the Aged Care Today magazine featured articles

At RSL LifeCare, we are immensely proud of the work we have done and continue to do in supporting veterans since our inception in 1911, when we assisted homeless and destitute veterans who came home after defending the British Empire.

Today our services have expanded to include caring for veterans and seniors across NSW, the ACT and southern Queensland through our retirement living, residential care and home care solutions – offering support based on a deep understanding of their complex and varied needs.

What many don’t realise is that RSL LifeCare’s purpose (to enrich the lives of veterans and seniors) has remained unchanged since those heritage days back in 1911.

We are still committed to assisting veterans in a variety of ways, having more than 450 veterans for example who call one of our retirement living villages home.

Our dedicated RSL LifeCare Veteran Services team help veterans with thousands of Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) claims, advocacy, employment and financial assistance, including some who are transitioning from military to civilian life.

This transition remains a challenge for many. Research that we conducted late last year found that 43 per cent of Australians believe more needs to be done to provide adequate support for veterans, including mental and physical health care and financial assistance.

These findings emphasise why it’s important for us to reflect on the support our veterans need, not just on Anzac Day, but every day.

I am enormously proud of the work our RSL LifeCare Veteran Services team do to support our veterans. In 2023, more than 3,600 were assisted through our four Veteran Wellbeing Centres in NSW with over $682,516 provided in financial assistance, 220 provided with employment support, and 4,460 claims lodged with the DVA.

At the heart of our RSL LifeCare Veteran Services is the development of Veteran Wellbeing Centres (also referred to as Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs), currently operational in the Nowra, Riverina, Northern Beaches and Hunter regions.

These centres offer a comprehensive range of services, aligning with the DVA Veterans’ and Families’ Hub model which consists of the seven key elements of wellbeing: health; education and skills; housing; social support; employment; income and finance; and recognition and respect.

Our centres operate on a holistic model, with activities such as art therapy and yoga to promote physical and mental wellbeing as well as providing assistance with employment through our partnership with the RSL Queensland Employment Program, homelessness, housing support, DVA claims and advocacy and more.

I’m thrilled that we are working closely with the DVA to meet the needs of a much larger number of veterans and their families in the future, made possible through the Federal Government’s $46.7 million commitment to deliver 10 new Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs across Australia.

We have already expanded our Veteran Wellbeing Centre network with two new locations approved to go ahead in the Hawksbury and Central Coast regions, and we value the support of RSL NSW and the RSL sub-branches in these important projects.

These new hubs will enable RSL LifeCare to expand on our existing ‘hub and spoke’ model, developed in consultation with the local communities and other ex-service organisations, and through the network of local RSL sub-branches.

Additionally, our Spur Ranch Equine Program located in Picton enables veterans to learn new skills and foster new social connections in a safe space through horse handling courses and multi-day rides.

This program has had a positive impact on 84 veterans who participated in 2023 with one commenting that “I didn’t want to keep talking about my trauma and stressors, I needed something that lifted me. The horses are what help me.”

Each of the veterans that we assist through our centres and programs leaves a mark. Seeking support is deeply personal and can be hard, but incredibly rewarding and often life changing.

As we strive to make a difference for even more of our veterans and their families, let Anzac Day be a reminder of their service and the importance of maintaining support all year round.

Lest we forget.