Aged care study tour program and lead executive find a new berth

Aged care consultancy Anchor Excellence has announced it is taking over the ownership and management of the sector’s study tour program SAGE.

It has also announced that Judy Martin – who has managed and led the SAGE program since its inception in 2006 – will continue to manage and grow the study tour program as a full-time member of Anchor Excellence’s executive team.

Architecture and interior design firm ThomsonAdsett established SAGE – Studying and Advancing Global Eldercare – 17 years ago. Since then, the program has hosted over 450 Australian and international aged care and retirement living executives on global study tours to countries including the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, United States of America, China, Scandinavia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Ms Martin – who is now executive lead of international and SAGE Study Tours and specialist advisor at Achnor Excellence – said in a statement the tours would continue to bring a global perspective to the Australian industry in areas such as:

• different models of care
• the built environment
• workforce
• consumer engagement
• research and operations.

“The impact and value of seeing and experiencing these elements in action in so many other settings is so beneficial to how we shape the Australian aged care system now and into the future, creating sustainable systems that genuinely provide quality care and services,” said Ms Martin, who is immediate past chair of the Global Ageing Network.

Anchor Excellence intends to take the program forward with the ongoing support of ThomsonAdsett and continue the program’s positive relationships with Australia’s aged care peak body and international colleagues.

Anchor Excellence founder and managing director Cynthia Payne – who has participated in several international study tour programs over the years – said she was excited to welcome SAGE to the portfolio and Ms Martin as executive lead.

“The SAGE study tours are insightful and a fantastic opportunity to see how other countries innovate and meet the world’s most highly respected industry leaders,” Ms Payne said in a statement. “This collaboration will extend our capability and enable Anchor to bring a broader lens to the aged care sector in Australia while also showcasing our reform experience, insights and advancements as a sector to organisations globally.”

ThomsonAdsett partner Robert Puflett said SAGE had built a fantastic reputation and following over the last 17 years, which the architecture firm was proud of.

“With Anchor Excellence taking the [helm] in collaboration with valued colleague and industry executive Judy we believe that the program will go from strength to strength and continue to showcase global excellence in aged care and retirement living.”

Comment on the story below. Follow Australian Ageing Agenda on LinkedIn and Facebook, sign up to our twice-weekly newsletter and subscribe to AAA magazine for the complete aged care picture.