Historic agreement between retirement village industry and residents association
The Retirement Villages Association (RVA) and the Retirement Villages Residents Association of New Zealand (RVRANZ) have committed to closer collaboration and co-operation with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
“The interests of our village residents are at the heart of everything we do so it’s great news that the RVA and RVRANZ will be working together to support the provision of a quality living environment for older New Zealanders,” says Graham Wilkinson, president of the RVA.
“More than 45,000 New Zealanders choose to live in retirement villages and independent research commissioned by agencies such as the Commission for Financial Capability have reported overwhelming general satisfaction among residents.
“New Zealand’s retirement villages are also subject to a regulatory framework with safeguards and consumer protection for residents, which is often referred to as ‘world leading’ by countries where villages are prevalent.
“However, we are always looking to make improvements and this agreement with the RVRANZ will provide an opportunity to gain valuable input and insights in a range of areas.”
As part of the MoU, the associations have agreed to develop a structure and process for a Resident Advisory Group (RAG) including members from both associations, which will meet regularly.
Peter Carr, President of the RVRANZ, welcomed the signing of the MoU.
“The overwhelming majority of residents in villages are satisfied and glad they moved to their village, but like any area where there are many personalities involved, sometimes an issue can arise. The Residents Association looks forward to working with the RVA in developing best practice in a range of areas as well as encouraging debate about the industry model and potential options.”
The RVRANZ will also work with the Commission for Financial Capability to finalise a short Resident Handbook for forming and conducting a resident committee, and will continue their work in monitoring the effectiveness of the current legislation.