costs, such as staff salaries, maintenance, utilities, and insurance.
  • Consider future expenses, such as necessary repairs and maintenance to grounds, gardens or amenities.
plan for social activities
  • Allocate funds for recreational and social activities to enhance residents’ quality of life.
  • Consider diverse interests and preferences to create a well-rounded and engaging community.
Do you need to account for care and support?

As residents age, so do their care needs. It is not uncommon for care and support to creep into your Village Budget over time. If this is the case, this process is a great way to confirm that you are keeping up with residents needs through wellness programs, and partnerships with healthcare providers.

engage residents in the process
  • We cannot stress enough the importance of involving residents in the budgeting process.
  • Gather feedback and insights from the community to understand their priorities and concerns.
explore funding opportunities
  • Investigate potential funding opportunities, grants, or partnerships with local organisations.
  • Adding additional income sources into the Budget can help strengthen the financial position of the retirement village and take pressure off residents.
implement sustainable practices
  • Integrate sustainable practices to reduce operating costs and minimize the environmental impact.
  • Explore energy-efficient solutions and environmentally friendly initiatives.
review and adjust
  • Establish a routine for reviewing the budget as costs become known during the financial year. This will allow you to identify areas for improvement or adjustment.
  • Regular assessments ensure the budget remains adaptable to changing circumstances.
invest in financial education

Invest in our own financial education, as well as the education of residents on the mechanics of a Village Budget. This will aid the approval and consultation process and ensure complete transparency in the process you work through each year, as well as the costs associated with operating their community.

Above all else, preparing a Village Budget takes time. Starting the process sooner gives you the time required to deliver on these tips, and bring your residents along for the journey.

Village Budgets will be a major topic of discussion at DCM Institute’s upcoming Professional Development Day series next month.

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How a cheap fix saved thousands for retirement village residents

Sydney’s Water’s WaterFix Commercial program has helped the residents in the village in North Turramurra, 20km northwest of Sydney’s CBD, which is managed by Vision Lifestyle Projects.

Huon Park manager Sue McKindlay noticed a spike in water usage and requested an inspection from the WaterFix Commercial team who discovered a sub metre connected to a hot water heater was leaking at least 10 litres of water per day.

Upon further inspection by Sydney Water, the village’s water usage was 266 litres per resident per day – significantly higher than the recommended benchmark of 200 litres.

Sue said the village saw a “huge reduction” in water usage six months after Sydney Water installed a new online monitoring system to better access real time water usage data.

“A simple measure we’ve taken on board is reducing the frequency of irrigation around our gardens,” she said.

“It’s been a very valuable lesson for us in how to be mindful of our water usage and look at it in a different way.”

Huon Park retirement village is one of 28 businesses across NSW which joined Sydney’s Water’s WaterFix Commercial program in the last two years.

The initiative has saved customers more than $750,000 in total usage charges and 290 million litres of water – the equivalent to around 116 Olympic sized swimming pools.

Source: The Weekly Source

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Work. Live. Learn.

A balancing act

As each year seems busier than the last, now is the time to make a conscious decision around how we want 2024 to look.

It is a great time to ask ourselves as professionals and leaders, how we can maintain that balance between workplace responsibilities, our personal well-being, and ongoing professional development.

Our ability to balance these three areas comes from the habits we develop and the routines we create.  

To help get you started, we have put together some tips to help you achieve this balance.

Effective Time Management

This might seem like a bit of a no-brainer. But ask yourself, are you really managing your time effectively? It is the cornerstone of balancing competition priorities. 

Employing techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix to distinguish urgent from important. Create daily schedules delineating time blocks for managerial duties, personal commitments, and dedicated professional development. Harnessing productivity tools and setting realistic goals helps to keeps the day from running away from us.

Prioritising Self-Care

Self-care is essential to your effectiveness. Take time to be physically active through sports and hobbies. Practice mindfulness to manage stress and foster a healthier mindset.

Recognising your own personal needs and investing time in self-renewal will improve your productivity and resilience in the long run. There is an old saying that you can’t give from an empty cup, prioritise filling up your cup (not just your glass after a long day).

Continuous Professional Development

Permitting yourself time for your own professional development is indispensable.

Work time into your daily routine to reading industry-related literature, completing a topic in the Knowledge Centre, or participate in workshops.

