Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA), formerly called the Aged Care Centre for Growth and Translational Research, has released a number of initiatives to encourage aged care workers and other innovators to make practical changes in their facilities.
Do you think you have an idea that could make a difference in your organisation or the broader sector? ARIIA wants to hear it!
ARIIA has opened up the next round of the Innovator Training Program, which supports aged care workers to find solutions to issues they see in their facilities by providing the best evidence available to improve care and services.
Professor Sue Gordon, Research Director and Workforce Capability Lead for ARIIA, said aged care workers can be supported to improve on their skills, as well as be provided with the training and tools to solve the problem they have found in their workplace.
“The Innovator Training Program equips participants with the skills and knowledge to understand the components of their problem, and how they can find a solution through evidence-based research. They will also learn how to adapt, measure and manage the change to understand its effect on their everyday work life.
“Aged care workers can learn via a series of self-directed learning modules, facilitated workshops and small group project discussions with ARIIA staff. A contribution is made towards their salary costs, and there are four flexible models of delivery to ensure that attendees have the best opportunity to make a change.”
As a participant in this program, you can access the Innovator Network so you can keep in touch with other aged care workers who have solved similar problems in their facilities.
You may also be able to co-design solutions to the problems you see in your workplace with and work with industry experts.
Additionally, there is a round of grants available for aged care providers and their innovators who want to improve service delivery, workforce capability and capacity, and quality of care.
ARIIA is looking for ideas that address these areas:
Providers can receive up to $160,000, along with mandatory co-contributions, to support the projects over a 12-month period.
Professor Gordon said, “We are keen to hear from aged care workers, providers and researchers who wish to translate research outcomes into real-world solutions with efficiency and immediacy for the aged care sector.
“Our grants will enable evidence-based research to be translated into real outcomes for organisational aged care and clinical activities, and we can see how changes are delivered by different workers and deployed in different care settings.”
If you have an idea that you think could greatly benefit older Australians and the care they receive, you should apply! Head to the ARIIA website for more information.
