LifeLab promotes Authentic Co-Design

Modern Ageing is a global response to increasing longevity, reflective of older adults’ shifting values, aspirations and attitudes towards growing older.

Importantly, Modern Ageing considers how we can live fulfilling, connected and independent lives throughout all of life’s course, with choices and opportunities that reflect our agency and individualism.

Speaking at DCM Institute’s professional development day in Adelaide this week, Julianne Parkinson, shared the story of the Global Centre for Modern Ageing (GCMA).

“We strive to disrupt the prevailing narrative on ageing, identifying the rapidly changing needs and wants of this fast paced and sizeable consumer market, and informing and supporting the supply chain to realise the opportunities in ways that people value.” Julianne said.

Based at the Tonsley innovation district, the GCMA assists organisations, product developers and governments across Australia and overseas to develop, design and deliver products, services and solutions that meet the needs of the world’s older, growing population.

“We’ve never had so many people over the age of 65, and experiencing much longer periods of life post-traditional retirement,” said Julianne.

“Mindsets are changing – people’s relationship with the importance of a home capable of meeting their changing needs as they age, and the role the built environment and technology can play.  We think AgeTech is the next big thing, where there’s tech-enabled solutions that support and enable the growing number of older people to live better lives through use of this technology.

And the transformation is not just precincts and products, services play a big role, being able to dial up or dial down services on any given day that help us live our best life.”

The LifeLab has a substantive track record of working with partners to bring disruption into reality.

Purpose built for innovation, the LifeLab is a highly customisable environment which simulates ‘real life’ and supports GCMA’s mission for citizen centred design principles. The LifeLab uses video and audio recording systems to capture user interactions with products to inform next steps to enter market.

“We firmly believe in internationally accredited co-design practices, which means the end-user should be actively engaged in the creation of solutions designed for their benefit.”