Senior Living: Global Lessons with Local Impact
Episode S2E10:
While TAD shares information to improve senior environments via our podcast, this month’s focus is with a team who facilitate global in-person learning. Join us to discover unique lessons from around the world via the unique Sage Tours programme out of Australia.
Resources:
- Guests: Judy Martin and Chris Straw, Thomson Adsett
- Sage Tours
- National Care Forum UK
- Care England
- Global Ageing Network
- European Association of Ageing
- St. Monica Trust/The Chocolate Quarter
- Riderwood, by Erickson Senior Living, Maryland, USA
- Beaconhill Village, Boston, USA – a virtual community
- Bethany Center Senior Housing, San Francisco, USA
- Lasell Village, Newton, MA USA
- Leonard Florence Center for Living, Chelsea, MA USA
About Judy Martin
Judy began her career as a Registered Nurse. She has over 20 yrs clinical experience in various areas of health, including management of a day surgery (operating theatre), Indigenous health and Aged care Management. Diversifying into Business Development, Client Services and Management, Staff Development and Health & Aged care Education, she has been employed in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and internationally. Judy has worked in Rural and Remote areas in a number of Indigenous communities. Judy has also been lucky enough to work overseas and has provided training and policy advice in Aged care to governments.
Having written and registered her own aged care training program a number of years ago, Judy was at the forefront of the introduction of the Australian Aged care traineeship program and held a National Training management role implementing this initiative.
Judy has been successful in opening a number of international Seniors Living (aged care) markets and delivering understanding of Business Development principles. These roles provided responsibility for high level Public relations and marketing budgets, liaising with Government Departments, Australian Government overseas trade offices, media, peak industry associations, and community and key stakeholders.
Judy had senior management responsibility for the ACT’s Government’s Department of Health $9 million triage initiative “Health First,” putting her at the forefront of policy development in health, with access to Health Ministers and key personnel in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aging, as well as marketing a new concept in health delivery to both the ACT community, key health stakeholders and Government representational bodies.
Judy was asked to take on a project for the Malaysian Australian Business Council which included major components of business development, networking, event management and marketing. During this time she was invited by various Aged Care facilities in Malaysia and Thailand to assist them with aged care training and raising the profile of aged care as an industry. On return to Australia, Judy progressed tertiary studies (Aged Care Management) while working in Health and Aged Care in senior positions including management and business development.
About Chris Straw
Chris’ main focus since joining the practice in 1992 has been in seniors living design, with his interest extending beyond the built form to assisting clients achieve operational success and understanding the impact of design on an individual and their quality of life. His focus on designing for people with dementia spans over two decades and has been the workshop facilitator in the development of Australia’s most recent Dementia Villages.
Chris is actively involved in the continued education and development of future models for seniors living, including SAGE study tours which offer innovative study tours to the aged care and retirement living industries. He is also a Founding Board Member of CommonAge, an organisation focused on advancing the interests of older people throughout the Commonwealth by building capability and capacity in health and care services.
Chris is invested in the development of future models for aged care, focusing on emerging trends and the cultural and market shifts shaping this sector.
Until recently, Chris was ThomsonAdsett’s managing director, playing a pivotal role in shaping and defining ThomsonAdsett for the future including gearing up the company to be agile and responsive to a rapidly changing environment.
More recently Chris has been consulting on international seniors projects in Saudi, England, Thailand, China and New Zealand with a focus on dementia design considerations as part of larger scale seniors communities.
Chris actively participates in industry events, seminars, discussions and knowledge sharing on the future of architecture, and is a recognised champion for the seniors living sector.