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$3M in grants fuel tech-driven aged care solutions across Australia

Picture of Ritchelle Drilon

Ritchelle Drilon

$3M in grants fuel tech-driven aged care solutions across Australia

Picture of Ritchelle Drilon

Ritchelle Drilon

Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) has announced the ten recipients of its 2025 Accelerator Grants, with most projects targeting technological and culturally informed improvements in regional and rural aged care.

The grants, totalling $3 million, are supported by sector co-contributions and aim to bring research-driven solutions into practical aged care settings. ARIIA CEO Reuben Jacob said the focus is on projects that show strong evidence of impact and scalability.

“ARIIA is committed to moving the dial on improvements in Australian aged care provision by boosting innovation across the industry,” Jacob said. “Together with this year’s new Accelerator Grants and Flagship Project Grants, which will be announced shortly, we will boost this by another $3 million in grant funding (and $3 million in sector co-contribution).”

More than 70 per cent of the selected projects will be implemented in regional or rural communities, many of which face workforce shortages, outdated systems and limited access to specialised care.

A Focus on Wearables, AI and Cultural Respect

Among the selected innovations is wearable technology designed to assist care workers in monitoring patients living with dementia. Other initiatives include AI-powered tools to improve palliative care assessments and music-based technology to reduce agitation in dementia patients.

Dr Rebecca Bilton, ARIIA’s Program and Research Director, said this year’s field was highly competitive.

“Above all else we want to make sure that our funding delivers results for the sector,” Dr Bilton said. “Many of our previous grant winners have already commercialised or scaled their projects and are delivering solutions that transform the ways aged care providers manage and deliver their services and enhance their quality of care.”

Culturally tailored approaches also stood out among the successful applications. One project will use storytelling to improve residential care for Aboriginal elders, while another aims to streamline home care services for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds using AI.

Preparing the Workforce for Change

A number of projects also focus on upskilling the aged care workforce and improving staff well-being. This includes virtual reality programs to reduce stress and turnover among care workers and digital decision tools to enhance frontline clinical decision-making.

Holly Sparrow, ARIIA’s Senior Manager of Strategic Projects, emphasised the sector-wide need for change.

“We need to be bold in the push for transformation in aged care services,” Sparrow said. “The impressive applications we received demonstrate the many opportunities to develop innovative, person-centered approaches that deliver a better experience for older people, no matter where they live.”

The ten funded projects include:

  1. Goldilocks Suit – Wearable sensor technology for dementia care (ECH Inc, University of Adelaide, ThincLab, Shenzhen Qingather Biotechnology).
  2. Music Attuned Technology – Music-based tools for agitation in dementia (University of Melbourne in partnership with the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network).
  3. PCAT – AI-powered palliative care assessment tool (La Trobe University in partnership with Sunraysia Community Health Services, Monash Health, Jacaranda Village and Regis Mildura Aged Care).
  4. Post-Diagnostic Allied Health – Community dementia support in rural areas (Harbison Memorial Retirement Village in partnership with the University of Canberra and University of Technology Sydney).
  5. Cultural Storytelling – Enhancing care for Aboriginal people (University of Tasmania in partnership with Emmerton Park).
  6. Empowering CALD Home Care with AI – Streamlining care services (Australian Multicultural Community Services in partnership with Swinburn University of Technology).
  7. Digital Decision Support Tool – Enhancing best-practice in aged care (Bolton Clarke in partnership with Queensland University).
  8. Homeara+ – Smart home monitoring with machine learning (University of the Sunshine Coast in partnership with Suncare Community Services, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and University of California, Davis).
  9. Virtual Reality Stress Reduction – Addressing staff burnout (Deakin University in partnership with La Trobe University).
  10. Sound Scouts – Hearing screening in regional areas (Sound Scouts in partnership with Whiddon, Hearing Australia and Macquarie University).
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Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.

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