Better Housing for Better Health

Home Campaigns and Submissions Better Housing for Better Health

The Retirement Living Council has released the Better Housing for Better Health report, which outlines the industry’s contribution to housing, healthcare and the 250,000 people who live in age-friendly communities across Australia.

This is a first-of-its-kind report, which sends a strong message to governments about the value of the sector, the affordability it provides in an otherwise unaffordable housing market and why its residents live healthier lives.

Some of the key findings from Better Housing for Better Health include:

  • National expenditure on aged care reduces by $945 million annually by delaying entry of ~11,600 people into residential aged care by two years.
  • Residents have fewer interactions with the healthcare system, and are:
    • 20 per cent less likely to require hospitalisation after only nine months, and
    • Avoid 14,000 annual hospitalisations.
  • The current pipeline of retirement communities will reduce the housing shortage by 18 per cent.
    • Growing this pipeline to meet current demand levels could reduce Australia’s housing shortage by 67 per cent.

In addition, the report also reveals that residents in retirement communities are:

  • 15 per cent more physically active.
  • 41 per cent happier, and both physically and mentally healthier.
  • Five times more socially active.
  • Twice as likely to catch up with family or friends.
  • Have reduced levels of depression and loneliness, saving governments almost $5 million in additional healthcare costs.

Accessing the report

Better Housing for Better Health is now available to Retirement Living Council members only, through their online membership portal.

Members, follow these steps to access a copy of the report:

  1. Go to the Property Council website propertycouncil.com.au
  2. Select the profile icon in the top-right corner to login
  3. Enter your email address and password to login
    1. If you can’t remember your password, select ‘Forgot password’ to reset.
    2. If you don’t have a profile, select ‘Join’. This will take you through the steps of creating a profile which will link to your company/organisation.
  4. Once logged in, select ‘Downloads’ from the menu on the left
  5. Select ‘Download File’ under ‘Company downloads’ to download the report.

By downloading the report, members agree to not distribute outside of their organisation.

Become an RLC member

If your organisation would like access to important work being done by the RLC, including this report and the annual Retirement Census, get in touch with the team to sign up as a member today.

The RLC is the national leadership group for the retirement living sector, championing policies that deliver age-friendly homes and better services in retirement communities across Australia.

The RLC sits within the Property Council’s national advocacy team and is the

most powerful voice of the sector, representing for-profit and not-for-profit owners and operators of retirement villages and seniors’ living communities.

We’re excited and energised by the opportunities for the industry and feel enormous pride for the work we do in creating a better future for older Australians.

For more information about membership opportunities available for your business, contact RLC Commercial Director Tomai Morris.

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