ARIIA awards 12 projects in its final round

The Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) Grants Program has awarded 12 projects in its sixth and final round, with support from the Australian Government. ARIIA, an industry-led organisation established to drive positive transformation in aged care, has provided more than $16.5 million in grants to 62 projects across Australia since its inception in 2021 as part of the government’s aged care workforce strategy. The latest grants aim to address gaps in knowledge and capability within the aged care workforce to enhance service delivery.

The projects focus on various priorities, including Dementia Care, Rehabilitation, Mental Health and wellbeing, Social Isolation, Urgent and critical Needs, End of Life and Palliative Care, Technology in Aged Care, Clinical Governance, and more. These projects are expected to make a significant impact on the wellness and positive aging of the elderly population in Australia. Some of the projects address staff burnout and leverage technology to improve care in various regions.

Each project has received a maximum grant of $160,000 (excluding GST) and has a 12-month duration.

1. Hunter Medical Research Institute in partnership with Maitland Community Care Services for the Implementation and evaluation of their ESTEEM Program for recovery and rehabilitation for stroke survivors. (Restorative Care, Reablement and Rehabilitation; Social Isolation; Mental Health and Wellbeing; Urgent and Critical Need)
2. MG Food Solutions in partnership with Calvary Aged Care and Flinders University for their project that measures consumer health benefits and addresses malnutrition by switching from clinical dietary supplements to a food-first approach. (Technology in Age Care, Urgent and Critical Need)
3. The University of Wollongong in partnership with QPS Benchmarking and Warrigal Care to implement their AI Tool NutriTrack project to automate clinical diagnoses and risk predictions for older aged care residents suffering from malnutrition. (Dementia; Social Isolation; Mental Health and Wellbeing; End of Life and Palliative Care, Technology in Aged Care, Clinical Governance; Urgent and Critical Need)
4. Monash University in partnership with BlueCross for their project that upskills aged care workers to become sleep coaches for older adults and deliver evidence-based feasible sleep interventions for people in their care. (Dementia; Restorative Care, Reablement and Rehabilitation; Meaningful Lifestyle Activities)
5. Anglican Community Services in partnership with Wesley Mission and Western Sydney University for their Older Persons Wellbeing Network project, which is a collaborative, stepped care, peer-based approach to navigating life transitions and improving mental wellbeing. (Mental Health and Wellbeing)
6. Neuroscience Research Australia in partnership with HammondCare for the development and implementation of a strategy for reablement uptake for people living with dementia in the community. (Dementia; Restorative Care, Reablement and Rehabilitation)
7. Southern Cross Care WA in partnership with Edith Cowan University to create an evidence base for the timely introduction of the ‘No One Dies Alone’ program into residential aged care homes. (End of Life and Palliative Care)
8. Sound Scouts HQ in partnership with Maroba Caring Communities and the University of Newcastle for their project to identify people with hearing loss that is impacting their quality of life using Sound Scouts digital hearing testing technology. (Dementia; Restorative Care, Reablement and Rehabilitation; Social Isolation; Mental Health and Wellbeing; Technology in Aged Care)
9. The University of Southern Queensland in partnership with Oral Tech AI, Hawkshaw Pty Ltd and UnitingCare Community’s BlueCare, for their Nowlanvil project that optimises oral health awareness, education, screening and referral using a digital health platform. (Technology in Aged Care)
10. Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT) in partnership with Queensland University of Technology and Automation for Humanity for their Sit & Shower automatic bathing device for residents in aged care homes. (Mental Health and Wellbeing; Staff burnout; Technology in Aged Care)
11. Clayton Church Homes in partnership with the University of South Australia, Southern Cross Care (SA, NT & Vic) and Geriatric Care Australia for their project that supports aged care staff in the identification, monitoring, and support of changed behaviours for residents with dementia. (Dementia; Clinical Governance)
12. Royal Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution in partnership with Macquarie University for their sustainable, multi-level, capability-building strategic approach that supports managers and employees to recover from burnout, leading to reduced employee turnover and ultimately improved care for residents. (Staff burnout; Urgent and Critical Need)