A Purposeful Future

Building micro industries into retirement villages.

28 February 2013 Lara Calder, Rob Caslick, Geoff Flower, Jenny Martin

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Up to 45% of people in aged care homes have depression and it is a common misconception that depression is a normal part of ageing. Our aim is to significantly reduce the risk of depression in older people by creating meaningful activities that contribute towards a common goal. We propose to immediately address the current expectations of life after retirement by introducing the concept of a purposeful future. Our goal is to create a micro industry within the village where people at all levels of faculty and capability can participate and contribute towards a common goal. We would like people to celebrate the knowledge and wisdom they have gained throughout their life and participate in whatever form they feel comfortable with. We want people to contribute and continue to learn new skills and grow their minds in the generation and growth of this new industry. A study by Gary T. Reker et all 2 suggests Life Purpose and Goal Seeking, were found to predict psychological and physical well-being in the elderly. When we are engaged in purposeful activities we believe we have responsibilities and choices. Our mind is more often active and alive when there are still challenges to look forward to and people or situations that depend on us, which makes us feel valued. We encourage the residents of the village to remain in the village as they age and to continue to feel part of the community they have created. The design of the village will support home based care. As the resident ages and becomes frail the activities assigned will reflect their cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities and inabilities. The community will play a big part in the success of our new model. We aim to invite people from the local community to engage in our new industry and bring with them their skills and energy. We too will take our produce and new skills into the community and play a larger part in local markets and community gatherings Our goal is to provide an environment that promotes and celebrates life. An environment that keeps minds active and helps fend off illnesses through a positive purpose to living and the feeling of a purposeful future.

Table of Contents
1. 2. 3. 4. The Business Model .................................................................................. 4 Community Engagement ........................................................................... 5 CONCEPTUAL Business Plan .................................................................. 6 Working Example: A Winery ...................................................................... 7 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 5. 5.1 5.2 5.3 6. Introduction ......................................................................................... 7 The Business. ..................................................................................... 7 The Retirement Village ....................................................................... 9 Business Integration ........................................................................... 9 Projected Personnel Requirements .................................................. 10 Community Engagement .................................................................. 11 Conclusion ........................................................................................ 12 Research Project Description ........................................................ 13 Project timelines: April 2013-February 2014 .................................. 13 Research Project Team Members ................................................. 14

Research Component ............................................................................. 13

Conclusion .............................................................................................. 16

ANNEX Research Proposal REFERENCES

1.

THE BUSINESS MODEL

The model is simple. Two businesses operating at a common location, each business will be run as a separate entity. A successful retirement village business model will be merged with a successful micro industry business model. Each with their own management team and while staff will be involved in both businesses in a seamless way to residents and the community, they will have clear reporting and accountability to their employing entity. they will be employed under their primary skill set.

RETIREMENT MICRO VILLAGE INDUSTRY

The focus of a purposeful future is the cross over between the two models. The more harmonious the integration the greater the success of the model.

LIKE THIS

NOT THIS

With people in their early retirement, matching abilities to job roles and responsibilities is simpler and could be similar to applying for a job in todays market. A purposeful future supports at home care and as the resident ages they are encouraged to remain within the home. Therefore finding purposeful activities for people with dementia or other illnesses is the challenge. A strong understanding of the cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities and inabilities of the person is required before assigning activities. Carly Hellen, in her book Using Activities for Behaviour Intervention states Work is a source of a meaningful quality of life. Residents with dementia all were viable, active citizens in their homes, jobs, and community. The challenge is to take the tasks that they at one time were engaged in easily, and successfully adapt or modify them for a continued sense of purposeful participation.

The activities must focus on the abilities not limitations, promoting positive behaviours. They must provide opportunities for verbal and non-verbal communication. Being respectful of the residents time the activities must be meaningful and promote a sense of purpose. Hellen describes four types of meaningful activities for people with dementia: a. Normalisation Acitivies. Looking for familiar tasks and modifying them as required. b. Thinking Activities. The ability to think and remember helps people with dementia to engage in a meaningful response. c. Physical Activities Persons with dementia are often physically strong and need physical activities to maintain their well being. d. Social Activities Plenty of social activities and engagement with other residents and more importantly the larger community. The activities must focus on the abilities not limitations, promoting positive behaviours. They must provide opportunities for verbal and non-verbal communication. Being respectful of the residents time the activities must be meaningful and promote a sense of purpose. Training of people is also a key to stronger engagement within the business. The learning of new skills will not only empower the residents but also provide them a feeling of growth and development. The more people learn and engage with the business the greater the cross over between the business and the retirement village.

