Smart technologies to assist future older Australians

A wide range of smart technologies are available to assist older Australians to live safely and to live well at home and in the community, according to a new report by the University of Melbourne’s Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society (IBES).

With the growing number of older Australians, the use of smart technologies such as computers, tablets, and smartphones can aid and lower the future demands for aged care facilities by allowing them to stay in their home longer with the support of such technologies along with access to cost effective broadband services.

Statistics shows that in 1901 the average life expectancy in Australia was 47 years. By 2025 it will be over 80. In 2050, 25% of Australians will be aged over 65, with 5% over 85.

The IBES report, led by Professor Meg Morris, Head of School of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne, points out that it will be possible to prolong the period living at home and at the same time feel safe. Monitoring and treatment of chronic diseases can be of higher quality and more continuous as rehabilitation and many health and social care services can be received in the home setting.

Smart home technology is currently available to assist older people to stay living at home, including those with impairments, activity limitations and disabilities. Additionally, the report indicates that the rollout of the National Broadband Network offers a unique opportunity to link Australians with state-of-the-art technologies with the potential to improve health, well being and quality of life.

“The National Broadband Network coupled with other new technologies could be better used by healthcare agencies, such as district nursing services, general practitioners and allied health professionals to work more effectively and efficiently in the home and community, to better enable health and wellbeing.”

The report, which includes review and analysis of 8,521 articles on the use of smart technologies to support ageing around the world, is an essential resource for policies and procedures for installation of smart technologies into homes and communities – which also forms part of the National Broadband Network endeavour.

Huawei looks on other opportunities after NBN ban

Despite being banned from bidding on contracts for Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN), Huawei Technologies, China’s largest maker of telephone equipment, would still look at potential opportunities related to the project.

The Federal Government has recently declared that Huawei would not win any supply contracts in the country’s $38 billion NBN project due to cyber security concerns.


Nonetheless, Huawei’s local board chairman John Lord said the company will now look at possible ventures in the broader market related to the NBN project.


“Our argument will always be that there is core parts of the national infrastructure that companies like us would not expect to be in,” Lord told ABC television on Sunday.


“We would still argue that there’s parts of the NBN that are perhaps suitable.”
The decision to ban the Chinese telecommunications giant came after warning from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation that Huawei’s links to Chinese Communist Party and People’s Liberation Army would jeopardise national security.

PM Gillard backs Huawei ban
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard supports the decision to ban Huawei, arguing that the move was not against trade rules.


“We’ve made decisions in the national interest. We’ve made decisions that we have the ability to make,” Gillard said. “Any suggestion that this is somehow in breach of our trade obligations is simply untrue.”


“And I know China itself takes a view about its own telecommunication system and roll out, that it’s got a special approach to whether there should be foreign investment in that.”


Gillard’s statement came after China’s Foreign Ministry’s plea to provide “a market environment for Chinese companies that is fair and free from discrimination”.


Hong Lei’s spokesman said: “We hope the relevant authorities of Australia will provide a market environment for Chinese companies that is fair and free from discrimination, instead of wearing colored lenses and obstructing Chinese companies’ normal operation in Australia in the name of so-called security.”


Decision will not hurt Australia and Chinese relations
Australia’s Treasurer Wayne Swan has affirmed that the Huawei NBN ban would not hurt the country’s relations with China. Foreign Minister Bob Carr, on the other hand, has urged Huawei to continue expanding in Australia.


“We have no indication that any other projects have been looked at,” Huawei spokesman Luke Coleman told Reuters. “In fact the government has encouraged us to continue to grow our business here in Australia,” he added.