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Tom, along with Ageing Australia Chief Technology Advisor Dr George Margelis, were also part of an esteemed judging panel for the 13^th annual Asia Pacific Eldercare Awards.

The concurrent awards featured global representation with winners from India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong SAR China, Japan, Portugal, Finland and New Zealand, as well as Australia, and it’s worth acknowledging the outstanding Australian winners up-front – with Harbison winning three separate awards for its Motiview program, Regis Aged Care Australia winning two separate awards and Bolton Clarke, NewDirection Care and IRT Group winning one award each. In a new category this year, Uniting AgeWell received a special recognition, while Australian Nursing Home Foundation Chief Executive Officer Ada Cheng and Harbison Chief Executive Officer David Cochran both won Global Ageing Influencer awards. We are proud to say most of these global innovators are Ageing Australia members.

Innovative suppliers and service providers were also acknowledged, with Australia’s Lenexa Medical recognised with two awards for the ’best operational management technology and productivity innovation that creates operational efficiency and care support in an organisation’ and ‘best AI solution technology that helps to enhance safety, comfort and ease of mind for older person’. Mark Moran Group also won an award for their health and wellness program.

On the ground, Belinda and Julie welcomed attendees at booth BF01, engaging with international providers, thought leaders and innovators to showcase the work being done in Australia to improve outcomes for older people – including Australian innovators NeuronsVR trailblazing virtual reality for people with dementia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders, and Crazy Might Work supporting the development of innovative leaders. These two companies assisted us in the booth as well as the demonstration stage.

We also promoted the work of InnovAGEING, Australia’s national innovation network for the aged care sector. Hosted by Ageing Australia, the network exists to accelerate innovation by connecting providers, partners and change-makers who are actively shaping the future of ageing well in Australia. With a focus on co-design, new technologies and sector-led transformation, InnovAGEING highlights the need for aged care to continuously evolve alongside the communities it serves.

“The World Ageing Festival plays a critical role in connecting providers from across the region, encouraging the exchange of ideas and inspiring new approaches to care. For Australia, it also offers a chance to benchmark progress, form new partnerships and showcase the strength of local initiatives on a global platform,” said Belinda. “I’d encourage any provider or supplier to find out more about our InnovAGEING network and how it can support them to leverage their innovation potential on the global stage.”

Julie says leading the innovation challenge is something she is passionate about. “I’ve walked alongside many organisations to navigate change and adversity, and am always inspired by the leadership and creativity to solve problems within our sector. I’m passionate about driving sector-led innovation, to strengthen our narrative by sharing the stories of innovation and continuous improvement, and to empower our aged care workforce. There is a lot of momentum right now, from evidence-based practice including data analytics and research, to adopting new technologies and innovative thinking to strategically address challenges or leverage strengths within our sector – and there are multiple benefits from taking action.”

During the event, we also formalised our partnership with Ageing Asia via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Tom and Ageing Asia Founder and Managing Director, Janice Chia. “We’re delighted to now have a formalised partnership with Ageing Asia,” said Tom. “The MOU enables co-design and delivery of study tours to share aged care learnings from the Asia Pacific, sharing of networks and business matching opportunities, and engaging with innovation and research to enhance quality services and build better lives for older people.”

As part of our collaboration, the Ageing Asia team will be participating at Ageing Australia’s National Conference, to be held in the Gold Coast from 30 September – 2 October 2025. This partnership symbolises another step towards building our global engagement strategy, with Ageing Australia also having close working relationships with the Global Ageing Network, International Federation on Ageing and SAGE Study Tours. Ageing Australia’s three-year global engagement strategy aims to:

• facilitate opportunities to learn from and share aged care knowledge, insights, and innovation with other countries
• develop connections and opportunities to nurture collaborative opportunities and encourage innovation, business matching and workforce initiatives for Ageing Australia members
• showcase Australian aged care leading practice, innovation and expertise.

Ageing Australia also supports innovation in aged care through the (Innovation Transforming Aged Care (ITAC) annual conference and Ageing Australia ITAC awards. Open to members and non-members, these awards recognise initiatives that transform the delivery of aged care, community care and retirement living services, enhance the quality of life for older Australians, and pave the way for a future impactful, sustainable sector.

“What this year’s Asia Pacific Eldercare Awards showed is that Australia is leading the way when it comes to innovating aged care. We need to keep supporting this through thought leadership and innovative thinking,” said Julie. “There is also an opportunity to leverage insights and learnings from other countries. It’s a very exciting time for the aged care sector.”