Sep-Oct 2016 Issue | Business View Oceania

91 that care facilities are implemented in retirement communities. Techno- logical advancements allow doctors to monitor a person’s vitals remotely so the need for on-site monitoring is largely negated. “In the longer term, we’ll see a lot more retirement villages which already have aged care facilities doing much more outreach for more general med- ical services rather than just geriatric care, particularly in rural areas. Gener- al health services which allow people to get check-ups done without driving to the doctor who could be an hour’s drive away and we are very keen to en- courage that”, John says. Growing and improving in every area While staying on top of an evolving industry is tough work, the RVA has done a stellar job thus far. Looking to the future, the association will contin- ue focusing on similar areas where it’s heavily invested in, such as the pro- motion of the retirement village sec- tor’s interests and the education of its members. There’s always room for im- provement across the board. For in- stance, changes in policy and technol- ogy keep the association on its toes as it always has to be up-to-date with the latest developments. After all, the RVA is influential enough to drive trends in the industry or at least promote them. In the case of care in retirement villages, for instance, the association voices its opinion that general medical care is of utmost im- portance. In turn, its member-commu- nities know that the trend is viable and feasible as long as it’s recommended by the RVA. And as for the association itself, John says that revenue is one of the areas which needs some work. “We are looking for ways to expand the revenue flow of the association so it’s less dependent on subscriptions and the like. We see education and training as a crucial part of that” As the industry of retirement villag- es continues to grow, the association closely follows. Thankfully for current and future residents, the RVA is pas- sionate about their work so it will con- tinue to seek improvements in the sec- tor wherever possible.