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Most people don’t set out to build a career in retirement living. I certainly didn’t.
Like many in the sector, I fell into it by chance. As a student, I took a part-time job as a receptionist at a village to pay the bills.
I thought it would be temporary, but I discovered something unexpected. It was a community where the work was about people, purpose, and the privilege of supporting residents to live their best lives. That is the reason so many of us stay. When you see the impact your work has on people, it is impossible to walk away. Supporting residents and being a small part of their journey is truly magical.
Over the years, I have worked across nearly every part of village operations – front desk, care coordination, sales, management and now operations. These experiences have given me a deep appreciation of the direct impact every decision has on residents.
I am currently Operations Manager of Retirement Villages at Ozcare. I hope that my frontline experience continues to shine through in the decisions I make for the communities we support.
This is truly personal work. Many residents have helped shape me as a person.
One past resident, Lily, had such a profound impact on my life that I later named my firstborn daughter after her. That is the sort of legacy the sector creates.
Jessica and resident Lily.
Retirement living is not just bricks and mortar. It is about the people, connection and stories that live on long after. The industry can lose sight of that. Too many times, it is consumed by red tape, paperwork and regulation.
While the intent is good – resident protection – the outcome is often the opposite. The layers of compliance confuse residents and divert operators from what matters most. Some of the required documentation creates more anxiety for residents than it provides clarity.
The recent rollout of changes has created a lot of unrest amongst our communities. We are working with our residents and managers to help balance and provide clarity to the level of information now provided.
At its best, regulation should safeguard people. At its worst, it risks alienating retirees. We are always wrestling with outdated perceptions in Australia. Even now, when people ask what I do, I proudly say: I work in retirement living. And yet, most people assume I mean aged care.
My own mother, in her seventies, is reluctant to downsize because she worries about entering ‘care’. It is a stigma that persists even though villages today are about independence, wellbeing and connection.
This is where our sector needs to step up. The truth is, as people age, many will need some level of help – and that should never be stigmatised. It should be celebrated. Care and support should not be seen as a fallback, but as a natural, standard part of what we offer.
Retirement living already offers lifestyle, security, connection and a strong sense of community in spades.
But the next step is clear – we need to integrate care and support services more readily, so residents can stay in their homes and communities longer, with dignity and confidence.
Let’s challenge ourselves as a sector: to be proud of the support we provide. To normalise the conversation around needing help, and to offer care as part of the lifestyle, not separate from it. Because retirement living is not just about where you live – it’s about how you live, at every stage of your journey.
But innovation requires courage. Residents deserve more than a safe option. They deserve bold, fresh thinking that makes retirement aspirational. It also means creating space for new voices.
The experience of our leaders is invaluable, but we risk stagnation if new leaders are not encouraged to step forward.
I was, and continue to be, fortunate to have had mentors who guided me early in my career.
I now feel that responsibility to pay it forward by mentoring others, encouraging them to be confident and reminding them to question the norm, and speak up even if you are unsure. I still need to be brave to tell myself this every day.
After all, our industry is about its people, including our residents. People like Lily whose stories stay with us. It is about the privilege it can be to walk alongside them while they shape the final chapter of their lives with dignity, independence and joy.
Jessica Madden, Operations Manager of Retirement Villages, Ozcare