CEO joins 'village' talk in Canberra

Following on from negative media about some retirement village providers, OCAV’s CEO Phillip Wohlers and other leaders from the sector met recently with the Federal Minister for Aged Care to discuss current issues and future directions.

The meeting, facilitated through Leading Aged Services Australia (LASA), was largely positive with the Minister clearly appreciative of the investments made and being made by the sector, a forward investment of around $30 billion Australia-wide.

“What emerged from the meeting is that the Minister understands that the sector is high quality and offers older Australians a wide range of choices in both lifestyle and operating models,” Mr Wohlers said.

“Nevertheless, the sector must work harder on making the various operating models, especially contracts, more transparent and ensuring that older people understand what the offer is.”

Several State governments, including Victoria, are currently looking at amending retirement village legislation. The focus in Victoria is to put in place more rigorous controls.

“We welcome any move to ensure ongoing consumer confidence in the sector,” Mr Wohlers said.

OCAV, for instance, has called for a tightening of terminology used in retirement village legislation and contracts to improve clarity and decision making for consumers.

Mr Wohlers said it was encouraging to hear from the Minister that he understood the important role that retirement villages play in local communities.

“We and our residents have always seen ourselves as part of the local community, and it was reassuring to hear directly from the Minister that it was not just a matter of employment and local purchasing, it was also the contribution we make to the social fabric,” Mr Wohlers said.