Smart home initiative offered to Qld nursing homes

The Queensland Smart Home Initiative (QSHI) is a consortium of Aged Care Queensland, Queensland Health, Tunstall, ekoliving, Springfield Land Corporation, Intel, Blue Care, QUT, COTAQ and USQ.

It is coordinated by CAAIR, the Collaboration for Ageing & Aged-Care in the Office of Commercialisation, at the University of Southern Queensland.

The goal is to demonstrate and evaluate new and emerging technologies for independent living and aged care.

The first 12-month phase involved an initial demonstrator at Blue Care Kenmore which concludes at the end of May 2008.

The next phase will involve researching client acceptance, benefits and economic impacts of smart home environments.

Qld aged care facilities have been invited to express interest in hosting a Smart Home in their facility as part of the next phase for the QHSI.

The requirements are: availability of a suitable, furnished unit in an Independent Living Unit for an initial period of two years; location – metropolitan or regional; ease of access for researches and visitors for demonstrators without disturbing residents.

The benefits to organisations will include: access to the latest technologies and innovations; participation in world class research projects; media interest and coverage; associated education and training for staff and residents; enabling independence and quality of care for the elderly and their families; developing the convincing business case for technology to assist with workforce challenges; enhancing profile as in industry leader; demonstrating corporate social responsibility.

Expressions of  interest  should be emailed to Associate Professor Jeffrey Soar soar@usq.edu.au by Friday, 6 June 2008.