Over the last fortnight, nearly 300 village professionals have shared with us your honest sentiments on the impact that COVID-19 is having on your communities.  

I am thrilled to inform you that the survey indicated strong levels of positivity.

It also highlighted the dedication and hard work you and your operators around the country have been doing to support your residents, staff and community, so far with the pandemic.

In short, the survey showed:

• village teams were feeling well-supported and confident that your organisation could successfully navigate the pandemic
• nearly 3/4 of village teams have been given the opportunity for flexible work arrangements during this time
• on the whole, village teams have an overwhelming confidence in supporting residents and the community, during the crisis

The immediate concerns you raised focused around:

• the decrease in sales inquiry and buyer commitment
• concern for your residents in social isolation
• fear for the health and safety of your residents and your teams
• your ability to complete maintenance or refurbishments in a timely manner
• the impact of compliance obligations

Other concerns raised included:

• access to PPE if required
• loss of ‘community’
• reduced resident confidence
• and job security for you and your team

Looking at the bigger picture, you also talked about:

• the long-term implications of the pandemic
• concerns around sales taking a long time to rebound
• the financial viability of operators
• the financial impact on residents
• and the unknown.

The survey also showed you are thinking about:

• resident health and engagement being a concern
• what would be the impact if an outbreak occurs in your village, or a village nearby?
• the media still confusing aged care and retirement villages
• and the implication of compliance measures, such as buybacks

Thanks again for your participation in the survey and we hope this feedback shows you are not alone in your thinking.

Going forward we will do more surveys to hear your messages from the field – please join in.