Every month we round up some of the most important and interesting topics in aged care on Twitter. This month we recognised Dementia Awareness, an awesome facility design, more calls for funding, a new Technology Roadmap and a university graduate… who’s 90! Check out the full September summary below!
Dementia Awareness Month
September 2016 was Dementia Awareness Month, which each year aims to educate and raise awareness on what it’s like for approximately 353,800 Australians living with dementia. In line with the theme for 2016, everyone was encouraged to upload a selfie to send the message “you are not alone”. September also recognised World Alzheimer’s Day on the 21st.
At IRT we care for people with dementia, it's important they & their families know they are not alone #dementia2016 #agedcare @AlzheimersAus pic.twitter.com/uXklMsOjoA
— IRTgroup (@IRTgroup) September 21, 2016
Age is just a number!
Joan Webb is definitely not letting age get in the way of her goals. At age 90, she recently graduated from the University of Tasmania with her PhD. An already qualified teacher, Joan completed her Master’s degree over 2 years in 2011 and then began her PhD in 2013. In the same year, Joan also started teaching creative writing and poetry classes at two aged care facilities, noting this as one of the best things she had ever done.
A PhD at 90? Awesome! https://t.co/wMfieFP3Tc #highered #research #ageing #agedcare #creativewriting
— Dr Siobhan O'Dwyer (@Siobhan_ODwyer) September 21, 2016
Technology Roadmap
After the release of the Aged Care Roadmap earlier this year, the Aged Care Industry IT Company (ACIitC) are now developing a “technology roadmap”. ACIitC want to ensure technological requirements for organisations are clearly defined, so that the Aged Care Roadmap objectives can be met. The Aged Care Roadmap proposes moving to a consumer-led, market-based system and the ACIitC have said this can be assisted through a range of technologies.
A new #technology roadmap for the #agedcare sector is in the works to help providers respond to reforms https://t.co/E8L7CdDNZp pic.twitter.com/XNByTjcBDO
— Aust Ageing Agenda (@AustAgeAgenda) September 21, 2016
Return the cuts
Twitter went into a frenzy when on Q and A, Magda Szubanski called for the government to scrap the plebiscite and give the extra funding to aged care instead. It looks like many Twitter users agree and would love the extra $160 million funding channeled back into our industry.
1 expensive plebiscite or return funding cuts to #AgedCare? It's in desperate need of #Oznurses Nice one @MagdaSzubanski @unionsaustralia pic.twitter.com/e2Brh7MW6z
— ANMF (@anmfbetterhands) September 20, 2016
Stunning facility design
After CEO Jean Makesh saw the difficulties faced by those living with dementia in aged care, he knew there had to be a better way to live in his facilities. His solution was to design a ground breaking environment, where each resident lives in a ‘home’, situated on an indoor street. The ‘street’ includes a sky which grows brighter and dimmer depending on the time, grass-like flooring, a front porch, and even fresh aromas. After the success of his first design, Makesh is now opening an additional two locations later this year.
One man turned nursing home design on its head when he created this stunning facility. https://t.co/y9q8Ufmm44 #agedcare #design #empathy
— Tim Dwyer (@timdwyer) September 13, 2016
ACSA Summit 2016
We had an absolute blast at the ACSA National Summit in Hobart earlier in September. By the looks of Twitter, it looks like the rest of you did too! We’re looking forward to seeing everyone’s friendly faces again at the LASA National Congress very soon.
We're pumped and ready to go at the #acsasummit2016. Come say hello to us at Stand 93! pic.twitter.com/OZO65z24v9
— ProviderAssist (@ProviderAssist) September 6, 2016