Embrace learning is as much a mindset as it is an activity that takes time. The benefit is it will keep you across sector trends; keep your skills relevant to meet the ever changing needs of our customer, and deliver on the overall goals of the business in which we work; and set you up to take any career opportunities that present themselves.

Create Supportive Environments

Workplace culture will impact your ability to achieve a true balance.

Lead from the front with your direct reports. Encourage and support your own team with their time management, self-care and continuous professional development balance.

Doing so puts you in a position to determine their success, and your own.

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Learning: A healthy habit to maintain over Christmas

This time of year is the ultimate work-life disruptor, causing a loss in momentum across a number of areas and making healthier habits an effort to re-establish in the new year. Learning, being one of those.

The next few weeks truly test our habits as professionals. Our ability to manage time and commitments. To continue to get things done in our personal and professional life.

It is also a time of year when some of the better habits we have developed over the year, tend to drop off.

What might seem like a short pause, can leave you to really lose momentum on things that would otherwise set you up for success in the year ahead. Learning is one of those things.

The truth is this is the ‘best’ time of year to get around to completing those topics in the Knowledge Centre. To take advantage on the quieter moments between Christmas and New Year (for those working through) to brush up on areas you’ve been meaning to improve on during the year.

Develop a plan of attack.

Be consistent. Be disciplined. Set yourself small goals in your Learning Journal. Aim for 30 minutes three times a week to learn something new, or revisit previous topics.

Celebrate small accomplishments which you can track through Professional Development Points.

Momentum in studying is pivotal for success. So embrace this time to catch up, review, and build your knowledge. Through dedication, planning, and a focus on achievements, you can carry forward your momentum into the new year, positioning yourself for continued growth and success in 2024 and beyond.

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Tips for making Christmas Memorable for a Resident with Dementia

With Christmas approaching and events already underway within our villages, it’s important to consider how we can best include residents we know are living with dementia.

While no two people experience dementia in the exact same way, dementia often affects the way people process and respond to their environment, writes Nikki-Anne Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), UNSW Sydney.

Too much stimulation – like a lot of noise and activity at a Christmas party – can be overwhelming and may cause confusion or agitation.

Plan Ahead

People with dementia may experience changes in their appetite or food preferences, or difficulties chewing and swallowing. These changes might make some of the things on your festive menu unappetising or difficult to eat. Be guided by the needs and preferences of the person with dementia and keep options limited to one or two special foods if larger banquets are likely to be overwhelming.

Things can change quickly for people living with dementia and their abilities will vary from day-to-day. Try to be flexible and have a backup plan in place. If you’re planning a large event, consider ways in which to create pockets of smaller gatherings.

Keep it familiar

The sudden appearance of Christmas decorations may be overwhelming for a person living with dementia and trigger a negative sensory reaction or distress. Try and put-up decorations familiar and put them up slowly over a period of a few days.

A handy tip is to get to know your residents festive traditions and routines. Remember the old times with them. For many people with dementia, long-term memories are less affected than more recent memories. There might be ways to integrate them into your plans.

Consider seating arrangements at events, or identifying a support person.  Whether it be a member of staff, their spouse, or another resident, who can stay with them as a familiar face is a simple way to keep them part of what is going on, but also comfortable and engaged.

Lighting

Consider the lighting of the spaces where you are celebrating. Older people and people with dementia tend to need brighter light, however, also consider glare and shadows which may be confusing for the person with dementia (or those with visual impairments.)

Have a quiet space

When you have activities and events one, ensure there is a place where the person living with dementia can go if things become overwhelming. This could be a quiet corner of a break-away area.

Involve the person living with dementia

One of the real benefits of retirement living is the social responsibility the community has in recognising everyone has a role to play.

At times, this may mean modifying tasks to suit the abilities of the person with dementia. For example, try to get them involved in small tasks that contribute to the overall activity or event.

People with dementia are still the same person, even if their abilities have changed or they can no longer communicate their needs and feelings like they used to. It’s important to treat everyone with dignity and ensure our communities remain inclusive.

Despite best intentions, sometimes it won’t work

Despite the best laid plans, sometimes it won’t be possible to share in festive celebrations with a person living with dementia.

Lets be honest for a moment, as professionals who genuinely care about the wellbeing of all of our residents, this may be difficult to admit and it is important to look after your mental health.

Where residents do not have family or friends nearby, caring responsibilities fall on other residents, our staff and ourselves. This can often lead to them or us being the ones who need support.

