Exporting our Expertise to China
Published: 30 Nov 2017
Life Care, in partnership with Southern Cross Care SA & NT and Eldercare, has formed a new company to tap into China’s rapidly growing aged care industry by exporting sought after knowledge-based services.
The leading South Australian aged care providers have announced the new joint venture entity named Australian Ageing and Wellness Services (AA&WS) which recently secured its first contract to deliver coaching and development services over the next 12 months to a new aged care provider in Yantai, Shandong.
The contract is with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, which has just opened an aged care facility in Penglai, and involves four South Australian registered nurses working alongside hospital staff in China on three-month clinical rotations until September 2018.
AA&WS will also work closely with the Department of Civil Affairs as well as private and publicly funded aged care services in Shandong.
AA&WS Chair Brendan Bowler, who is also the Chair of Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) Inc, said an estimated 330 million Chinese people would be aged over 60 by 2030, providing a significant business opportunity for South Australian aged care providers to offer training and support to Chinese organisations as they adapt to this significant increase in service demand.
“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 said.
“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.
“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.”
In early 2016, Eldercare, Southern Cross Care and Life Care were invited to join a new Australia China Aged Care Consortium.
The above photo features (L-R) our CEO, Allen Candy with City of Charles Sturt Mayor Angela Evans, Chair of AA&WS Brendan Bowler, Eldercare CEO Jane Pickering and Southern Cross Care SA & NT CEO David Moran at the launch event for AA&WS on 29 November 2017 .