KeepAble

29/12/2025

Some powerful insights in here about how culturally safe AT can (and should) look in Australia. If you work in aged care, community services or policy - this is worth a read.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17g1aJXbvK/

New Research Spotlight: Elevating First Nations Voices in Assistive Technology

We’re proud to share that the lived experiences and recommendations of First Nations community members and ACCHO staff - captured before the Aged Care reforms - are now part of Australia’s evidence base through our latest research collaboration with Bond University and Monash University.
And even better - it’s free and open access!

Published in the Australian Journal of Social Issues:
Hearn, S., V. Langenberg, K. Harper, et al. (2025). “Culturally Safe Assistive Technology Provision in Australia: Concept Mapping Perspectives From Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.”
Before reforms began, we sat down with Elders, community members, and ACCHO staff to yarn about their experiences with the Aged Care system and their hopes for a more culturally safe future for Assistive Technology (AT).

To make sure these insights were not lost, our team — alongside Shane Hearn, Vanessa Langenberg, Kristy Harper, Libby Callaway, Hilary O'Connell, Eleanor Kennett‑Smith, and Natasha Layton — embedded these perspectives into a research model grounded in:
The WHO 5P Framework (People, Products, Personnel, Provision, Policy) - and The 8 steps of AT service delivery
Together, we highlight community‑driven priorities and reinforce the need for continued investment in First Nations‑led AT research and community‑controlled support for Elders, older people, and families.

What we hope this research sparks:
1. Stronger, more culturally safe standards of care
2. New ideas and collaborations
3. More community voices shaping AT policy and practice
A heartfelt thank you to every person and organisation who contributed their time, stories, and cultural knowledge — including:
Bungree Aboriginal Association, Carbal Medical Services, Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative, Karadi Aboriginal Corporation, Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative, The Purple House, and Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care.

Read the full research summary here:
https://www.ilaustralia.org.au/resources/culturally-safe-at-provision-in-australia

22/12/2025

🎁 This festive season, we celebrate the dedication of those working in aged care and the difference you make every day by supporting independence through wellness and reablement.

Thank you for helping older Australians live life their way. We can’t wait to share new ways to support you in 2026 and keep making reablement part of everyday care!

19/12/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 – 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁.

Putting wellness and reablement into practice can sometimes feel challenging. How do you know when it’s the right option? When should you suggest it?

Our 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 features aged care professionals - support workers, care coordinators, allied health managers, and leaders - sharing their real experiences.

✅ Why it’s important
✅ The challenges they’ve worked through
✅The strategies they’ve used
✅ Ideas to help you support your clients’ independence

These short videos will give you confidence, clarity, and practical ideas to apply reablement in your own work.

👉 Watch now: https://bit.ly/RealReablement

18/12/2025

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿.

These highlights from our friends at LiveUp show what’s possible when older people are supported to live life their way. They remind us that independence, confidence and purpose aren’t just goals - they’re journeys we can help make happen.

Take a moment to watch and celebrate these stories. They might spark ideas for how you can bring reablement to life in your own work.

🎥 See the highlights below and visit the LiveUp website to discover evidence-based resource that help older people stay independent through healthy ageing 🔗 https://www.liveup.org.au/

17/12/2025

🎄 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀!

Our friends at LiveUp 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. guide is a practical resource for older people, their families and aged care professionals - offering expert tips from occupational therapists and suggestions for assistive products available from trusted retailers.

These simple solutions can make everyday tasks easier, so older Australians can enjoy the festive season with confidence and ease.

👉 Explore their guide today: https://bit.ly/MakingChoicesFindingSolutionsGuide

16/12/2025

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟭 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 🎧

The 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 features industry experts, support workers, and people with lived experience who share how reablement can be woven into everyday practice.

From promoting independence as a carer to applying evidence-based strategies for dementia care, you’ll leave every episode with actionable strategies and learnings to enhance your work and better support your clients independence.

Listen to the series now: https://bit.ly/TheReablementPodcast

Heywood Rural Health Australian Journal of Dementia Care HammondCare Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Feros Care Carers Australia

15/12/2025

🎥 2025 has been all about '𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿'- because every opportunity matters when it comes to supporting older people in leading safe, independent lives.

We’re excited to keep working alongside you in 2026 to create positive outcomes for older people across Australia. 👉 https://keepable.com.au/

11/12/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗼

Reablement is about empowering people to take control of their lives and rediscover independence.

In Erin’s story, a simple conversation uncovered what truly mattered to her client: continuing his daily walks with his wife, their time for connection and wellbeing.

At first, he didn’t think he needed physio - but understanding his goal gave purpose to reablement activities that helped him build strength and confidence, while nurturing a relationship that mattered most.

Watch the full video to hear this heartwarming story and see how one insight transformed care - and access free resources to embed reablement in your practice👉 https://bit.ly/RealReablement

🙏Thanks Erin and Feros Care for sharing how you help people thrive through reablement.

09/12/2025

𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮.

In this episode of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁, we speak with Dr Claire O’Connor from the University of New South Wales about the research surrounding dementia and reablement.

This insightful conversation covers:
➡️ How to deliver a targeted program for a person living with dementia
➡️What the evidence says about supporting people living with dementia through reablement
➡️Why reablement is not a one-off approach and how to regularly review support over time
➡️How multi-disciplinary teams can work together to help clients achieve functional goals

Hear perspectives from Allied Health professionals and methods for non-clinicians to boost your understanding and help you better support your clients today.

🔗Listen to the episode here: https://bit.ly/TheReablementPodcast

Dementia Support Australia Dementia Training Australia Dementia Support Australia Dementia Alliance Ballarat Feros Care Australian-Filipino Community Services

04/12/2025

🌱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀!

Meet a young support worker from Australian-Filipino Community Services whose positivity and encouragement show what reablement is all about - doing with, not for.

💬 “They treat me like family… and in our culture, caring for older people is a responsibility I’m proud to take on.”

By involving his client in gardening and home projects, he’s helping build confidence, skills, and independence.

🎥 Watch the full video and explore more Real Reablement stories from aged care professionals here: https://bit.ly/RealReablement

✔ More tips to help your clients live independently
✔ More FREE resources, templates and training to support wellness and reablement

02/12/2025

Exercise and rehabilitation programs can support clients to stay strong or rebuild physical capacity.

In these 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁, we talk to Danielle from Feros Care about the difference between physiotherapy and exercise physiology in reablement.

𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. She covers what barriers you may face when bringing movement into the mix with your client, and how you can address these using reablement.

When it comes to wellness and reablement, Danielle agrees that it’s a team effort. We talk with her about how team conversations can strengthen this approach and make these principles part of everyday practice.

👉Tune in now: https://bit.ly/TheReablementPodcast

Rise BaptistCare Brightwater Care Group Bethanie Healthy North Coast

27/11/2025

🌱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 🌱

Reablement is about enabling people to keep doing what brings them endless joy.

When Erin Alexias, Allied Health Manager at Feros Care, received a referral to help improve strength and balance, she took the time to talk with her client. That conversation uncovered a passion that had shaped her life for over 30 years - her garden.

From there, Erin brought together tailored reablement strategies with Vision Australia to adapt the garden and design exercises that helped her safely and confidently tend to the space she loved. This wasn’t just about mobility - it was about purpose, identity, and independence.

👏 Thank you, Erin, for sharing this inspiring story and valuable insights!

🎥 Watch the full video and explore more stories from aged care professionals in Real Reablement. See the strategies they’ve used, the challenges they’ve worked through, and take away ideas to support your clients’ independence.
👉https://bit.ly/RealReablement