Need for increased development of retirement villages highlighted
The Retirement Living Council (RLC) has expressed concern over the lack of housing solutions for South Australia’s ageing population in the FY25 State Budget.
“While there is a celebrated focus on first-home buyers, it’s radio silence on affordable housing options for older South Australians,” said RLC executive director Daniel Gannon (pictured above).
“There is much needed cost-of-living relief for people on fixed income pensions, but no costed plan or initiatives for South Australia’s ageing population and the associated challenges with accommodation and care.”
Gannon said that more than 100 South Australians are stranded in hospital beds daily due to insufficient aged care and disability care places.
“This is where retirement villages can help do some of the heavy lifting for government, given after just nine months living in a retirement village, older South Australians are 20% less likely to require hospitalisation,” he said.
“People who live in a retirement village have better access to onsite health and wellbeing services that are shown to reduce interactions with GPs, leading to 14,000 avoided hospitalisations around the country every year.
“Given South Australia is tackling an escalating ramping crisis, it’s time government prioritised age-friendly housing through planning and budget measures before a bad situation becomes even worse.”
Gannon also acknowledged the recently announced Accommodation Diversity Code Amendment as a positive step towards increasing age-friendly housing. However, he stressed that immediate action is necessary.
“The problem is already on the government’s doorstep,” he said. “If older South Australians are incentivised to ‘right-size’ into homes better suited to their ageing needs, it leads to better health outcomes for older people and more homes re-entering the housing market for younger people.”
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