From the Director

Welcome to the National Centre for Healthy Ageing (NCHA)

At the NCHA – a partnership between Monash University and Peninsula Health thanks to investment by the Commonwealth – we have been building significant research infrastructure and capability to lead the transformation of health for our ageing community.

Driven by collaboration, curiosity, and a shared commitment to improve health related to ageing for Australians, our Centre is making substantial and meaningful progress, and I'm very proud of the achievements of our many talented researchers, staff and platforms.

Our Living Labs programs is shifting the trajectory of health related to ageing for our communities by exploring new ways to enhance not just people's physical well-being, but also their mental and emotional well-being, across the lifespan. Towards this, our teams have been engaging with the community at large, people seeking healthcare, as well as support organisations and industry, to co-develop solutions for important national priorities. The Living Labs projects are clear examples of these kinds of interdisciplinary partnerships, resulting in relevant and innovative outcomes and resources.

The Healthy Ageing Data Platform is unique and well-advanced. It combines the power of electronic health data with information collected on scale at a state and national level to generate answers for big issues in the field – providing a complete picture of the health of the community, access to healthcare, and key outcome data for the Living Labs programs.

Finally, our plans for developing first-in-nation Translational and Simulation Facilities to support healthy ageing are well-advanced. Our six Simulation Facilities having either launched or will soon be launching across three locations – Monash University Peninsula Campus, The Mornington Centre Peninsula Health, and the Healthy Futures Hub in Seaford. These extremely unique facilities, supported by advanced technology, will act as ‘test beds’ for developing and evaluating new models of care, with a particular focus on technology supporting in-home and community-based care.

We look forward to keeping you informed of our NCHA activities, and engaging with like-minded people and organisations invested in the pursuit of healthy ageing for Australians and the wider international community.

Professor Velandai Srikanth
Director, National Centre for Healthy Ageing (NCHA)