Home National Retirement Living Summit National Retirement Living Summit – Program
Wednesday 26 June 2024
Day 1 program
Time
Session information
12:00pm– 4:30pm
Summit Site Tours
To find out more about our site tours.
4:30pm – 6:30pm
Welcome Function & Registration
Get to your fellow attendees who you will be spending the next couple days with. There will be an official welcome to country.
7:00pm – 9:30pm
Sponsored by
Presidents’ dinner
Invitation only
Thursday 27 June 2024
Day 2 program
Time
Session information
8:00am – 9:00am
Registration open
9:00am – 9:20am
Conference Opening
MC
9:20am – 10:20am
The Age of Opportunity: How better Housing can lead to better Health
As Australia’s shift towards an ageing population continues at pace, the World Health Organization has declared loneliness a “global public health concern”. All the while, housing affordability, accessibility and the cost of living are creating risks and opportunities for governments, industry and consumers alike.
Returning to the National Retirement Living Summit in 2024, renown demographer Simon Kuestenmacher pulls together the latest data and modelling to conjure an evidence-based vision of the future of retirement living and Australia’s population at large.
10:20am – 11:00am
Sponsored by
A view from the top
Retirement living in Australia is on the threshold of a golden growth opportunity. Leaders from across the industry will share their views on emerging trends and demand forecasts, alongside their thoughts on the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Dr Brett Robinson
Chief Executive Officer, RetireAustralia
Vice-President, Retirement Living Council
Kim Teudt
Executive General Manager – Retirement Living, Bolton Clarke
Vice-President, Retirement Living Council
Retirement Living Life Member
Tony Randello
Chief Executive Officer, Aveo Group
National President, Retirement Living Council
11:00am – 11:40am
Morning tea
11:40am – 12:20pm
Concurrent Session
How retirement villages can evolve with governance best practice
As the retirement living sector evolves from an industry predominantly focused on housing to one which is increasingly providing care and wellbeing services, governance structures and industry best practice must also evolve to ensure compliance while fostering innovation and ongoing resident satisfaction.
With changes to the Aged Care Act and numerous state-based legislative reviews occurring across the country, there is no better time to take stock and ensure boards and executives are best equipped to meet the demands of this shifting landscape.
Participants in this panel will explore various facets of legislative changes impacting retirement village governance, including regulatory compliance, risk management, and resident rights.
11:40am – 12:20pm
Concurrent Session
The resident experience
As a self-funded housing option, retirement villages are consumer focused at their core, with built form and service offerings designed to foster a sense of community and wellbeing for residents. However, it is the people who make the biggest difference, and a good resident experience is the heart of a welcoming village.
By amplifying resident voices and perspectives, this session empowers attendees to understand the practical inputs to wellbeing, ensuring that retirement villages remain safe, supportive, and enriching environments for residents and staff alike.
12:25pm – 1:05pm
Concurrent Session
The future of care
Australians are getting older, and while they continue to live longer, healthier lives, there are increasing impacts on the residential aged care and healthcare sectors. These challenges are becoming more pronounced given the demographic shift that our nation is staring down.
As the government looks to ensure that financial support for living at home remains sustainable, the number of recipients of the home-based support packages only continues to grow.
We know through the Better Housing for Better Health report that living independently in a retirement community delays entry into taxpayer funded aged care, freeing up space in the hospital system, and delivers significant economic savings to government budgets.
This panel will explore how the retirement sector is already providing community-based care for residents at all stages of their care journey, investigating how we can do more to ensure that older Australians are living independently for as long as possible through care and wellbeing services.
Dr Nick Hartland PSM
First Assistant Secretary, Ageing and Aged Group
Department of Health and Aged Care
12:25pm – 1:05pm
Concurrent Session
Focusing on the E in ESG
As baby boomers become the dominant cohort to embrace retirement living, energy efficiency and sustainable lifestyles are no longer distant concerns but essential considerations as they seek comfortable futures.
While the Better Housing for Better Health report already shows that rightsizing can reduce older Australians’ household energy consumption by 35 per cent, there is more to the picture for village operators as ESG considerations are increasingly crucial for lending institutions, asset managers, and construction authorities alike.
Focusing on the E in ESG helps to spotlight the key environmental issues being faced by retirement operators across Australia. With the average age villages approaching 30 years old, issues around embedded carbon, energy efficiency and sustainable re-development regulations become more relevant as operators look to exceed the built form requirements into the future.
