Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) has unveiled its first-quarter 2025 webinar schedule, spotlighting groundbreaking projects aimed at addressing critical challenges in the aged care and home care sectors.
The series, beginning on Wednesday, 22 January 2025, highlights innovative practices funded by ARIIA, offering fresh solutions to improve mental health, dementia care, workforce resilience, and clinical systems.
ARIIA CEO, Reuben Jacob, emphasised the importance of fostering innovation to drive meaningful change across the aged care industry.
“If we want to see substantial improvements in the quality of aged care provision, we need to encourage and support the sector to take risks and try new approaches,” said Mr Jacob.
“This isn’t just about large-scale initiatives. Many of the projects we fund demonstrate practical and affordable solutions that can be applied across various settings,” he added.
Over the past three years, ARIIA has invested $16.9 million in research, funding 62 projects nationwide, with $7.7 million in contributions from industry partners. Its Innovator Training and Aged Care Partnering programs have seen over 600 participants, reflecting the sector’s growing commitment to embracing new ideas.
Key topics for the 2025 program include:
• Mental Health and Workforce Resilience: Launching on 22 January, this webinar will address strategies for improving mental health in older adults receiving home care and reducing staff burnout through mindfulness programs.
• Dementia Care and Multicultural Support: On 26 February, experts will share insights into enhancing dementia care and supporting carers from culturally diverse backgrounds.
• Clinical System Enhancements: The 19 March session will showcase projects on improving clinical care systems and leveraging technology to reduce medication-related harms.
Featured Projects
The program offers updates on high-impact initiatives, including:
• Talking Mental Health: A Flinders University project improving mental health services in community care, presented by A/Prof Tim Windsor.
• Optimising Dementia Support: Prof Lily Xiao from Flinders University highlights efforts to integrate culturally tailored dementia care for Chinese carers.
• ADEPT Pharmacist Service: Dr Monique Boord from Flinders University discusses a digital pharmacist-led initiative to detect medication harms in aged care.
“Our goal is to work collaboratively with the sector, industry bodies, and government to enact meaningful change as quickly as possible.”
Reuben Jacob, CEO, ARIIA
To register for ARIIA’s 2025 webinars, visit www.ariia.org.au/webinars or email communications@ariia.org.au
