The Presidents of the ACT, NSW and Queensland Retirement Village Residents Associations (RVRAs) attended this year’s National Retirement Living Summit at the invitation of the Retirement Living Council. About 700 delegates attended the 2-day Summit which was the annual meeting of those involved in the retirement living industry. The program featured many retirement industry leaders and professionals in the seniors’ sector discussing the advances and issues in retirement living. It also provided an excellent opportunity find out about exhibitors’ available products and services.
The program featured keynote speakers and smaller breakout sessions.
One session featured speakers from the NSW and Queensland RVRAs discussing the theme “understanding the practical inputs to well being, ensuring retirement villages remain safe, supportive, and enriching environments for residents and staff alike”. Discussion raised both positive and negative experiences while living in retirement villages (RVs). Benefits of the social and well being lifestyle were particularly highlighted as well as example problems due to village management, resident committees or other residents. RV owners were encouraged to adopt the Retirement Living Council (RLC) Code of Conduct. (In ACT, 13 of 41 RVs have adopted the RLC Code of Conduct). To find out which RVs are Code compliant see RLC Code Compliant Villages in the ACT
The exhibitors’ hall promoted a variety of new technologies including a safe wall power outlet for recharging large lithium batteries in mobility scooters, wheelchairs, electric bicycles etc. that would automatically shut off power after 8 hours. This product was developed to mitigate battery fire risk in RVs particularly as more residents use and need to charge these vehicles.