Who Will Care for Us as We Age? Inside Australia’s $129 Million Bet on a Better Future
Growing older is something we all hope to do — preferably with dignity, comfort, and the confidence that someone will be there when we need help. Yet every year, those simple hopes seem to collide with a harsher truth: the global care workforce is shrinking, demand is exploding, and older people and their carers are often left navigating a maze of disconnected services.
Australia has decided to face that future head-on.
This week, a major national initiative — the Care Economy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) — officially began a ten-year plan to reshape how care is delivered from birth to the final chapter of life. With 56 partner organisations, five leading universities, and a $129 million war chest (including $35 million from the federal government), this CRC is aiming to do something bold: rebuild an entire care economy so it works for everyone — especially older people, families, and the exhausted carers holding the system together.
And while this is an Australian initiative, its goals speak to challenges shared in every ageing nation: Who will care for me? Who will pay? And how do we make sure the carers themselves don’t burn out?
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The Care Crisis We All Feel — No Matter Where We Live
Around the world, populations are ageing faster than care systems can adapt. More people are living with multiple chronic conditions. More families are juggling jobs, children, and ageing parents. Rural areas everywhere face the same problem: not enough carers, and too few services.
As Carmela Sergi, the CRC’s Managing Director and CEO, puts it: “We know that high quality care will enable us all to live independent lives and participate fully in the community… But we also know that the care economy is facing huge challenges.”
Her list is painfully familiar:
- Growing demand
- Increasingly complex health needs
- Shortages of trained workers
- Regional communities falling through the cracks
If you’re an older person, a family member, or a carer, none of this is a surprise. The real question is: what will actually change?
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A New Kind of Care System — One That Talks to Itself
The Care Economy CRC’s plan is refreshingly practical. Rather than layering on more reports or one-off pilot programs that never scale, it aims to fundamentally rewire how care works — and who it works for.
1. Technology That Helps Rather Than Confuses
No one wants a future where robots replace human warmth. But they can lend a hand — literally.
The CRC will fast-track technologies such as:
- Environmental and personal monitoring sensors to keep older people safe at home
- Assistive robotics that reduce heavy manual tasks for carers
- Social robotics that support independence and reduce isolation
- AR/VR tools to train caregivers and improve decision-making
- Mobile apps and chatbot systems that reduce paperwork and help navigate services
Professor Aniruddha Desai explains the aim: “Technology offers a pathway to reimagine care — enabling scalable, people-centred solutions.”
But as CRC leaders emphasise, this isn’t about shiny gadgets. It’s about tools that carers will actually use and older people can actually trust.
2. Data That Follows the Patient — Not the Other Way Around
Many older people know the frustration of repeating their medical history five times in one day.
Professor Adam Dunn, Research Program Lead for Data Solutions, wants to end that.
The CRC will build:
- Connected health and care information systems
- AI-enabled decision tools
- Care navigation systems
- Data sandboxes allowing innovation without risking privacy
The goal is simple: no more silos, no more duplication, and no more “lost in the system.”
3. A Workforce That’s Valued — Not Just Stretched
Across the world, carers are overworked and underpaid. Many are women. Many leave the sector because the job becomes unsustainable.
The CRC aims to change this through:
- New training pathways
- Digital literacy programs
- Better career options
- Workplace improvements
- Scalable models of care delivery
Professor Sarah Larkins highlights why this matters: “Our priority is to develop workforce capability for technology-enabled care delivery… always keeping the focus on end users.”
In short: better-trained carers, working with smarter tools, delivering higher-quality care.
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A Sector Too Big to Ignore
In Australia, the care economy contributes a staggering $327 billion annually and employs 1.8 million people — more than 15% of the workforce. Around 80% are women.
Yet for decades, governments have treated care as a welfare cost rather than an economic engine.
Not anymore.
Professor Irene Blackberry sees an opportunity: “The Care Economy CRC can be a trailblazer… positioning Australia as a global leader in exportable care services, models, training and technologies.”
This shift — treating care as a national industry, not a budget burden — is something older people and their carers have been waiting for.
What This Means for Older People and Their Families
For older adults worldwide, the CRC’s work promises three big benefits:
More independence
With sensors, assistive robotics, and smarter data systems, people can stay safely at home longer — the #1 wish in almost every ageing survey.
Better quality of care
Improved training and technology mean fewer errors, quicker responses, and more personalised support.
Less stress for family carers
Carer burnout is a global epidemic. Technology that reduces paperwork, provides real-time information, and lightens physical workloads will make caring more sustainable.
As Carmela Sergi says: “High quality care will enable us all to live independent lives… and contribute to the economy.”
Care, in other words, is not a cost. It’s an investment in human dignity.
A Model the World Will Be Watching
The Cooperative Research Centre model has transformed Australian industries before — from mining technology to environmental science. Now it is being used to strengthen one of the most important, under-resourced sectors in modern society.
Deena Shiff, Chair of the CRC, frames the ambition plainly: “First, we’ll transform care in Australia. Then we’ll create opportunities for companies to export.”
If they succeed, countries worldwide grappling with ageing populations may have a new roadmap to follow.
The Question That Started It All
At the heart of this initiative were the five questions older people and carers often whisper in waiting rooms, family kitchens, and late-night conversations:
Who will care for me as I age?
Who will care for my children so I can work?
Who will support me so I can participate in life?
How can we help the carers?
How can we guarantee quality and safety into the future?
The CRC is saying: We hear you — and we’re finally doing something big enough to matter.
For older people everywhere, that’s not just welcome news. It’s long overdue.
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