Digital aged care
A project by Helping Hand Aged Care in partnership with the Media Resource Centre has been short listed in the innovative national program, Bold Ideas, Better Lives Challenge. Titled Aged Care, Digital Lifestyles, it will explore the idea of delivering care and building relationships in a digital environment.
“This is an exciting partnership and an opportunity for us to explore what aged care could look like in the future,” said Ian Hardy, chief executive Helping Hand Aged Care.
“In the year 2051, 27% of Australians will be over 65, with 2 million of us over 80 and many of us living in aged care facilities. Aged Care residents in 40 years’ time will have opportunities for digital communication and information access which are presently undreamt of,” he said.
Of the 258 applications received by the Australian Centre for Social Innovation, 12 have been short listed for up to $1 million worth of project funding.
Gail Kovatseff, director of Media Resource Centre said the project will test care ideas delivered via digital mediums, including storytelling and prototyping an aged care facility intranet.
“Digital technology will have a huge impact on the way aged care residents communicate, and on their medical care, mobility and entertainment options. This project offers some insight into how our future may look,” she said.
The successful project(s) will be announced in October.
