Reshma Jayesh
22 May 2025: In what could be a transformative model of allied health care for older Australians in residential aged care settings nationally, the University of Canberra has concluded its pilot of the Enhanced Allied Health for Older People in Residential Aged Care (EAHOP) program, in collaboration with Calvary Haydon.
The unique model of care, led by the University’s Professor Stephen Isbel, Deputy Director, Centre for Ageing Research and Translation (CARAT), embedded six allied health professionals – occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, dietetics, optometry, and pharmacy – at residential aged care home Calvary Haydon in Bruce (ACT) to work with the residents, their families, GPs, and the staff, supported by allied health assistants and a clinical liaison nurse.
More than 30 residents from Calvary Haydon, completed the 35-week program, and improvements in movement, communication, and independence were noted in the early anecdotal findings of the study. The University’s project team is currently evaluating the success of the program through qualitative interviews with the residents and their families and is expected to publish a full report by the end of 2025.
The evaluation will inform the broader implementation of the program, urging government to consider pathways for a national expansion into other aged care settings.
Vice-Chancellor at the University of Canberra, the Honourable Bill Shorten, a passionate advocate for a better quality of life for older Australians, commended the team for successful completion of the trial and looks forward to seeing the program expanded.
“Quality of life for our ageing population is more than safety and shelter—it is about securing dignity and wellbeing and supporting people to live their lives to the fullest. This innovative program places allied health professionals in residential aged care environments, to collaborate with residents, families, and GPs, and design personalised plans that support mobility, communication, and nutrition,” said Mr Shorten.
“It’s about living to age well and ageing to live well.”
Dr Isbel has been involved in the development and design of the program since the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety released its recommendations in 2021, noting the potential for improved access to, and delivery of, allied health services for older people living in residential aged care.
Dr Isbel received a Category One grant from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), valued at $647,854, to launch the project and joined hands with Calvary Haydon as the partner organisation.
“Calvary Haydon has a demonstrated commitment to delivering high-quality care and recognised the benefits of partnering in this pilot for their residents. We are appreciative of their support.
“Australians in residential aged care settings have multiple needs – from speech to physical and recreational needs – and to have access to all these services within the aged care setting is incredibly valuable, and can lead to better quality of life outcomes overall. Through this new model, we have been able to work closely with the residents, offering personalised care plans based on the participants’ individual needs.
“While there are some evident signs of success that we have seen throughout the year, such as improvement in mobility and communication among some of the residents, we look forward to completing our follow up assessments, which will clearly define the outcomes of the project.”
Mr Ben Williams, Calvary General Manager Aged Care - ACT and Southern NSW, gave the program his vote of support.
“Calvary is committed to continual improvement and high-quality care across our residential aged care homes, so being able to collaborate with the University of Canberra to deliver this research project has been an incredible opportunity,” said Mr Williams.
“A real benefit of this project has been giving allied health students the experience of working in an aged care setting. It opens a student’s eyes to how rewarding a career in aged care can be.”
Residents signing up to the program were taken through various screening assessments with the allied health professionals. Based on this, the resident together with their family were able to decide on the interventions they would receive. This is followed by a meeting with their GP, allied health professionals, a registered nurse, and next of kin to develop a comprehensive and coordinated individual care plan.
Ms Gillian Edwards, a program participant, has shown signs of recovery more than a year after her stroke. The occupational therapist and physiotherapist on the team have been working with Ms Edwards to improve her arm and leg function which has significantly improved her quality of life.
Gillian’s daughter Celia Vuckovic said, “It was such a relief that this program was just starting at exactly the time that mum moved in.”
“I wasn't expecting her to get so much better once she moved to aged care, but the improvements just kept on happening and I put that down to the fact that it was such a consistent intervention. She's received daily help from different allied health professionals, and the constant rehabilitation has been really important. The strong partnership between the UC research team and Calvary Haydon made everything seamless.”
Dr Isbel credits the smooth roll-out and implementation of the program to its Clinical Liaison Nurse, Dr Helen Holloway, who has been instrumental in the delivery of the program. Dr Holloway’s experience working in clinical and aged care settings for over 15 years and understanding of the pressures that clinical staff face in the sector was critical.
“My aim was to ensure that the project implementation was as smooth as possible so that the staff could continue to focus on uninterrupted care for their residents. I ensured that the updates and progress of the program were communicated effectively to the residents, their families and the Calvary Haydon staff through clinical huddles, personal interactions and newsletters, and managing appointments with the allied health professionals and assistants,” explained Dr Holloway.
The EAHOP team is in the process of applying for further funding and aims to expand the program to more residential aged care homes in Canberra and the region.
