Mercy Health Ageing Well Stage

The Mercy Health Ageing Well Stage offers a relaxed and welcoming setting for more intimate sessions. It features a mix of informative presentations, engaging entertainment, and small-group discussions.

MC’d by Ben Murphy

FRIDAY 20 MARCH

11.20am - 11.45am: Healthy Brain Ageing - ​Reimagining Dementia Support
Ben Gatehouse, Mercy Health

An overview on healthy brain ageing, along with Mercy’s ongoing work in developing a Dementia Care model. This topic is highly relevant to community‑based ageing, practical for carers, and meaningful for older attendees seeking guidance on maintaining wellbeing as they age.

12.20pm - 12.45pm: Accessible Events - Staying Engaged and Included
Arnie Bax, Travellers Aid

What festival and event organisers can do to improve access and inclusion, and what people with disability and/or mobility challenges attending should look out for when attending events and festivals.

1.20pm - 1.45pm: Empowering Inner Peace
Chris Naish & Emily Shaw, Care Guidance

Providing information around the benefits and importance of Wellbeing in aged care, demonstrating the services Social Workers provide within the aged care sector.  From transitioning into an aged care home, Mental Health, Trauma Informed Care, End-of-Life Planning, Advance Care Planning, Psychosocial assessments and counselling for resident and families.  In addition the benefits of Wellbeing whilst undertaking Support at Home services to support the mental health, challenges of aging, planning for the future and the care needed.

2.20pm - 2.45pm: An Evidence-based Australian Innovation  for Home care and Residential Aged Care
Prof. Rajiv Khosla, Human Centred Innovations

MATILDA is an AI social robot with human-like  interaction. It is an Australian innovation and an outcome of more than 15+ years of research, co-design and development in home-based care, residential aged care, autism, disability, education and business process sectors in Australia and overseas.
In this talk we will elaborate on case studies of MATILDA in the residential aged care and home care service settings as well as highlight its mental health, generative AI and offline and online services.   
MATILDA has been deployed for more than 100,000 days in various service settings.    
It has been evidenced to improve emotional wellbeing of people with dementia and provide respite to their carers. Matilda can be operated and manages remotely from anywhere to help reduce social cost of care and support capacity building.

SATURDAY 21 MARCH

11.20am - 11.45am: SeeWay. An initiative of Guide Dogs
Kaye Jones, SeeWay

SeeWay is a free national service from Guide Dogs, supporting Australians who are adjusting to changes in their vision. Many people experience vision changes with age, yet may not qualify for funded support or know what help exists. SeeWay connects you with practical tools, information and mental health support to keep doing the things that matter most - from reading and technology to hobbies and daily tasks. Our approach is friendly, practical and person-centred, supporting independence and wellbeing at every stage of your vision journey.

12.20pm - 12.45pm: Caring and Care Guidance for Support at Home
Laura Ellett & Olivia Silver, Care Connect

Understanding caring and care guidance, including practical applications and benefits, as well as caring guidance in the restorative care pathway.

1.20pm - 1.45pm: Discover your upside of ageing with LiveUp
John Bradshaw, LiveUp

There are lots of myths and stereotypes when it comes to getting older, but it’s proven that how well we age is mostly determined by the lifestyle choices we make each day. It’s never too early or too late to start making changes. LiveUp is packed with free information and resources such as exercises, local groups and activities, and simple solutions and products to help you take charge of how you’re ageing.

2.20pm - 2.45pm: Home Fire Safety Matters
Geoff Kaandorp, Fire Rescue Victoria

62% of people who die in a home fire have a disability and 36% are older (over 65). Learn how to identify home fire risks and simple steps to mitigate these risks.  Modern furnishings make home fires burn fast, so you need to be able to get outside withing 2 - 3 minutes. The majority of home fires are preventable if you do several important but easy things. Find out more at our presentation and stay fire safe.