NZ MODEL
COULD FIX AUSTRALIA'S CARE CRISIS
iStock.com/fizkes
Widespread adoption of a Continuum of Care model could reform Australia’s aged care crisis, according to a discussion document released by retirement living and aged care provider Ryman Healthcare.
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n the Continuum of Care model, retirement living and aged care services are integrated within one village community. The model is said to be widely adopted across the Tasman. All of Ryman’s 38 retirement villages in New Zealand, as well as its seven in Victoria, have aged care centres, compared with just 30% of Australia’s retirement villages offering aged care facilities onsite or in close proximity1. The model would provide a better quality of care for older Australians, reduce the cost of the aged care system on the taxpayer, alleviate pressure on the public health system, and increase housing supply, according to Ryman.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS The discussion document’s key recommendations include: establishing a national regulatory regime to govern the retirement living and aged care sectors as one; creating greater incentives in planning systems for integrated retirement living and aged care facilities; and introducing a specific home care package for retirement villages to help residents live independently for longer. Cameron Holland, CEO of Ryman Healthcare Australia, said aged care in Australia needs to change to meet future demand. “Aged care in Australia is fundamentally broken and, with almost 65% of operators currently running at a loss2, and aging aged care stock not meeting customers’ changing needs, the need to rethink our entire approach couldn’t be more urgent,” Holland said. “Yes, more government funding is needed but simply pouring more taxpayer dollars into a bucket with a hole in the bottom isn’t a sustainable long-term solution.”
A HOLISTIC OFFERING “I’m a fiercely proud Australian, but the simple truth is the Kiwis’ approach to aged care has been streets ahead of ours for decades. It’s why Ryman Healthcare expanded into Australia almost 10 years ago, and why demand for its more holistic offering has been so strong here ever since.” Holland said Australia’s aged care system is not fit for purpose today, let alone the increased demands of the future. “A new model is needed to help fix this broken system, and we’ve seen first-hand how the New Zealand approach can work. And it works because the Continuum of Care model mirrors the unpredictable reality of the human experience. “People downsizing into a retirement community to live independently know that if their or their partner’s health needs change in the future, they can access aged care right where they are. This approach minimises disruption and change in the most challenging of life stages for both residents and their families.
38 AGED HEALTH - NOVEMBER 2022
www.agedhealth.com.au
