Retirement village operators are discovering the value proposition of “wellness”

A bit of a surprise: among the best-received presentations by village managers at our VILLAGE SUMMIT events across the country have been centred on wellness programs for village residents.

Village managers are telling us that increasingly, new residents (Baby Boomers) are seeking out activities and supports that will assist them to have a physically better quality of life in the village.

Nutrition, exercise programs, and engaging activities that draw people together are what people are requesting.

It takes us to the interview we did with Patrick Smith (pictured), the owner of the Henley on Broadwater retirement village at Southport (QLD), who invested in a HUR equipped gym and a permanent gym manager/instructor. Patrick told us that 111 of his 132 residents use the gym almost daily, and the reablement benefit has resulted in wide word-of-mouth publicity and waiting lists to join the village.

He specifically says that his village homes are selling at 110 to 120% of the price of a similar apartment in adjacent buildings.

At the VILLAGE SUMMIT in each capital city, we were joined by Jamie Ford from Five Good Friends, who reviewed the provider’s Move Nourish Connect concierge program.

In Adelaide, we were joined by Dr Tim Henwood from Southern Cross Care SA, which now has three HUR gyms in Adelaide. Here in NSW, Uniting has six gyms, while Catholic Health Care has one wellness centre in Wahroonga and is now rolling the concept out across the state.

As a result of this expanding interest, we are building expanded wellness implementation into the 2023 program for the DCM Institute’s professional development for village managers.