A funding agreement between the Morrison Government, Monash University and Peninsula Health will see a National Centre for Healthy Ageing at Monash University’s Peninsula campus.
Following the 2019-20 Budget announcement of a $32 million contribution from the Government for the National Centre for Healthy Ageing, a project agreement has been signed and the first milestone payment has been made.
The National Centre, the first of its kind in Australia, will deliver new research and treatment programs for older people and those with addiction and mental health issues, backed by new state of the art physical testing environments and data infrastructure.
Bringing together the major health training, education and research activities at Monash’s Peninsula campus and Peninsula Health’s Frankston Hospital, the National Centre for Healthy Ageing will fast track and improve the health care of the nation’s most vulnerable people.
The Peninsula region’s population is one of the fastest ageing in Australia making it the ideal place to trial innovative health care solutions for older people, whether it be at home or in residential aged care. Successful models would then be scaled up and rolled out across Australia.
Through the use of “State-of-the-art “living labs” and technology, new models of care will focus on delivering greater independence so people can stay at home for longer and avoid unnecessary hospitalisations.
The initial ageing priority areas include:
- End of life care: strategies and programs will be co-developed with members of the community to engage and assist those at risk of having an unwanted transfer to the emergency department, to develop their end of life care plans.
- Rehabilitation: new models of care will be designed using assistive technology within purpose built facilities to improve quality of life through continued successful living at home and reduced admissions to hospital.
The Centre will also partner with organisations working in the Greater Frankston and Peninsula Region to identify addiction and severe mental illness solutions at the local level to improve the treatment for Australians with these illnesses.
This is about investing into the future of Australian medicine and into improved medical services for local families when they need it most, giving our researchers the best data to help save lives and protect lives.