If this is the case. If you or someone you know is struggling to care for someone with dementia, Dementia Australia has some excellent resources readily available which includes a National Helpline.

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Pro Tip: Changing the Time for Safety

As retirement living communities awaken after winter and embrace spring, it’s crucial not to overlook a fundamental aspect of community living – fire safety.

This is the perfect time to refresh our commitment to keeping residents safe by checking smoke detectors and conducting annual fire safety and evacuation plan drills.

Given the dry winter we have had, and the hot summer predicted, smoke detectors are our unsung heroes. Regular checks ensure they’re ready to respond when needed most. Schedule a designated day to inspect and test all smoke detectors in common areas and individual residences.

I used to find that scheduling checks of smoke detectors to coincide with daylight savings was a simple way to keep residents and staff on their toes at this time of year.

You can use this time to build on overall fire safety by scheduling a fire safety and evacuation drill. Another tip, a post evacuation drill BBQ is a great way to entice residents attend, and another way to engage with residents on the importance of being across your community’s procedures in the event of an emergency.

Ensure everyone knows the evacuation routes, the assembly point, and the proper use of fire extinguishers if applicable. These drills not only refresh memories but also build confidence, so residents are better prepared should a real emergency arise.

These safety activities aren’t just about preparedness; they’re about building a stronger sense of community. Residents and staff working together to protect one another fosters camaraderie and trust.

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International Day of Older Persons

Saturday 1 October will be International Day of Older Persons.

The day, declared by the United Nations in 1990, and first observed 10 months later in 1991, is to honour and acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our residents while highlighting the importance of their rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, guarantees equal rights and dignity to everyone, regardless of age. But, sometimes, those promises get lost in the shuffle of our busy lives. The 1st October as a reminder to recommit to those promises and ensure that the rights of older persons are upheld.

It’s also an opportunity to address issues like ageism and social isolation, which can affect the well-being of our residents. By fostering inclusivity, promoting active aging, and providing support where needed, we can create a world where older persons are valued and empowered.

This year’s theme is all about “Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons.”

A longer life brings with it opportunities, not only for older people and their families, but also for us a managers and operators of retirement and seniors living communities. Additional years provide the chance to encourage the pursuit of new activities, further education, or pursuing a long neglected passion.

There are all things we can facilitate, enable and encourage every day. Together, we can forge communities where the golden years radiate with promise, respect, and the fulfillment of life we’d want for ourselves – so why not want it for others?

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Nurturing Conversations

Few people understand the diverse needs of a retirement village like Managers.

Beyond the physical infrastructure and amenities, we recognise varying needs of the individuals who make up our village. This is especially true when it comes to health and well-being.

This is one of the reasons why Dementia Action Week holds particular significance for us. It serves as a reminder of the critical role we play in fostering open conversations about Dementia and the influence we can have with facilitating access to support and services for our residents when they need it most.

This week provides an opportunity for us, as retirement village managers, to initiate vital conversations about dementia within our communities. Conversations are a catalyst for change.

Through encouraging conversations about Dementia in our communities, we create a space where residents, families, and staff members can openly discuss concerns to help reduce the stigma that has been associated with this topic in the past.

At our recent Professional Development Days around the country, managers shared stories of hosting awareness morning teas, and partnering with Dementia Australia and other service providers to put on sessions for residents and staff. Managers spoke of how valuable it had been to make it easier for individuals to come forward if they or their loved ones are experiencing memory loss or cognitive changes.

Moreover, a conversation enables us to adapt our services, policies, and environments to provide the support they require to live fulfilling lives in our retirement villages.

About Dementia Action Week, 18-24 September 2023

Act Now for a Dementia-Friendly Future

Imagine being treated differently just because you have been diagnosed with a disease like cancer or diabetes. This is the reality for people living with dementia, their families and carers.

Dementia Australia research shows 81 per cent of those with a loved one living with dementia felt that people in shops, cafes and restaurants treated people with dementia differently.

That’s why this Dementia Action Week we’re encouraging everyone to take a few simple actions to create a dementia-friendly future for all Australians.

A dementia-friendly future is a future that is better for everyone in the community.

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From Self-Awareness to Self-Management: A DCM Institute Masterclass

Earlier this week, the DCM Institute hosted the first of a two-part webinar series designed to set Village and Community Managers up for success in 2024.

The webinar series is part of the DCM Institute’s professional development program and takes participants on a journey to help them understand their individual leadership styles.

