ARIIA announces first-round aged care research grants targeting speed of results

Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) has awarded its first round of grants to five aged care research projects. Third-round grant applications close 18 November. The organisation, funded by State and Federal Governments alongside Flinders University, is handing out at least six rounds of grants focusing on the areas of:

• Dementia Care
• Rehabilitation, Reablement and Restorative Care
• Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Social Isolation
• and Urgent and Critical Need.

According to ARIIA Research Director Professor Sue Gordon (pictured), the grants will help the projects deliver “practical, real-world solutions with efficiency and immediacy that is previously unheard of”.

“Historically, it takes about 17 years to translate research discovery and evidence into practice, and even then, only about 14% of research evidence is fully implemented and integrated. “We cannot wait that long, so ARIIA Grant recipients must undertake their project over a twelve-month period, so we can see how the research discoveries translate into real work changes, in real-time.

ARIIA has announced that first-round grants will go to five projects, each representing a collaboration between aged care providers and research organisations:

1. SA Innovation Hub, Kalyra, Bene Aged Care, Barossa Village, Resthaven, Be Well Co, Flinders University and Council on the Ageing (South Australia), for their project to implement interventions to support the retention of female workers aged 50 years and over in the aged care workforce (Urgent and Critical Need). 
2. Aged Care & Housing Group, Dementia Training Australia, Queensland University of Technology and Flinders University, for their engagement matter project to support aged care frontline staff to engage meaningfully with people with dementia in a sustainable and effective way (Dementia Care). 
3. Helping Hand Aged Care Incorporated and the University of Notre Dame (Western Australia), for their project designed to retro-fit dementia-friendly environments and educate staff to become determinants of positive outcomes for people living with dementia in aged care (Dementia Care). 
4. Deakin University, SilVR Adventures and Villa Maria Catholic Homes Limited, for their project to implement an innovative virtual reality experience for people living with mild dementia in aged care (Dementia Care). 
5. National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) and Silverchain, for their project to implement technology-supported home-based care for older Australians (Urgent and Critical Need).

“ARIIA Grants allow aged care providers and research organisations to partner with others and work together to deliver improvements in areas of need, and by making a co-contribution they have a firm commitment in their project,” she said.