The Living Lab: Designing the future of aged care

This Living Lab design-research collaboration is aimed at improving the lived experience of residents, families, and staff in the Aged Care sector by delivering meaningful and innovative solutions designed onsite and informed by a deep ethnographic understanding of the people using and delivering Aged Care services.

At Cabrini, designers and MADA network partners will work with staff and residents to solve everyday issues and challenges in Aged Care.

“At a time when aged care is under scrutiny, the Living Lab provides the opportunity to influence the aged care industry through the new knowledge that will be created. We believe this is the first of this type of collaboration model in Australia.”

Professor Daphne Flynn

Examples of potential areas of research are Falls prevention (eg:‘Pimp My Zimmer’ [frame] (NHS in the UK)); selective room access via discrete electronic sentry; robotic walking companion, and Creating sense of place (Lab4living project helping orientate people with dementia). Other opportunities for improving peoples’ experiences through design will be identified through the Living Lab collaboration. Opportunity areas identified are; support for people living with dementia and physical impairment, reduce the use of chemical & physical restraints (anti-psychotics), engaging our workforce and keeping our workers safe.

Research team

Sharni Clark (Primary Chief Investigator); Daphne Flynn (Chief Investigator); Keith Joe (Chief Investigator); Sarah Pink (Chief Investigator); Jon McCormack (Chief Investigator); Eden Potter; Melisa Duque; Joanne Mihelcic; Rex Martin; Nyein Aun

Contact: Sarah Pink

Email: sarah.pink@monash.edu