Mark Sewell, CEO of the NSW South Coast Not For Profit operator Warrigal, signalled the importance of providing more retirement living units in a chat with DCMI Group owner Christopher Baynes last November.
He is as good as his word.
“The Board of Warrigal this week approved a significant investment to complete the planning process required to create two new villages at two impressive locations at Warilla and Lake Illawarra, two lakeside and beachside suburbs on the NSW South Coast that are going through a renaissance,” he told The SOURCE.
“The Warilla village will be a 123 luxury apartment village over three levels in three buildings surrounded by tropical gardens with a community centre and offering Warrigal’s integrated range of home care services. The site has been owned by Warrigal for nearly 40 years and is in walking distance to the local village shops and the Pacific Ocean beachfront. To make way for this project, everyone living at, or working in, the existing aged care home on site is going through a relocation process to one of the six other aged care homes operated by Warrigal in the region.
“The companion development site is just 2km away and will be an affordable villa village of 55 modular homes. This large greenfield site still contains the former Catholic Church for the area which is currently being used for one of the region’s largest seniors education clubs run by U3A. Warrigal‘s plans will renovate the old church and integrate the community, meeting and education centre into the new village.”
Boosting retirement village places key to its seven-year plan
In November last year, Mark said in preparing Warrigal’s Seven Year Plan through to 2030, the operator intends to moderate its residential aged care growth in favour of retirement villages.
Warrigal had at the time 11 RACS with 1,041 beds and nine retirement villages with just 383 units.
Mark said last November Warrigal will increase their residential aged care business by 150% over the seven years but because they do ‘believe’ in retirement villages, they are exploring every opportunity to expand them aggressively.
Vital to catch the customer early
He detailed Warrigal’s strategy to capture clients very early in the care support journey, around shopping and doctor visits, leading into home care packages which will be a feeder, drawing them into large community hubs where they can experience and mix with Warrigal retirement village residents.
He explained that mixing customers with customers has been the most powerful marketing and sales tool, stating Warrigal has over 300 people on some waiting lists for their villages.
Last month Warrigal officially took ownership of its first aged care home in Wollongong. With Warrigal Wollongong, and the lifestyle retirement village next door, the Links Seaside by Warrigal. Warrigal has assumed all responsibility for the properties, including all associated staff, from previous provider IRT Group.
