Aged Care Insite Issue 107 | Jun-Jul 2018 | Page 14

industry & policy applications, one key takeaway often stands out: in many instances, new RAC developments are burgeoning side by side in catchments with an existing statistical oversupply. The implications of this depend on which side of the coin the stakeholder is sitting: customer/resident or provider. For residents and families, a new abundance of choice and quality accommodation is a welcome change. For providers though, it may create challenges for business cases and real world, long-term occupancy. CHALLENGES FOR NFPS AND OTHER INCUMBENTS Build it and they will come … or will they? Are new RAC developments being built in locations that best respond to customer need? By Safdar Ali T he Department of Health recently announced the 2018–19 Aged Care Approvals Round and that an invitation to apply for 13,500 residential aged care places, 775 short-term restorative care places and up to $60 million in capital grants is expected soon. Residential aged care (RAC) building activity has skyrocketed since legislative reform transformed the industry on 1 July 2014. One of the key reforms was enabling providers to set accommodation prices to market. A protection for consume