Around one in five older Australians are socially isolated. This rises to a third of older people living in residential aged care, and this topic has been nominated by the aged care sector as a priority concern.

In 2020, Swinburne University researchers Jane Farmer and Jasmine Knox worked with Uniting (NSW & ACT), The Salvation Army, and the University of Melbourne on a pilot project, and found that resident social isolation had become a pressing organisation issue they had to address.

Assistance with bathing, showering and toileting is an important role for care workers in aged care homes.

The current process of caregiver-assisted showering is physically demanding and time-consuming for the worker, through heavy lifting and bending while manoeuvring residents; These injury related risks have become part of the trigger for staff burnout and many aged care workers are leaving the sector. It is also emotionally challenging for the mental health and well-being of the resident being showered, particular as they become more reliant on assistance.

Dehydration is a critical issue for people, especially those living in aged care homes, and can lead to various problems, including delirium, falls, hospitalisations, and even an increased risk of death.

Although serum osmolarity is the gold standard for assessing hydration status, it is not routinely conducted. Finding a way to easily detect dehydration at the point of care could significantly improve the lives of older Australians.

For some time the aged care sector has grappled with workforce recruitment and retention issues, especially for providers in rural and remote regions.

Retaining staff is of utmost importance, with average turnover rates reported at 29% by the last Aged Care Workforce Census, with increased workforce shortages predicted in the future.

Through ARIIA’s Aged Care Partnering Program, service provider Tanunda Lutheran Homes was introduced to RV Automation Technology, an international robotics developer and manufacturer, to provide support to workers.

Ongoing reform and increasing operational needs are creating huge workforce pressures in aged care, yet finding time and resourcing for research and innovation that could produce solutions is a challenge itself for busy organisations.

With ARIIA’s support, St Basil’s Homes in South Australia was able to partner with two researchers to access funding and expertise to boost their innovation capacity and build internal expertise for their future model of care project.