Innovation collaboration “imperative” for the age services industry

Supporting innovation in Australia’s aged care industry is the driving force behind a newly announced strategic alliance between aged care innovation network innovAGEING, established by Leading Age Services Australia (LASA), and digital design and technology company Alive.

Posted February 20th 2018

by Alexandra Stopford

<p>Merlin Kong is one of the organisation heads partnering with LASA through its innovAGEING initiative (Source: LASA)</p> — Merlin Kong is one of the organisation heads partnering with LASA through its innovAGEING initiative (Source: LASA)

The announcement made last week is expected to see the two organisations join forces to explore ideas, challenges and solutions to reinterpret the concept of ageing in relation to design and service delivery, as well as foster the development of new business models through innovation and enable the industry to be more consumer-centric.

LASA’s Principal Advisor Merlin Kong made comment on the announcement, saying this partnership with Alive will help accelerate innovation and collaboration in the industry to translate ideas into action and deliver better outcomes for older Australians.

“Australia’s ageing population presents an innovation imperative for the age services industry as it responds to reform challenges, market opportunities, new technologies and changing consumer preferences,” Mr Kong says.

“Alive is not only a like-minded, forward-thinking and innovative business, but also has a people-centred mindset, which resonates strongly with the aims of the innovAGEING network.”

Alive Director Luke Harvey-Palmer says his partnership with innovAGEING will provide the “perfect platform” for everyone to do their best work and achieve “real outcomes”.

“Working with the existing expertise across the Aged Care Industry to help drive innovation in a way that results in better care outcomes for families and care providers is our core purpose for this alliance,” he says.

“Partnering with organisations who deliberately pursue improvement by re-designing established models and experiences with new ideas fuelled by technology is central to our DNA.

“We are excited about this partnership with innovAGEING and look forward to participating and collaborating across a network of like-minded disrupters and change-makers to help improve the lives of older people.”