Retirement living code made more accessible

Retirement villages can now access provisional status under the sector’s code of conduct while working towards compliance, the peak bodies behind the initiative have announced.

The Retirement Living Council (RLC) and Leading Aged Services Australia (LASA) launched a new provisional registration stage for the Retirement Living Code of Conduct last Thursday to support retirement communities that want to start the process of becoming compliant.

It allows retirement living operators to demonstrate they agree to the principles laid out by the code while working with staff and residents to become full code signatories, they said.

The code, which launched in December 2018, has over 550 villages registered around the country supporting more than 65,000 residents.

Retirement Living Council executive director Ben Myers said the new features was a great step towards making the code even more accessible and particularly to smaller retirement communities.

“By giving retirement communities a provisional period to fully implement the code and adjust to any changes that must be made, it is now easier to get on board with the code and show a real focus on the wellbeing of residents.”

LASA CEO Sean Rooney said giving operators a provisional registration period meant residents could have confidence their community was making a step in the right direction.

“The biggest gain to be made from having a provisional registration period, is that residents in these communities can be assured that there is a commitment to implementing the code and the ongoing provision of trustworthy and high-quality services,” he said.

“This is a wise move because the code is focused on the best interests of residents and delivering reliability for older Australians to live fulfilling and secure lives.”

Provisional Code of Conduct Registration is available to operators who are committed to the vision for the industry, objectives, values and principles of the code.

Find out more here.

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