ARIIA announces trio of webinars highlighting innovative practices

Aged care leaders, innovators and change-makers can look forward to a fast start in information sharing with Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) hosting its first webinar of 2025 on January 22.

ARIIA’s webinar program profiles best practice projects that have been
funded by ARIIA and offer new approaches to some of the most challenging issues faced within aged care and home care provision.

Its goal, as always, is to encourage greater innovation in the aged care sector and help fast-track critical research and impactful practices and technologies.

The first of three webinars revealed this week is Mental health in aged care matters and it will take place on Wednesday, January 22. It will examine how to improve mental health in older age and reduce burn out in aged care staff.

Capability building in dementia care will follow on Wednesday, February 26, while Clinical systems for better aged care is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19.

ARIIA Chief Executive Officer Reuben Jacob said it’s essential to share research outcomes within the sector so everyone can see the importance of innovative practices.

“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,” he explained.

“This isn’t just for the big end of town. ARIIA has helped to fund grant programs that have successfully trialled very practical and affordable solutions in a range of settings – and many of these are showcased in our 2025 webinar programs.

“Projects have looked at how to address issues like improving mental health within residential and home care, improving reablement and wellbeing, addressing loneliness for older people, and how to build further skills and knowledge within the workforce so organisations can retain and recruit aged care workers into the future.”

ARIIA, which secured a $13 million funding boost in 2024 to extend operation for another two years, has funded 62 projects across Australia in the past three years.

Almost $17 million has gone into innovative research and pilot programs. Meanwhile, more than 600 participants have already completed the Innovator Training and Aged Care Partnering programs.

“Our goal is to work with the sector, industry bodies and government stakeholders to encourage meaningful change as quickly as possible.”

Schedule for 2025 webinars

Wednesday, January 22, 2025 @ 12:30pm (ACDT) – Mental health in aged care matters

• Talking Mental Health: Implementing practice to improve the mental health of older adults receiving home care services – community-based care and mental health: Project update presented by A/Prof Tim Windsor, Flinders University
• Building resilience and reducing burnout in aged care staff: implementation of a mindfulness program: Project update presented by A/Prof Sharon Andrews, University of Tasmania

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 @ 12:30pm (ACDT) – Capability building in dementia care

• Optimising support for Chinese carers of people with dementia by embedding iSupport in routine aged care services: Project update presented by Prof Lily Xiao, Flinders University
• Improving dementia care in residential settings: A project to build skills, confidence and capacity of aged care staff: Project update presented by Jacqui Marden, Queen Victoria Care

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 @ 12:30pm (ACDT) – Clinical systems for better aged care

• Improving Quality Use of Clinical Care Systems in Australian Aged Care – Translating Contemporary Evidence into Practical High-Quality Implementation: Project update presented by Anne Livingstone, Global Community Resourcing; Sonja Pedell and Hilary Davis, Swinburne University
• A Digitally Enabled, Pharmacist service to detect medicine harms in residential aged care: the ADEPT project: Project update presented by Dr Monique Boord, Flinders University

To register for any of the webinar programs go to: www.ariia.org.au/webinars or email [email protected].