1:05pm – 2:05pm
Lunch
2:05pm – 2:55pm
Economic Horizons: Navigating Challenges, Seizing Opportunities
Against a backdrop of escalating global conflict, major elections and transformative shifts in technology and the workforce, esteemed economist Saul Eslake will join the 2024 National Retirement Living Summit to provide his strategic analysis and outline what it means for investors, policy makers and the cost of living.
2:55pm – 3:25pm
Sponsored by
Redefining Investment: Retirement Villages as Social Infrastructure
Australia’s rapidly ageing population represents a significant demand driver for age-friendly infrastructure such as aged care facilities and allied health services, however with economic headwinds and regulatory uncertainty playing major roles, the investment picture into the sector is much more complex.
While retirement communities have operated in Australia for over sixty years, there has been significant institutional investment recently in the sector by major Australian and international firms, leading to a consolidation of ownership across the country. Concurrently, many retirement communities have evolved to deliver privately funded allied health and wellbeing services to residents.
For the first time, senior executives from these firms are meeting at the National Retirement Living Summit to discuss what they see as the major opportunities and barriers for growth for retirement communities.
Moderated by ANZ, this session will consider where retirement communities fit within Australia’s social infrastructure space, how private investment supports governments in achieving better public health and infrastructure outcomes and investigate future growth and operational trends for the sector.
3:25pm – 4:00pm
Afternoon tea
4:00pm – 4:20pm
2023 Retirement Living Census Launch
Celebrating its tenth edition in 2024, the National Retirement Living Census stands as the most comprehensive data source on retirement villages in Australia. Partnering again with PwC, it covers a wide range of information, including the physical characteristics of villages, ownership details, business attributes, and key demographic information.
With record participation anticipated for this year, the Census is an invaluable resource for policymakers and investors, offering a deep understanding of the sector’s dynamics. It sheds light on the key drivers, challenges, and opportunities on the horizon, guiding informed decision-making and strategic planning for the future of retirement living in Australia.
4:20pm – 4:55pm
The Great Debate: Can BTR, Retirement Communities and Land Lease happily coexist
Right across the country, policy makers of all persuasions agree that Australia needs more affordable housing and quickly. However, with a raft of different accommodation options catering to our ageing population, is there room in the market for all comers or does one type reign supreme?
In what promises to be a passionate and educative debate, industry experts will explore the potential for harmonious coexistence among Build-to-rent, Retirement Communities and Land Lease models.
The panel will dissect the unique benefits and risks of in each model and consider the regulatory hurdles and economic variables, helping to dispel misunderstandings of each type while navigating Australia’s undersupplied housing landscape.
Attendees will receive a comprehensive understanding of the market dynamics at play, the opportunities for both residents and investors, and hopefully an answer to the question; can Build-to-rent, Retirement Communities and Land lease can happily coexist?
Tony Randello
Chief Executive Officer, Aveo
National President, Retirement Living Council
4:55pm – 5:00pm
Day 1 Wrap up
Tony Randello
Chief Executive Officer, Aveo
National President, Retirement Living Council
5:00pm
Summit day 1 ends
6:30pm – 7:00pm
National Retirement Living Awards Pre-Awards function
7:00pm – 11:00pm
Sponsored by
National Retirement Living Awards Gala Dinner
Friday 28 June 2024
Day 3 program
Time
Session information
8:00am – 8:45am
Registration open | Networking Breakfast
8:45am – 8:50am
Conference Opening & Housekeeping
8:50am – 9:30am
Sponsored by
Retirement Living National Planning Report Card launch
Planning systems are a crucial enabler of housing in good times let alone when affordability is eroding, and supply is under duress. Given the number of Australians over the age of 75 is set to increase by over 70 per cent by 2040, appropriate levels of age-friendly and age-appropriate housing supply is paramount.
For these reasons – and based on firsthand industry experience – the Retirement Living Council has partnered with Urbis to determine how planning systems across Australia are supporting the development of retirement villages and seniors’ housing.
The Retirement Living National Planning Report Card presents a competitive national scorecard, rating states against key criteria to determine areas where planning systems are performing well, more importantly, where things need to improve.
Video Address Hon Anika Wells MP, Minister for Aged Care and Sport.