2.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
COMMUNITY

Bringing the community into the model is a key factor to the overall success of the business. We see the community as much more than customers for our business. We aim to engage the community through open days where people can come sample the products or learn how the product is made.

We will also go into the community and take with us our new skills and knowledge, participating at local community markets and trade shows.

We also see the community being more engaged with the retirement village once a successful micro business has been created

3.

CONCEPTUAL BUSINESS PLAN

The business plan is dependent on each business being successful in their own right. A poorly managed micro business will only be a financial drain on the retirement village and likewise any meaningful activity created within a micro business will have nil effect if the retirement village is not run efficiently. Each resident will have the ability to buy shares in the micro business. Unless elected to the advisory board, share owners will be silent investors in the business. Prior to purchasing or the selling of a share the business is evaluated and a value assigned to the business and share price. As the business grows the money will be reinvested in improving facilities within the village. New facilities will be assessed based on their ability to increase the cross over of the three key areas. For instance if the board would like greater community engagement they may choose to purchase a bus or increasing their marketing budget.

RETIREMENT MICRO VILLAGE INDUSTRY

COMMUNITY

If the board would like to increase the involvement of the residents within the micro industry perhaps more training could be given or specialist staff could be employed.

RETIREMENT VILLAGE MICRO INDUSTRY

COMMUNITY

4.

WORKING EXAMPLE: A WINERY

As an example of this concept we have explored a retirement village that is built into an existing winery. We highlight many other options would be available, ie an olive grove, lavender farm or for the inner city we could create teas, jams, soaps, turn wood or even start a micro brewery.

4.1 Introduction
This business plan combines both a retirement village with a productive vineyard. The aim of the plan is to a) To develop a strategy for successfully combining the vineyard and the retirement village. b) To develop and determine the social value and potential of combining two successful industries. c) To ensure the inclusion of the local community.

4.2 The Business.

It is important to purchase an established, mature vineyard that is already productive. We have found the below block of land for sale in the Hunter Valley, NSW. An added advantage of going to the country is the land is much cheaper than that in the city. $2.95million for 172 acres. The property also has a

MICRO BUSINESS

managers cottage, traditional winery facility and a cellar door, all important facilities to help create purposeful tasks at the village. The vineyard is only 15minutes to the town of Cessnock which is on the major train line to Sydney. The closest hospital is at Maitland which is 45minutes away.

ESTABLISHED WINE ESTATE

* Established wine estate * Superb central Pokolbin location * Traditional winery facility * 172 acres of prime land * 2 separate titles * 63 acres of old vine red & white vineyard * History of producing award winning wines * Cellar door facility * Country managers accommodation * 100 meg water licence with large storage dam * Zoning and land size would suit integrated tourism facility (STCA)

4.3 The Retirement Village

A low impact eco village will be built into the landscape of the winery. The village will contain approximately 30 townhouses.
RETIREMENT VILLAGE

The village design will support at home care and as such each house will be designed to facilitate home living care to avoid people needing to leave their homes once greater care is required. Each house will be designed with the ability to install functions or add modules that will assist the resident as they age and require greater care. The house is to be designed to grow with the resident in levels of care. Should the residents move out or pass, the modules can be removed to cater for an able bodied resident if required. The residents will have the option to purchase shares in the winery business. Unless elected onto the advisory board each resident will be a silent investor. The money raised will assist in the operation of the winery and maintenance of the vineyard. On the sale of the home the resident will have the option to cash in their equity at current value. The transition from a retirement home into the aged care room will also be subsidised. All residents are responsible for paying their own council rates, water rates and water charges. Residents are also responsible for their own electricity use, telephone and home contents insurance. Residents must maintain the interior of their home and are responsible for the cost of refurbishment when they leave the village. Residents will also be required to pay a proportion of the operating costs of the common facilities. This will pay for common area rates, insurance, utilities, external property maintenance, management costs, etc. All profit from the winery will be invested back into the business. As the business grows assets and facilities will be purchased or improved for the residents, ie a doctors surgery and equipment, a bed and breakfast hotel for guests and family members or subsidised medication. Investments back into the village will be assessed in accordance to which sector requires assistance. For instance, should the board agree that greater community engagement is required a bus could be purchased that operates specialist winery tours or can take the residents on a promotional tour through the local and district communities.

