'Cookie cutter' communities won't work

FUTURE SUNSHINE COAST: Cookie cutter communities won't be enough for changing desires of future elderly.

OPPORTUNITIES: GemLife Communities director and CEO Adrian Puljich says there will be plenty of opportunities around the retirement living industry on the Coast in years to come. Picture: FRANK HURRELL

RETIREES' desires to grow old in their own communities among friends is driving a drastic change in the aged care and retirement living sector.

In-home care and 'ageing in place' is changing the way operators are designing products and delivering services.

GemLife Communities CEO and director Adrian Puljich said the ageing in place model was a better alternative to an aged care facility for many retirees eager to remain in their homes or resort-style retirement facilities.

He said the changes meant there were "massive growth opportunities” in the retirement living industry on the Sunshine Coast now and in the coming decades.

GemLife operates two of its over-50s luxury resort facilities on the Coast, while its sister company, Living Gems, operates one.

Mr Puljich said he expected to see various forms of retirement options offered up to market on the Coast in future, as well as many operators continuing to offer up what they do now.

He said the rise of in-home services would be one of the biggest changes coming to the industry.

"Obviously there are key economic drivers from a state and federal level to see... providers offering in-home care and assisted living services (to take pressure off the health and aged care system),” Mr Puljich said.

He said as government funding began to flow more freely, he expected to see in-home services scale up.

"We see enormous potential on the Sunshine Coast to deliver lifestyle communities for retirees that wish to have active lifestyles,” Mr Puljich said.

He said facilities in idyllic locations, close to services, remained the most sought-after by active retirees.

"We definitely see and have seen over the last 10 years a progression in the mindset of retirees Australia-wide,” Mr Puljich said.

He said they were now more tech-savvy, active, independent and financially stable, which was dictating their desire to lead different lives in retirement than previous retirees.

With many cashed-up and able to travel, Mr Puljich said the freedom to come and go and be "in charge of their lifestyle” was driving many of their living choices.

"Taking a cookie cutter approach to each new facility in the years to come won't work,” he said.

He said one of their greatest challenges was gauging what each different community was looking for, as most buyers were predominantly locals.

"How do we service the needs and wants of our buyers to ensure we do tick all of the boxes?” Mr Puljich said.

Getting appropriate zoning of land was another difficult hurdle.

He said councils needed to be more open-minded, to ensure services like allied health could be established close to retirement facilities, without being shoved in the faces of tenants.

He said adequate public transport to service their ageing clientele, who became less reliant of cars, was another important factor in their future success, but was also vital to the entire community, which was growing across all age groups.

"Whether the council or the State Government like it or not, people are moving to the Sunshine Coast,” Mr Puljich said.

Mr Puljich said the rise of retirement living would drive new jobs in other sectors, like allied health and food services, which would benefit younger generations in the region in future.

"We're finding people need those services and they're not being provided adequately now,” he said.