The Inspector General of Aged Care is a new independent body in Australia tasked with overseeing the administration, regulation and funding of the aged care system. As a consumer advocate, former CEO of the Council on Ageing Australia and government advisor, Ian reflects on over 30 years in the sector and sets out a vision for the systemic changes that will produce a better aged-care system.

UK Research and Innovation’s Healthy Ageing Challenge launched in 2019 has a mission to ensure that the ageing population remains active, productive, independent and socially connected across the generations for as long as possible. We’ll hear about their mission to transform the lives of millions within a decade.

Addressing the challenge to support older people in good quality housing that promotes care, wellbeing and alleviates loneliness. What can Ireland learn from supported independent living and multi-generational housing in Denmark?

• Providing suitable housing and care for older people
• How do we fund care and housing for the older population?
• Technologies and services for ageing well at home
• The implications of the changing nature of tenure of ownership in Ireland
• What can we learn from retirement living in other countries?

• What can be done to match our health span to our life span – what can a proactive preventative approach supported by digital technology offer?
• Scaling up health innovations in the silver economy
• Digital solutions to help us age smarter and healthier

Including funding models and financial sustainability

The design of the next generation of aged care services needs to respond to the demand for different types of care, diversity in options and the strong preference people have for remaining in their own home and community:

• Shaping policy and funding to drive the fundamental change needed in aged care
• Overcoming the challenges to change and reform in aged care
• Regulation that enables and promotes delivery of quality aged care experiences
• Creating a consumer focused, high quality aged care system
• Technologies and services for ageing well at home
• Workforce reform: How will the sector recruit, retain and upskill the workforce of the future to meet the needs of our ageing population

• Collaborating to improve health and social care and promote healthy ageing
• Perspectives of our homes and communities as we age
• Innovating within aged care, combatting digital exclusion
• Innovative interventions for community health and wellbeing
• Funding challenges: Population ageing and the public finances