About Us
The Living Lab brings together older people, caregivers, businesses, healthcare professionals, service providers and researchers to develop solutions that help us live fulfilling, connected lives as we age. It is a partnership between the people of the Central Coast, the Central Coast Local Health District, and the University of Newcastle.
By working side-by-side with our community, we aim to address the unique challenges and opportunities of ageing well. Together, we'll create innovative technologies, services, and support systems that empower older people to maintain their independence and continue to contribute to their communities.
Core challenges our Living Lab
will tackle
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Community Connection
How might we enhance community connection to reduce social isolation and loneliness among older people?
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Enabling Lifelong Health
How might we proactively enhance lifelong health and wellbeing that empowers individuals and promotes a holistic, preventative approach to health.
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Support at Home
How might we integrate traditional in-person support with innovative technology-based solutions to assist older people in maintaining their independence for as long as possible?
Working side-by-side
with our community
Your story matters!
We believe that everyone has a role to play in shaping the future of healthy ageing.
Active participation in our Living Lab
Older people and caregivers are central to our process. This means we work together to:
Identify Challenges and Opportunities
We collaboratively identify challenges and opportunities for aging well, maintaining independence and quality of life.
Co-Create Solutions
Provide insights and input into the design of solutions that reflect the needs, preferences, and experiences of older people.
Test, Refine and Provide Feedback
Prototypes and pilot projects are tested in real environments, with participants providing valuable feedback to refine and improve innovations.
Explore how we’ve been working with the community, researchers, and industry to tackle real-world challenges in our Living Lab
Curious about what a Living Lab is and how it works?
Our Commitment
By placing people at the heart of our process, we create solutions that are not only innovative but also practical and impactful. Our Living Lab is dedicated to making a real difference in the community, one collaborative effort at a time.
Meet the team
We're driven by a vision of a future where older adults can grow older in their homes, surrounded by the people and communities that matter most – join us in making this vision a reality by reaching out to our team to discuss how we can collaborate and innovate together.
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Dr Courtney Molloy
Program Manager
University of Newcastle -
Natassia Smith
Program Coordinator
Central Coast Local Health District -
Siobhan Curran
Strategic Advisor
Director of Entrepreneurship
University of Newcastle