Abstract
The retirement sector is in a time of significant rethinking and upheaval due to changes in generational expectations, national policy direction, and financial modelling with specific focus on ageing in place (Drilon, 2024). Creative Conversations is a research project that responds to industrial need by exploring the future of the retirement sector across multiple themes and areas of focus. The project used a World Café methodology to interview n>400 residents and staff from 7 retirement villages across Australia’s Sunshine Coast region over 2 years. In addition, a focus group comprising younger community members not in retirement provided valuable insights, facilitating a thorough investigation into public perceptions of retirement overall, as well as specific attitudes towards the retirement village sector. A multidisciplinary team of researchers in Gerontologic Nursing, Exercise Physiology, Occupational Therapy, and Creative Practice explored themes of technology, culture, physical activity, clinical care, creativity, intergenerationally, and environmental design. As a result of the findings of this industry funded project, the project team developed a framework for analysis and reporting to provide the industry partner and the broader sector, a series of recommendations based on the feedback, perceptions and attitudes of residents, staff, and the wider community. In this oral presentation, we highlight this framework, discuss the significant findings, and explore the recommendations synthesised from the data. In doing so, the project provides the background for a regionally focussed multi-state report on the retirement sector forthcoming in 2024/5.