Uniting AgeWell joins major aged care research project

Thursday 13 June 2017

Uniting AgeWell is excited to be part of a multi-million dollar research project led by Deakin University into how new technologies can assist older people living at home or in residential aged care.

The Federal Government this week announced almost $3 million in funding for the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Hub for Digital Enhanced Living.

Uniting AgeWell is one of 22 organisations and the lead aged care industry partner involved in the project, including technology companies, the Black Dog Institute and other premier Australian and international universities from Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland and Germany.

In addition to the ARC funds, the Hub will benefit from just over $2 million from the partner organisations and considerable in-kind contributions.

Deakin University Pro Vice-Chancellor ICT Innovation and Translation Professor John Grundy said Uniting AgeWell was a perfect major partner for Deakin in this Hub venture and would provide key aged care domain expertise, locations for trials, feedback on effectiveness and efficiency of solutions, and access to their large client base.

“The ARC Research Hub for Digital Enhanced Living will enable Deakin to research and develop solutions to the growing challenge of enabling ageing people to live comfortably in their own home or residential care, through the invention of new personalised medical technologies,” he said.

Uniting AgeWell CEO Andrew Kinnersly said the organisation was delighted to be involved in the project, and reflected its commitment to enhancing the wellbeing of people as they aged through innovative approaches.

“This project will have a real impact on the way we deliver aged care.  Innovative, intelligent care solutions will have huge benefits for the wellbeing of older people, both at home and in residential aged care,” he said.

Prof Grundy said with an ageing population, and Australia’s health expenditure currently tracking at over $110 billion annually, the Hub would explore low cost and non-invasive solutions to one of the biggest issues facing the world.

He said partnering with organisations like Uniting AgeWell was essential to ensuring the project’s success. 

“Uniting AgeWell is an Australian leader in residential and in-home quality aged care provision and is continually seeking new, innovative ways to leverage emerging technologies to deliver improved care, help connect ageing people within their community, and improve quality of life,” Prof Grundy said.

Uniting AgeWell provides senior services across metropolitan and regional Victoria and Tasmania to more than 7,000 people each year.

It provides residential care, home care, social support, allied health and therapy programs, carer respite, and independent and assisted living.