Future Fit Collective, a coalition of Meals on Wheels providers, has unveiled Open Care Tech, an open-source software for in-home care.
Led by Peter Gallagher, Manager of Tamworth Meals on Wheels, the Collective aims to support care provision by democratising technology – by making Open Care Tech software open-source anyone can access, use, and contribute to its development.
Open Care Tech facilitates meal delivery to elderly Australians and National Disability Insurance Scheme participants. With two providers already committed to its use, the platform fosters a vibrant community of vendors and developers, ensuring continuous improvement and adaptability.
By embracing open-source principles, Future Fit Collective promotes collaboration and cost-effectiveness, benefiting both taxpayers and care providers. Quarterly updates prioritise enhancements based on user feedback, fostering a user-centric approach.
Founding directors, including Peter English and Sue Green, emphasise the importance of community building and public service ethos.
“Meals on wheels might be thought of as an old brand, but you don’t get to hang around this long without knowing how to embrace new and better ways of doing things.
Peter English, Service Manager from Dubbo Meals on Wheels (Founding
Director of Future Fit Collective Ltd)
Meals on Wheels celebrated 70 years last year.
Neridah Morris, CEO of Meals on Wheels Central Coast, highlights the platform’s potential to level the playing field, enabling smaller services to enhance care quality. Future Fit Collective invites widespread adoption and contribution, heralding a new era of collaborative innovation in the care sector.
Developers who would like to be involved or contribute time to this initiative, and care providers who would like to use Open Source Tech can email enquiries@futurefitcollective.net.au or go to futurefitcollective.net.au