4.4

Business Integration

Each business must be able to run independently of each other. The success of this model is determined by the success of each of the two separate entities.

The property will employ a General Manager who is responsible for both businesses . The GM will have underneath them a head winemaker in charge of the vineyard operations and an operations officer in charge of the retirement operations. All roles will need to be filled with experienced operators with a proven track record of success. On application to the village or home, each person is assessed on their ability to contribute to a wide range of meaningful activities. Each activity contributes to a common goal. Running a successful vineyard. As mentioned previously finding roles for people in early retirement is fairly simple. Below is a list of potential activities for someone with dementia. a. Normalisation Acitivies. Looking for familiar tasks and modifying them as required. Example: gardening, cooking or simple maintenance tasks. Planting the roses at the end of the run of vines or baking cakes for sale in the vineyard shop. b. Thinking Activities. The ability to think and remember helps people with dementia to engage in a meaningful response, ie wine tasting. Describing to guests of our vineyard the palate of each of the wines on offer. Or simply sitting out front of the restaurant to show guests where it is. c. Physical Activities Persons with dementia are often physically strong and need physical activities to maintain their well being. Examples include mowing the lawn to working in the shed. d. Social Activities Plenty of social activities will be on offer at our vineyard. We may also need a little B&B for all the families and friends that might want to stay the night

RETIREMENT MICRO VILLAGE BUSINESS

4.5 Projected Personnel Requirements

We have broken the personnel requirements into residents and non residents. We respect that the residents have retired and while should still be challenged, should not be required for any fulltime positions

a. Non residents: General Manager Assistant to the General Manager Maintenance Manager Village: 1. Head Clinician 2. Assistant Clinician 3. Operations Officer 4. Assistant to the Operations Officer 5. Maintenance Staff Vineyard: 1. Winemaker 2. Assistant Winemaker 3. Sales Manager - Head of sales and marketing 4. Harvest workers As required. 5. Temporary bottling workers - As required. 6. Maintenance Staff 7. Chef 8. Restaurant staff b. Residents: 1. Board of Directors 2. Tasting Room managers and sales staff (onsite and outreach) 3. Caf cooks and sales staff 4. Vineyard tour guide 5. Maintenance team 6. Book keepers 7. Customer service representatives 8. Marketing team 9. Human resources 10. Inventory management and control

4.6 Community Engagement

The winery will be a destination for wine tasting tours. The majority of the wine will be sold out of the tasting room, where residents are able to talk to and engage with customers. The residents will need to learn about each wine in order to discuss them in full with the customers. Wine will also be sold at local markets and community gatherings through outreach teams. The outreach teams will gather around a large tasting table and engage in the vibrancy of the community markets. Encouraging people to buy the wines or just stop by for a chat.
RETIREMENT MICRO VILLAGE BUSINESS

COMMUNITY

When the grapes are ready to be picked, the harvest will be carried out by young people from the community. Each day during harvest afternoon tea will be provided by the residents to ensure they are kept involved in the workings of the vineyard. Tours of the winery can also be given by the residents.

4.7 Working Example Conclusion

The key to success of this concept will be both acceptance of the winery and its products by the community and the operation and management of the retirement village. Each entity must be run as an equally important yet separate stand alone business. The state of the winery will be a direct and obvious link to the happiness of the village. The residents must feel proud of the wines and the facility as a whole. Engaged in meaningful tasks they should feel responsible and a contributing factor to the success of the winery.

5.

RESEARCH COMPONENT

An RMIT research team has been established to investigate further this concept. A strong collaboration between the research team and the competition team is required for a successful outcome to this greater project.