9:30am – 10:00am
Sponsored by
Keynote Address
Senator the Hon Anne Ruston
Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Shadow Minister for Sport and Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate.
10:05am – 10:40am
Sponsored by
Concurrent Session
Aspire to Retire: How to grow public perception of the retirement living sector
“I wish I’d moved sooner” is a phrase often repeated when asking people about their experience of moving into a retirement village, however while almost 30% of Australians over 55 are considering rightsizing, we know that the vast majority of people chose not to live in a retirement village.
While the inequitable application of government financial schemes such as the Age Pension asset test and Commonwealth Rent Assistance are acknowledged as major disincentives to rightsizing, the external perception of the retirement living sector plays a significant role as it does not always match up with the overwhelmingly positive resident experience.
Throughout the session, panelists will investigate the misconceptions and the realities, share success stories, and provide practical recommendations for reframing the discourse around retirement living. By highlighting the social, economic, and health benefits of retirement communities, attendees will gain valuable insights into how to effectively communicate the value proposition of these living arrangements to the broader public and help raise the sector’s profile as a whole.
10:05am – 10:40am
Sponsored by
Concurrent Session
The future of work and the next generation of retirement professionals
Hiring and retaining good people can be difficult in any sector, however with staff shortages, changes to award rates and immigration policy as well as the persistent threat of talent poaching by adjacent care sectors makes growing the retirement living workforce in 2024 incredibly challenging.
Panelists will share insights on the state of recruitment in the sector, exploring methods to attract and retain top talent while mitigating the allure of competing industries in an increasingly competitive landscape.
This session aims to inspire a renewed commitment to workforce development and sector sustainability, providing attendees with the tools and strategies needed to promote retirement living as a viable career to cultivate a skilled and dedicated workforce.
Kim Teudt
Executive General Manager – Retirement Living, Bolton Clarke
Vice-President, Retirement Living Council
Retirement Living Life Member
10:40am – 11:20am
Concurrent Session
Excellence in planning and design
At a time when housing supply is a dominant issue across Australia, well designed retirement communities can support the housing market, enhance resident well-being, promote social interaction, and lay the foundation for integrated, age-friendly communities which expand beyond the village footprint.
With existing village redevelopments requiring sensitive planning and negotiation and as operators compete with other housing developers for access to new land, careful evidence-based master planning becomes paramount to ensure that villages not only meet current needs but also adapt to future demands with resilience and foresight.
Excellence in planning and design focuses on industry best practice for master planning, highlighting the trends towards medium density and mixed-use villages.
10:40am – 11:20am
Concurrent Session
The Invisible Missing Middle
Learn more about “Project Grace”, the innovative initiative designed to provide safe and secure housing for the largest growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness – women over the age of 55.
Join us to explore the project’s journey from its inception to the collaborative efforts driving its success. Our expert panellists will delve into the critical role of social consciousness, emphasizing the psychological and welfare assistance needed to support this vulnerable group.
Learn how philanthropy plays a vital role in this mission, aiming for the paramount goal of secure housing for older women. This presentation will showcase the potential for innovation and the profound impact of collective efforts in transforming lives.
Peter Nilsson
Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer
Community Villages Australia
11:20am – 12:00pm
Morning tea
12:00pm – 12:50pm
The island where people forget to die
Delve into the fascinating world of Blue Zones, regions around the globe where residents are renowned for their longevity and vibrant health. Join Marcus as he shares the secrets of these extraordinary communities, where residents not only live longer, but experience significantly lower rates of cancer, heart disease, dementia, and mental health issues compared to the global average.
In this captivating keynote, Marcus shares insights gleaned from his journeys the small Greek island of Ikaria, the longevity epicentre of the world, as well as his hit podcast 100 Not Out where he investigates the principles which underpin the strategies which promote longevity and vitality.
Prepare to rethink your approach to work, relationships, mental well-being, and the passage of time as Marcus guides you on a transformative journey through the secrets of the world’s longest-living communities.
Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock the secrets of Blue Zones and embark on a journey toward a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life.
Dr Brett Robinson
Chief Executive Officer, RetireAustralia
Vice-President, Retirement Living Council
12:50pm – 1:00pm
Summit Wrap-up
1:00pm
Summit ends
This program is subject to change. Please ensure you check back regularly for program updates.