You may be aware that the Property Council has sent every village resident committee across the country their draft Code of Conduct and asked them to make comments.
This week a resident committee for a Queensland village sent us their response. It makes a number of very good points. Here is one suggestion for a change they would like inserted relating to ‘moving into the community’.
“We acknowledge that we have a Duty of Care and an Ethical responsibility to ensure people
contemplating moving into an Independent Retirement Village have the capacity to live
independently and can provide evidence of this”.
Under the Retirement Village Act in every state all residents are required to be able to live ‘independently’, meaning residents can look after themselves in their own home.
But village operators now market that ‘care’ can be delivered into the village, supporting people far later into their frailty.
Is this not a conflict? And if you are a resident would you not want to be supported in your village home, hopefully, up to your passing?
As a village manager, has your operator provided you with clear guidance, training and a policy in relation to this conflict?
Shouldn’t the operator’s policy on support for late ageing be clearly communicated to new and existing residents so as a village manager you don’t have to explain and make judgements?
Your thoughts?