5.1 Research Project Description

The Wine and Wellbeing project will develop a model to support the wellbeing of the older people living at a complex for older people built around a working vineyard. Our research will focus on four main areas: (1) International survey of micro industry and social enterprise models of aged care. Knowledge will also be gathered from other population groups and locations that have embarked on similar projects locally and internationally such as youth, people with disabilities and/or mental illness and low income communities. This component is crucial so as to learn from what has worked well and to avoid past mistakes, for example in the disability and mental health fields. (2) Viable business models for the winery and aged residential complex including business impact statements. (3) Health and wellbeing of older people in residential complexes and engagement with the local community as well as maintaining and further developing connections with family and friends. An integrated model is proposed where older and younger people are mixing and using community facilities such as libraries, cafes etc. Notions of community engagement will include older people going out into the wider community and using community facilities with members of the wider community coming into the complex on a frequent basis. This will be for activities and projects related to both the winery and aged care. Strong linkages will be developed with local schools and universities for work experience related to area of study as well as volunteer opportunities. Likewise opportunities will be explored for participation of the older people in local community groups and organisations. The use of information communication technology (ICT) tools for individual and community interaction wellbeing will be an important component at this stage.

5.2 Project timelines: April 2013-February 2014

April May June Pre-planning Reference group meeting Ethics application Literature Review

July August

Stage 1: Needs analysis Stage 2: Task analysis Stages 3 & 4 Persona and scenario development Stage 5: Usability testing Review and refinement of models and concepts Stage 1: Student analysis Stage 2: Task analysis Stages 3 & 4 Persona and scenario development Stage 5: Usability testing Review and refinement of models and concepts Report preparation, writing and dissemination Preparation of papers for referred publications and conference presentation

September October November

December January February

5.3 Research Project Team Members

Name Jennifer Martin Jenny.martin@rmit.edu.au +61 3 9925 3131

Position Associate Professor of Social Work Lead Chief Investigator

Location School of Global, Urban and Social Studies RMIT School of Global, Urban and Social Studies RMIT School of Business Information Technology and Logistics RMIT School of Science, Engineering and Health RMIT School of Global, Urban and Social Studies RMIT

Charlotte Williams Professor of Social Charlotte.williams@rmit.edu.au Work Chief Investigator Elspeth McKay Elspeth.mckay@rmit.edu.au Associate Professor of Business Information Technology Chief Investigator Associate Professor of Nursing Chief Investigator Work Integrated Learning Chief Investigator

Phillip Maude Phillip.maude@rmit.edu.au Linette Hawkins Linette.hawkins@rmit.edu.au

6.

CONCLUSION

We look forward to continually developing this project in close collaboration with RMIT and industry professionals. While we are proud to present this concept in the RMIT Ageing competition we see this as only the start of a journey to better the lives of our ageing population. The outcome of the project will be: - an innovative model of residential aged care supported by Information Communication Technology; - improved residential experiences for older people supported by ICT; - increased opportunities for older people to participate in purposeful and rewarding activities in a residential setting; (and) - increased multidisciplinary collaboration between industry and academia; designing creative solutions underpinned by sound theoretical underpinnings, addressing major demographic, economic and social problems.

ANNEXURE 1
Project Name: A Purposeful Future: Wine and Wellbeing 1. Project Description The project will develop a model to support the wellbeing of the older people living at a complex for older people built around a working vineyard. Our research will focus on four main areas: (1) International survey of micro industry and social enterprise models of aged care. Knowledge will also be gathered from other population groups and locations that have embarked on similar projects locally and internationally such as youth, people with disabilities and/or mental illness and low income communities. This component is crucial so as to learn from what has worked well and to avoid past mistakes, for example in the disability and mental health fields. (2) Viable business models for the winery and aged residential complex including business impact statements. (3) Health and wellbeing of older people in residential complexes and engagement with the local community as well as maintaining and further developing connections with family and friends. An integrated model is proposed where older and younger people are mixing and using community facilities such as libraries, cafes etc. Notions of community engagement will include older people going out into the wider community and using community facilities with members of the wider community coming into the complex on a frequent basis. This will be for activities and projects related to both the winery and aged care. Strong linkages will be developed with local schools and universities for work experience related to area of study as well as volunteer opportunities. Likewise opportunities will be explored for participation of the older people in local community groups and organisations. The use of information communication technology (ICT) tools for individual and community interaction wellbeing will be an important component at this stage. Aim: The aim of the project is to develop an innovative residential concept that promotes healthy ageing through active engagement and participation in meaningful activities. The project investigates an innovative and sustainable living model for older people, who choose to reside in a purpose built complex that provides opportunities for engagement and participation in a winery business co-located on the property. Broader community engagement is a key feature of the design as well as access to world class health care. Background: The age profile of the Australian population is changing as the population is growing, ageing and living longer. It has been estimated that by 2050 more than one in 20 workers will be employed in aged care (AIHW, 2012). The changing population profile and increased aged care workforce has seen a rapid increase on health expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product. This is within large scale reforms of the health sector with a rethinking of traditional roles of health professionals and their education and training requirements. Many of the new roles will be in direct care as well as prevention to identify health and wellbeing issues early. A focus is on better alignment and coordination of services that are cognisant of new and emerging technologies such as e-health, tele-heath and the use of avatars as well as face to face practices. In addition to direct clinical work this gives rise to new opportunities for service delivery in aged care (Cormack, 2012). However to date a focus has been on risk and deficit models. Scant attention has been given to innovative design concepts that focus on older peoples strengths and resources and sense of purpose as they grow older (Martin, 2012). There is a

