Global partnerships key to a stronger future
We can learn from leaders across the Australian sector, but we should also look beyond our borders to our international peers, writes Tom Symondson.
The recent World Ageing Festival in Singapore was a global gathering of people whose hearts and minds are committed to improving the lives of older people. It reminded that we are not alone in the challenges we face – and by sharing and learning with our international partners, we can turn these challenges into opportunities.
It gave Ageing Australia the chance to showcase Australian innovation, forge new connections, and learn from some of the world’s best.
A highlight for me was signing a new Memorandum of Understanding with Ageing Asia founder and managing director Janice Chia. This partnership is fundamental to our three-year global engagement strategy – a foundational step that will drive collaboration and knowledge sharing and strengthen services for older people both here and overseas.
Australia has long been a leader in aged care reform, workforce development and innovation. Through initiatives like InnovAGEING, our national innovation network, our sector has shown how creativity and new thinking can make a real difference to people’s lives.
We can learn from our dedicated leaders across the Australian sector, but also by looking beyond our borders to our international peers, whether they are in Singapore, Tokyo or Seoul.
Communities in the Asia-Pacific are facing the same demographic pressures as Australia, and we have so much to learn from them.
We must embrace the innovative solutions demonstrated by our global neighbours.
Countries like Japan and South Korea are not just confronting the challenges of ageing, they are leading from the front, taking bold risks, embracing artificial intelligence, robotics and smart technologies to transform care for older people.
At Ageing Australia’s Innovation Transforming Aged Care conference in Melbourne, I spoke about the urgent need for our sector to stay ahead of change.
“AI will not take your job, but someone who uses it will take your customers,” is a quote I’ve heard recently that sticks in my mind.
Innovation is everywhere. Often, the biggest barriers are the ones we impose on ourselves.
If we want aged care in Australia to thrive, we must be proactive, ambitious and willing to look globally for new ideas and solutions.
Our partnership with Ageing Asia is a great leap forward. It signals our commitment to a future where older people can live with dignity, purpose and opportunity, wherever they reside.
By working together and embracing innovation, we can ensure Australia’s aged care sector remains one of the best in the world.
Tom Symondson is chief executive officer of Ageing Australia
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