Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) has announced the recipients of the Third Round of its Grants Program.
The ARIIA Grants will support high-quality projects that address important gaps in the aged care workforce’s capability and knowledge and lead to relevant translational research findings for the benefit of the aged care sector.
Working in consultation with the sector, several topics have been identified as a priority for attention to improve aged care: Dementia Care; Rehabilitation, Reablement & Restorative Care; Mental Health & Wellbeing; Social Isolation; Urgent & Critical Need; End of Life and Palliative Care; and Meaningful Lifestyle Activities.
ARIIA Grants have been awarded to 14 projects that address the specific priorities:
- Griffith University, Blue Care for their online staff education program to improve pain assessment in people with dementia. Dementia Care
- Queen Victoria Care and University of Tasmania for their project to improve dementia care in residential settings through building skills, confidence and capacity of aged care staff. Dementia Care
- Meals On Wheels Queensland and the Nutrition & Catering Institute for Let’s Do Lunch, their program that will improve wellness and reduce social isolation among older people in the community. Mental Health & Wellbeing; Social Isolation;
- RSL Care RDNS (Bolton Clarke Research Institute) and Queensland University of Technology for their project that supports residents and prevents dementia-compromised behavioural issues associated with constipation. Dementia Care; Rehabilitation, Reablement & Restorative Care
- Helping Hand Aged Care, the University of South Australia and MX3 Diagnostics for their innovative dehydration testing devise for use in residential aged care. Dementia Care
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and Aboriginal Elders & Community Care Services for their professional development training program for aged care workers in the Aboriginal community. Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Flinders University, Uniting AgeWell and the National Ageing Research institute (NARI) for Talking Mental Health, a practical program to improve the mental health of older adults receiving home care services. Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Swinburne University and the Silver Chain Group for their project that reduces depression in home-based aged care through digital technology intervention. Mental Health & Wellbeing
- The University of Tasmania and Southern Cross Care, Tasmania, for their project that brings Namaste Care to people with dementia at the end of their life in residential aged care. Dementia Care
- The Aged Care Industry Information Technology Company (ACIITC), Ozcare, Anglicare Southern Queensland, Villa Maria Catholic Homes, BaptistCare NSW & ACT, and Swinburne University of Technology for their development of a high-quality workforce capability assessment tool that indicates how ready aged care staff are to achieve a fully digital clinical care system. Dementia Care; Rehabilitation, Reablement & Restorative Care; Mental Health & Wellbeing; Social Isolation;
- Champion Life Education, the University of the Sunshine Coast and Comlink Australia for their online physical activity and wellbeing intervention support program for older people receiving home care support packages. End of Life and Palliative Care
- Resparke Technology T/A Move and Groove, Twilight Aged Care and Australian Catholic University for their world-first digital program that enables more personable interactions between workers and residents in aged care. Dementia Care; Mental Health & Wellbeing; Social Isolation;
- HSC Technology Group, The Frank Whiddon Group and CSIRO Health Research Centre for their Building Excellence Sensor Technology (BEST): Clinical Assessment Response Experience (CARE) project to improve falls prevention for people living in aged care. Urgent & Critical Need
- Obvious Choice, Palm Lake Care, Community Based Support, The Frank Whiddon Group, Uniting Communities and Boston Bay Village for their micro-learning program to improve the competence of aged care workers in meeting the needs of persons living with dementia. Dementia Care
ARIIA Research Director, Professor Sue Gordon says that the ARIIA Grants will enable the recipients to undertake projects that will make a significant difference in the identified priority areas in the aged care sector.
“Projects must be undertaken over the next twelve months, so we can see research discoveries being translated into real work benefits, in real-time.
“This is such a refreshing change, as historically, it takes around 17 years to translate research discovery and evidence into practice, and even then, only about 14% of research evidence is fully implemented and integrated.
“It is also good to see aged care providers and research organisations working together and partnering with others to deliver improvements in areas of need, and as they must make a co-contribution to their project, they have a firm commitment to it.
“I look forward to seeing how the Grant recipient’s projects result in practical outcomes, and real-world solutions with efficiency and immediacy that was previously unheard of.
“Collaboration is the heart of ARIIA’s activities, and we are grateful for the partnerships and funding we have received from the Australian and State Governments and Flinders University that enable us to work with the aged care sector to make significant improvements,
The ARIIA Grants Program consists of at least six rounds funded against key sector priorities of focus for the aged care sector that are revised each grant round. Round 4 recipients will be announced soon, and Round 5 is currently open, with applications closing on 28 April 2023.