A high-tech regional network is being rolled out to support carers of people with dementia across three states, thanks to a $1.7 million investment from the Liberal National Government.
Carers are being asked to join the Virtual Dementia Friendly Rural Communities (Verily Connect) project, which uses a newly developed smartphone app, website and videoconferencing to help care for carers.
Verily Connect is an online meeting place that is the exciting result of harnessing technology to help humanity.
It promises to reduce the challenges of distance and isolation, linking carers and helping them continue delivering critical support to some of our most vulnerable citizens.
Complementing the online technology, personal help will also be provided by local volunteers trained in the Verily Connect system.
This week is National Carers Week where we reflect on and thank the people who are carers in our community.
With over 425,000 Australians living with dementia, the work of carers is critical, especially in regional locations.
Verily Connect is about supporting the many senior Australians who want to age in their local communities.
Keeping families and communities together is critical in areas where even small shifts in population can have big impacts on local towns.
It is vital to ensure regional centres provide as much support and as many services as possible for senior residents.
I congratulate everyone at Verily Connect and La Trobe University’s John Richard Centre for their innovative work on this important project, which has much potential and could have national applications.
The Verily Connect project has three sites already active in Kooweerup, Victoria, Molong, NSW, and Victor Harbor, South Australia.
It will extend to: Edenhope, Warracknabeal, Kyneton, Heathcote, Horsham and Mansfield in Victoria; Nyngan in New South Wales; Riverland in South Australia.
The Liberal National Government is investing more than $200 million in research to manage, prevent and find cures for dementia, with the five-year Boosting Dementia Research initiative launched in 2015.
To participate in the Verily Connect project go to https://verilyconnect.org.au/
Authorised by Ken Wyatt AM, MP, Member for Hasluck.
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