As we approach the end of the year, this is often one of the busiest times for many of us – professionally and personally. I want to take a moment to remind you to prioritise your own wellbeing amidst the deadlines, celebrations, and demands that inevitably come with this season. Self-care is not a luxury; it is essential to sustaining the important work you do every day.
November has brought significant change across our sector. With the introduction of the new Aged Care Act and Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, we know many of you are experiencing uncertainty about how these reforms will impact your roles, your organisations, and the people you support. As a Board, we are monitoring these developments closely and are deeply mindful of the implications for recreational therapy practice. We welcome and encourage your feedback. Your insights will guide us as we collate key issues and explore several pathways to advocate and lobby for meaningful change within the aged care space.
In the background, we are close to finalising the Strategic Plan and Business Plan 2025-2030. These guiding documents will provide a clear roadmap for the association’s priorities, growth, and long-term direction.
We also want to be transparent about the challenges ahead. Like many not-for-profit associations, we are currently facing a difficult financial position. The Board is actively exploring cost-saving measures as well as new revenue streams to ensure we can continue to champion the profession and provide value to our members. To this end the office will be closed for most of December and January.
In brighter news, we are finetuning our offerings and making some updates to the ARTA website, with a focus on offering more resources, support, and value to our membership. You will start to see these improvements roll out over the coming months.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to recreational therapy and for being part of our community during a time of both challenge and transformation.
Together, we will continue to strengthen our profession and the people we serve.
Warm regards,
Charlise Bennett
ARTA President