From the CEO - Building the future with us

By 2050, Australia will have six million people over the age of 65. Meeting their needs, through health care services and accommodation, will be critically important.

Here at the Old Colonists’ Association of Victoria, the Council has approved an ambitious master plan that sets out our vision for the future, building on the legacy left by our founders almost 150 years ago, who gifted land and donated money to build the homes in Rushall Park, the first of our four villages.

Vision 2020 is founded on three platforms: industry leadership, assisting more Victorians and ensuring OCAV is a happy, vibrant place to live and work. In this, our first enewsletter, you will learn more about how we are already well underway in our leadership aspirations as well as shoring up OCAV’s reputation as an age-friendly community.

One of the biggest challenges facing OCAV is the demand from ageing Victorians wanting to join one of our four communities. The waiting period at Rushall Park in particular is more than six years, with 400 people on the list.

We have a social responsibility to try and offer more accommodation as the population ages, and are investigating many different avenues to expand affordable retirement community housing options for older people.

Major multi-million dollar developments are underway at Leith Park in St Helena where 49 new units are being built and the first stage is expected to start in early 2017. At Rushall Park our plans to develop 35 new units and gardens are currently before VCAT where we hope for a resolution in order to start the build next year.

At the same time, we are taking a greater role in advocating for older people, including joining the Australians deserve to age well campaign. Getting aged care services in Australia today is a game of chance. Too many older Australians struggle to find the care they need, when they need it. That’s because our aged care system is not based on need. An older person can be assessed as requiring care, but it’s a lottery as to whether they’ll be able to get it or not, and if it’s what they want.

The campaign ties in with our 2020 vision: that with an ageing population, we need to make sure we have a good aged care system, including affordable community housing, that can meet the needs of older people now and into the future.