growing burden of chronic disease, workforce pressures and unacceptable inequities in health outcomes and access to services (DOHA, 2010, p.9). Dementia is the third main cause of death in Australia (AIHW, 2012). In 2011 it was estimated that 222,000 Australians (1%) had dementia. It is projected that by 2031 this number will increase to over 464,000 (1.6%) (AIHW, 2012, p. 317). Research findings suggest these figures are in fact too low and that the prevalence of dementia may be much higher with no national prevalence or incidence data readily available. There are no data subsets for diverse population groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people from CALD backgrounds. (Alzheimers Disease International, 2009; AIHW, 2012; Anstey et al., 2010). While generally associated with the elderly, dementia is not a normal part of the ageing process. Many older people well advanced in years retain full intellectual functioning. Its occurrence is determined by genetic predisposition, family history and general health and wellbeing. Dementia of the Alzheimers type affects 6% of people in Australia over sixty-five years of age. This percentage rises to 11% for those aged over seventy-five years. It is estimated that half of all permanent residents in Australian aged care facilities are diagnosed with dementia and have high care needs (AIHW 2011). Australias ageing population means that a significant strain will be placed on the health budget as currently fiscal spending on people aged 65 years and over is four times greater than the rest of the population (HWA, 2011). Health needs tend to become more complex as people age. A 2009 study of older Australians living in the community found that approximately half (49%) of those aged 65-74 years had five or more chronic conditions. For those aged 85 years and over this increased to 70 per cent (AIHW,2011). A priority for strategic planning for sustainable health care into the future is on wellness, prevention and primary health care. These are also priority areas identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as populations around the world are managing and planning for growing and aging populations. The WHO slogan of good health adds life to years sends a message of older peo ple having active and productive lives. A focus is on the resourcefulness and roles of older people in their families and communities as opposed to a disease and deficits model of ageing (WHO, 2012, p.1). Attention is increasingly focused on the wellbeing of older people. However inconsistent research findings show a simultaneous high life satisfaction score alongside high suicide rates (Chong, 2007). A recent study of older Australians found that the majority of respondents, 84 per cent, felt positive about their quality of life, However the researchers lamented the lack of data available on cause of death and hence no analysis of mortality patterns, including suicide (AIHW, 2012). A substantial proportion of older people are diagnosed with mental illness. In 2007, 8% of older people living in the community were found to have a mental illness, predominantly depression, with this figure increasing for those in residential settings (ABS, 2009). The scarcity of reliable research on the health and wellbeing needs of older people from all backgrounds is concerning (Martin, 2013). For older people without health insurance the high costs of treatment relative to income can mean lengthy delays in treatment on public hospital waiting lists and reduced medical options. The established link between poor heath outcomes and poverty requires policies and services targeted specifically at addressing the health and economic needs of low income earners. A study of older people in China found that high health expenditure was a major cause of poverty for those living in rural areas (Liu et al., 1998). Efforts are required to improve health care system infrastructure, accessibility and affordability and suitability. Health policies need to be attuned to demographic transitions, be responsive to changing age structures and provide opportunities for education and job creation. This approach can create economic growth at the same as providing necessary services.

