The ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Digital Enhanced Living was officially launched by the Honourable Dan Tehan MP, Minister of Education at the Uniting AgeWell Strathdon Community on 15 August 2019.

Minister Tehan was joined by Deakin University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin, the Honourable Michael Sukkar MP (Federal Member for Deakin, Minister for Housing and Assistant Treasurer) and Ms Gladys Liu (Federal Member for Chisholm), and key industry and university partners.

The Research Hub, funded by a $3 million grant from the Australian Research Council, is a collaborative research partnership between Deakin, industry and other universities to create technological improvements in in-home support for older people and people living with a disability.

The VC said the Hub will develop effective, affordable and safe in-home and in-residential care solutions, such as smartphone technology to support the mental health of elderly people and learning tools to improve care for people with dementia.

“Our ageing population presents us with an emerging social challenge – how do existing facilities and resources keep up with the growing demand for care and support?” Professor Martin said.

“The Digital Enhanced Living Hub will use digital technology to address the related but different needs of high-quality ageing and high-quality disability and rehabilitation support to allow people to live at home independently for longer.”

Watch a short video from the launch.

In front L to R: The Honourable Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Education, and Professor Iain Martin, Vice-Chancellor Deakin University.
L to R: Professor Kon Mouzakis (Hub Director), the Honourable Dan Tehan MP (Minister for Education), and Professor Iain Martin (Vice-Chancellor, Deakin University).
Hub Director Professor Kon Mouzakis giving his address.