The technological bridge between reactive and proactive aged care

I wrote a 4,200 word white paper for InteliCare as part of their B2B communications strategy. This project included interviewing four senior leaders within the aged care industry and a whole lot of research into the thesis statement around the use of data and technology to improve care outcomes for the elderly. Below is a short snippet from the introduction.

Can data support our staff to deliver better outcomes?

There is no doubt that aged care is the biggest and fastest growing sector in Australia. (Australian Institute of Health and Wellness, 2019). Older Australians are expected to live longer, more mobile, and healthier lives as they age. And, even though they may be “healthier and wealthier than their generational predecessors,” according to Michelle Piccolo, Leader Strategy and Business Transformation at Eremea, their care needs are soon to put an increasing demand on resources.

A well-understood groundswell of older Australians is soon to hit the aged care sector, but a critical question is yet to be answered; do we have the bridge between services and data to give them the care they need and meet growing demand?

“… the [aged care] sector itself is expected to grow from 1 percent of GDP through to 1.7 percent of GDP by 2055. This growth will increase the pressure on service provision in both the home and residential settings. In addition, the sector is not immune from the widespread technology-driven change in our society.” KPMG, 2019.

Immunity should not be the goal here. The societal uptake of technological change and advancement can be embraced by the aged care sector. There’s an opportunity for technology to create ecosystems which can support the respect and human dignity for people in the care system, meaning that technology should be on the agenda of every aged care service provider. (KPMG, 2021).

 Get in contact to get a copy of the full white paper.