Retirement Living Council at “pivotal juncture” Aged Care Taskforce told

Executive Director Daniel Gannon has made a submission to the Aged Care Taskforce, which is due to issue its Interim Report next month. Daniel writes the retirement living sector is “at a pivotal juncture, evolving from a property-focused sector in years gone by to one that focuses on health, wellbeing and care”. “It is critical that Government understands these opportunities as it plans for the significant increase of older Australians and aims to keep the aged care sector operational,” he writes. Daniel said it is important the Aged Care Taskforce understand that the pathway to residential aged care is easier from a retirement community rather than home. He said the Retirement Living Council must be acknowledged and it must be understood that the role of retirement living sector is in creating “diverse, efficient and innovative care environments”. The submission also criticises the current RAD/DAP financial model in aged care, stating it “lacks clarity, employing industry-specific language that confuses older Australians and their families”.

“The choice between upfront payments and rental models further complicates matters, often entwined with estate planning and pension eligibility issues,” Daniel wrote. “The RLC supports retaining upfront options for customer and operator benefits and furthermore recommends deregulating accommodation payments to suit individual preferences. Operators should retain some accommodation payments, ensuring investment returns. Ultimately, customers should enjoy the freedom to choose their preferred payment mode.”

Read Daniel’s submission in full, click HERE. The SOURCE: Daniel and the RLC’s office holders have been lobbying consistently to Government on the value of retirement living.