A NEW purpose-built facility in Frankston is helping older people stay in their homes for longer by allowing them to trial new technology.
The National Centre for Healthy Ageing (NCHA), a partnership between Bayside Health Peninsula and Monash University, has established six research simulation facilities in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula regions. Among them is the Independent Living Laboratory, a simulated home equipped with new technologies including robotics and AI-powered glasses that can be trialled by prospective users.
Professor Velandai Srikanth, the director of the NCHA, director of research at Bayside Health Peninsula, and professor of medicine at Monash’s Peninsula Clinical School, said “we are excited about the transformative impact these facilities will have in generating evidence to inform government, industry, education, technology and service sectors.”
“With industry and government partnerships, this approach could be replicated in more communities across Australia, unlocking even greater national impact,” Srikanth said.
Monash School of Primary and Allied Health Care associate professor Libby Callaway said the facilities are supporting older Australians and people with disability to be decision-makers in how they live. “There have been major reforms in both disability and aged care to support people to live at home rather than in institutional settings like group homes or aged care, but many people don’t know where to start,” Callaway said.
“The Independent Living Laboratory helps close that knowledge gap by letting people try, test and learn in a realistic home environment before making decisions that affect their everyday lives.”
First published in the Frankston Times – 23 June 2026