Category: What the research tells us

Above is one of the summary conclusions by the leading market research firm AOR, who we commissioned to survey the residents of 557 villages – yours might have been one. Nearly 20,000 residents completed it.

Like all good research, it tells you what you already know. Being a village manager is a tough job.

What we did not know was the high turnover – 50% of managers moved on in less than three years.

This means one of several things. Village managers are not enjoying the work (not supported by the research). You are not getting the support you expect from HO or the owners (this is supported by the research). This goes to variability in training. And the fact that the job is demanding and, as suggested by the researchers, underpaid for the skills, responsibility and hours.

How much do village managers earn? Most sit between $55,000 and $90,000. You will have an idea if that is just reward.

Over the coming issues, we will discuss this further and the other findings of the research. (If your village participated your organisation will have a full report – you could ask to see it. Fascinating and very beneficial.)

What is the awareness of villages?

Retirement villages are better understood and more favourably thought of than many would think.

In January we commissioned market research firm Australian Online Research (AOR) to survey residents of retirement villages. 19,600 residents participated.

As a control we also commissioned AOR to survey non-residents and their perceptions and interest in joining a village.

The top graph above reflects the answers by 1,109 people to the question: “Are you familiar with the concept of retirement villages?”

24% know quite a bit and 55% know a little. Only 23% say they haven’t heard of them or are not familiar.

I expect this matches your own experience.

The graph underneath, unsurprisingly, shows that 63% of the 1,109 people surveyed know someone who lives or has lived in a retirement village.

What we hear is that prospective residents have nothing against the concept of a retirement village but, with their kids, they are more wary of the contracts.

This is good if it leads to better understanding at the commencement rather than at the end of the village journey.