Case study design: The project will be conducted in the Hunter Valley region focusing on the surrounding vicinity of the proposed complex. The proposed site of the complex is Pokolbin. This is a small town with a population of 625 located in the Cessnock City Council Local Government Area within the Singleton Shire. This LGA also includes Mount View, Broke, Rothbury and Branxton. This geographic area has been chosen as this is the population most likely to consider moving into the proposed complex. It will be expanded to include other municipalities identified in consultation with key community informants. Method: Stage 1: Needs Analysis: Individual Interviews will be conducted with older people using a narrative approach contemplating moving into residential accommodation to ascertain their needs, interests, concerns and fears of moving into a more supported living environment. Feedback will be sought on the design concept and features of an aged accommodation complex co-located with a winery with older people asked to rank or rate these on ordinal scales. Questions will also be included on familiarity and usage of ICT tools such as iPads, laptop and desktop computers. Contextual Interviews: Contextual interviews will be conducted that involve observing and listening to older people while they are engaged with technologies in local community venues. These interviews will provide information on the physical and social environment as well as the technologies available including means of access, familiarity and level of comfort and support. Contextual information will focus on the older persons levels of ICT competency. Cross correlations will be done between these two sets of interviews to gauge different levels of engagement with ICT according to baseline knowledge and skills in ICT. Focus Groups: Focus groups will be conducted with older people accessed through existing services and clubs for senior citizens that match the target demographic of the project. These groups will be approached and invited to participate in the project through pre-existing relationships with members of the research team. The discussion will follow up in-depth issues raised in the individual and contextual interviews and focus on attitudes, needs, concerns and interests with regard to the design concept including application of ICT to meet care and activity needs and support available. Data will be gained about the views of older people on residential accommodation options with shared or diverse viewpoints triggering more in-depth discussions. These groups will also be used as an opportunity to gauge older peoples responses to ideas and prototypes. Stage 2: Task Analysis: Task analysis will be used to collect information on how older people adapt and perform learning tasks providing information on the activities that the aged care complex and winery must support and the scope and nature of these. Co-variant analysis will be used to examine the relationship between engaging in meaningful activities (especially if that activity relates to something the person was once familiar with), learning, repetitive tasks and dementia. The task analysis findings will inform decisions on the choices available for different activities that match older peoples goals, tasks, and abilities and the steps involved. These steps will be refined to support a design concept that facilitates older people achieving their goals in the most efficient, effective and satisfying manner. Stage 3: Personas: Personas will be used as hypothetical constructs that embody the main features of the older persons group (Martin et al., 2007). Personas will aid in identifying different kinds of older people who may reside in the complex. Ultimately the personas must be satisfied with that is delivered. These will include cross cultural personas on people with dementia and depression and physical health care needs.

Stage 4: Scenarios: Scenarios will provide greater detail about older people and their particular needs. The most common scenarios that depict the needs and wishes of older people and the tasks they need to perform will be written considering cross cultural considerations and requirements. Stage 5: Usability Testing: Continuous feedback will be obtained by conducting usability tests frequently on concepts, particularly early on in the design process. Usability tests will assess both performance and design preferences by collecting data on: usability problems, performance, task completion, speed, and levels of satisfaction. 2. Project Rationale Improved aged care residential, health and wellbeing outcomes, and employment opportunities: The models designed during the study will be tailored to the specific needs of older people seeking residential accommodation and as a result will lead to improved design outcomes and levels of satisfaction. For some older people the design will need to be responsive to stringent requirements set by treating healthcare professionals. This supported living experience will meet national residential aged care standards and professional requirements. Older people will be provided with a wider range of supported living and employment opportunities. Innovation: The development of an aged accommodation complex of co-located with a winery is highly innovative and this is the first of its kind in the world. A further innovation is a broader consideration of aged care that focuses on peoples abilities and sense of purpose rather than a deficits model focusing on care needs alone. The use of design personas and scenarios to develop the concept and ICT models to support the project is particularly innovative. Strategic alignment: The project is strategically aligned with RMITs research priorities. RMIT is proud of its reputation as a place where investigations of real world issues results in practical solutions. We are serious about extending our global reach in research activities that solve critical problems affecting communities and the environment. Equally we acknowledge the timeliness of this project, as one which reflects our trans-disciplinary approach to address both the technology and social aspects, and create innovative solutions to difficult problems. It is exciting to see this project falls within three of our key global university research communities. These funded communities provide the essential collaborative and supportive environments to focus our researchers activities: designing the future utilizing expertise in architecture, engineering, science and social science in collaboration to ensure that future design is both inspired and functional. This project provides a novel approach to aged care, not yet sufficiently tested by research. smart technology solutions the technology investigation outlined in this project sits equally well amongst the vast applications that arise from this community of researchers. We anticipate several breakthroughs from this project to help Australia understand how to best utilise technology for the advancement of older persons health and wellbeing. the future of cities research tackling population growth and the social and environmental issues associated with rapid urban expansion. Findings from this project will impact on community wellbeing for the planning and development of healthy cities focusing on our growing older population and their increasing health and wellbeing needs into the future. Research findings will be disseminated at local and international conferences on architecture and design, aged care, mental health and wellbeing, nursing, social work and human computer interaction as well as at local community meetings. Project

