Independent Living Assessment, a non-profit provider of aged care services in Western Australia, is launching its digital platform providing healthy ageing services. 

Established in January 2020, the organisation is backed by Indigo Australasia, formerly known as Independent Living Centre WA, which delivers support to people with disability, seniors, carers, health professionals, and the aged care sector. 

WHAT IT DOES

LiveUp will be a free service website accessible to Australians aged 65 and above nationwide. Backed by federal government funding, the platform features a screening tool with expert advice, providing suggestions for healthy ageing, such as tailored activities, assistive products and equipment, support networks, and local services. The web platform will go live on 12 February.

WHY IT MATTERS

LiveUp, according to iLA, lends support to early intervention and helps delay the premature decline of a senior person's capacity to live independently.

"LiveUp gives older Australians the ideas, tools, and guidance to keep doing the things they already know and love, or to try something a bit different," said iLA General Manager Andrea Morris in a media release. She noted that while a quarter of ageing is a result of genetics, the rest is an outcome of a person's lifestyle choices. To assist senior Australians in their healthy ageing journey, their organisation came up with LiveUp to provide them with the tools necessary to maintain or enhance their independence. "In simple terms, it creates a personal roadmap to take control of ageing," Morris added. 

In the future, iLA said they will add more resources around healthy ageing on their latest digital platform.

THE LARGER TREND

The Australian aged care sector has been the focus of government funding in recent years. In the fiscal year 2019, the federal government spent $19.9 billion ($14 billion) for the sector. Over the next four years, A$17.7 billion ($13.8 billion) will be set aside to fund its fundamental and systemic reforms.

Among individual aged care tech developers, listed firm InteliCare recently obtained a state grant to create machine learning algorithms to predict the risk of chronic diseases among older Australians. 

Meanwhile, Goodwin Aged Care Services from ACT had partnered with medical clinic Next Practice Deakin to try out Tyto Care's tele-examination system in virtually screening hundreds of its senior residents and clients at home. 

Independent research group Global Centre for Modern Ageing said in a report last year that the healthcare industry must prioritise funding assistive technology and home modifications that promote independent living among older people. It was also recommended to improve the aged care sector's digital maturity by reviewing and making more holistic changes in their digital capabilities.