Aged care alliance to support Chinese sector

The partnership between Eldercare, Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) and Life Care has led to the formation of a new joint venture called Australian Ageing and Wellness Services (AA&WS) which has recently secured its first contract to deliver coaching and development services over the next 12 months to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital that has just opened an aged care facility in Penglai.

AA&WS Chair Brendan Bowlers – also the Chief Executive Officer of Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) Inc – says with an estimate of 330 million Chinese people aged over 60 estimated by 2030, this partnership provides a “significant business opportunity” for South Australian aged care providers to offer training and support to Chinese organisations as they adapt to the significant increase in service demand.

He adds that the contract will involve four South Australian registered nurses working alongside hospital staff in China on three-month clinical rotations until September 2018, with AA&WS working closely with the Department of Civil Affairs as well as private and publically funded aged care providers in Shandong.

“China’s ageing population growth, coupled with the impact of the one child policy and the significant mobility of the Chinese population in search of work, has made it virtually impossible for middle class families to continue the tradition of caring for all their ageing relatives,” Mr Bowler says.

“This presents an exciting opportunity for Eldercare, Southern Cross Care and Life Care to share our capabilities internationally, generate new business opportunities and offer employees the chance to work and learn together to implement high quality services in a new and challenging environment.”

The opportunity to form the international partnership started mid 2016 through connections formed through South Australia’s City of Charles Sturt council – who are ‘friendly city’ partners with Yantai.

Trading in China as AA&WS Elder Care, Mr Bowler says a broad range of consultation, training and development and operational services across all aspects of aged care will be provided.

“Australia’s sophisticated aged care system is of great interest to China and there is a willingness for the Chinese to rapidly learn how to support their aged population through the lessons of Australia,” he says.

“We know that our collective knowledge and experience is highly valued in the emerging aged care sector in China and that this work will have a positive impact on our Chinese business partners.”

The AA&WS was officially launched at Eldercare Allambi in South Australia on 29 November.