Partnering with Jacqui Perkins, an industry-leading expert in leadership and management, the first part focused on self-management and self-awareness.  

“Our leadership style is influenced by our personality,” Jacqui said during the webinar. “This in turn will influence how we, as leaders, approach events, situations and our impact on our teams and our residents.”

The webinar draws on pre-work in the form of self-assessments which participants are asked to complete in advance.

“The pre-work allows the conversations during the webinar to explore ourselves as leaders,” said Tiffany Folbigg, DCM Institute’s Operations Manager.

“Professional development is a commitment from both the organisation’s investment in their people, as well as the people’s investment in themselves to get the most out of our program,” Tiffany said.

DCM Institute is running another session on Wednesday 27 September prior to the final part which explores The Path to Self-Reflection later this year. DCM Institute participants can register here.

If you would like more information on DCM Institute’s program, email dcmi@thedcmgroup.com.au

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From Retirement Living to Strata Communities, a Village Managers Story

Maria Wheate has been a Village Manager since August 2009 and now is the Village Manager at Retirement Living Services’ Windsor Country Village in Vineyard, 50km northwest of Sydney’s CBD.

Windsor Country Village consists of 104 Strata-titled one and two-bedroom villas, each with private courtyards. The heart of the community, like most, is its Community Centre and tranquil garden setting.

In this exclusive interview, Maria shares her journey, insights, and advice for aspiring village managers, addressing the nuances of strata-titled communities and retirement villages.

Maria’s Journey: From Taree Gardens to Windsor Country Village

Maria embarked on her career in August 2009 at Taree Gardens, owned by ING (now Ingenia). From the outset, the rental community had an occupancy rate of just 48%. Through hard work and dedication, Maria and her team transformed it into a thriving community with a remarkable 98% occupancy rate by February 2013.

Her journey then led her to become Ingenia’s first Village and Sales Manager of Land Lease at The Grange in Morisset, Lake Macquarie. In September 2017, she joined Aveo as a Sales Coordinator, seeking to broaden her knowledge in a different facet of retirement living.

During her tenure at Aveo Newcastle, Maria faced challenges, including the fallout from the “ABC Four Corners” incident. Despite adversity, the community’s resilience and the power of referrals showcased the strength of putting the residents first with these bonds carrying through word of mouth into the wider community.

Reluctantly, but for family reasons, Maria returned to Sydney, where she took on the role of Village Manager at Aveo Bella Vista. This position, owing to her New Development experience, allowed her to make a significant impact. She embraced the challenge, and by the time she left in May, the village had only two vacant units out of 64.

Now, as the Village Manager at Windsor Country Village (pictured below), Maria reflects on her journey, stating that she is thoroughly enjoying every minute of her work.

Differences Between Retirement Villages and Over 55s Strata Titled Facilities

When asked about the differences between managing retirement villages and strata-titled facilities, Maria emphasised that, for a Village Manager, the core responsibilities remain largely the same.

Maria noted from her experience this includes maintaining gardens, overseeing communal property maintenance, and providing responsive service to residents – across all contract types she has managed.

The key difference is in the budgets and financial matters because of meeting the different legislative requirements in place with Strata Living. As a result, Maria highlights the importance of meticulous budget planning, always keeping an eye on both the current and future financial needs of the community.

She also acknowledges the important part having support from Strata Managers and Operations Managers play in navigating the nuances of strata-titled communities compared to traditional retirement living.

“Seniors are seniors”

Maria’s experience has taught her that “seniors are seniors”.

“They [residents] have their same challenges, in life, regardless of the contract. They just want to enjoy their retirement years. My job, be it Bella Vista, The Grange, or Windsor Country Village, is to assist them in enjoying their lives.”

In essence, the key to success in village management lies in empathy, understanding, and a commitment to creating vibrant, inclusive communities where residents can thrive.

Advice for Aspiring Village Managers

For those considering a career in village management, Maria offers valuable advice.

“Don’t go into a job like this, thinking you know everything. I have enjoyed this role for a number of years now, and I am still learning every day, I think that is what I love about it.”

Maria’s best piece of career advice? “Don’t respond based on emotions; stop and think before providing an answer or decision.” This thoughtful approach has served her well in her career.

As she reflects on her career, Maria feels privileged to be a part of this industry, having formed lasting friendships and cherished memories along the way. Her dedication and passion continue to make a difference in the lives of seniors in retirement communities across Australia.