The Future of Home-Based Care for an Ageing Population
Insights from our exclusive Masterclass with Dr Michael Young.
Australia's ageing population is growing, and with it, the increasing prevalence of multimorbidity and chronic disease. Healthcare resources are under strain, and traditional models of care, largely hospital and facility-based, are struggling to keep up.
The Improvement Academy recently hosted a Member-exclusive Masterclass featuring Associate Professor Bernie Harrison, Improvement Academy Director and Dr Michael Young, CEO and founder of Hospital in Your Home.
Titled, ‘Beyond Hospital Walls: Transforming Community Care for an Ageing Future,’ Dr Young explored innovative approaches to supporting older Australians in their homes.
The Benefits of Home-Based Care
Many older Australians prefer to remain at home rather than move into residential aged care. This preference aligned with the upcoming changes to the Aged Care Act, which aimed to enhance support for home-based care from mid-2025.
Recognising that safety and early intervention are essential in home-based care, Dr. Young discussed how technology is playing an increasing role in monitoring health and detecting risks early. Smart, non-intrusive sensors without cameras or high-cost equipment can collect real-time data on an individual’s daily routines, such as sleep patterns, movement, meal preparation, and gait speed, a known risk factor for falls. AI-driven analysis of this data enables early detection of subtle changes in activity levels, allowing care teams to intervene before a hospital admission becomes necessary.
Technology is going to be a big part of how we leverage community-based models of care and how we extend our workforce.
- Dr Michael Young
Integrating Community and Hospital Care for Better Outcomes
Delivering healthcare beyond traditional hospital settings is not a new concept. Community-based midwifery and palliative care models have long demonstrated the effectiveness of home-based care. Likewise, many public hospitals run accredited home-based programs that meet national safety and quality standards.
We need to make sure that our data systems allow the portability of information across the healthcare continuum, across hospitals, community, primary care, allied care
- Dr Michael Young
Integration remained a critical theme. Dr Young emphasises the importance of community care working together with hospitals to provide the right care in the right place at the right time. He challenged the misconception that community-based care was simply a cost-saving measure, arguing instead that its true value lay in better patient outcomes and enhanced quality of life.
We thank Dr Young for his time and sharing insights on this important topic. As an ACHS Member, you can access more Masterclasses like these on our IA Learning Portal. Simply register to access these insightful discussions.