findings will be published in high ranking journals in these areas as well as local media outlets and publications targeted specifically at older people.

Research Environment: Multi-disciplinary project based learning X Work-integrated learning X Potential to grow X core research capabilities locally and internationally Likelihood of X securing revenue stream from potential commercialisation Establishment of vital external relationships or networks which is likely to lead to further research opportunities X

Strengthening or developing research cluster capability

X Potential for publication opportunities

Research to align with growth market segments which are likely to generate increasing revenue stream

X Potential to strengthen teaching & learning programs or student participation

University wide application: The project has university wide application due to the multidisciplinary teamwork approach between staff and students across a wide range of disciplines. The models developed can be adapted to other design concepts that involve staff and students from other parts of the university. The project design can also be applied to metropolitan and international contexts thus further supporting the RMIT local and global focus. Value for money: The project is value for money as the only costs requested are for a Research Associate for twelve weeks and teaching relief for 48 hours. An Australian Research Council, Linkage application for a larger project will be developed based on these outcomes. 3. Project Outcomes The outcome of the project will be: - an innovative model of residential aged care supported by ICT; - improved residential experiences for older people supported by ICT; - increased opportunities for older people to participate in purposeful and rewarding activities in a residential setting; (and) - increased multidisciplinary collaboration between industry and academia; designing creative solutions underpinned by sound theoretical underpinnings, addressing major demographic, economic and social problems.

4. Project timelines: April 2013-February 2014 April Pre-planning

May June July August

Reference group meeting Ethics application Literature Review Stage 1: Needs analysis Stage 2: Task analysis Stages 3 & 4 Persona and scenario development Stage 5: Usability testing Review and refinement of models and concepts Stage 1: Student analysis Stage 2: Task analysis Stages 3 & 4 Persona and scenario development Stage 5: Usability testing Review and refinement of models and concepts Report preparation, writing and dissemination Preparation of papers for referred publications and conference presentation

September October November

December January February

5. Evaluation framework The project design has a built in evaluation component in the feasibility testing.

6. Funding Requested DIRECT COSTS Travel: Flights: Tullamarine to Newcastle return: $509.00x2x3trips Return travel to airport $70.00x2x3: Car Hire: $120.00 per day x 8 days Accommodation and per $190.00 x2x8 nights Total $3,054.00

$420.00

$960.00 $3,040.00

diem allowance:

Staffing:

Research Associate Academic Level A6 plus 35.91% on costs+ estimate 6% raise x 12 weeks:

$25,518.00

Total:

32,992.00

Budget Justification: A Research Associate is required for 12 weeks to conduct the data collection and analysis. The Research Associate will take primary responsibility for the substantial fieldwork and interview regime which the project methodology rests upon. While other researchers will join the Research Associate this person will take primary responsibility for organizing and managing the fieldwork. In addition this person will work closely with the communities and stakeholder organizations to ensure smooth access to data, and appropriate and regular reporting. Our previous experience with a related research project has shown this is a level of responsibility, requiring mature and independent decision-making and advanced research and analytic skills that necessitate this level of appointment. The Research Associate will be well experienced and have a proven track record in working effectively with older people and this mixed methods qualitative and quantitative research design. The travel and accommodation costs are calculated for the Chief Investigator and Research Associate to conduct the interviews on site in the vicinity of the proposed complex with older population catchment area. 7. Project Participants A total of 100 interviews will be conducted with older people. All participants in interviews and focus groups will be aged 60 years and over and will not be in a dependency relationship with any member of the research team. The research will comply with the NMHRC guidelines for ethical conduct, including vulnerability and informed consent. The researchers are well aware of the ethical requirements of informed consent and these will be strictly adhered to. No pressure will be put on people to participate. 8. Commencement Date: April 2013

References
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